The first time I drove through Schutterwald early one morning, what struck me first was the quiet – and right after, how close everything still was. Fields at the edge of the village, the Black Forest as a backdrop, and after a few minutes the bustle of Offenburg already. That moment is exactly what showed me why a good place to work could grow here.
In this article I want to share what makes Schutterwald a business location – for established businesses, for founders, and for the growing group of remote teams who work wherever they like and are simply looking for a good place to work. The town of around 6,500 inhabitants sits exactly where, for many companies, things come together: close enough to Offenburg to benefit from the infrastructure of the regional hub – with the calm, the space, and the affordable locations that a place like this brings.
The location: between the Rhine, the Black Forest, and the motorway
Picture this: in the morning you need to dash to a client in Offenburg, at midday send off a parcel, and in the afternoon welcome a partner coming in from Freiburg. In Schutterwald, all of that turns out to be surprisingly easy. The town lies in the heart of the Ortenau, immediately west of Offenburg, which means short distances in every direction: Offenburg is reached in a few minutes, the junctions onto the A5 are close by, and via Offenburg you are quickly in Karlsruhe, Freiburg, and Strasbourg by train. Karlsruhe/Baden-Baden Airport is easily reachable, and the Rhine and the French border are a stone's throw away.
For companies, this mostly means one thing: you're at an intersection. Suppliers, customers, and employees from across the region reach the place easily – with the space and the ease that simply belong here.
The economic context: the strength of the Ortenau
What impresses me again and again about this region is its quiet strength. Schutterwald benefits from the economic environment of the Ortenau district – one of the strongest regions in Baden-Württemberg. In Offenburg, Hubert Burda Media, one of the largest media corporations in Germany, has its headquarters. In the surrounding area, global market leaders such as Herrenknecht in Schwanau work, alongside Koehler in Oberkirch and the Badische Stahlwerke in Kehl.
This density of strong companies creates an ecosystem: qualified professionals, a vibrant mid-sized sector, suppliers, and service providers in close proximity. Anyone who settles here is part of a region that does not depend on a single industry, but lives off a healthy mix of industry, crafts, media, and services. You feel it day to day: there's enough substance here for good ideas to find their footing.
What has changed: work is coming to the countryside
I remember conversations well with people who commuted for years and told me how much time it took out of their lives. Today, for many, that looks different. In 2025, around a quarter of all employed people in Germany worked at least part of the time from home – almost twice as many as before the pandemic. This is changing where work happens at all.
For a town like Schutterwald, that is a real opportunity. Professionals who used to commute daily to Freiburg or Karlsruhe are now looking for a professional workplace nearby. Companies that want to keep talent gain when good places to work appear close to home. And founders can start out from a place that combines quality of life and connectivity.
This is exactly where the idea of a nature-based workplace comes in. Innergarden was created in Schutterwald because the town offers everything modern work needs: accessibility, space, nature, and a region with economic substance. We didn't want a place where you simply put in your hours – but one where you work well and then head home earlier.
Location advantages at a glance
What specifically speaks for Schutterwald as a business location? First, the location – central in the Ortenau, with quick connections to Offenburg, the A5, and the rail links to Karlsruhe, Freiburg, and Strasbourg. Second, the economic environment of one of the strongest regions in the country. Third, the quality of life: nature, calm, and affordable locations that invite you to breathe. And fourth, an infrastructure that grows with the new forms of work – from flexible workspaces to seminar rooms.
For companies that employ staff from the region, the mix of accessibility and quality of life is a real advantage in the competition for talent. People like to stay where work and life are close together – and that is exactly what you can live here.
Who the location is especially worthwhile for
A place doesn't have to be right for everyone to be exactly right for the right people. Established businesses find space and connectivity in Schutterwald within a relaxed setting. Founders and small teams benefit from the Ortenau ecosystem without having to commit to large premises right away. And remote workers and hybrid teams find a place where they can work professionally without long journeys to get there.
What unites them all: they don't have to choose between good connectivity and good quality of life. In Schutterwald, there is both – and that's rarer than you might think.
Takeaway
Schutterwald is one of those places that is easy to overlook at first glance – and all the more rewarding to appreciate on the second. The combination of a central location in the Ortenau, proximity to Offenburg, the economic strength of the region, and a high quality of life makes the town a location to be taken seriously. Especially at a time when work has become freer about where it happens, Schutterwald plays to its strengths. If you like, just come by and feel it for yourself.
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