Advice & informationChamber of Commerce and Industry (IHK)
General counselling on all start-up issues (free of charge). Telephone numbers and Internet addresses available from the German Association of Chambers of Commerce and Industry (DIHK), Tel.: +49 30 20308 0 or www.dihk.de (www)
Chambers of Trade (HWK)
General counselling on all start-up issues (free of charge). Telephone numbers and Internet addresses available from the German Confederation of Skilled Crafts and Small Businesses, Tel.: +49 30 20619 0 or www.zdh.de (www)
Alt hilft Jung e.V.
Intensive counselling and support offered by former technical and executive employees from the economy, with main focus on commercial counselling. Advice seekers pay a small contribution. Local contacts are mediated by the Bundesarbeitsgemeinschaft in Bonn.
Tel.: +49 228 3771257,
Fax: +49 228 377 1258,
www.althilftjung.de (www)
Professional associations
A range of professional associations, e.g. the German Association of Consulting Engineers, German Association of Journalists, etc. offers start-up counselling and/or publications to freelancers. Addresses can be found on the Internet.
Counselling centres of the KfW Bankengruppe
Start-up and preparatory counselling offered at 70 German locations, with main focus on financing. For information on locations and appointments Tel.: +49 180 1 241124, www.kfw.de (www)
Regional initiatives and competitions
National, regional and local start-up initiatives and competitions offer concept development assistance. Information is available from your business promotion unit (see below) and on the Internet.
Communal and regional business promotion units
Varied counselling assistance, e.g. on approvals and registrations, financial assistance and the search for cooperative partners. Addresses are available from your municipal or city authorities.
Banks and savings banks
Financial counselling.
Tax consultants
Tax consultants provide assistance on issues relating to tax law, business management, and in choosing the correct legal structure. The German Federal Chamber of Tax Consultants (BSTBK) and German Association of Tax Advisors (DStV), among others, can be of assistance in the search and selection.
www.bstbk.de (www)
www.steuerberater-suchservice.de (www)
Management consultancies
Management consultancies are responsible for all business management matters (concept, marketing, organisation, controlling, etc.). Federal Association of
German Management Consultants (BDU) e.V.
www.bdu.de (www)
Vereinigung Beratender Betriebs- und Volkswirte e.V. (VBV)
www.vbv.de (www)
Bundesverband der Wirtschaftsberater e.V. (BVW)
www.bvw-ev.de (www)
The "SMB consultants"
www.kmu-berater.de (www)
Lawyers and notary publics
They provide assistance, e.g. on contractual issues (legal structure, purchase contract, etc.).
German Association of Lawyers
www.anwaltauskunft.de (www)
Federal Association of Notary Publics
www.dnotv.de (www)
Patent lawyer
The SIGNO network offers the addresses of private and public counselling organisations for the promotion of entrepreneurial innovations.
SIGNO, www.signo-deutschland.de (www)
Company successor
The "nexxt" company successor initiative of the Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology comprises an extensive counselling pool, franchise pool as well as background information and tools on the successor topic:
"nexxt"-Initiative, www.nexxt.org (www)
Female start-ups
Counselling addresses are available from the regional ministries of economics and women’s affairs, the municipal equal opportunities officers as well as the national agency for female start-ups.
bga, www.gruenderinnenagentur.de (www)
Some municipalities also offer specific advice to foreigners starting up in business. Ask at the business promotion unit in your municipality or at the chamber of industry and commerce.
Further information:
Advisory services for new entrepreneurs with a migration background