Apple staff in Berlin coworking space

Apple staff in Berlin coworking space

Despite being famously known for its corporate secrecy, Apple has set up a small steam in a coworking space in Berlin. The distinctively secretive iPhone developer has placed a small team into a property where Israeli coworking space provider

Mindspace

occupies a number of floors. Although neither Apple nor Mindspace confirmed the claims, they didn't deny them.

An Apple spokesperson stated: "Unfortunately, I cannot give you any information since we generally do not talk about single locations or teams nor about temporary office space we probably rent."

The tech giant also has a discrete office around the corner in Gendarmenmarkt square, which was unveiled in May. When the office was identified, Mindspace tweeted: "Hi @Apple you could have avoided all the hassle of locating an office in Berlin. Next, just come to Mindspace."

An off-the-record source told Business Insider: "It is only a small portion of the Gendarmenmarkt office (that has moved). So the rest (of the team) is still in the old office. For now, there are three employees. Two girls and the head of Apple Music (for Germany, Switzerland, Austria). They rented the suite office which is like a private open office for 10+ employees."

An anonymous source told Business Insider that Apple strategically moved in on Here's talent as the mapping company was passed from Nokia to the German automotive group.

"It's a simple story: Here was in disarray after Microsoft's acquisition of Nokia," said the source, who works in the Berlin tech scene. "Apple saw the opportunity and opened an office in Berlin, specifically to siphon Geo Information Systems (GIS) talent."

The source added: "These people independently complained to me that Apple opened an office in Berlin specifically to cherrypick at Here." This claim was backed up by another source in Berlin.

Here - which provides mapping data, software and services to the automotive, consumer and enterprise sector - was "bleeding talent" as Microsoft's deal with the German car consortium went through. "Things are getting a bit better now, but GIS talent is rare."

A spokesperson from Here told BI: "Between the Microsoft deal and our acquisition by the German carmakers, the team grew by more than 100 people and our global sales grew significantly over the same time frame. the trend has continued. I state these facts since they contrast with the picture painted by your source."

Mindspace offices have also been rented by other giants, including Samsung, Coca-Cola and Barclays.

While Apple has never confirmed the existence of any office in Berlin, it's believed that the company's work in the city is linked to the exceedingly secretive Apple Car project.

If there actually is an Apple Berlin office in Gerdarmenmarkt, it's meant to be hidden. Although there are no logos to be seen anywhere, the company has its name next to a tiny buzzer outside the building's main door.

A report from German publication Frankfurter Allgemeine said "Apple is running a secret laboratory for the development of an automobile and this in the middle of Berlin."

According to the report, the laboratory housed 10 to 15 staff, who were engineers or had backgrounds in software, hardware and sales.

After examining LinkedIn, you can see Apple has 168 employees working the "Berlin area." Out of these employees, many work in the Apple Store in Kurfürstendam but LinkedIn shows that Apple has dozens of engineers working in Berlin as well.

Apple has hired at least six employees from automotive mapping company Here - owned by Audi, BMW, and Daimler - for a Berlin-based Apple Maps team.

Although the giant has never admitted that it's working on an electric car, Apple has hired dozens of automotive experts from companies like Ford and Mercedes-Benz.

Apple's efforts to build a self-driving car are internally know as "Project Titan," which has caused rumours and speculations for years. These speculations have evolved and Apple's focus is now believed to be on building autonomous software rather than an entire vehicle.

This is not the first time Apple recruits people with automotive engineering backgrounds. For instance, at some point, former Ford engineer Steve Zadesky helped build the iPhone. Johan Jungwirth, who was Mercedes Benz's R&D chief, also worked for Apple.

Mindspace writes on its website: "Our designed shared office space is at the epicentre of entrepreneurship and innovation. It provides an all-in-one office space solution for startups, entrepreneurs, accelerators, service providers, investors and VCs who are looking for the ultimate coworking environment in Berlin-Mitte."

Mindspace has another space around the corner on Krausenstraße - Apple's "secret" office - and it's going to open a new one in Kreuzberg at Skalitzer Straße.