Collaborative Success: Essential Components for Businesses and New Ventures

Hamburg, Germany, is taking significant strides to bridge the innovation gap between established companies and startups. The city offers Venture Clienting services through the Digital Hub Logistics & Commerce and Scaleup Hamburg, aiming to accelerate digital transformation and innovation.

The Digital Hub Logistics & Commerce, based in Hamburg, provides services such as Venture Clienting to drive innovations in logistics, commerce, and supply chains. Established companies are seeking specific added value in the current economic situation, with tangible results being crucial for them to take risks.

Venture Clienting is a model where companies can become early customers of startups, providing a quick and effective way to solve challenges with cutting-edge technology. This approach benefits both parties—startups gain market validation and reference customers, while established companies gain early access to innovations.

Scaleup Hamburg, a separate entity from the Digital Hub Logistics & Commerce, focuses on helping Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs). By connecting SMEs with innovative startups, Scaleup Hamburg assists SMEs in overcoming challenges and achieving quick results, which is increasingly important in cooperation with established businesses.

Finding the right cooperation partner is a major challenge, with six out of ten established companies finding this difficult. Personal contact at conferences and events is most important for finding the right cooperation partner. In fact, 90% of established companies view startups as important innovation partners, but only 11% of startups perceive a high willingness to cooperate from established companies.

The Startup Association and Accenture published a report in Q1 2025, concluding that Germany is falling behind in innovation due to hesitance from established businesses in digital business models. Germany is lagging behind in future technologies, and the economic gap between the USA and Germany is widening, with the USA investing ten times more in AI than Europe.

However, initiatives like the Venture Clienting services offered by the Digital Hub Logistics & Commerce and Scaleup Hamburg in Hamburg aim to change this narrative. These services are designed to facilitate collaboration, helping established companies act as early customers to support the growth and success of startups, ultimately driving innovation and economic growth in the region.