About us
Who we are
As the business development bank of the Federal State of Berlin, we work every day to make our city an even better place to live. Berlin is more than just part of our name, it is our home and our destiny.
As one of 16 federal business development institutions, we do not compete but actively cooperate with other banks. This means that support and development are at the core of our mission.
Committed to Berlin
‘Committed to Berlin’ is our mission and this means providing the best-possible support for Berlin-based businesses through tailored financing and grant programmes. In this way, we are helping our growing city to provide more secure jobs and affordable housing and to make Berlin even more liveable in the long term.
What we stand for
In addition to promoting Berlin’s economy, housing and urban development, we are involved in a variety of economic and social projects in the city. In this way, we are helping Berlin on the path to a sustainable future.
The big issues of our time are sustainability and digitalisation. That is why our support programmes aim to make the city fit for the future, to promote economic innovation and, above all, to ensure sufficient affordable housing. Our top priority is to use our resources efficiently and to act sustainably – under the motto #jetztfürberlin.
Chairman of the Board of IBB
IBB’s offers and services
As a business development bank working for Berlin, we support investment projects in the city. In addition to business development and housing and urban development, our portfolio was expanded in 2022 to include labour market promotion.
Business development
Our offers in business development
We support Berlin-based companies working in Berlin’s clusters during every stage of their lives by offering loan-based and equity-oriented financing as well as grant programmes. Our monetary services and comprehensive coaching are specifically designed to support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), start-ups and founders in Berlin.
Promoting innovation with Berlin’s clusters
When it comes to financing for SMEs, we specifically focus on small and medium-sized enterprises operating in Berlin’s clusters, i.e.:
- Health sector
- Information and communication technology (ICT), media, creative sector
- Optical technologies
- Transport, mobility and logistics
- Energy technology
In these fields, Berlin boasts the scientific and entrepreneurial basis combined with the required infrastructure that form the preconditions for successful development. We are, of course, also active outside the clusters, supporting Berlin’s SMEs with a wide variety of funding products.
Housing and real estate development
Competent partner for housing and real-estate development
Berlin is attractive and will continue to draw many people looking to live in the capital city in the coming years. As a growing city, Berlin needs adequate, affordable housing. We therefore support the construction of affordable housing as well as the modernisation and maintenance of existing housing stock.
This business segment is generally broken down into the following strategic action fields:
- Energy efficiency
- Demographic development
- New housing
- Support for customer banks
- Analyses and information events
Labour market promotion
IBB’s new business segment
Beginning 2022, we expanded our portfolio with labour market promotion, a further business area dedicated to funding to secure skilled labour as well as promote social inclusion and education. This includes a wide range of support programmes run by the Federal State of Berlin and co-financed by the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+). These programmes focus on investment in human capital and strengthening participation in society. In the 2021-2027 programming period, IBB’s is acting as an intermediary body in order to bring project sponsors and people together and so combat poverty and exclusion.
Projects and implementation
During the entire programming period, 16 funding instruments will be implemented in the areas of business establishment, consulting, (further) professional development/coaching, orientation and integration. At the beginning of 2022, we will offer a total of seven funding instruments, and from 2023 onwards, the remaining instruments will be launched successively over the course of the year. The instruments each have different terms. Total funding under ESF+ amounts to EUR 357.4m, including EUR 142.97m to support the 16 funding instruments.
Importance for the Federal State of Berlin and IBB
Labour market promotion strengthens society and its cohesion and at the same time helps to avoid or reduce dependency on government transfer payments. In the same way, we are helping to secure a skilled labour force in order to stimulate innovation in Berlin’s economy.
As a new business area, IBB will rely primarily on the expertise gained managing EU funds from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), which we have been managing for a long time in business development. As a federal-state business development bank, we are committed to ‘Working for Berlin’, which means helping the Federal State of Berlin to fulfil its mission while channelling EU funds using tried-and-tested quality standards and state-of-the-art IT infrastructure.
IBB’s latest reports and figures
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IBB Annual report
IBB’s annual report contains all important figures, data and facts for the 2022 financial year.
IBB Jahresabschluss und Lagebericht 2022 (PDF) (in German only)
2022 IBB Housing Market Report
Our annual analysis assesses the housing market in the capital city.
All IBB financial reports
Discover more facts and figures about Berlin’s business development bank and what we have achieved in the respective financial years.
IBB’s corporate governance
We are part of the IBB Group and subject to the Law Establishing Investitionsbank Berlin as an Incorporated Institution under Public Law (IBBG, Investitionsbankgesetz). This provides the basis for both our organisational structure and IBB’s governing bodies.
We are part of the IBB Group
Since 2021, we have been part of the IBB Group, which was created through the restructuring of IBB and the establishment of IBB Unternehmensverwaltung (IBB UV).
Our history and motto
The history of Investitionsbank Berlin is closely linked to the history of Berlin. The company’s history spans from the overcoming of housing shortages in the 1920s to measures designed to compensate for structural shortcomings after German reunification to financial business support measures in the 21st century.
History of IBB
| Year | |
|---|---|
| 1924 | Established as Wohnungsfürsorgegesellschaft Berlin mbH in order to finance housing in Berlin |
| 1937 | Conversion to Wohnungsbau-Kreditanstalt of the Reich's capital city of Berlin (as an incorporated institution of the municipal administration) |
| 1965 | Conversion to Wohnungsbau-Kreditanstalt Berlin as an institution under public law. Wohnungsbau-Kreditanstalt Berlin becomes a capital collection unit for loans pursuant to section 17 of the Law Promoting the Berlin Economy in Order to Support and Subsidise Housing Construction in Berlin. |
| 1993 | Conversion to Investitionsbank Berlin and addition of the business development and subsidy portfolio; integration into Landesbank Berlin as an economically and organisationally independent division. |
| 2004 | Demerger from Landesbank Berlin and establishment as the independent institution of Investitionsbank Berlin under public law with public-sector responsibility and the refinancing guarantee of the Federal Land of Berlin |
| 2021 | IBB Unternehmensverwaltung Anstalt öffentlichen Rechts (IBB UV) is established by law by the Federal State of Berlin. As the parent company of the group, IBB UV is the owner of IBB and for its part is wholly owned by the Federal State of Berlin. All of IBB’s equity investments are transferred to IBB UV. |
Our motto – Working for Berlin
We are the business development bank of the Federal State of Berlin.
As the business development bank of the Federal State of Berlin, we are committed to its sustainable economic development. We offer solutions to problems and needs-based financing primarily for SMEs and for integrated housing and urban development. In this way, we create and secure jobs. As a result of our efforts, we are seen by the public as a reliable, competent and efficient business development bank that is both good and important for Berlin. This is what our vision stands for: Working for Berlin.
Our actions are geared to serve our customers.
Our actions are geared to serve our customers. We are committed to serving the needs of our customers during all phases of a company life cycle. Our business development activities are focussed on the clusters defined by the Federal State of Berlin. When it comes to the real estate sector, we offer viable financing designed to provide sustainable support for urban development. This is where we cooperate with Berlin-based banks and network partners on a non-competitive basis.
We are committed to quality and efficiency.
We are committed to quality and efficiency and we work according to commercial principles. This means that we are in a position to support the Federal State of Berlin financially and to expand the economic basis for our own business activities. Our actions are rooted in our business strategy and the annual target agreement and assessment process, which forms the core of an integrated management system.
As employees, we are the foundation of the company.
As employees, we are the foundation of the company. Our services and motivation are the foundations of the bank’s success and shape how IBB is perceived by the public. We are aware of this responsibility and act accordingly. Working together is the key to success. That is why we support each other and work together across hierarchies and divisions on the basis of jointly developed leadership guidelines. We stand for an open, trusting and appreciative corporate culture. The company promotes our personal and professional development and takes care of our health. Our commitment is an investment in the success of our customers and in our own future.
IBB’s co-operation and network
We work hand in hand with competent partners and Internet portals. Our ties with reliable financing institutes and close co-operation within the scope of the Berlin location management programme ensure optimum financing. In this way, our offers can help attract new companies to Berlin, promote successful investment and create jobs.
Co-operation with financing portals
Digital platforms
Digitalisation is one of the greatest challenges for the economy and society. This also applies to IBB. In the interest of our clients, we are increasingly co operating with online platforms that arrange and optimise financing for start-ups and SMEs.
Germany’s new founder platform
A ministry, a bank and a start-up – three strong partners have joined forces to operate a platform for founders. This digital service supports founders planning their business – from the idea right through to financing. IBB was involved as a development partner from the very beginning.
Find out more about the founder platform
COMPEON: IBB financing via the digital finance portal
COMPEON is a web-based full-service provider for SME financing in Germany. We have been working with the company since January 2018 which has provided us with an additional digital access channel.
Go to COMPEON.deCo-operation with financing institutes
IBB’s financing partners
The optimum financing offer is often the result of co-operation between several financing partners. This is why some of our programmes additionally require that applicants obtain a guarantee from BBB Bürgschaftsbank Berlin-Brandenburg. We also co-operate with InvestitionsBank des Landes Brandenburg (ILB) when it comes to cross-border projects and joint support offers. What’s more, when putting your financing solutions together, we also consider offers by the European Investment Bank (EIB) and Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau (KfW).
Our financing partners
IBB’s partner banks
We also co-operate with many commercial banks based in Berlin within the scope of application procedures and syndicated financing projects. Numerous programmes can be applied for directly through these commercial banks.
Our partner banks
- Berliner Sparkasse
- Berliner Volksbank eG
- Deutsche Bank AG
- Commerzbank AG
- Deutsche Apotheker und Ärztebank eG
- Hypovereinsbank AG
- Hamburg Commercial Bank
- NORD/LB Norddeutsche Landesbank Girozentrale
- Hessische Landesbank
- Landesbank Baden-Württemberg
- Bayerische Landesbank
- HSBC
- DZ Bank AG, Deutsche Zentral-Genossenschaftsbank
- Postbank AG
- IKB Deutsche Industriekreditbank AG
- ING-Diba
- Deutsche Kreditbank AG (DKB)
- Bank of China
- GLS Bank eG
- Grenke Bank
Network within the framework of Berlin location management
Responsibility for Berlin
In the interest of successful location policy, IBB, as the business development bank of the Federal State of Berlin, co-operates closely with institutions that bear special responsibility for Berlin. In order to boost the attractiveness of Berlin as a business location, we have implemented the following system of task-sharing in our network: