Berlin pop up in London hopes to attract British business post Brexit

Record ID: 78027

  • Title: Berlin pop up in London hopes to attract British business post Brexit
  • Date: 21st November 2016
  • Summary: CAMERA MOVE FROM BERLIN SIGN TO PANEL SPEAKING, BERLIN PARTNER CEO, STEFAN FRANZKE (SOUNDBITE) (English) BERLIN PARTNER CEO, STEFAN FRANZKE, SAYING: "We noticed that a lot of companies from the UK are interested in Berlin. We have, the whole time, a good collaboration between Germany and British companies, but after the Brexit, young companies especially the start-ups, are much more interested in Berlin." 3D PRINTER MOTORBIKES CHASIS SIGN READING (English): "BIG REP MEETS BMW" IMAGE OF CITY OF BERLIN BEAR ON DOOR SIGN READING (English): "BERLIN" (SOUNDBITE) (English) CEO & CO-FOUNDER OF MBJ, JULIAN BALADURAGE, SAYING: "It kind of decided the speed and to what extent we get people on board depending on which office. I think it had an impact on deciding that we can't risk having to issue or having to apply for 40 to 50 visas here next year or even the year after, so right now just to be on the safe side we are going to be hiring the majority of the team in Berlin." VARIOUS OF WEARABLE SUBWOOFER "BASSLET" PICTURE OF QUEEN AND BERLIN GREEN MAN (SOUNDBITE) (English) CEO & CO-FOUNDER OF MBJ, JULIAN BALADURAGE, SAYING: "The currency is obviously one big point. We moved to Germany, but in that timeframe the pound devalued heavily. Which means right now we get 20% less than what we would have gotten before. So obviously that has an impact, but it's not going to, maybe it's going to slow us down but we are not going to let it impact us too heavily." HEAD OF MARKETING Pi4, THOMAS MANKE, SPEAKING WITH JOURNALIST MANKE PRESSING BUTTON VARIOUS OF YOLANDI WORKERBOT WRITING ON LEAFLET (SOUNDBITE) (English) HEAD OF MARKETING Pi4, THOMAS MANKE, SAYING: "The British industry, it's quite strong, so even if the Brexit will change it a little bit, yeah, it's an important market for us. We take this opportunity to go out of Germany. At the moment we are more focused on Germany with these robot products but we need to go out, we need to make it more international and London is the perfect place for that." BERLIN BALLOONS PAN FROM BALLOONS TO POP-UP LAB FRONT
  • Embargoed: 6th December 2016 16:06
  • Keywords: Germany London Britain Brexit EU Berlin Tech Startup
  • Location: LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM
  • City: LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM
  • Country: United Kingdom
  • Topics: European Union,Government/Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA00359E1MX3
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: As British companies continue to face uncertainty following Britain's vote to leave the European Union, Berlin is launching an audacious bid to lure London's top talents and start-ups to the German capital.
    On Monday (November 21) Berlin Partner, the marketing organisation for the city, opened a week long pop-up lab in Soho in London's West End to showcase the experience of Berlin to London firms.
    "We noticed that a lot of companies from the UK are interested in Berlin. We have, the whole time, a good collaboration between Germany and British companies, but after the Brexit, young companies especially the start-ups, are much more interested in Berlin," Dr. Stefan Franzke CEO Berlin Partner told Reuters.
    Berlin partner say that 5 start-ups have moved since the vote and that 40 others are seriously considering making the move.
    Web development company MBJ, are one of those who have made the move, but have still retained their office in London too.
    CEO and founder Julian Baladurage says that the referendum has affected the pace of their move and the fall in the pound against the Euro has decreased the value of financial grants they had been receiving.
    "It kind of decided the speed and to what extent we get people on board depending on which office. I think it had an impact on deciding that we can't risk having to issue or having to apply for 40 to 50 visas here next year or even the year after, so right now just to be on the safe side we are going to be hiring the majority of the team in Berlin," he said.
    German companies creating everything from wearable subwoofers, 3D printers, robots and interactive technology are showcasing their businesses at the lab, hoping to attract British talent.
    The pop-up runs from November 21st-26th.
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