Digital Location Karlsruhe
Driving the digitalization of a sustainable society
Discover the structure and network of the digital location Karlsruhe. Explore facts and figures, exciting projects, key players, unique initiatives and visionary research projects.
This young city offers an ideal environment for specialists and professionals from the IT and high-tech sectors. Not only does the green, mobile capital of northern Baden offer a high level of quality of life, combining modernity and tradition, but it is above all the flourishing economy that attracts professionals of all ages. With its 5,000 companies of all sizes, the local digital economy is very well represented within the Karlsruhe TechnologyRegion. The companies cover all sub-sectors, from games and enterprise software to IT security, but there are also links to the (digital) creative sector and the basic research in the ICT sector.
Pioneering work from Karlsruhe
While many cities have only discovered digitalization in recent years, Karlsruhe was an early pioneer in this field
Computer science
The term “computer science” was coined here as early as 1957 and in 1972 the University of Karlsruhe (TH) founded the country’s first faculty of computer science, where Germany’s first e-mail was received twelve years later.
Artificial intelligence
The region has recently made a name for itself internationally, particularly in the field of artificial intelligence (AI) – as one of the few places where not only basic research and development in the field of AI takes place, but where the new technologies are also used practically in everyday life.
Place of possibilities
The networking of business, science, administration, culture and government, which has grown over the years and is unique in Germany, makes a decisive contribution to this place of opportunity. This model of the karlsruhe.digital initiative, known as the “Karlsruhe principle of short distances”, guarantees a regular exchange between all participants.
Top start-up location
The renowned universities and non-university research institutions based in the region produce talented young people who either start their own businesses or contribute their know-how to local companies. The strong regional networks establish contact between trainees, students and experienced managers.
Hidden champions
Over the past decades, a number of Europe’s leading providers of software solutions, data centers and IT services have been established in Karlsruhe. Many of the start-ups founded in the local IT ecosystem are now among the big players in their respective sectors.
Excellence in education and research
Even in the age of digitalization, groundbreaking innovations do not happen overnight, but are the product of an outstanding culture of innovation as well as a university and research landscape. This is also the case in Karlsruhe. Here we inform you about the flourishing start-up scene and our more than 25 leading universities and non-university research institutions.
Smart(e) City
Whether in the areas of mobility, administration, infrastructure or energy – Karlsruhe is at the forefront everywhere as a digital, networked city. Find out more about the holistic development concepts to make the region more efficient, technologically advanced and greener.
UNESCO City of Media Arts
Karlsruhe was the first and only German city to be named a “UNESCO City of Media Arts” in 2019 and regularly promotes innovative, collaborative and interdisciplinary media art projects in the international “Creative Cities” network. The decisive factor here is that the cultural and creative industries do not operate in isolation from other sectors, but work hand in hand with institutions from science, administration and society – in order to make the city as a whole a more attractive place to live that is characterized by cultural diversity. Find out more about what it’s like to live in Karlsruhe.