Subsidies are available for getting advice on digitization, marketing and sales, the acquiring of staff, and much more. If you need close support regarding these and other business topics, you can turn to an experienced professional coach. The Federal Office for Economic Affairs and Export Control (BAFA) offers consulting subsidies which cover 50 percent of the cost for newly founded and existing companies and 90% of the cost for companies in difficulty as part of its program “Supporting company know-how” (“Förderung unternehmerischen Know-hows”), also known simply as BAFA Coaching. Your regional contact point, the IHK Chamber of Commerce and Industry for Munich and Upper Bavaria, can tell you about the application process.
The KOMPASS support program stands for “Compact help for solo self-employed persons”. It is aimed at solo self-employed people who have been active on the market for at least two years, employ a maximum of one full-time equivalent employee and run their self-employment as their main occupation. Funding is provided for further training and qualification measures.
The contact for the funding program in Bavaria is the Institute for Liberal Professions, which you can reach by email at kompass@ifb.uni-erlangen.de.
In business and a member of the IHK for Munich and Upper Bavaria
The experts at the IHK Chamber of Industry and Commerce can give advice at every stage of your company’s development, from founding, growth, and stabilization, to innovation, crisis management, and succession. Topics range from business issues to legal matters and tax law.
Are you planning to enter foreign markets and expand your business model to Europe or beyond? The IHK’s advisory services on internationalization can help you find the right funding program.
Do you have questions about funding and support for innovation? Or want a better overview of what help is available? The advisory services of BayernInnovativ and of the Federal Funding Advisory Service can give you an initial overview.
The Bavarian Chamber of Industry and Commerce’s company database will help you to win new customers or find suppliers.
The Bavarian Chamber of Industry and Commerce’s advisory center Auftragsberatungszentrum Bayern e.V. and the Working Group of the Bavarian Chamber of Skilled Crafts (“Arbeitsgemeinschaft der bayerischen Handwerkskammern”) inform and advise companies on the awarding of public German and European contracts for goods and services.
In business and a member of the HWK for Munich and Upper Bavaria
Skilled crafts businesses that want to succeed must think and act in a market-, customer-, and cost-oriented way. Appropriate knowledge of cost accounting, financing, marketing, and human resources management is now just as important as the ability to do the work itself. Consultants at 18 branches of the Chamber of Skilled Crafts (HWK) help new and existing companies to solve their business problems.
Self-employed in the liberal professions – advice from the Institute of Liberal Professions
From coaches, business consultants, and engineers, to healing practitioners, artists, and journalists, the Institute of Liberal Professions [Institut für Freie Berufe] knows the world of self-employed work inside out. Thanks to its specialist knowledge and focus, the IFB is the first point of contact for freelancers and self-employed people seeking advice and support.
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Advice on commercial locations
Are you looking for commercial property? Would you like to move to or grow your company in Munich? Or do you want to modify, relocate or expand your premises? The experts at Munich’s Department of Labor and Economic Development can help.
Contact munich.business
Questions about running a company in the culture and creative industries?
The Team of Excellence for the Cultural and Creative Industries, in short #kreativmuenchen, is the first point of contact for all creative and cultural practitioners in Munich. They can help with advice on business models and financing strategies, training, wrkspace: interim and long-term use in city-owned and private locations, networking and internationalization. Contact munich business and the Team of Excellence
Practicing sustainable business while saving money?
Various advisory programs on the environment and climate such as ÖKOPROFIT München show how it’s done. Participating in ÖKOPROFIT helps your company to reduce costs and lessens the burden on the environment in the long run. You adopt, for example, technological and organizational measures to save on raw materials, water, and energy, and reduce waste and emissions. You also make your staff more aware of environmental issues.
Planning to set up a branch in Munich?
Our feature provides a quick overview to foreign companies who are interested in doing business in Munich. This can be achieved by a number of ways. From finding business partners to setting up an office in Munich. Learn who to contact for advice to startups and established companies on expanding to Munich.
Giving something back – companies engaged in society
The city-wide Contact and Coordination Point for companies serves as a partner for businesses that would like to be engaged in some way in society. It offers information on the many ways companies can engage in society, as well as providing advice on concepts and strategies and help in implementing projects and plans that benefit society.
Industry associations: Advice and information
Some trade and industry associations offer both information and individual advice on issues relating to self-employment. You can find these associations via the Mittelstandspakt Bayern, search engines, entries in business directories or specialized databases such as www.verbaende.com and www.kultur-kreativ-wirtschaft.de
AKTIVSENIOREN BAYERN e.V.
The non-profit organization AKTIVSENIOREN BAYERN e.V. works with retired entrepreneurs, self-employed persons, and managers, thus pooling professional and life experience from many industries, roles, and in-depth knowledge of both managing and working with others. It offers small and medium-sized companies advice on topics such as starting and running a company, strategy and change, crisis management, and company succession.
Impact Community – Qualified support for solo and small businesses
Experienced specialists and managers offer free advice, training, an online learning environment and networking opportunities to solo and small businesses. Support over a longer period of time is also possible. The Impact Community program is run by the non-profit Social Impact gGmbH.
Mentoring – Win Win for women led businesses
TWIN – TwoWomenWin is the first non-profit mentoring program for women entrepreneurs. Since 2004, Käte Ahlmann Stiftung, a Hamburg based foundation, supports business women through their nationwide mentoring pogramm.
Tax advice
Tax advisors help with questions about tax, business matters, accounting, and choice of legal structure. You can use the official directory of tax advisors to check whether a certain person or organization has acquired full recognition and therefore has the right to offer unlimited assistance with tax matters. The German Federal Chamber of Tax Consultants (BStBK) and the Chambers of Tax Advisors provide a search facility to help you find tax advisors for specific areas or with special qualifications throughout Germany. The Munich Chamber of Tax Advisors has issued a list of members that are able to accept new clients.
- German Federal Chamber of Tax Consultants [Bundessteuerberaterkammer] (BSTBK)
- German tax adviser search facility
- List of tax advisors accepting new clients
- English speaking institutions in Munich
Accounting
An accountant’s tasks in a company are strictly defined. Organizations such as the Chambers of Commerce and Industry (IHKs) explain what services can be offered and practiced with what qualification. Many independent accountancy firms are also in associations and can be found using the associations’ member search functions.
- b.b.h. Bundesverband selbständiger Buchhalter und Bilanzbuchhalter e.V.(National Association of Independent Accountants)
- bpbb e.V. Bundesverband professioneller Buchhalter und Bilanzbuchhalter (National Association of Professional Accountants)
Chamber of Public Accountants (WPK)
Members of the WPK are public accountants and sworn auditors who can be researched via a professional register.
Legal advice
Lawyers can advise you on legal structure as well as contract law issues such as sales contracts, general terms and conditions, employment contracts, partnership agreements, etc.
- Rechtsanwaltskammer München (Chamber of Lawyers in Munich): Directory of lawyers/members
- German Bar Association (DAV)
- PAK: Directory of patent lawyers
- English speaking services compiled by the U.S. Embassy and Consulates in Germany
- English speaking institutions in Munich
Notarial advice
There is a legal obligation to involve a notary in certain legal transactions. These include real estate sales contracts, founding a corporation, selling shares to shareholders, structural changes to, for example, capital measures or articles of association, company reorganization or succession, shareholders’ agreements or trustee agreements, and the pledging of shares. Notaries provide expert advice to the parties involved and inform them of the significance of such legal transactions. They protect the interests of the contract partners via legally sound wording and ensure that people lacking legal knowledge are not disadvantaged. They certify legal transactions and act as an interface between the contract partners, authorities, courts, and tax offices, to ensure smooth execution of the documents. As public servants, notaries are impartial and independent.
Business advice and coaching
Identify the topics you need advice on. There may be multiple topics which cannot be handled by one adviser alone. Ask other entrepreneurs you know, your local chambers or professional or industry associations for suitable contacts. It is also worth searching the online directories of consultancy associations