From Kreuzberg Garage to Continental Stage: Meet the Founder Reshaping Berlin's Climate Tech Scene

Tucked away on Mehringdamm, a stone's throw from the Mehringdamm U-Bahn station, sits an unassuming warehouse that hardly announces itself as the nerve centre of Berlin's latest climate tech breakthrough. Yet inside this converted industrial space in Kreuzberg, engineers and chemists are developing direct air capture technology that has caught the attention of major European investors and cement manufacturers alike.

The company, founded in 2023 by a 34-year-old former SAP developer, exemplifies how Berlin's startup ecosystem has matured beyond app-based disruptors into deep-tech problem-solving. The founder's journey—from coding in a Friedrichshain co-working space to leading a team of 42 across multiple Berlin locations—mirrors a broader shift in the city's innovation landscape.

"Berlin's advantage was never about cheap real estate anymore," says a venture capitalist familiar with the firm's Series A round, which closed last month. "It's about access to world-class engineering talent and the city's historical commitment to solving hard problems." The startup's recent €18 million injection brings total funding to €31 million, positioning it among the better-capitalised climate ventures in the region.

The company operates labs in both Kreuzberg and Wedding, with partnerships extending to Adlershof Science Park in Treptow-Köpenick, where materials testing facilities accelerate prototype development. This geographic spread reflects how Berlin's innovation districts—once concentrated around the Mitte tech corridor—have democratised across multiple neighbourhoods, reducing pressure on commercial real estate costs that plague startups in rival hubs like Munich and Stuttgart.

Industry observers note the firm's significance extends beyond funding metrics. With major European cement producers facing EU carbon regulations tightening through 2030, direct air capture technology represents a €2 billion addressable market within the continent. Early pilots with Heidelberg Materials and Holcim suggest commercial viability, though scaling remains years away.

The startup's trajectory also illustrates Berlin's resilience post-2022, when venture funding contracted sharply. This year's broader recovery in climate tech—up 34 per cent across Europe compared to 2024—shows investors returning to fundamental innovation. The Kreuzberg operation, which occupies approximately 1,200 square metres leased at roughly €12 per square metre annually, demonstrates that Berlin still offers cost-effective foundations for capital-intensive research.

As Berlin positions itself as a serious player in addressing climate commitments rather than merely discussing them, ventures like this one prove the city's startup ecosystem has matured beyond hype cycles into genuine technological contribution.

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