Baden-Württemberg's start-up ecosystem is closely linked to the state's structural strengths: a high proportion of industrial value creation, a pronounced research and development intensity and a traditionally strong patent application rate. In 2024, Baden-Württemberg accounted for 38.7% of all patents filed in Germany, which equates to around 137 applications per 100,000 inhabitants, the highest rate in Germany. This technological basis creates a start-up-friendly climate in research and knowledge-intensive sectors.

The sectoral focus is on mobility and automotive, mechanical and plant engineering, Industry 4.0, artificial intelligence, medtech and biotech as well as green tech. The main driver of the AI focus is the Cyber Valley consortium in Stuttgart / Tübingen, which is the largest AI research cluster in Europe and has its own start-up and investor network. Thanks to its proximity to global market leaders and "hidden champions" in the SME sector, technology-driven start-ups find pilot customers and application scenarios early on - a feature that distinguishes Baden-Württemberg from more consumer-oriented ecosystems such as Berlin.

The state has been supporting start-ups since 2017 under the Start-up BW umbrella. The initiative bundles funding lines (including Start-up BW Venture), state-wide competitions and twelve regional ecosystems supported by universities, chambers of industry and commerce and local authorities. This is supplemented by specialized programs such as the Academic Seed Accelerator Program (ASAP) for students, the Gründermotor Meisterklasse for teams ready for growth and industry-specific accelerators (e.g. CyberLab IT in Karlsruhe). This creates a coherent range of qualification, mentoring and networking opportunities.

bwcon - Baden-Württemberg: Connected plays a central role as an intermediary between established industry and young companies. Established in 1997, the network now has over 600 member companies and research institutions and focuses on ICT-driven innovations. Numerous corporate venture units of large corporations (Bosch VC, Porsche Ventures, Daimler Truck) strengthen the financing base; nevertheless, the capital supply beyond the Series A phase is often considered to be expandable, which is why later growth is often supported by funds operating throughout Germany or the EU.

Geographically, Stuttgart and the Neckar Valley are the largest start-up centers, followed by the university and research cities of Karlsruhe (KIT), Mannheim/Heidelberg (life sciences), Freiburg (sustainability) and Ulm (microsystems technology). Technology and start-up parks exist in almost all regions, offering affordable laboratory and workshop space and proximity to Fraunhofer and Max Planck Institutes.

Culturally, the scene is characterized by an engineering, quality-oriented mindset. Start-ups benefit from excellently trained specialists and dual study programs, but face comparatively conservative financing decisions, complex regulatory requirements and a high cost of living in metropolitan areas. Nevertheless, Baden-Württemberg remains one of the most productive and research-intensive start-up regions in Europe thanks to its industrial roots, high innovation density and an increasingly networked funding structure.