Berlin may be down a few places in this year’s ranking, but despite this temporary blip, the city remains one of Europe’s hottest startup scenes. In 2019, German startups received a total of US$6.9 billion in investment, an all-time high. 60% of that went to Berlin-based startups, for a total of US$4.1 billion in funding. While this year’s numbers may appear down from these highs, recent, large exits are likely not yet reflected in the data. Supply chain solutions provider Forto raised a hefty US$240 million in June 2021, and Choco raised US$100 million in Series B funding in July. Whatever the final tally of investment flowing into the city, Berlin retains its supportive culture and many startup support initiatives. Pre-seed startup accelerator the Founder Institute helps founders from idea through to the early company stage. Silicon Allee, through its Berlin Founders Fund, offers founders over US$28,000 in no-equity funding to develop their ideas over the course of a 1-year residency. Incubator Project Flying Elephant is also active in Berlin. Bitkom, Germany’s digital association, represents more than 2,000 companies, including more than 500 startups and virtually all global players. It advocates for the digitization of the economy and society, and for faster rollout of digital infrastructure. WomenTech Network promotes ​gender diversity in tech and connects talent with top companies. Women Techmakers Berlin helps women learn new skills, meet fellow developers, and access coaching.