Kiel is a vibrant city for startups and it is open to investment, as some of its economic history proves. Kiel has world leading companies within their own ranks that have profited from foreign direct investment (FDI). Not only the industrial area is open to investment and benefits from it, but also the service sector profits and has profited from it. Investors have been giving large amounts in the recent years for the development of the city center.
The situation for startups in Kiel has been and will be further improved. A variety of initiatives such as the opencampus.sh support the startup community with programs such as the Starterkitchen that offer entrepreneurs space for development  and support for the growth of their business ideas.

The city always aims at increasing cooperation with partners and therefore is a strong supporter of projects focused on intertwining relations. Despite the fact that Kiel has several companies that are already engaged in the Baltic Sea region most companies from Kiel are always interested in enhancing interregional cooperation and entering new markets. Kiel has with the KiWi an active business development agency.

Kiel hopes that greater cooperation with UBC members will be achieved on all levels. Therefore the city is always interested in ideas of establish exchange with counterparts in UBC member cities whether they are of a cultural kind or any other.

Kiel can offer its expertise on several areas. Kiel initiated a youth council project that has been received well so far and the city has proven successful in integrating and handling the refugee crisis. Kiel acknowledges that there are fields in which others have proved more efficient and successful and Kiel is hoping to profit from their expertise via the UBC.

More information: Wolfgang Schmidt, Wolfgang.Schmidt@kiel.de“