“Good ideas exist in Germany – but they only unlock their full potential within the right network. At PwC, we open doors to investors and industry, build trust, and support startups all the way to scale-up. A strong ecosystem is teamwork – and Düsseldorf shows how it’s done.” – Rüdiger Loitz, Partner, PwC Germany
– Rüdiger Loitz, Partner, PwC Deutschland
Few topics are discussed as intensely in the German economic debate as innovation – and at the same time, few are as often misunderstood. Innovation rarely emerges in a vacuum or through the brilliant flash of insight of a single individual. It is the result of a functioning network: of capital providers, established companies, universities, the public sector, and – not least – the startups themselves, which keep the whole thing in motion.
This is precisely where one of the central challenges for Germany as a business location lies. We have excellent research, a strong Mittelstand, and a startup scene that is now growing sustainably – but sometimes these worlds don’t talk to each other often enough. The startup with groundbreaking technology and the family business with a concrete application problem are sometimes located just a few kilometers apart, yet fail to connect. Capital looking to be invested doesn’t meet the teams that need it. Ideas from research don’t find the commercial and sales-oriented framework. Knowledge about scaling, regulation, and international markets remains in the minds of a select few, instead of flowing to where it can have an impact.
Over the past few years, Düsseldorf has developed into a serious startup location – not because a single player did everything right, but because many began to collaborate at their respective interfaces. Moreover, a startup scene is establishing itself with exceptionally well-trained founders whose scaling potential is high.
Guided by this conviction, PwC Germany is deeply engaged with the regional startup ecosystem. In doing so, we see ourselves as one of several players who can contribute to the functioning of the ecosystem – precisely in those areas where our experience is genuinely relevant.
Building bridges between startups and the Mittelstand.
When an established regional company is looking for digital solutions and a local startup offers exactly those, a collaboration doesn’t emerge automatically. Such connections are actively created – and this is exactly where a broad network spanning both worlds helps.
Support at critical growth points.
Especially in early phases, questions arise that have little to do with the actual product but can become costly later on: Which structures can support a financing round? What needs to be considered before expanding abroad? When it comes to questions around tax law, risk management, the annual financial statements and their audit, as well as sustainability topics, we stand by the side of startups and scale-ups. The focus is on pragmatic guidance, not textbook knowledge. Because we understand ventures – and what matters at each individual stage.
Knowledge transfer into the ecosystem.
Through studies on the financing climate, workshops, and open events, we make experiential knowledge accessible – even to those who are not (yet) our clients. And this is not a one-way street: Exchanging ideas with teams that test a product in the market within a few weeks forces us to question our own processes and pace. In this respect, we as a firm benefit from this knowledge exchange.
Shall we meet?
During Startup Week, we’ll be on-site with various program highlights and look forward to conversations – especially critical ones. The best insights emerge from direct exchange, not from blog posts 😉
Real Talk – Funding, Growth & Founder Stories
8. September 2026, 18:30–20:30 Uhr, Georg-Glock-Straße 22, Düsseldorf
Beat the Pitch : Your Case – Your Chance
11. September 2026, 08:30–11:30 Uhr, Georg-Glock-Straße 22, Düsseldorf