Young. Successful. Pioneering.

Text: Philipp Zettl | Policy Officer

They will not only shape Berlin in the future - they are already doing so: the "Top 40 to 40" of the Berlin economy, awarded by the Tagesspiegel. Together with the VBKI, the closing ceremony took place in the Goldbergersaal. The award winners present - female founders, managers and innovators - symbolized a young, diverse, forward-looking metropolis.

"Enablers instead of obstructors"

After the welcoming address by VBKI Managing Director Ute Weiland and Deputy Editor-in-Chief of the Tagesspiegel Anke Myrrhe, Franziska Giffey, Berlin's Mayor and Senator for Economic Affairs, used clear words in her opening address: "What counts is the mindset. There are enablers - and obstructors. Today we are surrounded by enablers." The senator praised the entrepreneurial spirit of the younger generation, which is often wrongly labeled as comfortable. She particularly emphasized the role of female role models: although Berlin's founders are very young at 34.4 years old, there is only one female founder for every five male founders - to her satisfaction, the excellent panel showed pleasing counter-examples here: "They are important role models!" Giffey also referred to Berlin's economic strength: for twelve years, Berlin has been growing faster than the national average, driven by diversity and internationality - two pillars that are largely driven by young talent.

Capital, courage and speed

In his keynote speech, Dr. Hinrich Holm, CEO of Investitionsbank Berlin (IBB), outlined the economic conditions in the capital. Berlin's growth is strongly characterized by the labor-intensive service sector - with corresponding pressure on the housing market. "We will always be chasing the housing shortage, we have to be honest about that." At the same time, he praised Berlin's ability to develop innovative solutions, for example in the FinTech and BioTech sectors. "We don't have a money-printing machine in Berlin - we have to convince capital markets," said Holm. For a positive narrative, Berlin needs scale-up capital and investment in infrastructure in addition to the venture capital that is already readily available, so that start-ups not only set up here, but also stay here in the long term. An appeal was made to start-ups as well as to the administration: more courage to move at speed and a culture of error is needed. After all, it is not always just more money that is needed - there is enough available. Not every product has to be perfect before it reaches the market.

Young voices - big impact

The highlight of the evening was the personal stories of four of the award winners, presented by Tagesspiegel business editor Kevin P. Hoffmann.

Kai Lanz, co-founder of the start-up krisenchat, reported on the development of a crisis counseling service for young people via WhatsApp that is available around the clock. "We need a new operating system for our healthcare system," he demanded - more prevention, more support in schools and companies. Despite a strong uptake, krisenchat currently has to turn away around 70 percent of requests - due to capacity constraints. They are still mainly dependent on donations.

Jessica Jeworutzki, Managing Director of Brammibal's Donuts, explained how she found her way into the catering industry 10 years ago as a trained nurse who was always bad at math - without a master craftsman's certificate, but with a lot of courage. Because banks didn't want to give her any loans: The topic of veganism wasn't that big yet, and besides, there were already enough gastronomic offerings in Berlin. Even now, 10 years on, her vegan donuts are still sometimes ridiculed as hype. But the first vegan donut baker in Europe is now a Berlin success story and a role model for alternative start-ups.

Emil Montag, board member of MH&P Das Keilrahmen Werk, presented his family business, which manufactures stretcher frames and automated production machines in the heart of Berlin. His economic policy appeal: a reduction in income tax to break the wage-price spiral and ensure international competitiveness.

Maria Supranowitz, Head of the DHL Group's Berlin branch, reflected on her career path, which is characterized by authenticity and openness to challenges. Her credo: clearly representing values and actively speaking up - this is how opportunities arise. To ensure that she doesn't miss out on relaxation, however, a new companion has been helping her since this year: "My dog forces me to take regular breaks."

Conclusion: Berlin can have a future

The event impressively demonstrated that Berlin's economic future is in good hands. The "Top 40 to 40" stand for courage, attitude and responsibility - in their companies as well as in urban society. The VBKI looks forward to continuing to accompany these movers and shakers on their path in the future.