Merz rolls out red carpet at Berlin investment summit

Germany's federal government is hosting an investment summit in Berlin to attract more private capital, with Chancellor Friedrich Merz promising a "red carpet" welcome for international investors. The event aims to send a strong signal of openness and secure concrete investment commitments. The summit features Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang as a star guest, with a planned government cooperation with the US chipmaker. Around 200 executives from major companies, investment banks, and funds are invited, with half the cabinet attending alongside Merz and Vice Chancellor Lars Klingbeil. Germany faces a significant investment gap, with total investments falling 6.4 percent between 2019 and 2025 while they rose elsewhere in Europe and the US. Key focus areas include industrial artificial intelligence, energy infrastructure, defense, semiconductors, and transport, as the government seeks to complement its public spending with private investment.