Software Cluster
The software and IT services sector has been a strong economic factor in Germany for years, with above-average employment growth even during the economic crisis.
The central growth driver here is the German software cluster around the centres of software development in Darmstadt, Kaiserslautern, Karlsruhe, Saarbrücken and Walldorf. The cluster region is home to about 11,000 software companies, which together generate an annual turnover of 25 billion euros. They employ over 100,000 people. This means that one in five employees in the German software and IT services industry works in the software cluster.
In addition to many small and medium-sized enterprises, a number of international companies are also active in the region. According to the current Lünendonk lists – the annual ranking of the software and IT industry – eleven of Germany’s 25 largest software companies have their headquarters in the software cluster. Companies with branch offices in the region are also prominently represented in the Lünendonk Top25 in the areas of IT consulting and system integration. The software cluster, which is often referred to as the “Silicon Valley of Europe”, is thus also a leading international player.