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Berlin's Research & Innovation Environment

Science & Startups

Science & Startups
Image Credit: Berlin University Alliance

The Berlin University Alliance thrives not only because of its academic excellence, but also because of its integration into Berlin’s vibrant cultural, political and start-up scenes, and engaged civil society.

By partnering with a wide range of organizations across sectors—from the arts and cultural scene to innovation networks and public institutions—BUA builds bridges between science and society, bringing research into the heart of public life. These collaborations support BUA’s mission to advance knowledge, foster societal transformation and create a truly open research environment.

Check out the interactive Brain City Berlin Map to for an overview Berlin's science and innovation landscape, or check below to discover key players from all segments of civil society.

Key partners in the Berlin research ecosystem include the Einstein Foundation, Berlin Research 50 (BR50), Brain City Berlin and Berlin Partner. These organizations often come together with BUA on joint initiatives and offer a broad spectrum of opportunities for researchers and innovators at all stages of their careers. Such collaborations support BUA’s mission to advance knowledge, foster societal transformation and create a truly integrated Berlin research environment. 

Academic & Research Collaborations

Strong Partners

Strong Partners
Image Credit: Berlin University Alliance

Berlin offers a rich and collaborative research environment, anchored by a high concentration of non-university institutions and networks. As Germany’s largest site for the Leibniz Association and home to multiple centers of the Helmholtz, Max Planck and Fraunhofer societies, the city spans the full spectrum of scientific inquiry across disciplines, from fundamental to applied research. Berlin Research 50 (BR50), a joint initiative of nearly all non-university research institutes in the region, enhances this landscape by fostering cross-institutional collaboration and strategic alignment with Berlin’s universities and public stakeholders. Berlin is not only a hub of disciplinary innovation, but also a space where researchers from around the world can engage in interdisciplinary work on the pressing challenges of our time.

The Berlin University Alliance builds strong ties with Berlin’s academic and research institutions to foster interdisciplinary collaboration and expand its intellectual reach. Key partners include the Berlin University of the Arts, Weißensee Academy of Art and the Hybrid Plattform. The Alliance also works closely with high-profile research institutions such as the Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Science (BBAW) and the Center for Civil Society Research. Further key partners include the Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine, the Robert Koch Institute and the Berlin Social Science Center (WZB).

Einstein Centers

Founded by the State of Berlin, the Einstein Foundation promotes international research in and for Berlin, and the BUA institutions benefit significantly from this initiative and its various funding lines, in particular from the Foundation's Einstein Centers.

The Einstein Centers complement the Berlin University Alliance’s efforts by enabling cross-institutional, interdisciplinary collaborations that serve as incubators for innovative, internationally visible research. They support a wide range of goals—from advancing early career development to building platforms for science communication and collaboration with industry and society. The Einstein Center 3R focuses on human tissue models as alternatives to animal testing, while the Einstein Center Digital Future brings together academia, industry and government to explore the societal impacts of digitalization. The Einstein Center Population Diversity and the Einstein Center Mathematics tackle the pressing challenges of changing demographics for healthcare and application-oriented mathematics, respectively, contributing to the interdisciplinary and cross-sector research scene of Berlin.

Science, Technology & Innovation

Berlin’s innovation and technology scene is becoming one of Europe’s most dynamic ecosystems, especially for science-driven entrepreneurship and emerging technologies. Central to this development are the Zukunftsorte—Berlin’s officially designated “places of the future.” These innovation hubs foster collaboration between research institutions, start-ups and established companies, fostering the conditions for translating scientific breakthroughs into real-world applications. Complementing these hubs are initiatives like Merantix AI Campus, a private-sector-led ecosystem that brings together AI researchers, entrepreneurs and investors under a single roof to accelerate the application of machine learning across industries. Similarly, the K.I.E.Z. Center supports science-based AI start-ups with targeted access to expertise, funding and talent. Together, these initiatives reflect an ever-growing environment where innovation thrives and ideas quickly turn into impact.

Innovation is central to the vision of the Berlin University Alliance, which is reflected in its strong partnerships across Berlin’s science, start-up and business ecosystem. Through collaborations with organizations like Technologiestiftung Berlin, Science & Startups, BR50 and Berlin Partner, BUA fosters connections between research, industry and entrepreneurship. Initiatives such as media:net BerlinBrandenburg and Coconat further support the transfer of knowledge into practice, while spaces like the Hybrid Plattform—a joint initiative of Universität der Künste and TU Berlin—act as incubators for cross-sector innovation. Networks like the German Climate Consortium and STATE Studio/Festival also play a key role in linking research with public dialogue, contributing to the Alliance’s commitment to socially relevant, interdisciplinary impact.

Arts & Cultural Institutions

Advisory Board Meeting of the Berlin University Alliance

Advisory Board Meeting of the Berlin University Alliance
Image Credit: Berlin University Alliance

Berlin’s arts and cultural landscape has a reputation that precedes itself and is as multifaceted as its research ecosystem. The city is home to renowned institutions for arts education such as the Berlin University of the Arts and Weißensee Academy of Art, both of which attract creative thinkers and designers from around the world. Berlin’s museum scene is equally compelling, which the Humboldt Forum being the city’s most visited arts institution of 2024. Other top destinations include the Topography of Terror, the Berlin Wall Memorial and the Jewish Museum, reflecting Berlin’s deep engagement with history and memory. Institutions like the Natural History Museum and Futurium bridge science and public culture, while spaces like the Neue Nationalgalerie and DDR Museum showcase the city’s relationship with contemporary and historical art. This intersection of education, history and innovation makes Berlin an inspiring place for thinkers and doers of all disciplines.

This cultural landscape is deeply woven into the work of Berlin University Alliance. It collaborates with creative and artistic organizations to explore new forms of science communication and public engagement. These include the Stiftung Digitale Spielkultur, Computerspielemuseum, Zentrum für Kunst und Urbanistik and Silent Green Kulturquartier. Additional partners such as Art Laboratory Berlin, Haus der Kulturen der Welt and the Schering Stiftung provide platforms for interdisciplinary exploration at the intersection of science, art and society.

Government & Public Sector

As Germany’s capital, Berlin offers scientists and scholars exceptional access to government ministries, public agencies, and policy institutions. This proximity creates valuable opportunities for research partnerships, policy impact, and collaboration on societal and global challenges.

To shape and support science policy, the Alliance maintains strong ties with public institutions. These include Germany’s Federal Foreign Office, the Federal Ministries for Education and Research (BMBF) and for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and the Deutscher Bundestag (German Parliament). Regionally, the Abgeordnetenhaus Berlin (Berlin House of Representatives) and Industrie und Handelskammer zu Berlin (Chamber of Commerce and Industry) are important partners, along with cultural heritage institutions like the Stiftung Preußischer Kulturbesitz.

Events & Public Science Engagement

2024 Falling Walls Science Summit

2024 Falling Walls Science Summit
Image Credit: Sebastian Rau / Berlin University Alliance

Berlin is home to a constant rotation of public engagement events where science, art, technology and society intersect. High-profile initiatives such as the Long Night of the Sciences, re:publica, the Berlin Biennale and Berlin Art Week reflect the city’s dynamic culture of dialogue and experimentation.

The Berlin University Alliance actively participates in and supports a range of initiatives that make academic knowledge visible and relevant to broader audiences. These include the Clubcommission, Transmediale, the STATE Festival, Berlin Science Week and the globally recognized Falling Walls Science Summit. Through these partnerships, BUA brings academic knowledge into public discourse and celebrates science as an integral part of Berlin’s urban culture.

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