Buying a business in Germany

In recent years many regulations have made it easier for international entrepreneurs to venture into entrepreneurial activities in Germany. For EU citizens, in particular, rules and regulations are virtually the same as for German citizens.

Planning to buy a business in Germany is a challenging endeavor and there are types of assistance that may be beneficial for aiding in the process. However, one crucial obstacle is that most information about buying a firm, getting loans approved, and finding the right advisory services is often only provided in German. An overview of our German-language sites, such as the KMUrechner for business valuation or the succession wiki, can be found under Tools.

Therefore, we have comprised a compact list of contact points and information in English and point to some easy-to-navigate websites. If you need a general introduction to the topic of business succession, you will find essential information here in the video.

Financing assistance in Germany from public entities

The following information relates strongly to start-ups, but the financing options offered for start-ups are in most cases also applicable to succession arrangements or company acquisitions.

Financing assistance in Germany from private entities

In addition to some public offers, there are numerous private institutions that offer support for company acquisitions in Germany. The selection shown here is only an illustration of research; we cannot judge the quality of the content of the offers.

The succession map

What needs to be taken into account in business succession? Which stages are important for those handing over the company? And what does the path look like for an internal or external succession? The succession map gives you answers to these and other questions.

Where to find a company to buy in Germany?

There are numerous contact points and exchanges for buying companies in Germany, but unfortunately many of the offers are only in the German language. We, therefore, recommend that you activate automatic translation in your browser, for instance. This link will take you directly to the overview of marketplaces for buying a firm in Germany.

Contact

The Nachfolge-in-Deutschland.de Website offers an independent knowledge and information platform for anyone who wants to find out more about the topic of business succession.

Our aim is to provide information in an easy-to-understand and logically structured way. Behind Nachfolge in Deutschland stands the Institute for Entrepreneurship, German Mittelstand and Family Enterprises (EMF-Institut) at the HWR Berlin.

We look forward to your suggestions and feedback.

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