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Key people at Gründerszene.
Gründerszene is a leading German digital media platform, headquartered in Berlin, dedicated to covering startup news, entrepreneurship, and the broader digital economy. It is currently a subsidiary of Business Insider, owned by Axel Springer, and plays a crucial role in informing and connecting the German startup ecosystem. The platform originated as a personal blog by Lukasz Gadowski in 2005, evolving into Vertical Media GmbH in 2008 with investment from Team Europe, where Mark Hoffmann was a co-founder and Managing Director. Gründerszene is renowned for hosting significant industry events like Heureka! and Spätschicht, and for presenting the prestigious Gründerszene Award, which celebrates top German startups, with Wingcopter being the 2023 recipient. Operating with approximately 30 employees and freelancers, it also extends its influence through an English-language sister platform, venturevillage.eu, launched in 2011, solidifying its position as a key voice in the European startup landscape.
Gründerszene is a leading German media platform focused on startups, entrepreneurship, and the digital economy, not an investment firm or traditional portfolio company. Acquired by Business Insider Germany in 2020 and part of the Media Impact group under Premium Group, it serves as the primary voice for Germany's startup scene with exclusive industry coverage, career resources, job boards, newsletters, events, and awards programs.[1][2][3][4][7] Targeting young professionals, decision-makers, and the digital workforce—primarily aged 16-49 with incomes over €3,000—it reaches 1.03 million unique users monthly, 25,000+ newsletter subscribers, and 600,000+ social media fans, fostering community through content on booming startups, digitization, and career opportunities in tech.[1][2]
Gründerszene emerged as a dedicated online magazine covering Germany's startup ecosystem and digital economy, gaining prominence as one of the largest online startup communities before its integration into Business Insider Germany in 2020.[1][2][4] Specific founding year and founders are not detailed in available sources, but it evolved from independent roots into a multifaceted platform under Media Impact, expanding from news to include job postings, recruiting services, digital seminars, networking events, and annual awards like the 2024 "Impact Edition" recognizing sustainability and social impact startups.[1][2][7] Key figures include Editor-in-Chief Alex Hofmann, who serves on award juries alongside investors and founders.[7] Early traction built through daily reporting on startups, corporate digitization, and U.S. role models, positioning it as a scene-shaper.[4][6]
Gründerszene rides the wave of Germany's thriving startup ecosystem, particularly in Berlin—the nation's startup capital with the highest number of ventures, female founders, international teams, and external funding—by chronicling success stories like Omio and Relayr while amplifying digital business models and IoT innovations.[5] Its timing aligns with rising demand for startup visibility amid digitization and sustainability trends, as seen in its Impact Awards honoring climate tech firms like Green City Solutions.[7] Market forces favoring it include a young, affluent audience (56% aged 16-49, 53% earning >€3,000) and integration with powerhouse brands like Business Insider and POLITICO under Premium Group, enabling it to influence hiring, networking, and investor awareness in a fragmented digital media landscape.[1][2]
Gründerszene will likely deepen its role as Germany's startup nerve center by expanding impact-focused awards, job tools, and events amid growing EU sustainability mandates and AI/deep tech booms.[7] Trends like remote digital work and climate tech will boost its job board and coverage, potentially scaling beyond Germany via Business Insider synergies. Its influence may evolve from reporter to ecosystem curator, spotlighting the next unicorns and shaping talent flows—reinforcing its status as the essential platform for the German startup economy.[1][5]
Key people at Gründerszene.
