--- title: The digital gravity effect on German startups description: In a study done by the Technische Universität Dortmund, it was found that digital firms in Germany are not as footloose even in their youth as expected. image: https://blog.northdata.com/hubfs/TU%20Scientific%20Article%20-%20Digital%20Gravity.jpg --- [Skip to content](https://blog.northdata.com/digital-gravity#main-content) Subscribe to the blog ## Subscribe to the blog [![North Data](https://blog.northdata.com/hs-fs/hubfs/raw_assets/public/NDBlog/images/northdata-logo.png?width=600&name=northdata-logo.png "North Data")](https://www.northdata.com/) [![North Data Blog](https://blog.northdata.com/hs-fs/hubfs/raw_assets/public/NDBlog/images/blog-logo.png?width=180&name=blog-logo.png "North Data Blog")](https://blog.northdata.com/?hsLang=en) This is a search field with an auto-suggest feature attached. - There are no suggestions because the search field is empty. - [Decoding Registers](https://blog.northdata.com/tag/decoding-registers) - [Behind The Code](https://blog.northdata.com/tag/behind-the-code) - [Crime Lab](https://blog.northdata.com/tag/crime-lab) - [Deep Into Data](https://blog.northdata.com/tag/deep-into-data) [![North Data](https://blog.northdata.com/hs-fs/hubfs/raw_assets/public/NDBlog/images/northdata-logo-mobile.png?width=600&name=northdata-logo-mobile.png "North Data")](https://www.northdata.com/) [![North Data Blog](https://blog.northdata.com/hs-fs/hubfs/raw_assets/public/NDBlog/images/blog-logo-mobile.png?width=180&name=blog-logo-mobile.png "North Data Blog")](https://blog.northdata.com/?hsLang=en) Open navigation menu Close navigation menu This is a search field with an auto-suggest feature attached. - There are no suggestions because the search field is empty. ## Categories - [Decoding Registers](https://blog.northdata.com/tag/decoding-registers) - [Behind The Code](https://blog.northdata.com/tag/behind-the-code) - [Crime Lab](https://blog.northdata.com/tag/crime-lab) - [Deep Into Data](https://blog.northdata.com/tag/deep-into-data) # The digital gravity effect on German startups German tech companies stick close to home throughout their lifecycle. Research on 107,000 companies shows proximity’s decisive role. Published on 02-14-2023 by **Vanessa Hellwig** - [share via email](mailto:?subject=North+Data+Blog+https%3A%2F%2Fblog.northdata.com%2Fdigital-gravity%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Demail&body=https%3A%2F%2Fblog.northdata.com%2Fdigital-gravity%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Demail) - [share on Linkedin](https://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https%3A%2F%2Fblog.northdata.com%2Fdigital-gravity%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dlinkedin) - [share on Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fblog.northdata.com%2Fdigital-gravity%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dfacebook) - [share on X](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?original_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fblog.northdata.com%2Fdigital-gravity%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&url=https%3A%2F%2Fblog.northdata.com%2Fdigital-gravity%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&source=tweetbutton&text=) --- ![TU Scientific Article - Digital Gravity](https://blog.northdata.com/hs-fs/hubfs/TU%20Scientific%20Article%20-%20Digital%20Gravity.jpg?width=1500&height=1008&name=TU%20Scientific%20Article%20-%20Digital%20Gravity.jpg) In a study done by the Technische Universität Dortmund, it was found that digital firms in Germany are not as footloose even in their youth as one might expect.The article written by [Vanessa Hellwig](https://www.linkedin.com/in/vanessa-hellwig/?utm_campaign=Newsletter&utm_source=hs_email&utm_medium=email&utm_content=2&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9Pp2H1_RM26rglKReEAtBedWVzi3QMcU2LP2-GabBdR4pkRoPn34keQwkGybR1Fphu3j0jcIcgWCgzyzfc4WLgr6rhmA&_hsmi=2) analyses the spatial patterns of young digital firms in Germany on county level. The main objective of the paper is to shed light on the importance of regional characteristics for firm birth and relocation of firms, by asking if both types of location choices are driven by the same determinants. The core data set for this study was provided by North Data, with a sample of commercial register data of over 100.000 firms used to match county-level administrative data to capture local characteristics. You can find the full version of the published paper [here](https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jors.12624). - [Email share via email](mailto:?subject=North+Data+Blog+https%3A%2F%2Fblog.northdata.com%2Fdigital-gravity%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Demail&body=https%3A%2F%2Fblog.northdata.com%2Fdigital-gravity%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Demail) - [LinkedIn share on Linkedin](https://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https%3A%2F%2Fblog.northdata.com%2Fdigital-gravity%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dlinkedin) - [Facebook share on Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fblog.northdata.com%2Fdigital-gravity%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dfacebook) - [X share on X](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?original_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fblog.northdata.com%2Fdigital-gravity%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&url=https%3A%2F%2Fblog.northdata.com%2Fdigital-gravity%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&source=tweetbutton&text=) Related Articles [![Digital Gravity](https://blog.northdata.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Shoulders%20and%20Shadows%20of%20Giants%20-%20Vanessa%20Hellwig.png?width=1413&height=1024&name=Shoulders%20and%20Shadows%20of%20Giants%20-%20Vanessa%20Hellwig.png)](https://blog.northdata.com/shoulders-and-shadows-of-giants?hsLang=en) ## [The shoulders and shadows of tech giants](https://blog.northdata.com/shoulders-and-shadows-of-giants?hsLang=en) [by **Vanessa Hellwig**](https://blog.northdata.com/shoulders-and-shadows-of-giants?hsLang=en) [German small towns create thriving tech scenes in the orbit of major cities. Research on 140,000 companies reveals the pattern.](https://blog.northdata.com/shoulders-and-shadows-of-giants?hsLang=en) [![SARL](https://blog.northdata.com/hs-fs/hubfs/SARL%20Corner%20Stone%20Minimalistic%20v3.png?width=1494&height=842&name=SARL%20Corner%20Stone%20Minimalistic%20v3.png)](https://blog.northdata.com/sarl-the-quiet-cornerstone-of-the-french-economy?hsLang=en) ## [SARL – the foundation of French small businesses](https://blog.northdata.com/sarl-the-quiet-cornerstone-of-the-french-economy?hsLang=en) [by **Benette Kröger**](https://blog.northdata.com/sarl-the-quiet-cornerstone-of-the-french-economy?hsLang=en) [In 2024, more than two million SARLs anchored France’s economy – quietly underpinning small businesses, family firms, and traditional sectors nationwide.](https://blog.northdata.com/sarl-the-quiet-cornerstone-of-the-french-economy?hsLang=en) ## [![North Data goes French with new platform version](https://blog.northdata.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Europe%20Data%20Map%20-%20France.png?width=5000&height=3000&name=Europe%20Data%20Map%20-%20France.png) North Data goes French with new platform version Published on 02-23-2024](https://blog.northdata.com/north-data-launches-french-version-of-its-platform-northdata.fr?hsLang=en) ## [![German foundation register launch delayed: Grand Coalition bows to the foundation lobby](https://blog.northdata.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Franks%20Article%20Image.png?width=1154&height=844&name=Franks%20Article%20Image.png) German government bows to the foundation lobby Published on 11-13-2025](https://blog.northdata.com/german-foundation-register-launch-delayed?hsLang=en) ## [![North Data Network Chart](https://blog.northdata.com/hs-fs/hubfs/unnamed-1.jpg?width=512&height=275&name=unnamed-1.jpg) The Good, The Bad and The Ugly Published on 05-30-2024](https://blog.northdata.com/corporate-networks-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly?hsLang=en) ## [![White paper UK Company Insights](https://blog.northdata.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Uk%20White%20Paper%20V2.png?width=1280&height=720&name=Uk%20White%20Paper%20V2.png) UK business registration – a system built for abuse Published on 07-07-2025](https://blog.northdata.com/the-uks-company-registration-crisis-a-system-built-for-abuse?hsLang=en) Stay up to Data with North Data Subscribe to our newsletter and stay up to date [Join our Newsletter](https://welcome.northdata.com/en/newsletter?hsLang=en) [Blog Home](https://blog.northdata.com/?hsLang=en) [Contact](https://www.northdata.com/_contact) [About Us](https://www.northdata.com/_about) [Jobs](https://www.northdata.com/_career) [Investigative Journalism](https://www.northdata.com/_journalism) [Countries and Sources Coverage](https://www.northdata.com/_coverage) [Help Center](https://help.northdata.com/en/center?hsLang=en) [![Visit North Data's website](https://blog.northdata.com/hs-fs/hubfs/raw_assets/public/NDBlog/images/northdata-logo.png?width=150&name=northdata-logo.png "Visit North Data's website")](https://www.northdata.com/) [General Terms & Conditions](https://www.northdata.com/_agb) [Usage Terms](https://www.northdata.com/_terms) [Privacy](https://www.northdata.com/_privacy)