Serving the Start-up Cities – Berlin a base for business

With a name like Norwegian, you might overlook the fact we fly from the UK to 34 destinations around the world – most of which aren’t in Scandinavia!

For the ambitious entrepreneurs and cutting-edge small businesses, we also serve the world’s most renowned startup cities including New York, Los Angeles and Boston from May 2016.

But let’s focus our sights on Europe and look beyond London’s Silicon roundabout to the bustling, and burgeoning metropolis - Berlin.

The cost effective German capital is fast emerging as the go-to place for the startup business to set-up shop. Earlier this year, the 2015 edition of the Startup Genome Project from Compass ranked Berlin 9th among the world’s leading startup cities based on feedback from 11,000 global startups and interviews with more than 200 entrepreneurs. The city already boasts 2,500 tech startups, and has attracted hundreds of millions of euros in investment from some of the world's biggest venture capital funds (the Guardian).

For the creatives, the techies and budding entrepreneurs looking to rub shoulders with successful startups like Soundcloud and Bill Gates’ ResearchGate – Berlin could be the place you’re looking for thanks to its low living costs, great transport links and numerous co-working spaces. Startups looking for a head start can also benefit from Microsoft’s Ventures Accelerator which includes access to inspiring mentors, technical training and support as part of its four month program.

Your colleagues or clients have good links into the former East Berlin from Berlin- Schönefeld airport – so if you’re based in the popular central startup district of Mitte, you can arrive at your desk on “Silicon Allee” in less than an hour.

Whether you’re the cost-conscious entrepreneur just starting out, or the fast growing startup targeting overseas growth – Berlin could be an attractive base for business or the workplace for the super commuter. With daily flights from London Gatwick, Berlin is now even more accessible with Norwegian’s WiFi enabled aircraft that can keep you connected on your business travels.

Norwegian serves Berlin twice daily from London Gatwick on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays and one daily flight on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays from £29.90 one way

By Chase Burns