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Take a tour of SoundCloud’s Berlin office [Photos]

March 6, 2012 by Marin Perez - Leave a Comment

SoundCloud's office tour from Berlin
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We’ve covered SoundCloud before and believe it’s an interesting company that is trying to be the YouTube of sound. I happened to be in Berlin after our coverage of Mobile World Congress 2012 and decided to stop by SoundCloud’s headquarters and give you a peak at it.

Located in the Mitte neighborhood, SoundCloud actually has space in two offices because it continues to grow at such a fast pace. Eric Wahlforss, CTO and cofounder, said SoundCloud has seen engagement and uptake improve at an “exponential rate” and he credits the company’s focus on mobile.

“Mobile is super important for us and we’re putting more and more resources behind it,” Wahlforss said. “Sound is inherently mobile because it’s so easy to create and consume on a mobile device.”

He described the tech scene in Berlin as a bit of “tech meets punk” and you can certainly see that vibe throughout the SoundCloud office. It’s a wonderful mix of elegant design with some chaotic splashes thrown in: you can definitely tell how big of an influence that music has on everyone, as there are tributes to many musical icons around. You’re also likely to stumble across some legos, Fatboy beanbag furniture and even a few video games.

SoundCloud is quickly becoming the poster child for the burgeoning Berlin startup scene and this is something that Wahlforss says was not really imaginable four or five years ago. While he said there are still some issues with the infrastructure (VCs, lawyers, talent, etc.) in Berlin, it definitely seems like it’s the beginning of something big. He and CEO Alexander Ljung also see SoundCloud’s position as something of a responsibility, as both will try to mentor younger entrepreneurs to help them avoid some of the same pitfalls that SoundCloud had to navigate.

I’m in Berlin with a pal who’s setting up an office for his startup (Paymentwall) and have been to a few events put on the by the local tech scene. I’ve barely scratched the surface of what it’s like but what I’ve heard from multiple people is that Berlin has an excellent mix of attributes which could make it the next big tech scene. There’s definitely a creative vibe which radiates throughout the city and it is a nice enough city to draw in talent from anywhere. When you throw in the cheap rent, proximity to anywhere in Europe and the relatively affordable labor costs, you have the makings of something special.

It’s not guaranteed though, as the talent pool of young software engineers can be strong but the desire for the lower pay and grueling hours of a startup isn’t as appealing to as many as it is in the Valley. For many, it’s safer and better to move to a big corporation in a place like Hamburg and secure a higher wage without the risk. The tech scene here has also been knocked for creating clone companies or just focusing on the German market and while this is slowly changing, it’s still a valid criticism.

Ultimately, we always try to dub places the “Silicon Valley of X” but the reality is that the system that works there may not be able to be replicated anywhere else. That’s okay though, as the Berlin tech scene has its own unique intoxicating mix of technology, culture, creativity and opportunity that is is brimming with potential. Let’s keep an eye on Berlin and see if SoundCloud can lead the way.

SoundCloud's office tour from Berlin
SoundCloud's office tour from Berlin
SoundCloud's office tour from Berlin

SoundCloud's office tour from Berlin
SoundCloud's office tour from Berlin
SoundCloud's office tour from Berlin

SoundCloud's office tour from Berlin
SoundCloud's office tour from Berlin
SoundCloud's office tour from Berlin

SoundCloud's office tour from Berlin
SoundCloud's office tour from Berlin
SoundCloud's office tour from Berlin

SoundCloud's office tour from Berlin
SoundCloud's office tour from Berlin
SoundCloud's office tour from Berlin

SoundCloud's office tour from Berlin
SoundCloud's office tour from Berlin
SoundCloud's office tour from Berlin

SoundCloud's office tour from Berlin
SoundCloud's office tour from Berlin

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