Though it's only the sixth-largest city in Germany, Stuttgart leads the country in exports, primarily from major manufacturers. Companies that have their global or German headquarters in Stuttgart include Porsche, Daimler, IBM, Bosch, and Hewlett-Packard. 

What's more, 2thinknow's research finds the city files and grants the fifth most high-tech patents of any city it analyzed. It has a thriving IT and engineering scene.