With 3,053 new startups in the first half of 2026 (+52%), Germany is currently experiencing a historic boom in startup formation—and Hamburg is growing particularly strongly: The Hanseatic city has increased its startup count by +83% to 212, thereby even surpassing Munich (208). These figures were reported in the “Next Generation” report from the German Startup Association, which was just published, for the first half of 2026.
Across Germany, technological developments and changing conditions are the main drivers of this momentum: Already, 34% of new startups are AI-related, while at the same time, the willingness to take entrepreneurial risks is on the rise.
Against this backdrop, Hamburg—which has seen the largest growth among major cities and made a dramatic leap to 6th place (up from 11th) in the city rankings—demonstrates just how strongly dynamic ecosystems are developing and gaining in importance.
For more figures and reviews of the “Next Generation” report, see the article by Startup City Hamburg.
Or view all results directly on the German Startup Association’s website.
