All of them? No one? Which ministry deals with startups?
Business, digital affairs, research – three ministries are wrangling over one issue. Startup policy should actually be a central future task of the federal government. But instead of action, there's a confusion of responsibilities. There's friction between Economics Minister Katherina Reiche, Digital Affairs Minister Karsten Wildberger, and Research Minister Dorothee Bär.
Some observers are now saying that no one is really shouting "Here!" loudly. Politicians aren't really keen on the topic of startups; it's being pushed back and forth, left undone. Or is it the other way around? Do all startups want to take responsibility? But can't agree? Either way: no one's doing it yet. And that's crap, say observers and those affected.
Fights are normal – to a certain extentIt's not unusual for disagreements over responsibilities to arise during the formation of a government. After all, there's a lot at stake: It's about importance, influence, in other words, "power." But it's also about a considerable amount of money. Certain responsibilities are associated with budgets – more or less substantial ones.
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Therefore, after the election of the CDU-SPD government, an "organizational decree" was issued that roughly defined which ministries would handle which topics. However, it didn't organize everything; "further details" were to be worked out among themselves, it was stated.
And then many conversations and discussions began. But nothing got off the ground.
For example, members of the Green opposition already criticized this a month ago. Katharina Beck, a member of the Bundestag for the B90/The Greens parliamentary group, and her parliamentary colleague Julian Joswig, chairman of the Green parliamentary group in the European Affairs Committee and member of the Committee on Economic Affairs and Energy, drew attention to this.
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Gründerszene reported on this at the time and also inquired with the Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs and Digitalization. A spokeswoman for the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWW) ultimately asked for patience: "The specific details will be agreed upon in administrative agreements with the ministries named in the decree – including the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy – by August 1, 2025."
But August 1st came and it passed, and not everything has been concretely implemented yet.
We're hanging in the air!
This is precisely what is increasingly annoying many: "As long as responsibilities are not conclusively clarified, a lot of things are up in the air," says Christoph Stresing, Managing Director of the Startup Association. Yet there is so much to be done to improve the conditions for startups and scaleups with concrete measures. In his opinion, the first 100 days of the new government have "unfortunately only presented a mixed picture" regarding startup policy.
In his opinion, the ideal would be a "startup policy from a single source, without any friction between departments." However, even after clarifying responsibilities, this is unlikely.
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On August 4, the Handelsblatt quoted an internal email from State Secretary Frank Wetzel (BMWK) to employees, which allegedly stated: Wildberger would be given responsibility for startups from the Ministry of Economic Affairs.
Until now, topics such as startup financing and funding programs were the responsibility of the BMWE. However, the newly created Federal Ministry for Digital Affairs (BMDS) is now claiming responsibility for digitalization policy and AI. And things are getting complicated because the Federal Ministry for Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR) also wants to get involved in startups through innovation and deep tech.
Green Party MP Katharina Beck then submitted a request to the BMWE. She wanted to know exactly which responsibilities, departments, funding programs, and financial volumes would be transferred to the new ministry.
Gründerszene has the answer: "The Startup Policy Department will remain within the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy," it states. "Responsibility for specific digital policy issues concerning startups and GovTech – nationally, Europeanly, and internationally, as well as for individual locations of the de:hub initiative – will fall within the purview of the Federal Ministry for Digital and State Modernization."
In short: Responsibility for startups is being torn apart. And the boundaries themselves are sometimes being defined by projects: Gründerszene, for example, learned, as suggested by the ministry's response, that the de:hub initiative, which aims to bring startups and medium-sized companies together and has created 25 "hubs" in Germany for this purpose, will in future be assigned to two ministries at once: the BMWE and the MBDS.
Only Dorothee Bär’s demands on startups seem – as of now – to be unfulfilled.
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Green Party MP Beck is dissatisfied with the situation: "Fragmented responsibilities are not helpful," she commented on the BMWE's response. "Startups deserve stringent and effective policies that are all integrated. Whether that will happen is, unfortunately, questionable given the slow pace and fragmented responsibilities."
The worst thing, however, in her opinion – and she agrees with the Startup Association on this – is that far too much time is being wasted here. "This is a problem; there can't be a standstill now; the good work in the startup sector must be continued and expanded."
So far, Digital Minister Karsten Wildberger has barely appeared at relevant startup events. Even as a recipient of the regular press update from his press department, one has read about network expansion, bureaucracy reduction, and AI as topics important to the new minister – but so far, the word "startups" has hardly been mentioned at all. Economics Minister Katherina Reiche is a different story: She did, however, appear as a featured speaker at the German Startup Awards ceremony this spring .
Katharina Beck therefore also warns the Digital Minister: "If Wildberger actually receives all central responsibilities in the startup sector, he must become a champion for all startups, not just digital ones." Deep tech and hardware startups also need good policy.
He must also deliver quickly on the "one-stop shop" for startups stipulated in the coalition agreement, but at the same time actively drive and coordinate other policy areas such as procurement and financing. "That means he has to think outside the box and actively involve Reiche, Klingbeil, and Bär – leadership is needed," Beck said. Otherwise, startup policy, which is supposed to shape the future, will remain mired in a dispute over competence.
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