The Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action is continuing to develop the “Young Digital Economy” Advisory Board, which was set up in 2013. During a meeting with the board, Federal Minister Robert Habeck introduced the new format for establishing his regular dialogue with startups. In the future, a small, flexible circle without formal membership criteria, referred to as the “Startup Circle”, will meet with the minister at least twice a year to engage in a dialogue on a variety of startup topics. The focus of each meeting will be on the discussion of a current topic or policy challenge facing startups, with a view to finding solutions. The Startup Circle will replace the previous advisory board.

Federal Minister Robert Habeck said: “In the future, I want to be able to engage more flexibly in dialogue with the startup community in order to be able to react to new challenges in a quick and targeted manner. Further strengthening the German and European startup ecosystem is not only indispensable for the competitiveness of the German economy, but also plays a crucial role in the ecological and digital transition. Having a direct line to the startup scene is incredibly important for this. I want to thank all of the advisors – some of whom have been working with us for many years – for their active participation and for their competent and constructive advice, which has been the source of much inspiration.”

The co-chairs of the “Young Digital Economy” Advisory Board, Ulrike Hinrichs and Magdalena Oehl, added: “The “Young Digital Economy” Advisory Board has created important impetus on certain issues and has provided policymakers with insights from the field. One strength of the board was the diverse array of participating members and the ability to engage in direct dialogue with the Vice- Chancellor and Economic Affairs Minister Dr Robert Habeck. We are glad that the new format will also be an important and cutting-edge source of inspiration in dialogue with the Minister. This approach will be a good response to the wide range of issues present and the professionalisation of the startup ecosystem. It is quite clear that digital and startup policies will continue to be a central lever with which to make the German economy stronger and better prepared to face future challenges.”

The Minister will invite up to five key individuals from the startup scene to each meeting of the new Startup Circle, each of whom will bring a unique area of expertise. The chairperson of the executive board of the Startup Association – currently Verena Pausder – will take part in the Circle on an ongoing basis.

The “Young Digital Economy” Advisory Board has advised the sitting Economic Affairs Minister on questions regarding the young digital economy and startup community since 2013. At that time, innovative startups did not yet have sufficient representation via a formal association, and the board was conceived in order to give young and innovative digital companies a voice when it came to policy-making. Startup topics have now become a central topic in politics, the 2022 Startup Strategy from the German federal government and the excellent progress made towards its implementation offer compelling evidence of this.