Ten Years of CHIC
Ten years after it was founded, the Charlottenburg Innovation Centre (CHIC) is an integral part of Berlin’s startup scene. So what drives this location?
Since the Charlottenburg Innovation Centre (CHIC) opened its doors a decade ago, over a hundred startups have taken their first steps, developed prototypes, expanded their contacts, and tested business models here. Many of them have remained loyal to the innovation hub and some have long since become active on international markets. Others have refined their business models, changed locations, or strengthened collaborations with research institutions – CHIC has often served as a springboard.
It all started with an initiative. Together with the Technical University of Berlin, the University of the Arts, and the district of Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf, WISTA wanted to give young startups in the heart of Berlin the best opportunities as they took their first steps into the world of business. The path to independence was to be facilitated by affordable rents, flexible offices, and a close proximity to research, teaching, and other young companies. That was back in 2015. Since then, the hub on Bismarckstraße has established itself as a fixture in Berlin’s innovation landscape – embedded in the WISTA network and connected to the city’s other Future Locations.
A quick look at the statistics shows that the founders were spot on with their idea. Even in the current challenging market environment where many young companies are reluctant to rent commercial space, CHIC remains in high demand. More than 16 new companies have moved in since October 2004, despite the fact that the Berlin commercial property market has slumped by 19 percent in terms of new lettings. Perhaps it’s down to the energy that flows through the place. “Dynamism develops when people come together and a real community emerges,” says WISTA’s Managing Director, Roland Sillmann, who managed the centre himself in its early years. When the Covid-19 pandemic arrived and brought with it the craze of working from home, this flow of energy took a hit at CHIC and it’s still not fully recovered. Since 2018, the number of people working from home has quintupled to 25 percent in 2025 – a figure which is likely to be even higher for startups. “We want to counter this by making the centre more of a social hub again,” says Sillmann. “It’s not just about renting an office here; it’s about becoming part of a platform for exchange, inspiration, and mutual empowerment.”
CHIC boasts a wide range of companies – from Software as a Service to robotics to HR tech. Many startups begin with small teams, whose members are often directly from research backgrounds, but sometimes on a second career path following years in industry. They all appreciate the flexibility that CHIC offers – those who grow can expand their space, and those who shrink down can reduce it. This dynamic model fits in well with the often wave-like growth of many startups who have now expanded far beyond Berlin. Take ConBotics GmbH, for example, which has long been a much-talked about success story with its robots for the skilled trades sector. Or Sphaira Medical GmbH, which developed the autonomous patient transporter Moby.
CHIC will continue to offer young companies an environment which allows them to grow. But it will also remain a place of orientation, particularly at a time when many young founders are navigating between uncertainty and ambition. A true breeding ground for new ideas.
Kai Dürfeld for Potenzial