Hamburg's startup scene shows significant activity across many industries, including AI, SaaS, and climatetech. Companies here range from brand new ventures to major organizations with thousands of employees.
For example, climatetech company 1Komma5° has raised over $652M to advance home electrification. Meanwhile, companies like Mindpeak apply AI to cancer diagnostics and Plancraft develops software for contractors.
Below is our list of 18 Hamburg startups worth keeping an eye on.
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Get the Sheet for $50Phrase offers a complete localization suite designed to help businesses translate and manage their software for international markets. The platform streamlines the entire translation workflow, from development to release, through its powerful API and translation management tools.
| Year Founded | 2010 |
| Founders | Frederik Vollert, Tobias Schwab, Wolfram Graetz |
| Funding Amount | $12M |
| Startup Size | Large Team (251-1,000) |
| Last Funding Status | Debt Financing |
| Top Investors | CIBC Innovation Banking |
1Komma5° equips homes with intelligent energy solutions such as solar panels, heat pumps, and electricity storage systems. The company networks these clean energy assets to help households achieve a CO₂-neutral lifestyle and build a decentralized power grid.
| Year Founded | 2021 |
| Founders | Jannik Schall, Micha Grueber, Michael Hinderer, Philip Liesenfeld, Philipp Schröder |
| Funding Amount | $652.5M |
| Startup Size | Major Organization (1,001-5,000) |
| Last Funding Status | Venture Round |
| Top Investors | Deutsche Bank, BNP Paribas, Hamilton Lane, eCapital, b2venture |
Mindpeak develops AI-powered tools for clinical pathology to assist in cancer diagnosis. Their software automates the analysis of tissue samples, helping labs to quantify and classify biomarkers with greater speed and precision.
| Year Founded | 2018 |
| Founders | Felix Faber, Tobias Lang |
| Funding Amount | $19.8M |
| Startup Size | Lean Team (11-50) |
| Last Funding Status | Series A |
| Top Investors | European Innovation Council, Nina Capital, IFB Innovationsstarter, EIC Accelerator, AI.FUND |
Plancraft builds a simple SaaS platform for craftsmen and contractors to digitize their administrative workflow. The software helps trade businesses manage everything from quotes and invoices to project documentation, all from one central hub.
| Year Founded | 2020 |
| Founders | Alexander Noll, Julian Wiedenhaus, Richard Keil |
| Funding Amount | $52.1M |
| Startup Size | Mid-Size Team (51-250) |
| Last Funding Status | Series B |
| Top Investors | Headline, Creandum, HTGF (High-Tech Gruenderfonds), BitStone Capital, xdeck |
Holy Technologies engineers advanced composite components for the 21st century. Their work focuses on creating lighter, more durable materials to drive innovation in high-performance industries.
| Year Founded | 2022 |
| Founders | Bosse Rothe |
| Funding Amount | $4.3M |
| Startup Size | Founding Team (1-10) |
| Last Funding Status | Seed |
| Top Investors | Kai Alexander Muelle, Markus Kerkhoff, Timm Moll, Rockstart, Vanagon Ventures |
TrustNXT develops software to protect digital photos and videos from manipulation. Their platform ensures authenticity and builds trust in visual media by embedding verifiable credentials directly into the content.
| Year Founded | 2024 |
| Founders | Andreas Reich, Ariane Scheer-Danielsson, Sebastian Adank |
| Funding Amount | $2.1M |
| Startup Size | Founding Team (1-10) |
| Last Funding Status | Pre-Seed |
| Top Investors | HTGF (High-Tech Gruenderfonds), D11Z.Ventures |
quantilope provides an insights automation platform that helps brands conduct high-quality consumer research. Their technology automates the entire market research process, from survey design to analysis, to deliver results in days instead of weeks.
| Year Founded | 2014 |
| Founders | Lucas Bremer, Mark Heitmann, Peter Aschmoneit, Thomas Fandrich |
| Funding Amount | $40M |
| Startup Size | Mid-Size Team (51-250) |
| Last Funding Status | Debt Financing |
| Top Investors | Dawn Capital, Yttrium, Claret Capital Partners, Silicon Valley Bank, Senovo |
InnoGames develops and publishes online strategy games for mobile and browser, including the popular title Forge of Empires. The German studio is known for creating immersive worlds that foster long-term player engagement.
| Year Founded | 2007 |
| Founders | Eike Klindworth, Hendrik Klindworth |
| Funding Amount | $90M |
| Startup Size | Large Team (251-1,000) |
| Last Funding Status | Venture Round |
| Top Investors | Eight Roads Ventures, Modern Times Group |
ABOUT YOU runs one of Europe’s largest online stores for fashion and lifestyle, with a focus on creating a personalized shopping experience. Their platform is designed to help customers discover new items that fit their individual style.
| Year Founded | 2014 |
| Founders | Hannes Wiese, Sebastian Betz, Tarek Muller |
| Funding Amount | $300M |
| Startup Size | Major Organization (1,001-5,000) |
| Last Funding Status | Seed |
| Top Investors | German Media Pool, Bestseller, SevenVentures |
mo:re builds a fully automated platform that handles the entire organoid workflow, from generation to analysis. Their technology combines robotics, AI, and biology to make drug development faster and more predictive.
| Year Founded | 2023 |
| Founders | — |
| Funding Amount | $2.3M |
| Startup Size | Founding Team (1-10) |
| Last Funding Status | Seed |
| Top Investors | HTGF (High-Tech Gruenderfonds), IFB Innovationsstarter, Nidobirds Ventures, Gilson, NEDGEX |
8 Additional Hamburg Startups Worth Following
Our top picks only scratch the surface of Hamburg's growing startup community. Many of the city's other new companies are working in fields like AI and software, raising their first rounds of funding.
These companies range from brand new ventures to more established players. Here’s a look at the other startups helping to define the city's scene.