Germany Has 3 of the World’s Happiest Cities — Is Yours One?
Learning German - again. Timeless cover letter advice. Women at European startups feel held back. 3 German cities are among the world's happiest. A government that’s raising eyebrows.
🫶 Do you know someone looking for work in Germany? Share our newsletter.
Personal News & Musings
🫣 Sometimes, I’ll overshare and/or rant a bit.
I’ve been in Germany for a long time and never really got around to learning German beyond a basic level. I started classes again this week, beginning from scratch. While much of the content is familiar, I’ve already learned new vocabulary and am remembering things I long since forgot.
Before long, maybe I’ll be writing this newsletter auf Deustch. 🇩🇪
Follow me: Threads / Instagram / Bluesky / LinkedIn
Companies Hiring Right Now
🇩🇪 Companies in Germany that are hiring right now.
Airbnb - Berlin | Jobs (4 openings)
Building Minds - Berlin | Jobs (2 openings)
Kittl - Berlin | Jobs (7 openings)
Primion - Remote & Various DE locations | Jobs (17 openings)
Sonova Group - Various DE locations | Jobs (16 openings)
📢 Job of the Week: (Junior) Communications & Event Manager @ Liquid Democracy
Recently Funded Startups
🤑 German startups that recently raised new funding may also have vacancies.
✨ TL;DR - 10 startups were funded across 7 German cities. Germany’s two newly minted unicorns, Parloa (€105 M) & Quantum Systems (€160), took the crowns for this week.
3D Spark - €2 M | Hamburg | Jobs
7Learnings - €10 M | Berlin | Jobs
chargecloud - Undisclosed | Cologne | Jobs
Circula - €15 M | Berlin | Jobs
* Daisytuner - €1.1 M | Darmstadt | Jobs
* gutfeel - Undisclosed | Munich | Jobs
Matchday Nutrition - €1 M | Berlin | Jobs
Mediform - €1.5 M | Karlsruhe | Jobs
Parloa - €105 M | Berlin | Jobs
Quantum Systems - €160 M | Gilching | Jobs
* No jobs at the moment, but that doesn’t mean they won’t be hiring later.
Job Search Tip
🙌 A weekly tip to help you crack that job search.
Whenever you notice a person’s contact name on a job listing in Germany, address your cover letter directly to that person. In these cases, avoid using generic greetings like “Dear hiring manager.”
Paying attention to details like this might just score you an interview!
⭐ If you’re job hunting in Germany, I can help. Check out our career coaching services.
Polling Vibes
📊 Results of our weekly polls.
Our last poll asked: Should the AfD be banned in Germany?
The results are in, and 49% of you said yes, the AfD should be banned. Opinions are also divided, with others unsure, cautious, or firmly opposed to banning political parties outright.
Take part in this week’s poll. ⬇️
Events
🍹 Events from The Berlin Life. And sometimes, events from others.
We still have some spots for our next women’s professional networking event. Join us on May 15 for an after-works drink event at a rooftop bar in West Berlin. Network, meet new people, and sip cocktails while enjoying one of the best views in the city.
Gelato Week Germany continues until May 14, with more than 180 ice cream shops in Berlin taking part.
📅 Subscribe to our calendar to be in the know for future events.
Germany Life Hacks
💪Things to make your life in Deutschland a little bit better.
Job Futuromat: Find out if your job in Germany will withstand fast-paced technological change. See which aspects of your job could be automated, if any.
Berlin newsletters: Subscribe to our friends at 20% Berlin.
💵 Save money with our partners: Take out insurance with Getsafe and save €15. They offer pet, health, liability insurance, and more, with all support in English.
Community News
🤝 News from our community.
📩 Our Last Newsletter
Last week’s newsletter - Still on DSL in 2025. Seriously, Germany?
The most popular read - Google launches AI tools for practicing languages through personalized lessons.
Browse our archives for past editions.
🎤 Our Last Podcast
🫶 Featured Germany Guides
📖 Read our 50+ free life and career guides.
Food For Thought
💡 Articles about tech, the world of work, & other random things.
🧑💼 The World of Work
“Menopenalisation” is real. In India, countless talented midlife women are quietly sidelined at work just as they’re hitting their professional stride.
Uber is rolling back some employee benefits, saying the company is willing to accept the results, even if it means losing good people.
Burnout isn’t just a work issue—it’s a lifestyle signal, and small daily changes can keep your energy and sanity in check.
Women in European startups are satisfied, but are burning out under pressure and slow career growth.
🤖 All Things Tech
SpaceX's Starbase has officially become a city, with 283 residents (mostly employees), voting to incorporate and elect company insiders as officials.
Figma just dropped a new AI feature that turns your designs into working code, no dev needed.
Vulcan, Amazon’s latest robot, has an actual sense of touch and might just make warehouse jobs less dangerous.
🪄 Random
Doing good isn't just about intent; it's about effectiveness. Learn how strategic giving can maximize your positive impact.
As he approaches 70, Bill Gates is accelerating his life’s mission and asking his foundation to give it all away in the next 20 years.
Flow is a magical state where you're totally in the zone. It happens when challenge meets skill, minus the distractions.
News in Germany
🗞️ All of the news in Germany.
ℹ️ General
Three German cities have been named among the happiest in the world.
Berliners can visit the Bürgeramt on May 14 without an appointment.
German law now allows couples to hyphenate their last names.
Why everything in Berlin is falling apart.
Half of the pet owners in Berlin are illegally boycotting their pet registrations.
📈 Politics & Economy
Two German startups hit Unicorn status this week: Parloa and Quantum Systems.
Backed by EU and German funds, Infineon’s mega chip plant in Dresden signals Europe’s push to secure its semiconductor future.
Portus is building a new data center in Munich, boosting its capacity and aiming for full energy-efficiency compliance by 2026.
German police have seized €34 million in crypto and shut down eXch, a darknet swapping platform linked to €1.75 billion in laundering.
A thoughtful essay on Germany’s decline. Also, why Germany’s new government is scarier than you think.
Neukölln wants to ban temporary furnished flat rentals.
An interview with Jessica Brösche, a German woman who was wrongfully held in American detention for 45 days.
Meet Germany’s new government.
🧑🏼🏭 Immigration & Labour Market
Germany’s Left party wants to allow foreigners to vote after living five years in the country.
At 39%, employees in Germany are the third most likely to be looking for a new job right now.
💃🏻 Fun, Interesting, and/or Useful
The Berliner rounded up the best art exhibitions to see in Berlin right now, as well as the top newly opened places to eat this month.
BER’s customs team keeps a “cabinet of curiosities” filled with confiscated treasures, from lion pelts to rhino horns.
❤️ If you like what we do, support our work.