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Recruiting the innovation leaders of tomorrow: how to find top talent in Bavaria.

Qualified employees Aug 16, 2022

Recruiting the innovation leaders of tomorrow: how to find top talent in Bavaria.

Whether your business is a start-up, scale up or big player in the tech sector, attracting top talent is most likely a key success factor in your future growth strategy. Bavaria is home to some of the world’s leading universities and research institutions. Vocational training and dual-study programmes also offer solid skills and hands-on experience right from the start. Finally, the quality of life and international business scene attracts many young professionals and experts from all over the world.

But how exactly do you go about finding top talent here? LinkedIn ads, headhunters and job fairs may be a good start. But you shouldn’t stop there.

We spoke to three experts in the start-up and tech scene. They know first-hand what attracts top talent, even in an increasingly competitive recruiting landscape:

Dr. Christian Andersen is the Network Manager at ZDI Mainfranken, a leading digital start-up centre in the region.
Katrin Oeder is Manager Human Resources at fortiss, the research institute of the Free State of Bavaria for software-intensive systems. And last but not least,
Frederike Rohr is the Director Health and Head of Munich at Plug and Play Tech Center, a leading innovation platform that connects start-ups, corporations, venture capital firms, universities, and government agencies. It is headquartered in Silicon Valley.

1. Don’t just recruit, connect

Being recognised in the tech scene as an attractive employer is key - word spreads fast. This rule applies to Bavaria just as it does to any other innovation hub around the world.

Frederike says: “It is important to position yourself as a thought leader in the respective industry at an early stage and define your company values. It is crucial to represent these values authentically, both internally and externally, and to communicate them to potential new talents.”

In Bavaria, there are many tech networks that welcome new participants. Just as you would network for business, you can also use these connections to put yourself forward as a potential employer. The main thing is to show up and get involved.

Dr. Christian Andersen,

Network Manager at ZDI Mainfranken

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Speaking of involvement, local tech events also represent a great opportunity for engagement. Christian cites the Würzburg Web Week in his region as a good example: “These seven days are packed with events and high-profile PR coverage. It’s a great way to boost the visibility of both sponsors and speakers.”

2. Start young.

Katrin emphasises the importance of building connections with universities. This enables you not just to immerse yourself in the tech scene as a company, but also to create awareness of your firm among future graduates.

You can’t start talking to talent early enough, and professors are always great spokespeople.

Katrin Oeder,

Manager Human Resources at fortiss

There are many simple ways to build a connection with them, such as offering student internships, collaborations on students’ final theses or guest lectures.

Christian adds: “Here in Würzburg, we have many events at universities such as Hackathons. Companies that offer young IT talents with cool challenges like these can expect to be top-of-mind thereafter.”

3. Embrace New Work.

The buzzword “New Work” may seem overused when talking about attracting new talent, but Katrin stresses that modern leadership styles are even more important than feel-good programmes and flexible work hours. "Offer opportunities to recruits and engage with new ideas. Communicating with employees at eye level opens up possibilities to tackle challenges and find innovative solutions together. Provide young talents with additional training. If you show appreciation and recognition for their work, they are more likely to identify with the company."

4. Take diversity seriously.

Frederike emphasises the underestimated potential, notably when recruiting tech talent, in taking diversity seriously.

Inclusivity is very important, especially in the tech industry. Many women shy away from this ‘male-dominated’ field, so it is important to encourage and motivate young women to enter the tech sector. I imagine that companies can make themselves very attractive to female recruits by launching initiatives specifically to support women in the tech scene.

Frederike Rohr,,

Director Health und Head of Munich at Plug and Play

In sum, getting ready to recruit future leaders in Bavaria may be an experience that is rewarding in many other ways as well. It means meeting new people, building your profile as a company and rethinking your values.

You have a subsidary in Bavaria and you are interested in developing relationships with Bavarian universities and their career centres? Do not hestitate to contact us - we will be happy to connect you