INTRODUCING THE CITY OF DARMSTADT
This is where science, culture, entrepreneurial spirit and diverse industries meet cosmopolitan and tech-savvy people. Innovation is something of an institution in Darmstadt, and digitalisation for the benefit of citizens started long ago. With the development of electrical engineering, Darmstadt is the cradle of digitalisation.
THE CITY WITH MANY SIDES
Hier treffen Wissenschaft, Kultur, Gründergeist und vielseitige Industrien auf weltoffene und technikaffine Menschen. Innovation hat in Darmstadt Tradition und die Digitalisierung zum Nutzen der Bürger:innen schon lange begonnen. Mit der Entwicklung der Elektrotechnik steht in Darmstadt die Wiege der Digitalisierung.
A proud heritage that is constantly being developed by a unique IT cluster. Germany and Europe are just a ‘click’ away from the Frankfurt airport hub. In Darmstadt, the European Space Operations Centre (ESOC) and the EUMETSAT satellite control centre (EUMETSAT) open the door to space travel and satellite control – technology that enables a multitude of digital developments for the present and the future.
THE INNOVATIVE SWARM CITY
Darmstadt is growing and is remaining young: almost 162,000 people live on 12,200 hectares. Their average age is 40.5 years, with 42.4 per cent of Darmstadt residents aged between 18 and 45. There are more births than deaths and the migration balance is positive. 11,000 new citizens move to Darmstadt every year, and the trend continues to rise. The high proportion of young people classifies Darmstadt in the jargon of urban planners as one of the few swarm cities (German: Schwarmstadt) in Germany. The population is tech-savvy, international and multicultural and particularly open to the application of IT innovations.
SMART CITY
Darmstadt is equipped with an advanced IT infrastructure. Every household has at least DSL, and 97 per cent also has coax cable network connections. The infrastructure in the vicinity of the city has also been well developed. Free ‘DA-WIFI’ is available throughout the city centre for citizens, visitors and tourists, as well as at the main railway station and already in the districts of Arheilgen, Eberstadt and Wixhausen.
The DARZ data centre in Darmstadt is energy-efficient and modernly connected directly to the world’s largest internet node, De-CIX. In 2015, it won the Deutsche Rechenzentrumspreis and offers many companies the opportunity to provide cloud services. Darmstadt’s universities are connected via their own fibre-optic network, and schools have been using a shared infrastructure for many years.
SCIENCE CITY
Darmstadt is Germany’s first science city. With the award ceremony in 1997, the Hessian Ministry of the Interior honoured the national and international importance of scientific institutions. Around 44,000 students are studying at the Technical University, Darmstadt University of Applied Sciences and the Evangelische Hochschule. The city’s most important research institutions include three Fraunhofer Institutes, ATHENE, the leading centre for digital security, the Institute for Applied Ecology, and the GSI Helmholtz Centre for Heavy Ion Research, where the chemical element ‘darmstadtium’ was discovered. The centre is being expanded to become the FAIR international particle accelerator centre. Nine EU member states are involved. The facility promises insights into the structure of matter and the evolution of the universe. More than 30 other research and development institutions are world-renowned.
THE OPEN-MINDED CITY OF CULTURE
Darmstadt has many green spaces, easy access to recreational areas, the Odenwald and the Bergstraße are right on your doorstep. The world-famous centre and world cultural heritage of Jugendstil at the Mathildenhöhe, the diverse cultural offerings of a renowned three-speciality state theatre, the Hessische Landesmuseum, the largest inner-city music festival in Germany and a diverse music and art scene all provide a good feeling for life. Darmstadt residents are active, cosmopolitan people with a distinct welcoming culture.
THE ECONOMIC CITY
Around 8,000 companies are based in Darmstadt, the largest of which are: Merck, Deutsche Telekom, Evonik Industries, Entega and Döhler. The leading industries are chemicals, pharmaceuticals, biotech, hair cosmetics, information and communication technology, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, mechatronics and space technology. Darmstadt benefits from the close integration of research, development, industry and the entire Rhine-Main-Neckar economic region. Ideally accessible transport routes, the proximity to the international airport and the financial metropolis of Frankfurt round off the numerous advantages of this location.
