From March 25–28, the first Overseas Investment Fair (OIF) took place in Shanghai, bringing together a diverse group of stakeholders from 58 countries — including companies, investment promotion agencies, and government representatives. The event featured a rich program of forums on global investment environments, industry trends, and policies, alongside more than 100 matchmaking sessions.
On March 25, Germany Trade & Invest (GTAI), the Shanghai Institute for European Studies, together with BBDC and representatives from nine German federal states, hosted the event “Germany as Your Gateway to Europe: Regional and Sectoral Perspectives.” An afternoon packed with insights, exchange, and practical experience sharing.
The session opened with welcoming remarks by the Deputy Consul General of Germany in Shanghai, Lukas Meyer, followed by Mr. Feng Xue, President of the Shanghai Foreign Investment Development Board, and Prof. Mingqi Xu, Honorary President of the Shanghai Institute for European Studies.
Five keynote speeches provided valuable perspectives on both the challenges and opportunities of investing in Germany. Branda Xu (GTAI) shared key insights into Germany as an investment destination for Chinese companies, while Prof. Zinan Hu, Vice Dean of the Econmic and Trade Cooperation Institute at Ningbo University, offered a historical overview of Chinese investment in Germany, along with current EU regulatory developments affecting Chinese investors.
In addition, representatives from three Chinese companies presented successful case studies of their investments in Germany.
This was followed by three panel discussions, where representatives from ten German federal states showcased regional strengths in:
- New Energy
- Smart Manufacturing
- Innovation & Healthcare
On behalf of Berlin, Yiran Li joined the panel on Innovation & Healthcare alongside representatives from Bavaria, Hamburg, and Saxony-Anhalt.
Berlin’s strengths were highlighted through its outstanding research landscape and dynamic healthcare ecosystem:
- 40+ research institutions
- 151 clinics
- 35 pharmaceutical companies
- 300+ biotech companies
- 380+ medtech and digital health companies
Leading research institutions such as Charité, Max Delbrück Center, Berlin Institute of Health and the Berlin Center for Gene and Cell Therapies underline Berlin’s global relevance in life sciences.
Berlin continues to lead as Germany’s startup capital — reflected in the latest 2025 figures:
- 692 new startups founded in last year (Nr. 1 City of Germany)
- 32% of all venture capital invested nationwide flows into Berlin
- 218 of 716 successful funding rounds in Germany took place here
- 15 of 27 current German unicorns are based in Berlin, such as Trade Republic, Parloa and N8N
The event attracted more than 150 participants. Beyond the stage, our team engaged in numerous productive matchmaking discussions with Chinese companies — once again demonstrating Berlin’s strong appeal for businesses looking to expand internationally.
A big thank you to all organizers of this event and the OIF, It is our pleasure to be part of this great initative. — especially thank you to Branda Xu from Germany Trade & Invest for bringing together such a strong German presence across multiple federal states.
Together, we showcased the strength and diversity of Germany as an attractive investment location — with Berlin playing a key role within this ecosystem.
