Investing in the future of skincare: Beiersdorf lays foundation stone for its Innovation Center in Hamburg

• Beiersdorf to invest €139 million at its headquarters in Hamburg
• Innovation Center at Beiersdorf Campus strengthens innovative power and global competitiveness
• Opening planned for 2028, with collaborations anticipated with universities and start-ups

Hamburg, June 20, 2025 – With today’s lively groundbreaking ceremony at the Campus in Hamburg, Beiersdorf marked the start of the construction of its new Innovation Center. Together with Hamburg’s Minister for Economy, Labour and Innovation, Senator Dr. Melanie Leonhard, the Executive Board laid the symbolic cornerstone for this state-of-the-art building. With an investment of € 139 million, the DAX-listed company, which stood for innovative skincare for more than 140 years, underlines its strong commitment to its home city of Hamburg.

“The Innovation Center is more than just a building; it is our commitment to the future,” said Vincent Warnery, CEO of Beiersdorf highlighting yet another milestone in the implementation of the “Win with Care” strategy. “With this investment, we are strengthening our global innovative power and creating an exciting space where development, creativity, and collaboration flourish. Our aim is to attract thought leaders and talents from around the world to join us in shaping the future of skincare.”

By 2028, the center will span approximately 14,000 square meters, setting new standards for the interdisciplinary development of products and technology. The integration of research and development, production, marketing, and sales will accelerate the speed to market of new ideas and breakthrough innovations and optimize synergies throughout the entire innovation chain. The investment sustainably strengthens the company’s long-term competitiveness in the global skincare market and signals Beiersdorf’s strong contribution to Hamburg’s economy. 

“The Innovation Center completes the Beiersdorf Campus in Hamburg. It will be a key element in the company’s research and development activities, and beyond that, a driver of innovation in the Hamburg Metropolitan Region. Collaboration with partners from business and academia is an important competitive advantage on the company level and also strengthens local networks throughout the city of Hamburg. Beiersdorf continues to enhance Hamburg’s strong profile as a cluster for Life Sciences,” said Hamburg’s Minister for Economy, Labour and Innovation, Senator Dr. Melanie Leonhard.

The comprehensive use of digital technologies will be a key element of the Innovation Center. With artificial intelligence, data-supported skin analyses and digitalized processes, the development cycles will be shortened and results better predicted. Located directly on site, the pilot plant will facilitate the production of small series and test samples, enabling faster feedback, more efficient use of resources, and accelerated innovation processes. This approach will make the entire journey from the idea to the finished product more agile, efficient, and sustainable.

With the new Innovation Center, Beiersdorf is creating a place of the future – a space for visionary ideas, interdisciplinary collaboration and creative experimentation. This center brings together science and development, start-ups and industry, as well as universities and laboratories. Here, experts form Beiersdorf will work together closely with external partners to find solutions for tomorrow’s challenges. The flexible room design promotes agile working and creates ideal conditions for open collaboration, resulting in innovations that combine ecological responsibility with the highest quality standards – paving the way for sustainable skincare in the future.

Beiersdorf already collaborates closely with several institutions, including the German Electron Synchrotron (DESY), the Hamburg University of Technology (TUHH), the Hamburg University of Applied Sciences (HAW Hamburg) and the Helmut Schmidt University (HSU). The Innovation Center provides the opportunity to deepen these and other partnerships in a more targeted manner and opens-up prospects for further collaborations with local educational institutions, such as schools, in order to encourage young people to study STEM subjects.

Beiersdorf is also setting an ecological example: the new building, designed by Brechensbauer Weinhart + Partner Architects from Munich, will meet the highest energy efficiency standards. It will feature a green roof, photovoltaic panels and a geothermal system, significantly reducing the energy requirements of the Beiersdorf Campus. This will establish the Innovation Center as a symbol of sustainable construction and responsible business.