Editor’s note: This article is provided by NRW.Global Business, the international economic development agency for the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW). The organization provides market analysis, site selection, regulatory guidance and introductions to local industry networks, research institutions and government contacts for U.S. companies—especially those in Atlanta and the Southeast—looking to expand into the European market through NRW.
Atlanta companies eyeing expansion opportunities via NRW can learn more during an Aug 25 reception and forum designed for startups, scaleups, exporters and manufacturers at the law offices of Burr + Forman: Transatlantic Takeoff: Hedging Headwinds With European Expansion
Daniel Düren, based in Atlanta, serves as the local representative of NRW.Global Business. He works directly with Southeastern U.S. companies to identify growth opportunities in NRW and guide them through their European expansion. Contact him at daniel@nrwglobalbusiness-usa.com.
For Atlanta companies engaged in clean energy, logistics, advanced manufacturing or research commercialization, Germany’s Brainergy Park Jülich offers more than just real estate. It presents a platform for growth, partnership and global competitiveness for international businesses ready to lead the clean energy transformation – all from the heart of Europe’s industrial center.
Located in North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW), Germany’s industrial and innovation powerhouse, Brainergy Park is a 52-hectare commercial campus with the potential to expand up to 200 hectares. It is tailored for companies and startups in renewable energy, sustainable mobility and green technology sectors.
What sets Brainergy Park apart is not just its physical infrastructure, but its strategic positioning within Europe’s largest hydrogen and energy transition cluster. Home to the Helmholtz Cluster Hydrogen (HC-H2)—Germany’s largest hydrogen infrastructure initiative—Brainergy Park offers direct access to carbon-neutral energy and positions tenants at the center of Germany’s green industrial shift.
“The energy transition underway in Germany is a model for innovation-driven economic development,” says Anne Eberhardt, project manager for Brainergy Park at NRW.Global Business. “We welcome international partners, including U.S. companies, to be part of this transformation and help shape a sustainable future.”
A Plug-and-Play Gateway to Europe
Brainergy Park lies within the PrimeSite Rhine Region, a 205-hectare industrial zone situated near the tri-city triangle of Cologne, Bonn and Aachen. The site boasts full utilities—including fossil-free electricity and high-speed fiber—and unparalleled multimodal connectivity, with easy access to European rail lines, highways and major international airports in Düsseldorf and Cologne/Bonn.
Atlanta-based companies looking to enter or scale operations in Europe will find logistical advantages here, as Brainergy Park sits within a 500-kilometer radius of nearly all major European automotive and tech manufacturing hubs. This includes access to ports in Duisburg (Europe’s largest inland port), reinforcing NRW’s role as Germany’s logistics gateway.
Anchored by World-Class Research
Another draw for Atlanta innovators is the park’s deep integration with world-class research institutions. Nearby partners include Forschungszentrum Jülich (FZJ), RWTH Aachen University, Aachen University of Applied Sciences (FH Aachen) and the Fraunhofer Institute.
These relationships promote direct technology transfer, applied research and workforce development—crucial components for companies operating in fields like battery technology, green hydrogen and e-mobility.
A planned startup center, the “Brainergy Hub,” will offer dedicated space and support for tech commercialization and entrepreneurial activity, fostering collaboration between German and international firms.
Skilled Talent for Clean Tech Growth
The region benefits from one of Europe’s most densely concentrated networks of STEM talent. NRW trains nearly 200,000 engineering students annually, with over 38,000 graduating in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields. The PrimeSite region alone offers proximity to 130,000 operational workers, 37,800 engineers and 770,000 highly qualified professionals within a one-hour radius.
This labor pool supports a variety of high-growth industries, including the semiconductor sector, smart mobility and energy technologies—many of which are represented by clusters and R&D networks housed within Brainergy Park.
As Germany phases out coal by 2030, the Rheinisches Revier region is being reimagined as a beacon of climate-friendly innovation. Brainergy Park is not only central to this transformation—it invites global participation.
To learn more about investment opportunities in Brainergy Park and how companies can engage, contact Daniel Düren at daniel@nrwglobalbusiness-usa.com, or meet Mr. Düren and other cross-border expansion experts at the Aug. 25 event:
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