Bremen in Demand Abroad
Investing in BremenForeign Direct Investments 2022
Foreign Direct Investments (FDIs) are proof of a location's competitiveness. Last year, international companies invested eight million Euros in Bremen, with the aim of creating 160 jobs in the coming months and years.
This shows that interest in our Hanseatic city is growing again, after the pandemic-related travel restrictions of 2021 hindered international expansion. Bremen's location management activities attracted a great deal of interest, particularly in China, Turkey, the United Kingdom and Vietnam.
The Federal State of Bremen has offices in all these four countries, providing direct advice for local companies that are interested in relocating here. "We're particularly pleased that we continue to attract a lot of interest in China, despite the stringent pandemic restrictions which have made travel almost impossible for so long, and where international exchanges have only been permitted again in the last few weeks", said Andreas Gerber, Director of International Business at Bremeninvest. Six of the 40 new companies which Bremeninvest has helped open up in Bremen come from China.
Logistics and technology from the Hanseatic city in great demand
In 2022, Bremen's reputation as an international commercial port and logistics hub and its expertise in logistics, warehousing, transport and packaging, attracted 14 companies from China, Croatia, the Netherlands, Rumania, Ukraine, Turkey, the United Kingdom and Vietnam. Bremen is also equally renowned as a technology hotspot. Twelve companies that are active in the medical technology, IT services, aviation and aerospace or vehicle technology sector all came to Bremen with the aim of not only selling existing products, but also driving forward their own developments.
Three examples of international settlements in Bremen:

Werover GmbH
The robotics and AI company Werover comes from Turkey and operates in the fields of underwater vehicles and renewable energy sources. Bremen was the company's first choice. Locating here brings it close to world-class research institutes such as the German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence (DFKI), the MARUM marine research faculty at the University of Bremen and the Alfred-Wegener Institute.
Eco Medical Deutschland GmbH
The Chinese technology company ECO Medical aims to establish a procedure previously unknown in Germany for combatting cancer, varicose veins or thyroid nodules. This company develops microwave ablation devices. These devices can treat damaging growths in a targeted manner that protects the surrounding healthy tissue. The company employed its first members of staff after setting up in Germany at the beginning of 2022, and is currently looking to expand its workforce. This is because the demand for this new type of therapy is so high and there is a significant need for further training among doctors in the German-speaking region (Germany, Austria and Switzerland).
CAE Flight School GmbH
The Canadian company CAE Flight School at Bremen's airport is where young pilots come to train. By establishing its new site, the group is continuing its long tradition as a training institute. Up to 44 prospective pilots attend theoretical and practical courses here, primarily for the German Armed Forces. The practical parts of the course are taken in the company's fleet of five light aircraft. Bremen was the first choice of location for Niels Kröning, CAE's Vice-President for European Strategy.

Changed supply chains and new topics
A new direction for supply chains and international trading relationships, due to Brexit, increasingly raised Bremen's profile as a commercial hotspot throughout 2022. Investment from the United Kingdom came primarily from niche areas and after-sales services such as the maintenance and sale of cranes and in the fields of wind power and offshore services. From the USA came activities aimed at expanding business in Europe, such as business process outsourcing, IT services, sales of software programmes.
Added to this is a considerable amount of interest in Bremen's specialist areas of technological expertise, such as hydrogen, additive manufacturing, AI and digitisation. "Leading trade fairs, such as Hydrogen Technology Expo and the International Astronautical Congress, attract many interested visitors to Bremen and put the city firmly on the international map. This is also something we want to expand this year", said Gerber in conclusion.
Success Stories
A year ago, ENGINIUS began producing the first hydrogen truck with EU type approval in Bremen. Today, 100 employees already work at the plant. The plans are still set for growth, thanks to tailwind from Bremen and strong demand from around the world.
Learn moreThe greenest major city in Germany is Bremen - with an average of 60 square metres of sports, leisure and recreation space per person. Parks, sports facilities, but also water areas invite you to relax from the hustle and bustle of the city every day.
Learn moreHydrogen Technology Expo Europe is the largest trade fair for suppliers of hydrogen technologies. It takes place in the Hanseatic city of Bremen every September. The big names in this sector will meet up there, once again, on September 27th and 28th 2023.
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