The Startup Ecosystem of Cologne
Cologne has 272 startups in our sample database. This represents about 5% of Germany’s startups. Cologne is the 6th best startup ecosystem in Germany.
CITY RANKING
In 2024, the startup scene of Cologne shows much promise after advancing in the Global Ecosystem Index by 12 spots.
National Ranking
In Germany
Regional Ranking
In Western Europe
Global Ranking
Worldwide
Ecosystem
Startup Ecosystem Overview
Startups
Cologne Top Startup Industries
21 startups
12 startups
13 startups
Unlock with pro
Ecosystem HealthCheck
Cologne Ecosystem Health Check
The health check tables allow you to look at the performance Cologne has in each of the parameters that are part of StartupBlink's ranking algorithm. There are five tables, corresponding to the three subscores, the subscore analysis and industry ana...
- Overperformance
- Performance equal to global ranking
- Underperformance
ECOSYSTEM
Browse the startup ecosystem database of Cologne
Become our Cologne Ecosystem Partner
Startup Ecosystem Charts
Startup Funding in Cologne2017 - 2024
Startup Funding in Cologne 2017 - 2024
From 2022 to 2023, startup funding in Cologne has increased by 13.87%. During this period, the number of deals in Cologne has decreased by 10.64%. Since 2017, total startup funding in Cologne exceeded US$ $1.61B.
Average Funding in 2023
$7.91M
Funding in 2023
$332.36M
Deals in 2023
42
USD
Amount of Funding (USD)
Number of Deals
Ecosystem
The Startup Ecosystem in Cologne
Global Rank
Cologne is ranked within the top 200 startup ecosystems globally.
Top Industries
Cologne’s startups excel particularly in Social & Leisure where it ranks 117 and in Edtech, and Hardware & IoT. Find out more
Top Cities for Startups in Germany - Ranked by StartupBlink
2024 National Rank  | City | Global Rank |  | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1st 0 | 13th - 2 | 49.918 | 00.00 | 00.00 | 00.00 | |
2nd 0 | 39th - 5 | 21.959 | 00.00 | 00.00 | 00.00 | |
3rd 0 | 98th - 8 | 8.060 | 00.00 | 00.00 | 00.00 | |
4th + 1 | 134th + 26 | 5.112 | 00.00 | 00.00 | 00.00 | |
5th - 1 | 152nd - 4 | 4.237 | 00.00 | 00.00 | 00.00 | |
6th 0 | 154th + 12 | 4.149 | 00.00 | 00.00 | 00.00 | |
7th + 1 | 163rd + 25 | 3.886 | 00.00 | 00.00 | 00.00 | |
8th + 1 | 178th + 26 | 3.244 | 00.00 | 00.00 | 00.00 | |
9th - 2 | 206th - 24 | 2.481 | 00.00 | 00.00 | 00.00 | |
10th + 5 | 225th + 40 | 2.084 | 00.00 | 00.00 | 00.00 |
Startups
Notable Startups in Cologne
ECOSYSTEM
Why should you join Cologne's Startup Ecosystem?
Overview
Within Cologne there is an increased attraction for entrepreneurs to set up their startups in industries such as Social & Leisure, Edtech, Hardware & IoT. These three industries represent about 17% of the startups represented on the Startup Ecosystem Map of Cologne.
6th
National Rank
39th
Regional Rank
Overview
Cologne is Germany's 6th best startup ecosystem and is ranked 39th in Western Europe. With a population of 1M - 2M people, Cologne is ranked 154th in the world. The city has some notable startup success stories including 1NCE.
ECOSYSTEM
Startup Infrastructure in Cologne
BLOG
Recent Posts
Wed Apr 02 2025
Corporate Startup Activity Index 2025
For the first time ever, 372 corporations across 30 countries, 11 major industries, and 10 sub-industries have been ranked based on how actively they engage with startups. StartupBlink’s Corporate Startup Activity Index is the world’s first benchmark for corporate startup engagement — powered by real data, global partnerships with top corporations, governments and data sources, […]
Thu Mar 06 2025
The Impact of Government Support on Startups
A robust startup ecosystem creates a sense of community that brings entrepreneurs together and helps them feel less isolated. It gives them access to mentors, advisors, fellow entrepreneurs, and talents. The foundation of such an ecosystem largely relies on government support. Good policies create a fair and supportive environment that helps startups grow. Bad policies […]
Thu Feb 20 2025
Learning from Bulgaria: Stakeholder Engagement in Startup Ecosystems
In this episode of the Startup Ecosystem Podcast, we’re traveling back in time by revisiting an old recording to explore the state of Bulgaria’s startup ecosystem in 2022. This episode features an interview by Eli David Rokah, CEO of StartupBlink, with Momchil Vassilev, the Managing Director of Endeavor Bulgaria, discussing how different stakeholders’ engagement in […]