IB.SH

What IB.SH does

IB.SH (Investitionsbank Schleswig-Holstein) is the statutory promotional bank (Förderbank) of the German state of Schleswig-Holstein, established as a public-law institution (Anstalt des öffentlichen Rechts) and supervised by BaFin and the Schleswig-Holstein Ministry of Finance. The bank channels state, federal, and European Union subsidies into the regional economy, serving six customer segments — private individuals, companies (primarily SMEs and startups), municipalities, associations/institutions, partner banks/Sparkassen, and financing partners — through subsidized loans (Förderdarlehen), grants (Zuschüsse), and risk capital. Its core product verticals are social housing construction and modernization (EUR 1+ billion committed through 2026, ~1,990 units targeted in 2025), the Bürgerenergiefonds for citizen-owned renewable energy projects (up to EUR 200,000 interest-free per project), and municipal infrastructure advisory including the IB.SH Wirtschaftlichkeitsrechner lifecycle cost calculator.

The technology stack is operationally focused rather than differentiated: a digital customer portal (IB.SH Kundenportal) for online applications and disbursements, OCR-based document processing for intake automation, encrypted video and text chat for advisory sessions, and an Excel-based economic viability calculator for municipal infrastructure decisions. Distribution is multi-channel — direct advisory via Förderlotsen funding specialists, partner-bank intermediation through Sparkassen and commercial banks, joint consultation days with IHK Lübeck and IHK Flensburg/Heide, webseminars, and the WIR BEWEGEN.SH crowdfunding platform for charitable projects. The bank also serves as the managing authority for the EU Interreg Deutschland-Danmark program and is active in EFRE, ESF, EIB, and EIF funding channels.

Revenue is generated through a 0.5% processing fee plus 0.5% ongoing administration fee on subsidized loans, net interest spread on Förderdarlehen (e.g., 0.5% initial rate on social housing rising to 3.0% after year 36), treasury management of the Depot A portfolio and Bürgerenergiefonds, and pass-through administration of EU/state programs. Because IB.SH is state-owned and mandate-driven, the relevant growth lever is policy allocation rather than market share — recent moves include the EUR 100 million housing top-up (January 2024), the revived Bürgerenergiefonds guideline (August 2024), the digital burglary prevention application portal (2023), and the EDIH.SH European Digital Innovation Hub initiative.

Name

IB.SH

Legal name

Investitionsbank Schleswig-Holstein

Website

https://ib-sh.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

IB.SH is the statutory promotional bank of Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, channeling state, federal, and EU subsidies into subsidized loans, grants, and advisory services for private individuals, SMEs, municipalities, and partner banks across the state.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Development Banking

NAICS

Savings Institutions and Other Depository Credit Intermediation (52218), Finance and Insurance (52)

SIC

Federal & Federally-Sponsored Credit Agencies (6111), Functions Related To Depository Banking, Nec (6099)

akta.pro primary industry

SBA/Government-Backed & Development Finance Loans (FSAKAGAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Impact Investing & Social Finance (Funds, CDFIs, Microfinance) (BPAGALAA), Sustainable Private Markets (Impact PE/VC, Private Credit, Infrastructure) (FSAAALAG)

Keywords

• Subsidized development loans
• Housing promotion financing
• Municipal development funding
• SME business financing
• Public development banking

Headquarters

HQ city

Kiel

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Development Loans and Subsidies Administration: IB.SH acts as the central development institution of the state of Schleswig-Holstein, providing subsidized loans (Förderdarlehen) and grants (Zuschüsse) to support housing, business development, and municipal infrastructure. Revenue is generated through interest income on loans, administration fees (0.5% processing fee, 0.5% administration fee), and the spread between subsidized lending rates and market rates. The bank intermediates funding from the state, federal government (Germany), and European Union.
2. Treasury and Investment Services: IB.SH Treasury manages interest rate risk and liquidity risk, serves as portfolio manager for Depot A, and provides investor information. The bank also manages the citizen energy fund (Bürgerenergiefonds.SH) as risk capital for energy projects.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

IB.SH is the central promotional/development bank (Förderbank) of the German state of Schleswig-Holstein, providing subsidized loans (Förderdarlehen), grants (Zuschüsse), and risk capital to private individuals, businesses, municipalities, and partner institutions within the state. Its core offerings include social housing promotion financing (Soziale Wohnraumförderung) for rental and owner-occupied housing, the Bürgerenergiefonds.SH risk-capital fund for citizen energy projects, business financing and innovation support, municipal infrastructure financing, and a digital customer portal (Kundenportal) for online applications and disbursements.

Product overview

IB.SH (Investitionsbank Schleswig-Holstein) operates as a promotional bank for the state of Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, offering a comprehensive portfolio of subsidized lending and grant programs. The core offering includes social housing support (Soziale Wohnraumförderung) for rental housing, the Bürgerenergiefonds for citizen energy projects, and general funding programs for individuals, businesses, and municipalities. Supporting services include the IB.SH Förderlotsen advisory service, the IB.SH Energieagentur for energy consulting, and the IB.SH Kundenportal for digital applications. The IB.SH Wirtschaftlichkeitsrechner provides municipalities with lifecycle cost analysis tools, while WIR BEWEGEN.SH offers a donation platform for charitable projects. The product portfolio is organized by customer segment (private individuals, companies, municipalities, associations, banks, financing partners) and covers housing, business financing, energy, and sustainability initiatives.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• WIR BEWEGEN.SH: IB.SH-Spendenplattform für Schleswig-Holstein - a crowdfunding/donation platform for charitable projects in Schleswig-Holstein.
• IB.SH Wirtschaftlichkeitsrechner
• Bürgerenergiefonds.SH
• IB.SH Energieagentur

Products and services

• Soziale Wohnraumförderung für Mietwohnungsmaßnahmen (Social Housing Promotion for Rental Housing) Subsidized loans and grants for rental housing construction, modernization, and renovation in Schleswig-Holstein. Covers up to 100% of total costs, with interest rates starting at 0.5% for the first 10 years, a 0.5% ongoing administration fee, a 1.5% one-time processing fee, and investment grants up to 35% of total funding (maximum EUR 1,500/m²). For housing companies, commercial investors, private investors, and cooperative housing developers.
• Bürgerenergiefonds.SH (Citizen Energy Fund) Interest-free risk capital fund providing up to EUR 200,000 per project for planning and start-up phase costs of citizen-owned renewable energy, new mobility, energy efficiency, and digitization projects. Requires minimum 7 natural persons from different households. Minimum eligible total expenditure of EUR 10,000; repayment required once overall project financing is secured; converts to grant if the project fails in planning phase. For citizen energy cooperatives (Bürgerenergieprojekte).
• IB.SH digital / EDIH.SH Digital support services including advisory, funding, and financing assistance for SMEs' digital transformation projects, delivered as part of IB.SH's European Digital Innovation Hub (EDIH.SH) mandate. For companies undertaking digitalization initiatives.
• WIR BEWEGEN.SH IB.SH's crowdfunding and donation platform connecting project initiators with donors for charitable social and cultural projects in Schleswig-Holstein. Features pre-checked individual projects with specific funding goals. For charitable organizations, social project initiators, and donors in Schleswig-Holstein.
• Digitale Antragstellung Einbruchschutz (Digital Application for Burglary Prevention Subsidy) Digital application process within the IB.SH Kundenportal for the burglary prevention subsidy (Zuschuss Einbruchschutz), enabling customers to apply via smartphone or tablet, receive digital funding decisions, and communicate directly with IB.SH through the portal. For private individuals seeking burglary prevention funding.

Quantifiable outcome

• 1,990 affordable housing units funded in 2025
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration9 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Land Schleswig-Holstein (State of Schleswig-Holstein)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIB.SH is the central development institution (Förderinstitut) of the state of Schleswig-Holstein. The state owns and funds the bank, providing mandates for housing promotion, economic development, and municipal support programs.
• European Investment Fund (EIF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLogo partner shown on IB.SH website. The EIF provides European financing and guarantee programs that IB.SH leverages for SME and innovation financing in Schleswig-Holstein.
• European Investment Bank (EIB)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMentioned in data protection information as a public institution to which data may be transmitted. The EIB provides major financing programs that IB.SH administers for regional development.
• KfW (Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMentioned as a credit institution to which IB.SH may transmit customer data for cooperation loans. KfW is Germany's major development bank providing subsidized financing that IB.SH helps channel to local recipients.
• Landwirtschaftliche RentenbankminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMentioned as a credit institution for potential cooperation loans. Provides specialized agricultural and rural development financing.
• Interreg Deutschland-DanmarkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIB.SH houses the managing authority for the Interreg Germany-Danmark program, which funds cross-border cooperation projects between Germany and Denmark. IB.SH conducts surveys to gather stakeholder input for post-2028 program design.
• Interreg Baltic Sea RegioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLogo partner on IB.SH website. IB.SH participates in EU Interreg Baltic Sea Region program administration for cross-border regional development.
• Enterprise Europe Network (EEN)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLogo partner supporting IB.SH's internationalization services for SMEs in Schleswig-Holstein, helping businesses find partners and access European markets.
• European Regional Development Fund (EFRE/ERDF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEFRE is a key funding source for the Landesprogramm Wirtschaft 2021-2027. IB.SH administers regional projects and infrastructure funding through this EU program.
• European Social Fund (ESF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerESF funding through Landesprogramm Arbeit 2021-2027 supports qualification and employment programs in Schleswig-Holstein, with IB.SH advising on applications.
• Arbeitsgemeinschaft für zeitgemäßes Bauen (ARGE)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPartnership for technical examination of housing projects. ARGE conducts technical reviews and cost assessments for social housing applications before IB.SH approval.
• IHK Schleswig-Holstein (Chambers of Commerce)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerRegular Förder-Beratungstage (funding consultation days) organized jointly with IHK Lübeck and IHK Flensburg/Heide to advise businesses and founders on IB.SH funding options.
• Sparkassen (Savings Banks) in Schleswig-HolsteincoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartner credit institutions throughout Schleswig-Holstein serve as intermediaries for IB.SH loan products. IB.SH maintains a network of partner credit institutes in the real estate sector.
• StartUpSHminorGTM or Marketing PartnerIB.SH supports the startup network StartUpSH e.V. and participates in competitions like Ready For Take-off. Förderlotsen connect founders with the Schleswig-Holstein startup network.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Direct peers

• SAB (Sächsische Aufbaubank): Saxony's state development bank administering EU structural funds (EFRE, ESF), housing promotion, and SME grants. Direct functional peer to IB.SH in administering EU programming alongside state-level subsidized financing.
• Investitionsbank Berlin (IBB): Berlin's state development bank offering subsidized housing construction loans, SME financing, and EU fund administration. Structurally and functionally identical to IB.SH — a Landes-Förderbank serving a single state's housing, business, and municipal mandates.
• Thüringer Aufbaubank: Thuringia's promotional bank providing subsidized loans, grants, and EU fund administration. Comparable to IB.SH in scope (housing, business, municipal) and as a regional state development institution.
• NRW.BANK: State development bank of North Rhine-Westphalia, structurally identical to IB.SH: state-owned promotional bank offering subsidized housing, SME, municipal, and energy financing within a single German Bundesland. Most direct functional peer given parallel mandate, scale, and product portfolio.
• NBank: Lower Saxony's state development bank providing subsidized loans, grants, and advisory to businesses, municipalities, and individuals. Direct regional peer to IB.SH with overlapping product categories in housing, SME, and EU fund administration.

Broad incumbents

• BayernLB: Bavarian state bank with promotional banking functions alongside universal banking. Comparable as a state-level financial institution with housing, municipal, and SME financing lines, but with significantly broader commercial scope than IB.SH.
• KfW (Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau): Germany's federal development bank and IB.SH's explicit funding partner for cooperation loans. KfW operates the national promotional mandate while IB.SH administers regional distribution — making KfW the closest comparable in mission, scale, and product mix (subsidized housing, SME, energy, municipal financing).
• LBBW (Landesbank Baden-Württemberg): State bank of Baden-Württemberg with a development finance arm alongside commercial banking. Comparable in that it serves as a state-affiliated financing institution, though broader in mandate (commercial banking, capital markets) than IB.SH's pure Förderbank scope.

Regional players

• Bürgschaftsbank Schleswig-Holstein: Regional guarantee bank for Schleswig-Holstein providing default guarantees to enable SME bank financing. Operates in the same regional ecosystem as IB.SH, often coordinating on SME financing programs.

Others

• EIF (European Investment Fund): EU-level financial institution providing guarantees and counter-guarantees to SMEs and small mid-caps. IB.SH explicitly partners with EIF for SME and innovation financing programs in Schleswig-Holstein, making EIF an upstream enabler in IB.SH's funding chain.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCzQ5dR8pM-8V5D0E0lD5Qw
• Facebookfacebook.com/InvestitionsbankSH
• Xx.com/ib_sh

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments1 record

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about IB.SH