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Department of Business and Economics

New Publication of Vanessa Hellwig

Congratulations to Vanessa Hellwig for publishing her paper "Tech hubs within cities—determinants and dynamics" in The Annals of Regional Science.

Congratulations to Vanessa Hellwig for publishing her paper "Tech hubs within cities—determinants and dynamics" in The Annals of Regional Science. The study explores what drives the emergence and movement of tech firms within urban areas, focusing on Berlin, Hamburg, and Munich. Here are two key takeaways:

1️⃣ Firm Clustering Matters: Areas with a high density young tech firms tend to see more new startups, even when rent prices are high. The study shows how these agglomeration effects drive firm births. Interestingly, proximity to similar firms is more important than being close to universities.

2️⃣ Relocation Isn’t Deterred by Cost: Interestingly, the decision to relocate within a city is more influenced by proximity to competitors than by rent prices. Firms prioritize strategic positioning over cost-saving when deciding where to move.

 

The paper is available here.