We are excited to share with you another edition of our BBO USA Newsletter.
Your Berlin Business Office USA team
Tech News from Berlin
Charité Breaks Ground on Heart Center Project
The German Heart Center of Charité (DHZC) is set to be completed in late 2028 and begin operations in summer 2029. The ~$615M facility will house state-of-the-art operating rooms, cardiac catheterization labs, and a clinical study center.
With a new ~$277M fund, Berlin-based Future Energy Ventures is positioning itself as Europe's premier VC platform for digital energy tech. The firm plans to invest in 20-25 startups at Series A and B stages. More information here.
Vay Receives $60M Investment
Berlin mobility startup Vay has received a significant investment from Grab Holdings, Southeast Asia's leading ride-hailing platform. The funding is meant to help Vay expand its US operations. More information here.
Reflex Aerospace Raises Record-breaking Series A
Berlin satellite manufacturer Reflex Aerospace has closed a ~$59M Series A funding round, the largest in European New Space history. The funding will accelerate production of Reflex's sovereign satellite constellations. More information here.
JPMorgan Chase opens Berlin HQ
Located in Berlin's historic newspaper district, the new headquarters underlines Chase's commitment to the German market. A digital banking app with personalized customer service is planned for a Q2 2026 launch. More information here.
Meet Berlin at SXSW 2026
Berlin is returning for SXSW in Austin, from March 10–17, 2026, where the city will showcase its strengths as a leading European startup hub and creative epicenter.
Participants from Berlin include Vay Technology GmbH, Tuktoro® by a2zebra, SIBB e.V., NLND Berlin, Neurolonic, medianet berlinbrandenburg e.V., mama health technologies GmbH, LI.FI Service GmbH, INVR.SPACE GmbH, IFA Berlin, HypnoBox GmbH, Gentle Systems GmbH, FACTUREE, digital health transformation eG, DiaMonTech AG, Delivery Hero SE, Daimler Center for Automotive IT Innovations (DCAITI), bett1.de GmbH, Beam Technologies GmbH, and Alganize GmbH. The delegation is organized by Berlin Partner for Business and Technology.
Berlin Keeps the Crown and Remains Germany’s #1 Startup Hub
As the latest EY Startup Barometer data shows, the city is the heartbeat of innovation, growth, and investor confidence in the German tech scene. Berlin once again maintains its leading role, both in capital raised and deal count, with 218 total funding rounds, ~$3.15B raised, and 31% of all German deals. More information here.
Sector Strength: Software, AI, and FinTech/InsurTech Leading the Charge.
FinTech/InsurTech – Berlin is #1 with ~$394M across 14 financing rounds.
AI – Berlin has the most funding rounds with 29, equaling ~$688.7M.
Software & Analytics – Berlin leads with ~$1.17B across 82 financing rounds.
Great examples in this respect are:
Finance company Trade Republic just hit a ~$14.75B valuation.
Unicorn Parloa just tripled their valuation to $3B in 8 months.
Analytics company Peec AI just raised a $21M Series A funding round.
Flashback of the Quarter
CES
The year started with another dynamic CES in Las Vegas, where physical AI was THE topic. Berlin impressively showed its competencies as the leading innovation hub in Europe. Special shoutout to Sixfab for winning the "Best of Innovation in Enterprise Tech" award. More information here.
Spotlight on HealthTech
The capital region stands out as a dynamic and integrated ecosystem for HealthTech innovation. The recently published spotlight introduces cross-sector technologies in health and highlights ecosystem players. More information here.
DeepTech New York (DTNY)
The BBO proudly represented Berlin at the inaugural Deep Tech New York summit in January and shared insights on Berlin's tech ecosystem through inspiring conversations with US companies. Want to learn more about DeepTech in Berlin? More information here.
NBA in Berlin
On January 15, Berlin hosted the Orlando Magic and Memphis Grizzlies for the first ever regular season NBA game in Germany. The Orlando Magic made an exciting third quarter comeback against the Grizzlies, winning with a final score of 118-111.
Berlin Set Sail for America's 250th Anniversary
As the official ambassador for the city of Berlin, the Academic Sailing Club (ASV) will take part in the international maritime event Sail 4th 250 marking the 250th anniversary of United States independence on July 4, 2026 in New York City.
The journey – undertaken by the ocean-going club yacht Walross 4 - will lead the student crew across the Atlantic and onward along the East Coast of the United States. Further stops throughout the next months will be Miami, Norfolk, and later Boston.
Stay tuned for further updates on the BBO LinkedIn channel. More information here.
Save-the-Date for these Events
2nd World Congress on Targeting Longevity - April 8 - 9, 2026More
FIBE Berlin – Europe’s leading Finance & Tech Festival - April 15 - 16, 2026More
DMEA - Connecting Digital Health - April 21 - 23, 2026More
