Berlin: Startup City

 
 
 

Vocabulary

startup	epicenter	pulsing (2)
synergy	fertile (2)	ground (3)
support	theme (2)	workspace
global	stage (2)	get back on his feet (2)
to realize	reflect (2)	co-founder
melt	found (2)	under construction
imagine	hopefully	melting pot
size	bank teller	perspective
grant	boom (2)	impression
crazy	period (2)	platform (2)
vault (2)	space (2)	accountant
pitch (2)	adventure	generation
plus (2)	freelancer	pitch their ideas
event	no matter	overwhelming
shark	affordable	shark pool (2)
mistake	Cold War

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Video

 

 
 
 
 

Transcript

David Noel, Soundcloud.com: “Berlin is becoming this pulsing epicenter of startups.”

Jon Handschin, Moviepilot.com: “It’s a city that doesn’t ever finish. It’s still a young boom.”

Simon Schaefer, JMES Investments: “Berlin has always been fertile ground for creative people.”

Cuchi Costa, Moviepilot.com: “David Bowie made CDs here. And now it’s just history continuing.”

Asaf Moses, Upcloud.com: “During the Cold War, there was nothing; there was no industry, after the war, after the Wall.

Alexander Coggin, Monoql.com: “Berlin took a long time to get back on its feet.”

Madeleine von Mohl, Betahaus: “Berlin has changed a lot; and it’s becoming the Silicon Valley of Europe.”

Jon Handschin, Moviepilot.com: “Europe has this old theme impression to people in the States. Now the city of Berlin is a huge, adventurous place once again.”

David Noel, Soundcloud.com: “The tech industry in general is very international, very global and Berlin reflects that very well.”

Alexander Coggin, Monoql.com: “English is so renownly spoken, it’s difficult to practice your German.

Marie Elliott, Soundcloud.com: “I’m from Vancouver. One of the reasons why my German isn’t very good is that everyone speaks English here.”

Simon Schaefer, Factory Co-Founder: “This was actually in the back wall of Berlin Wall.”

David Noel, Soundcloud.com: “The factory is a new space, and is under construction right now.

Simon Schaefer, Factory Co-Founder: “The factory is hopefully going to be a melting pot of startups in different stages of business.”

David Noel, Soundcloud.com: “This is Soundcloud’s office. Right below is the Mozilla space. For us, it’s really important to be close to other companies, because this brings fresh perspectives.”

Simon Schaefer, Factory Co-Founder: “We believe that having a campus of five buildings will create a synergy between those companies working together with each other.

Asaf Moses, Upcload.com: “Upcload is the right tool to help you find the right size when you buy clothes online.

We really find a lot of state support here. So we got from the German state close to one million euros in grants. Otherwise we couldn’t realize our idea — it was so crazy.”

Alexander Coggin, Monoqi.com: “Monoqi is an online design platform, for designer goods. We sell goods in seven-day sales periods.

You have a chance to buy something just for seven days, and then it’s gone.”

We work in an old German bank. This is an original vault, with original vault boxes and keys. I can imagine an accountant sitting here, bank teller.”

Madeleine von Mohl, Betahaus: We provide workspace for freelancers, startups. Plus we have a café. Every week we have an even called “Beta Breakfast” where the startups can pitch their ideas.”

Luis Daniel, Getvamos.com: “It’s a mobile application that helps you find interesting events going on around you, no matter if you are in Berlin or in New York.

And it basically shows you where all your friends are going.”

David Noel, Soundcloud.com: “Berlin combines the best of San Francisco and New York, without being overwhelming.”

Jon Handschin, Moviepilot.com: “It’s much more affordable than New York or LA or San Francisco, even.”

Madeleine von Mohl, Betahaus: “Berlin is a little bit more friendly, I imagine; in Silicon Valley, it’s a little bit like a shark pool.”

Asaf Moses, Upcload.com: “In the Valley, you have companies that have been there for many generations. Here, it’s really the first generation of tech companies that are making the first mistake.

I would like to think in the next generation who’ll get even getting closer to the value.”

 

 

Questions

1. Berlin is a long-established startup center, just like Silicon Valley. True or false?

2. After World War Two, was Berlin an industrial, manufacturing center?

3. Is Berlin’s economy changing?

4. Only Germans live and work in Berlin. Is this right or wrong? Do foreigners have to learn German to function in Berlin?

5. Are startups building and operating in brand new buildings?

6. Do the startup companies prefer working in isolation and secrecy?

7. What were some of the startup concepts or ideas?

8. Berlin has certain advantages over American cities. Is this correct or incorrect?

 

A. There is a startup or tech scene in my city or country. Yes or no?

B. My friends and I would like to work in a startup. Is this what most young people nowadays want to do?

C. Do you have any (crazy, wild) startup ideas?

D. What might happen in the future?

E. What should governments, schools and people do?