Best European Cities for Tech Jobs: Our Top 9 Picks of 2020!

As much as some people like to believe that Silicon Valley is the centre of the universe when it comes to tech, the encouraging truth for Europeans is that investments are at an all-time high and the state of the European tech scene is the strongest it has ever been.

By the end of 2017, it was actually estimated that Europe had 41 tech unicorns and that certain parts of the continent, mainly the Benelux region, the Nordics and the Baltic countries, generate as much as 8% of GDP from information technology.

Add to that the fact that America’s tech giants (Facebook, Apple, Microsoft, Google and Amazon) are looking to Europe for acquisitions and talent, and it becomes increasingly clear that the Old Continent is home to some of the world’s top tech cities.

Here are 9 booming tech scenes you might want to consider if you’re looking for a job in Europe!

1. Hamburg

Germany’s second-largest city and the sixth-largest city in the EU, Hamburg is becoming more and more renowned for its innovative tech scene and is home to a wide range of exciting startups.
Facebook, Google, Microsoft and Twitter all have offices in the city and it’s believed that Hamburg-based startups raised over €230 million in 2017, an increase of 80 percent from 2016.

Hamburg’s startup scene boasts a burgeoning FinTech market, several up-and-coming eCommerce players and one of Germany’s most dense and active gaming clusters. Check out our Hamburg Startup Map to read more about it!

2. Eindhoven

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Referred to by some as “Europe’s fastest growing technology hotspot”, Eindhoven supposedly produces 22.6 patents per 100,000 residents and is the industrial leader of the Netherlands despite being its fifth-largest city!

Forbes declared Eindhoven to be “hands-down the most inventive city in the world” in 2013 and the city’s high-tech hardware scene is known to be among the best in Europe, if not the world.

Eindhoven possesses an ideal combination of top level research facilities, smart people and an entrepreneurial spirit, and is home to the world’s smartest square km!

3. Munich

A major economic hub for European business and the largest city in Bavaria, Munich is home to 11% of German startups and the headquarters of some of Germany’s biggest multinational corporations including BMW, Siemens and Allianz.

Wages in Munich are known to be higher than in most other German cities and software developers with 2-4 years of experience earn around €52,200 on average.

Munich’s tech scene features a diverse array of startups, specialised in a wide range of industries such as the mobility market, IoT, virtual reality, media and finance. Check out our Munich Startup Map to learn more!

4. London

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Home to the Big Ben, The Rolling Stones, baked beans and Simon Cowell, London hardly needs an introduction. But what you might not know is that there are supposedly more IT jobs in London than all of California!

What’s more, London’s tech venture capital investment reached an all-time high of £2.99bn in 2017. That’s four times more than London’s nearest European rival, Paris, and double what was invested in the UK capital back in 2016.

Interested in moving to London? Check out our London Tech Guide to learn more about the local scene or head over to our Interactive Tech Map to discover London companies by tech stack and location.

5. Rotterdam-The Hague

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So, technically Rotterdam and The Hague are two separate cities. But seeing as they’re extremely close and local authorities want to strengthen the local economic business climate, both cities (along with other municipalities) joined forces in 2015 to form a new metropolitan region! Now we’ve gone over the geography, let’s see what the area has to offer tech professionals.

The region is home to numerous leading tech companies, excellent business, research and incubation facilities and an extremely strategic location in the heart of Europe. Many companies in the area specialise in cleantech, aerospace and cybersecurity and the city of The Hague itself has become the largest safety and security cluster in Europe!

6. Stuttgart

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Admittedly, Stuttgart might not be the first city you think of when you picture a trip to Germany, but the capital of southwest Germany’s Baden-Württemberg state is actually a thriving metropolis and manufacturing hub.

Home to the HQs of Mercedes-Benz and Porsche, the world’s oldest television tower and biggest Pig Museum (but who cares, right?), Stuttgart has more importantly created a startup friendly environment with supporting facilities and attractive conditions for entrepreneurs.

The median salary for developers in Stuttgart is supposedly €49,313 per year and the city was ranked second best for IT jobs in Germany by Jobspotting!

7. Amsterdam

Source: lookoutpro.com

Named Europe’s best tech city to work in by Hubspot, Amsterdam is one heck of a place. Software developers with 2 to 4 years of experience earn €47,200 per year on average, the city is home to over 578 international ICT companies and even leads the way when it comes to work-life balance among tech professionals.

The city is beautiful, there are yearly tech conferences including AmsterdamJS and TNW, and broadband speeds are faster than anywhere else in Europe!

The Dutch capital is a magnet for tech talent and if you want to learn more about the city, we strongly suggest you check out our Amsterdam Tech Map.

8. Cologne

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Before you even ask the question, yes, Eau de Cologne comes from Cologne. But the city has so much more to give than an overused historical anecdote, and we’re not talking about the cathedral or the yearly carnival!

Cologne has been hosting Pirate Summit, aka the craziest startup conference, since 2011 and the North Rhein-Westphalia region is home to the headquarters of 10 of the 100 strongest-selling companies in Germany.

Head over to our piece on Pirate Summit 2017 to learn more about the conference itself and the Cologne tech scene.

9. Berlin

Last but by no means least, we just had to mention the city we call home, Berlin!

31% of Germany’s startups are located in the capital, 70% of the country’s total start-up investment in 2017 was dedicated to Berlin-based companies and the döner kebabs are second to none. Seriously, what is there not to like?

Software developers with 2 to 4 years experience earn on average €50,100 per year, the cost of living is still cheaper than other major European capitals such as London and Paris, and numerous exciting tech companies are constantly on the lookout for top tech talent.

We’re slightly biased of course, but in our eyes at least, Berlin is pretty much Europe’s tech capital :). Read up on our ultimate guide to Berlin’s startup scene to understand why!

Want to find a tech job in Europe?

Here at Honeypot, we help developers and other tech professionals find jobs they love.

We work with over 1000 companies based in all 9 above-mentioned cities and if you’ve got the skills, we’ve got the opportunities!

Fancy joining the Honeypot community and finding a great tech job in Europe? Sign up to the platform and let the magic happen!