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As an international and cosmopolitan city, Berlin attracts founders, entrepreneurs, investors and talented individuals from all over the world. James Brown  interviews the CEO of Berlin’s economic development organisation, Berlin Partner for Business and Technology, Dr. Stefan Franzke, regarding Brexit, the election of Trump and a city where the spirit of freedom is increasingly becoming an economic factor.

James Brown: Britain’s withdrawal from the EU, Trump’s election as US President and nationalist movements in many European countries – how do you think the political unrest in the world is affecting Berlin?

Dr. Stefan Franzke: Following the Brexit vote, our phone didn’t stop ringing. We’ve received 40 enquiries about the Berlin Location in connection with the UK’s withdrawal from the EU; five London start-ups consequently opened offices in Berlin in 2016. Things have now calmed down a little as entrepreneurs initially wait and see how Brexit will actually be implemented. The Brexit decision was a shock, and as a committed European, I very much regret this decision, even if Berlin benefits from it in the short-term. Following Trump’s election as US President, I’ve often been asked whether similar reactions can be expected from US firms. It’s bound to have an impact, but I expect this to be in terms of talented individuals. I understand from Berlin companies which also operate in the US that there has been a significant increase in applications from American colleagues for the Berlin Location.

1st Lisbon

Forget London or Stockholm – everyone is upping sticks to the new capital of cool. Lisbon, once regarded as a second class city, promotes an enviable can-do entrepreneurial spirit and lays claim to the most exciting creative scene in mainland Europe right now. Undervalue Western Europe’s oldest city at your peril. All this regeneration is great news for the economy, but comes at what cost?

Henry Martin  interviews  Michael Sturm, Managing Director at Invest in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern GmbH (Invest in MV)

Henry  Martin  spoke to Rolf Strittmatter, managing director of the HWF Hamburg Business Development Corporation.

The UK’s decision to leave the European Union has led to insecurity and relocation considerations in the corporate world. It is widely anticipated that companies that generate their revenue mainly within the European Union will consider relocating their business operations. Established locations such as Amsterdam, Dublin, Frankfurt and Paris have come forward with offers to London’s financial players, and a number of countries in Central and Eastern Europe are hoping for service components e.g. in the commercial sector to be migrated. At the same time, there is one city that continues to emerge in this locational competition: a city that stands out for its long-established economic relations with the UK like no other city – Hamburg. It is often said that Hamburg is the most Anglophile city in Germany, and business relations between Hamburg and Britain boast a particularly long tradition. Hamburg values its century-long friendship with the United Kingdom and regrets the UK’s decision to leave the European Union. In the eyes of Hamburg, it is vital to ensure the UK’s greatest possible integration into the European single market also in future.

We speak with Mikael Spuhl, CEO at 3D Interactive Sthlm AB

James Brown: Could you give us a brief introduction to AR and its benefits?

The usual technical description of augmented reality (AR) is “a technology that layers computer generated enhancements on top of an existing reality”. I would introduce AR as way of bringing the real and digital worlds together. With AR, you can make printed material or objects come to life by adding 3D content, animation and video on top of those objects. We see AR as a communication platform that allows you to connect with your clients/customers in a completely new way. To describe the benefits of AR, I think it´s best to give concrete examples of how some of our customers have integrated AR into their businesses: 

Whether out of thriftiness or ethics, more and more consumers are opting for synthetic, man-made diamonds over the real thing.

While the establishment maintains that man-made stones are nothing more than low-grade fakes that won’t ever be serious contenders, industry observers aren’t so sure. It’s starting to look like man’s genius has finally matched nature’s brilliance.

With the international investment space currently rife with uncertainty, volatility, and what seem to be constantly shifting sands, it’s no surprise that British investors have retreated back into the relative safe haven of UK property. Instead of pouring cash into actual bricks and mortar, though, more and more are looking to homebuilders and construction firms. Despite a recent blip, the numbers indicate it’s a good bet.