Berlin Initiative Juni Launches to Boost Deeptech Startups
Berlin-based startup initiative Unite has changed name. The organization now operates as Juni and aims to accelerate the creation of deeptech companies across Berlin-Brandenburg.
The rebrand signals a move toward hands-on support for founders, particularly those emerging from research institutions. Juni was selected as one of ten winning projects in a German federal startup competition in mid-2025, giving it both funding and visibility within the national innovation landscape.
At the core of Juni’s strategy is an ambitious target: by 2030, it plans to help launch 365 startups each year—effectively one per day. The initiative focuses on sectors like artificial intelligence, health technology, and green technology, areas widely seen as central to Berlin tech and future economic growth.
To reach these goals, Juni is developing new training formats aimed at scientists and researchers interested in entrepreneurship. It also plans to run matching programs to connect co-founders and provide accelerator support tailored specifically to deeptech ventures, which often require longer development cycles and specialized expertise.
The initiative is backed by a network of academic institutions and 13 industry partners. In total, more than €25 million has been committed, with €15 million coming from private investors and €10 million from public funding. Leadership includes chairman Thomas Heilmann, a former member of the German parliament, alongside CEOs Laura Möller and Christoph Krüger.
Early projections suggest significant economic impact. Juni estimates that a majority of its supported startups could surpass €10 million in valuation after their first funding round. The broader effect could include thousands of new jobs and hundreds of millions of euros in investment flowing into Berlin research and innovation sectors each year.
If successful, the initiative could further position Berlin-Brandenburg as a leading European hub for deeptech development, strengthening ties between science, industry, and entrepreneurship.