Antonia Neubauer, Germany co-founder of sisterMAG and Carry-On Publishing

Toni at her favorite place in Berlin, Tegel airport

"I love that the creative scene and the start-up scene often blend together, which enables really interesting new concepts." says Antonia Neubauer, co-founder of sisterMAG and Carry-On Publishing. "We literally often just go out and come back with a bunch of incredible new people." 

After my university studies 7 years ago I had to decide at which place I wanted to start the next phase in my life. I had been moving around in Germany and Europe quite a lot the years before and thus I knew only a big city like Berlin could be „my place“.

As a business major interested in Entrepreneurship, Berlin proved to be the right decision. Over the past seven years Berlin has become one of the leading start-up hubs in Europe, having an incredibly positive energy for people with an idea. There are lots of meet-ups, co-working spaces, events where you not only get information but also find co-founders, people to work with, any kind of help that you need when starting up with a new company. I love that thereby the creative scene and the start-up scene often blend together, which enables really interesting new concepts.

This atmosphere also let Thea, Alex and me dream of our own idea. Last year we did the big jump and started Carry-On Publishing, the digital publishing house with sisterMAG as our first publication. Berlin was thereby a huge support because we were able to find amazing photographers, writers, and illustrators and of course stories just in front of our doorsteps. We literally often just go out and come back with a bunch of incredible new people.

Over the years I found many wonderful spots, however the airport Tegel had to be my Berlin place for „Best Wishes from Berlin“, because for me it’s the perfect representation of the city itself: it has history (Tegel was set up by the Allies during the Berlin Airlift), it is not beautiful but efficient (the airport building was designed by Gerkan and Marg, two of the most famous German architects of recent years but Tegel was their first project), it is relaxed (in which capital airport is it possible to arrive 30 minutes before take-off and still get the flight without hassle??) and rises to the challenge (the airport was initially designed for 2.5m passengers per year but catered for 18.2m in 2012).

Besides the airport (which of course I only visit when flying myself or collecting somebody) I love a walk along Torstraße, which I still remember as a totally rundown through road and the coffee at Godshot in Immanuelkirchstrasse 32.

If you now happen to think that you probably already heard of sisterMAG, have a look at her sister's story Thea again! And since it's a digital women magazine, you can also look behind-the-scenes on facebook, twitter, instagram or pinterest.