Single adventurers find companions, experienced globetrotters organize trips for groups – and can even earn money doing so: That’s the idea behind JoinMyTrip. After two years, the Hamburg-based startup has more than 130,000 users from 17 countries who share dreams and costs. Investors spent 1.5 million euros to get the portal ready to jump to 15 million users. In July 2020, Business Insider ranked JoinMyTrip among Germany’s 20 fastest-growing startups – despite Corona and the industry crash.
5 million users, a team from 16 different countries and 45% growth in 2020: For 17 years, Gymglish has been very successfully awakening tired tongues with language lessons and has top usage rates of 80%. Short, 10-minute lessons in English/ French/ Spanish or German are presented to users every day in personalized and humorous morsels, making Gymglish the pioneer of adaptive learning. In German-speaking countries, Gymglish grew by 47% in 2020. More than 1,000 DACH companies use Gymglish to develop their teams. Among them are companies such as Allianz, Bahlsen and Total.
Hey, swipe and leave: Digital dating often means superficial banter in multichats – including the risk of confusion and lukewarm interest. Hamburg-based founder Manuel Tolle knows this from his own personal and professional experience. After singlebörse.de the Dating expert banks with only one on monogamous flirting. The freeware app blocks unsolicited pictures and sends voice greeting cards on request.
The creators of the WOCHENENDER series of travel books are passionate about their homeland. The books are the perfect companions for short trips, excursions or vacations in the northern German region. Founder Eli Frenz realizes in her publishing house a loving print product to slow down, in which her love for regional travel comes alive. In the meantime, the WOCHENENDER series comprises 7 volumes and shows large and small places of longing from the Lündeburger Heide to the Baltic and North Sea coasts. Available in the online store and in selected bookstores and concept stores.
For many kids, brushing their teeth is a boring chore. Not with Playbrush! The award-winning attachment transforms any manual toothbrush via Bluetooth into a game controller for educational games that are fun and at the same time teach you how to brush your teeth properly. Since September 2018, this smart idea has also been available as an electric sonic toothbrush: Playbrush Smart Sonic. The result: healthy teeth, motivated children and relaxed parents. In 2019, they celebrated a premiere- with the launch of Playbrush Smart One, the range has been expanded by a revolutionary sonic toothbrush for adults. The ingenious software, with new feedback features, best-in-class app and unique dentist services, forms the heart of the new model. The technology start-up is supported by University College London, Eastman Dental Hospital and renowned dentists in the UK and Austria. Playbrush is available in 25 countries.
tigermedia offers sophisticated media experiences for children – safe, age-appropriate and with plenty of heart. The Hamburg-based startup by Till Weitendorf and Martin Kurzhals develops content, devices and suitable streaming services that meld the analog world with the digital one. The common goal of the family fathers: to open up a protected space full of radio play, stories and adventures for children, in which they can move independently, have fun and grow. One of the most successful products is the tigerbox TOUCH with the matching tigertones streaming service and app. With an average usage time of more than four hours per day, they easily outperform any other streaming service.
At the western end of the Reeperbahn, Hamburg’s most innovative, casual and at the same time ultra design-loving coworking space opened in May 2019: the Hamburger Ding. On 4,000 square meters and five floors, companies, freelancers and startups have 330 workstations, 8 event spaces, lounges, several kitchens, a podcast studio and a roof terrace at their disposal. Last but not least, the Hamburger Ding is the sportiest coworking space on the Kiez. In the WORKout zone, users can work dynamically: Simply place the laptop above the treadmill and off you go! In addition, the Towers Zone is a modern fitness area equipped by Technogym. Hamburg’s first e-sports playground for gaming professionals and training area for everyone also opened in summer 2020.
The startup from Switzerland is Europe’s leading provider of teledermatology and makes it possible to assess skin diseases by photo. The platform offers consultations with dermatologists – simply via photo. An assessment is made within a maximum of 48 hours. More than 20 percent of Swiss dermatologists already use the award-winning tool. Now the startup has expanded from Hamburg in Germany and has already attracted more than 150 dermatologists to its platform within just a few weeks. The partner is the Professional Association of German Dermatologists (BVDD).
Tom Gärtner and Matthias Kühr want to stir up the dusty bed linen market with stylish eucalyptus bed covers. The Lyocell fiber, which is extracted from eucalyptus, is naturally silky soft, thermoregulating and hypoallergenic. In addition, around 95% less water is needed for production than for cotton and the CO2 footprint is also less than 50%. Via the online store of hig & chic, the bed linen can be easily ordered from the comfort of your own home, where you can then try it out for 60 days.
Edeloptics GmbH started in 2009 as an online optician for branded eyewear. A lot has happened since then. With web stores in 53 countries and a product range of over 40,000 items, Edel-Optics is now one of the leading online opticians. In line with the claim “SEE AND BE SEEN,” the product range is aimed primarily at brand- and fashion-conscious people who see eyewear as a lifestyle product. In Hamburg, Edel-Optics operates two stores that are characterized by innovative sales concepts. Shelves and display cases are replaced by tablet computers. More than 20,000 brand-name eyeglasses are available for selection on site.
With Robo Wunderkind even the youngest can experience technology playfully and intuitively. The startup from Vienna tripled its growth in 2018 and is available in 20 countries. In addition, the colorful robot is not only a hero of the playroom, but also the classroom: In German-speaking countries, more than 55 schools and kindergartens use this pedagogically valuable toy to inspire children from the age of 5 with enthusiasm for the topics of robotics and coding. Founder Anna Iarotska is thus campaigning for a issue that could not be more topical with regard to the background of the Digital Pact. Driven by the severe recession of her Ukrainian homeland and the question of which skills are most sought-after in the world of work, the idea for the robot kits was born. The 35-year-old pioneer has already received several awards for her innovative and pedagogically valuable work.
The startup InnoNature provides vegan food supplements from 100% natural superfoods and is growing rapidly – without any investors. The idea comes from the personal story of the founders: Julia suffered from an autoimmune disease and Gil from chronic exhaustion and back pain. At some point they both had had enough of medication and visits to the doctor. Today, their experiences flow into the products, advice, prescriptions, tips and videos that present the topic of holistic living and eating habits in a contemporary way. “We want to share our passion and inspire more people to adopt a healthy and conscious lifestyle. In nature we find everything we need,” says Julia Lang.
The headache and migraine app M-sense helps people to become experts in their own health. The headache diary gives those affected an overview of their attacks, triggers and medications. Beyond that, M-sense makes the most effective relaxation methods available including clinical practice, personalized knowledge lessons and effective assistance during an acute attack. The goal of the startup, founded by the migraine researcher Markus Dahlem and the human robotics expert Stefan Greiner, was to reduce pain attacks by more than 50%. Through each entry the app learns – and helps not only the individual affected, but also science to better understand migraines and headaches.
Blomenburg is a private clinic in Selent, Schleswig-Holstein, which opened in the summer of 2019 and sets new standards in inpatient psychotherapy and burnout therapy. 69 rooms, a wellness area and a wide range of sports activities provide guests with maximum comfort and discretion. Blomenburg’s philosophy: combining evidence-based medicine according to the latest standards with individual treatment concepts. The therapeutic approach also includes scientific findings about the healing effect of micronutrients and gender-based medicine.
naturmädchen relies on pure recipes and natural active ingredients with superpowers. “What there is, is more than enough. That’s what we can learn from nature,” says Martina Haak, founder of naturmädchen Kosmetik. Her up-and-coming label from the Lower Rhine in North Rhine-Westphalia stands for reduced care with pure vegetable oils and extracts that even absorb the cell-damaging HEV radiation. Animal experiments or synthetic additives are taboo! naturmädchen is produced in Germany and is available in its own online shop as well as via selected portals and cosmetic institutes.
The buddies Max and Finn have dared to do what many dream of: they turned their backs on everyday life and their jobs. With Viking Republic, they offer canoe tours on Lake Kornsjön in the Swedish wilderness. Around 150 kilometers from the big city of Gothenburg, in the idyllic province of Flötemarken, a nature camp is being created with the Viking Republic village, which lacks nothing in terms of adventure feeling: Beyond the beaten track and glamping hype, it invites vacationers to relax authentically in nature. In the midst of seemingly endless lake landscapes and untouched forests, the two friends offer canoe trips from May to September, including all-round carefree catering.
The Electra Bicycle Company was founded in 1993 and is the leading brand for lifestyle bicycles in the USA. The company recently opened its first store outside the USA in Hamburg – the bicycle city and gateway to the world. The main aim of the Electra Bicycle Company then and now: to delight pedal enthusiasts – and all who want to become one – with fun and maximum riding comfort: California Dreaming for everyone! With over 200 models and the lines Ticino®, Townie®, Townie® GO!, Amsterdam®, Cruiser, Loft™, Loft™ GO! as well as children’s bicycles and numerous possibilities for individualization through accessories, Electra offers the most comfortable bicycles with the highest design standards on the market.
Tonka Gin is the juniper brandy from Hamburg which is highly appreciated by bartenders and gin lovers. Its aroma clearly distinguishes it from other gin varieties; together with 22 other botanicals, the exotic tonka bean gives the traditional gin bouquet a special twist. Its creator Daniel Soumikh is building the brand together with his wife Serap and is delighted to receive orders from all over Europe. In addition to the Tonka Gin Original, available since 2014, there was a limited barrel storage for the first time in 2018, which was sold out within a few weeks. In 2016 Tonka Gin received its first award with the “Drinks Bar Academy Top Product 2016”, followed in 2018 by an award from the IWSC.
With chakrana, fashion designer Darja Noschenko and her partner Sven Schipper, an expert in renewable raw materials, have founded a sustainable label for yoga and homewear fashion. The label combines their passion for yoga, fashion and ecological responsibility with their professional skills. All products are available in sizes XS to XXL. The materials are produced in Europe, are 100% vegan and have the OEKO-Tex certificate. Manufacturing takes place in a small factory in Saxony to ensure short transport routes. For 2021, chakrana is planning a collection for men and children. The online shop launched in January 2021.
Beiersdorf has stood for innovative skin care for more than 130 years. The biggest success factor of the parent company, famous for much-loved brands such as NIVEA, Labello, Eucerin and 8×4, is a continuous joy of innovation that leads to the consistent further development of the products. The company’s own research center continues to set new standards and develops skin care products that people all over the world trust. The pioneering role of Germany’s top employer also extends to the corporate culture, which is expressed, among other things, in an internal and external dialogue.
The health & motivation app YAS provides positive impulses for more exercise in everyday life through monetary benefits, among other things. The application collects daily activities across all apps and devices and converts them into fitness points that can be exchanged for premiums at well-known sporting goods manufacturers, health start-ups and fitness studios. As a white label version, YAS.life offers companies and health insurance companies a full service for the digital bonus system, from development to data protection and maintenance. In December 2017, the InsurTech gained Deutsche Rück as lead investor, followed in March 2018 by the Healthy Hub.
Hamburg First is the media marketer from Hamburg and for Hamburg and combines the unique regional competence with the media presence of Hamburger Morgenpost and its partners. A constantly growing range of print titles, from MOPO to glossy magazines, appeals to different target groups. The most successful Internet portals in the region broadcast Hamburg brands on a permanent basis, while professionally organized events inspire local Hamburgers.