3 ms·

Hi there - I'm the author of this piece. I don't actually speak German. I'm trying to improve - however, I wouldn't say it's required in Germany to start someth

Hi there - I'm the author of this piece. I don't actually speak German. I'm trying to improve - however, I wouldn't say it's required in Germany to start something on your own. Many of the meetups are in English and everyone I've spoken to is fluent. I think it's another story if you're trying to get a job though...

k__ 10y ago
Yes, the hardest thing is probably to get a flat and register a business without speaking German and these are one time things, no ongoing stuff. The start-up scene speaks English fluently and buying stuff etc. doesn't need much talking. The start-up I work with has 2 employees who don't speak German at all and they say it's only a problem when they are in smaller villages.
- allendoerfer 10y ago
  Registering a business is literally going to the "Gewerbeamt" and answering their questions about what you want to do. You will then be contacted by the tax authorities. I would then just search for a tax adviser, who speaks English. If you want to incorporate a business, you do not necessarily have to do it in Germany, it is the EU after all.
  - k__ 10y ago
    Ah sure, yes I forgot that you can create a company in the UK and simply run it from Berlin without much hassle.
petre 10y ago
Why not start a business in Central or South Eastern Europe? Most cities are even cheaper than Berlin and still open to young people. Plus people are fluent in Englush, except maybe in Hungary.
- sotojuan 10y ago
  People want to move to Berlin and the city has a great tech scene from what I can gather.
- uola 10y ago
  Generally the cities tend to be too small, too expensive (for what you get) or not international enough. More than anything "even cheaper" doesn't necessarily matter, around €750 is pretty much the sweet spot in terms of cost of living. Ljubljana seems pretty nice though.

3 ms·

Hi there - I'm the author of this piece. I don't actually speak German. I'm trying to improve - however, I wouldn't say it's required in Germany to start someth

by alicelthwaite 10y ago

k__ 10y ago
Yes, the hardest thing is probably to get a flat and register a business without speaking German and these are one time things, no ongoing stuff. The start-up scene speaks English fluently and buying stuff etc. doesn't need much talking. The start-up I work with has 2 employees who don't speak German at all and they say it's only a problem when they are in smaller villages.
- allendoerfer 10y ago
  Registering a business is literally going to the "Gewerbeamt" and answering their questions about what you want to do. You will then be contacted by the tax authorities. I would then just search for a tax adviser, who speaks English. If you want to incorporate a business, you do not necessarily have to do it in Germany, it is the EU after all.
  - k__ 10y ago
    Ah sure, yes I forgot that you can create a company in the UK and simply run it from Berlin without much hassle.
petre 10y ago
Why not start a business in Central or South Eastern Europe? Most cities are even cheaper than Berlin and still open to young people. Plus people are fluent in Englush, except maybe in Hungary.
- sotojuan 10y ago
  People want to move to Berlin and the city has a great tech scene from what I can gather.
- uola 10y ago
  Generally the cities tend to be too small, too expensive (for what you get) or not international enough. More than anything "even cheaper" doesn't necessarily matter, around €750 is pretty much the sweet spot in terms of cost of living. Ljubljana seems pretty nice though.