10 DOS and DON'TS when scaling your Danish startup to Germany

Danish startups that are ready to scale beyond the Danish borders will often look to Germany.

What’s not to like? It's close by and it got a lot of potential customers?

Yes, as the fourth biggest market globally by GDP Germany is an attractive market with a lot of potential but the size of the market also makes it a difficult market to navigate and enter successfully.

As a Danish startup, you'll most likely be growing your product offering, hiring exponentially, and delivering the objectives you've been planning. You'll need a solid roadmap to do it and the right partners. Plus, a good understanding of your timeline, as some tasks like opening a bank account can take ages…

Entering the German market as a Danish startup can be a complex task, but below are a few Dos and Don'ts that will be essential to understand if you are to be successful in the German market.

Don't, just don't...

1. Write your website, marketing, and sales materials in English
2. Underestimate formalities
3. Assume your product will fit the German market
4. Choose the German market just because it is a neighbouring country
5. Think that EU law will be sufficient

More of this, please!

1. ?Commit capital, time, and c-level engagement
2. Localize your go-to-market strategy – not just to the country but to the region or city
3. Respect formalities
4. Consider hierarchy and respect the order in which things are done
5. Hire locally, bring in native speaking Germans for your market entrance strategy
6. Remember that every industry is different

One aspect that we see startups underestimate is the cultural difference between Denmark and Germany. In Germany, hierarchy, formality, and language can play a huge role in whether or not you will establish your business successfully on the market.

Do NOT underestimate cultural differences between Denmark and Germany, they WILL be bigger than you expect

Finding the right partners and the key players in the ecosystem you're entering is of great importance. Thinking that you can enter the market yourself is usually a big mistake, so make sure you get the proper help you need in your market entry.

Companies like WeGrow and Berlin Partners among many others can help you enter the market while co-working spaces like WeWork, Techspace, Thunderbolt Collective can prove essential in establishing a network!

One way or another, best of luck with your international journey!

The only source of knowledge is experience - Albert Einstein

At Canute, we help Danish startups through 3-day market entry programs in New York, Stockholm, London, Berlin, and Amsterdam.

We empower tech founders to grow their business in new markets - faster and better

The Canute Program offers Danish Tech Startups in-depth market insights from handpicked local key players, which provides a solid foundation for a qualified decision regarding international expansion. A knowledge base and a network that would otherwise take an extensive amount of time and money.