General overview of Düsseldorf as an international business hub in the heart of Europe

Düsseldorf – where business works

Ranked as one of the top cities for foreign direct investment, Düsseldorf is an international business hub in the heart of Europe. Thanks to its high quality of life and moderate living costs, Düsseldorf has become a magnet for international companies.

The city's central location on the European continent as well as its excellent transportation infrastructure and international airport, means that many European destinations are within easy reach. Düsseldorf is also proving to be crisis-resistant and sustainable thanks to its trendsetting diversity of industries.

The city government is decidedly pro-business and actively promotes entrepreneurship. This combined with a safe living environment, tolerance, open-mindedness and the famous Rhineland hospitality, means that the Düsseldorf region is now the second-most popular destination for foreign direct investment in Europe... behind only London, but ahead of Paris.

Awards

Among the 6 most attractive cities in the world | Mercer, Quality of Living City Ranking, 2020
Most popular city in Germany for expats | InterNations, Expat Insider 2020: Cities in Europe
fDi Large City ranking Top 10 economic potential, 2nd place
fDi Large European City ranking Top 10 FDI strategy, 2nd place
Best future chances, very high location strength and highest development dynamics attested | Prognos, Zukunftsatlas 2019

An international business centre

Düsseldorf is an important business location in the heart of Europe. The European metropolises of Amsterdam, Brussels, Frankfurt, Hamburg, London, Luxembourg, Paris, and Zurich can be reached from Düsseldorf Airport in just one hour's flight. Within a radius of 50 kilometers, you reach 13.5 million inhabitants and 557,000 companies. More than 38,000 companies are based in Düsseldorf, many of them with their German and European headquarters.

FDI in Düsseldorf
Düsseldorf is a top FDI location. The number of foreign companies is rising steadily.

Diversity of Businesses
The variety of industries and business-related services offer companies excellent conditions for their business activities. Traditional global players are located in Düsseldorf as well as agile start-ups. This diversity creates synergies and shows a high degree of stability, especially in times of crisis.

Transportation

Düsseldorf has an excellent transport infrastructure and international connections

Düsseldorf International Airport

Fourth largest airport in Germany with around 25.5 millions passengers and over 220,000 flights per year to over 248 destinations in 74 countries.
Fast connection to the city: only 13 minutes by car on average.

Rail transport

~1,000 train movements per day
170 long-distance trains daily
Over 300 train stops at Düsseldorf airport railway station

Inland port

Third largest inland port in Germany with ~22 million tonnes of cargo handling and a total area of 720 ha

Our People – Population

The total population of Düsseldorf is growing and, during the work day, Düsseldorf grows nearly to a city of a million people with over 300,000 people commuting in to the city daily.

Educational Attainment
Düsseldorf's population has a high level of education. 32% have a university degree. There are 17 universities and colleges in the city and over 70 in the Rhine-Ruhr region.

International-Friendly Background

Düsseldorf is an internationally-minded and cosmopolitan location
Over 40% of the population has immediate family or family with ancestry from countries outside Germany
184 nations are represented
Home to the largest Japanese business community in the EU
Most important target for Chinese greenfield investments in Europe
A well-developed infrastructure of international schools and kindergartens
Domicile of 40 consulates or other consular representations

Labour Force

Düsseldorf has a labour force of around 542,400 people, continously rising.

Here are some of the highlights of our talented labor force:

26% are young professionals
35% are professionals
28% are academics
15% international employees
Over 35% of professionals are considered specialists or experts in their field
16% increase in specialist professions since 2013

High job density, with 969 jobs per 1,000 citizens

Trade Fairs and Exposition Space

Düsseldorf is an important world-class trade fair location. 24 leading global trade fairs make it a top destination, attracting major exhibitors and visitors from around the world.

50 international trade fairs
24 leading international trade fairs
Over 305,000 m² of exhibition space
Up to 33,000 exhibitors per year
Up to 2 million visitors per year
Up to 70% of exhibitors are foreign

Commercial Real Estate Market

Düsseldorf is characterised by a dynamic, modern, and sustainable property market. Düsseldorf's attractiveness and economic power is also reflected in a steadily increasing demand for office space. Between 2014 and 2018, 317,000 m² of office space was built. Currently, there are 60 business centres and coworking spaces with over 100,000 m² of space.

More facts & figures about Düsseldorf as a business location

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