The three central Berlin districts, traditionally considered primary locations for company settlements, are experiencing a heterogeneous development in the relocations of existing firms. This is revealed by a current special evaluation from the Office for Statistics Berlin-Brandenburg. The analysis, commissioned by GSG Berlin, sheds light on the dynamics in the first half of 2026.
The Mitte district maintains its position as a leading location with 128 company relocations in the first half of 2026. This result represents the second strongest half-year result since 2024. It is notable, however, that Mitte is attracting increasingly fewer advertising agencies, in contrast to earlier periods.
Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg registered 58 relocations during the same period, reflecting a consistent level compared to the past two years. A steady increase in new settlements is particularly observed here among IT service providers. Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf, on the other hand, records declining relocation figures overall and, with 55 companies, lags behind Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg.
Sector-Specific Shifts and New Profiles
In Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf, a decrease in the dominance of sector-defining industries is noticeable. The share of the real estate sector in relocations fell from 17.1 percent in the second half of 2024 to its current 12.7 percent. Sebastian Blecke, operational managing director of GSG Berlin, which manages approximately one million square metres of office and commercial space in Berlin and leases it to about 1,500 companies, noted that not long ago, almost every third company moving to Charlottenburg came from the real estate sector.
According to Blecke, the current economic situation demands a reorientation from all districts. A survey by GSG Berlin on planned company relocations indicates that Mitte could attract companies from the financial sector in the future, instead of advertising agencies. Kreuzberg is expected to remain attractive for the IT sector. Charlottenburg could become interesting for advertising companies looking to relocate, while the real estate sector might also increasingly return to the district.
Indicators for Microlocations and Repurposing
Blecke emphasises that the number of company relocations is usually significantly lower than the number of new business formations. However, the relocation of existing companies, which have already gained experience in other locations, is in some cases more indicative of a microlocation's attractiveness than the choice of location by a start-up. The current moves into GSG Berlin's properties in the aforementioned districts demonstrate the changing industry focus.
Furthermore, a trend towards fundamental repurposing is observable, such as the transformation of office spaces into schools or other education-related facilities.
