Longer Hours, Lower Taxes?

10 funded startups in 7 cities. A must-attend Berlin job fair. BlackInTech Berlin wants new community leaders. LinkedIn’s Top 10 German Employers revealed. Would you work longer hours for tax breaks?

Personal News & Musings

🫣 Sometimes, I’ll overshare and/or rant a bit.

I’m experimenting with a new newsletter format this week. Let me know what you think by replying to this email. Feedback’s always appreciated. 💛

Follow me: Threads / Instagram / Bluesky / LinkedIn

Companies Hiring Right Now

🇩🇪 Companies in Germany that are hiring right now.

1. Dare2Care - Berlin, Hamburg, Leipzig | Jobs (4 openings)

2. MassiveMusic - Berlin | Jobs (1 opening)

3. Targomo - Berlin | Jobs ( 2 openings)

4. tonies - Düsseldorf & remote | Jobs (17 openings)

5. ucm - Berlin mostly | Jobs (25 openings)

📢 Job of the Week: Director of Strategic Research @ Reset Tech

Recently Funded Startups

🇩🇪 German startups that recently raised new funding may also have vacancies.

✨ TL;DR - 10 startups funded across 7 German cities. Fleming in Berlin came out big with a €40 M investment.

1. 1000 Satellites - €2 M | Manheim | Jobs

2. Akeno - Undisclosed | Hamburg | Jobs

3. Aatec Medica - €4 M | Munich | Jobs

4. Co-Power - Undisclosed | Munich | Jobs

5. Elmi Power - Undisclosed | Frankfurt | Jobs

6. Evergreen - €5 M | Leipzig | Jobs

7. filu - Undisclosed | Munich | Jobs

8. Fleming - €40 M | Berlin | Jobs

9. Swarm Biotactics - Undisclosed | Cologne | Jobs

10. telli - $3.6 M | Berlin | Jobs

🤨 On a side note, Germany’s FREENOW was acquired by Lyft, and this is how I feel about it.

Events

🍸 Events from The Berlin Life. And sometimes, events from others.

• We had a community mixer at Muted Horn last Wednesday. There were good people and a lot of hilarious conversations. Thanks to all who came. 💘

• We’ve scheduled a new event for the women in our community - an after-work drinks soirée on Thursday, May 15. ➡️ Register.

• If you’re looking for work in Berlin, attend Talent Berlin’s jobs fair on May 10 and May 11. Expect to meet top employers, job application reviews, coaching sessions, and talks. ➡️ More info.

📅 Subscribe to our calendar to be notified about future events.

Berlin Life Hacks

💪Things to make your life in Berlin a little bit better.

• 🏳️‍🌈 Social Diversity Awards 2025 - Know someone championing social diversity in Germany — or are you one yourself? The Social Diversity Awards 2025 by Netzwerk Chancen celebrate people and organizations breaking barriers and promoting equal opportunity. Submit your application by April 27. 👉 Apply now.

• 🎓 Junior Professionals Program - Just finished your master’s and want to drive real change in Germany? The Junior Professionals Program by Bertelsmann Stiftung offers a full-time, paid opportunity to work on high-impact projects tackling social issues. The program starts on October 1. Applications are open until May 7. 👉 Apply now.

• 🙌 BlackInTech Berlin - This growing group is seeking new community leaders. They want people who care deeply about creating spaces where Black professionals in tech feel seen, supported, and connected. Those who love bringing people together, sparking conversations, and showing up for their community. 👉 Apply now.

💵 Save money with our partners: Find a place to live in Berlin with Spotahome. Use code TBL15 to get 15% off your first booking.

Community News

🤝 News from our community.

📊 Polling Vibes

• Our last poll asked: How do you handle the language barrier in Germany? Looks like most of you (52%) are rolling up your sleeves and learning German through regular courses — way more than those relying on apps or English services. Respect!

• Take part in this week’s poll: ⬇️

📩 ICYMI

• Last week’s newsletter, Female Founders Are Rare in Germany. Browse our archives for past editions.

🫶 Featured Germany guides:

• Picked by Locals: Our Favourite Bars for Craft Beer in Berlin

• The Best Berlin Job Search Websites

📖 Read our 50+ free life and career guides.

Food For Thought

💡 Articles about tech, the world of work, & other random things.

Via @urbanfarmandkitchen

🧑‍💼 The World of Work

• “ChatGPT Teachings” on the dark side of LinkedIn and using AI to get interviews in 48 hours. (Email me if this works for you.)

• As AI blurs the line between real and rehearsed, tech hiring is hitting a reset, favoring authenticity over automation.

🤖 All Things Tech

• Your humble LinkedIn profile might be moonlighting as AI training data for Microsoft's next big move.

• 10 European defense startups reshaping modern-day warfare.

• Google's Pixel phones are facilitating conversations between humans and dolphins. 🥺

🪄 Random

• While AI follows code, humans have agency, and that’s where the real magic (and mess) happens.

• Financial insecurity among young EU men is fueling anti-feminist views and support for far-right movements, new research finds.

• In a world where trans rights are under siege, Norway emerges as a potential sanctuary for those seeking safety and recognition.

News in Germany

🗞️ All of the news in Germany.

General

• Germany’s the 9th best country for young people?!

• You may think differently, but the German rail network was not worse in 2024. In any case, they need billions to modernize.

• The BVG has some pretty bizarre plans for Kotti.

• Electronic patient records will be live at month-end. 🚨Why you might NOT want to give doctors access to your data.

• Mpox is on the rise in Berlin.

Politics & Economy

• How a man, absolutely high on cocaine, came to hug Germany’s chancellor.

• The new government plans to fix the housing problem in Berlin. Meanwhile, only one in four apartments is affordable on an “average” income.

• The CDU said they would NOT work with the AfD. Yet, party members are to be given key cabinet positions. 😤

• In trying to silence hate, Germany might be muting more than just the trolls.

• German startups received €1.6 B in funding for Q1 2025. Read a detailed report.

• Germany’s new high-tech super-ministry promises to lead the AI revolution … just as soon as the paperwork clears.

Immigration & Labour Market

• Work longer hours in Germany and get tax breaks?!

• LinkedIn ranked the best employers in Germany for 2025. There’s a lot of big pharma.

• An American woman claims she “accidentally immigrated” to Germany. 🫠

• A couple moved from Detroit to Berlin, and everything was … flawless. The husband found a job in three weeks, and they didn’t have an issue getting an apartment. 😲

• Turns out the secret to longevity might just be running a corner shop and ignoring retirement altogether (like this German woman).

Fun, Interesting, and/or Useful

• From Kreuzberg to Pompeii, one man's mission to spotlight the world's quirkiest corner urinals is flushing out unexpected charm.

• Explore Berlin’s grassroots R&B scene over on Bandcamp.

• A chef’s guide to Berlin that’s less about stars and more about authentic spots.

Ways We Can Help You

😇 Useful stuff served up by the Berlin Life.

• Get support finding work with our career coaching and job application review services.

• Connect with professionals in Germany with our LinkedIn Connect & Exchange list.

• Subscribe to Berlin newsletters: 20% Berlin.

❤️ If you like what we do, support our work.