What is Handpicked?

Handpicked Berlin is here to empower, inspire and connect Berlin’s professionals. We do it by supporting the community and expertly curating thousands of Berlin, tech, startup, business news and job sources.

We handpick Berlin-first news, career-growth opportunities and value-adding insights on Berlin’s tech, startup, and business scene through our two weekly newsletters, website and social media.

Handpicked Berlin is currently actively run on these channels:

The gorgeous Handpicked Berlin logo was designed by Dejan Ulcej. I made the website myself.

I’d love you to check out the newsletters and articles we’ve published. You can also read about what our readers and partners say.

The two newsletters

Hi, I’m Igor, the person behind Handpicked Berlin. Thank you for sharing your inbox with me! I send you two focused editions each week — all handpicked to inspire your day.

I started this newsletter in May 2022 as a passion project, and it’s grown into something I’m really proud of. It’s still me doing all the digging, curating, and writing each week.

Handpicked Berlin — every Monday

Your weekly Berlin briefing. Each Monday edition includes:

  • Berlin & Germany news — the week’s most important developments, with commentary
  • Berlin headlines — quick-hit links you should know about
  • Briefly — business, tech and economy updates
  • Meanwhile — a meme + social and culture items
  • Worth your time — timeless reads and inspiration

Handpicked Careers — every Thursday

The career newsletter for people who chose Berlin. Each Thursday edition includes:

  • Handpicked jobs — curated positions from companies worth checking out
  • Funded in Germany — startups that just raised, with career page links
  • Events — tech meetups, networking and community events
  • Coffee Talk — a guest shares three recommendations from Berlin’s ecosystem
  • From the community — reader submissions, projects and initiatives
  • Career tips — practical career advice with a focus on jobs in Berlin and Germany

Beyond the newsletters, I also run this website about Berlin life and careers in Germany. My Salary Trends Survey has become particularly popular among professionals here, and I’m always looking for new ways to create useful content.

You can explore previous editions in the Monday archive and the Thursday archive.

Why we split into two editions

Until February 2026, Handpicked Berlin was one large weekly newsletter with 75+ links and a 20+ minute read time. Reader feedback told us it was great content but a lot to digest in one sitting. In March 2026, we split into two shorter, focused editions: news on Monday, careers on Thursday. Each one is now around a 5 minute read — easier to fit into your day, and each edition can now develop further.

How can I advertise?

Check our media kit and advertising page.

You can also submit your job.

Handpicked Berlin in Media

Who started Handpicked Berlin?

I’m Igor, and I live and work in Berlin. Since 2022, I’ve been running Handpicked Berlin, a newsletter that grew from a desire to contribute something meaningful into a widely-read source for Berlin’s tech community. I read and check thousands of sources weekly to expertly curate insights and essential updates on Berlin’s tech and startup ecosystem, career opportunities, and salary trends. One of the projects I am most proud of is the Berlin Salary Trends survey.

I primarily run the newsletters and all social channels myself, with occasional help. You can connect with me on LinkedIn (profile photo by Jonathan Kappler).

One of my current hobby projects is Insider’s Dinner Club.

My other hobby projects are currently paused, but:

Contact me here. Thanks for reading and subscribing.