Updated September 2026
To hire well for a Berlin startup, decide the working language of each role before you write the job ad, because that one choice sets who can apply. Berlin's startup scene runs largely in English and draws people from all over the world, while roles that need German draw on a much smaller pool. Funded.club recruits for Berlin startups with a fully remote team on a fixed fee, with first screened candidates within 7 days.
Founders often write every Berlin job ad the same way, in the same language, with the same line about relocation. The result is a flood of applicants for some roles and almost nobody for others. Treating each role as its own search, with its own language and relocation answer, saves weeks.
A worked example: two Berlin roles, two different searches
Picture a Series A B2B software company in Berlin hiring two people at once: a senior backend engineer and an account executive to sell to customers in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. The team works in English. Both roles are urgent, and the founders want to post them on the same day.
Run each role through two questions. Does it need German with customers, partners or officials? And will you pay for relocation and support a visa?
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The backend engineer works with an English-speaking team, so German is a bonus rather than a requirement. If the company is willing to support relocation and a visa, the search can reach people across Europe and beyond who want to move to Berlin, as well as those already in the city. The ad should say clearly that the team works in English, and what the relocation package covers.
The account executive is different. Selling to German-speaking buyers needs fluent German, so the pool is smaller and the search should cover the whole DACH region, including people who would move to Berlin from elsewhere in Germany, Austria or Switzerland. This search should open first and gets more of the founders' time, because it is the one that will run longer.
What Berlin candidates weigh up
Berlin candidates, especially those who moved to the city for work, compare offers on more than salary. They tend to ask about four things early.
- The working language, day to day. That covers meetings, documents and the all-hands as well as the job ad.
- Relocation in practice. Moving costs, temporary housing, help with registering an address and opening a bank account, and support with the visa paperwork.
- Stability. How much runway you have and when you last raised, which matters more to someone who would be moving country for the job.
- Equity they can understand. Many German startups offer virtual share plans rather than classic options. Explain yours with a simple example.
A Berlin hiring checklist
Use this before you open a Berlin role. The details of employment law and immigration change, so take advice from a German employment specialist on anything contractual.
| Topic | What to decide | What candidates will ask |
|---|---|---|
| Working language | English, German or both, per role | Will I be left out of meetings without German? |
| Relocation | What you cover, and for how long | Who helps with housing and registration? |
| Visa route | Whether you sponsor, and which route you expect to use | How long before I can start? |
| Employing entity | A German entity, or an employer of record | Who is my legal employer? |
| Contract type | Permanent or fixed term, and the probation period | What happens at the end of probation? |
| Equity | Options or virtual shares, with a worked example | What would this be worth if you sold? |
| Office and remote | Days in the office, and whether remote within Germany works | Do I need to live in Berlin itself? |
Where Funded.club fits
Funded.club is a fixed-fee recruiting partner for funded startups and fast-growing teams across North America, Europe and APAC. We don't have a Berlin office. We hire for Berlin startups with a fully remote team of recruiters, and we've helped 500+ startups from Seed to Series D fill engineering, product, sales, marketing, operations, customer success and leadership roles.
One dedicated recruiter runs each search end to end, from sourcing and headhunting to screening and support through the offer. For a company like the one in our example, that means two searches with two different plans, each run by someone who knows the brief. You see first screened candidates within 7 days, and the average from kick-off to hire is 33 days.
Our fee is a low fixed fee agreed upfront, averaging 6 to 9% of salary and ranging from $4,900 to $21,900 per hire. Part is an advance when the search starts, the balance when your candidate accepts. If we don't deliver a shortlist of at least 3 qualified candidates within 30 days, you can claim the advance back in full. See pricing, or compare models in our guide to flat-fee recruiters for startups.
Frequently asked questions
Does Funded.club have an office in Berlin?
No. Funded.club is fully remote and hires for Berlin startups with remote recruiters. Your dedicated recruiter runs sourcing, screening and offer support remotely, and candidates meet your team by video or in your own office.
Do you need to speak German to work at a Berlin startup?
Often not. Many Berlin startups work in English, so German is a bonus for engineering and product roles. Roles that deal with German-speaking customers, partners or authorities, such as DACH sales or people operations, usually need fluent German.
Should a Berlin startup offer relocation?
If the role can be done in English, offering relocation and visa support widens the pool to people outside Germany who want to move to Berlin. Decide what you will cover before the first interview so you can answer candidates' questions straight away.
How much does a recruiter cost for a Berlin hire?
Contingency recruiters typically charge 20 to 25% of first-year salary. Funded.club charges a fixed fee agreed upfront, averaging 6 to 9% of salary, from $4,900 to $21,900 per hire depending on the salary band.
Worth a brief chat about your next hire? Book a free call.
Hiring after a funding round?
First candidates in 7 days. Fixed-fee, no commission.