DIW Econ

What DIW Econ does

DIW Econ GmbH is the wholly-owned consulting subsidiary of DIW Berlin (German Institute for Economic Research) and operates as a boutique economic consulting firm headquartered at Anton-Wilhelm-Amo-Straße 58, 10117 Berlin. The firm delivers customized macroeconomic and econometric consulting services built on advanced analytical methods including input-output analysis, Computable General Equilibrium (CGE) modeling, regionalized economic models, survey methodology, text mining, data scraping, and remote sensing. Its core intellectual property includes established methodological frameworks such as the first nationwide Tourism Satellite Account for Germany, and privileged access to DIW Berlin's Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP) — a longitudinal household panel dataset running since 1984.

The client base is split across three primary segments: German and international companies, international institutions (European Commission, European Parliament, World Bank, UNDP, EBRD), and German public sector bodies including federal ministries such as BMAS. Notable corporate clients include Deutsche Bahn, Vattenfall Europe, Microsoft Germany, Huawei, and Charité — Universitätsmedizin Berlin. DIW Econ does not sell a software product; revenue is generated entirely through project-based professional services engagements priced individually by scope and complexity, supplemented by the licensing or sale of research publications.

The firm is privately held with no VC funding or public listing, employs approximately 10-15 staff including PhD economists, managers, consultants, and analysts, and is led by Managing Director Dr. Lars Handrich. Its go-to-market is sales-led and relationship-driven, leveraging the DIW Berlin brand, scientific networks, and a publication output of 42 pages spanning 2007-2025. Marketing is conducted primarily through LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter/X, email newsletter, and publicly accessible scientific publications.

Name

DIW Econ

Legal name

DIW Econ GmbH

Website

https://diw-econ.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Economic Consulting Services

NAICS

Environmental Consulting Services (541620)

akta.pro primary industry

Sustainability, ESG & Climate Risk Advisory (BPAHAJAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

ESG, Sustainability & Impact Research (BPAHALAL)

Keywords

• Economic consulting services
• Macroeconomic modeling
• Econometric analysis
• Policy impact research
• Regional economic studies

Headquarters

HQ city

Berlin

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Economic Consulting Services: Project-based consulting engagements for German and international companies, international institutions, and public sector clients (ministries, educational institutions). Customized project solutions based on latest economic findings and empirical analyses.
2. Research Publications: Sale or licensing of research studies and economic analyses to clients and interested parties.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

DIW Econ is an economic consulting firm that develops customized project solutions based on latest economic findings, statistical information, databases, own surveys, and empirical case studies. The company provides macroeconomic consulting, econometric analysis, regional economic impact studies, policy evaluation, and survey implementation for German and international companies, international institutions, and German public sector clients. As the consulting subsidiary of DIW Berlin (German Institute for Economic Research), it leverages proprietary databases like the Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP).

Product overview

DIW Econ is a consulting company (DIW Berlin's consulting arm) that provides customer-oriented macroeconomic and economic consulting services. Rather than a software product company, they offer customized project solutions based on economic research, statistical analysis, databases, surveys, and case studies. Their services include economic impact analyses, regional economic analyses, policy evaluation, and applied economic research across various topics including tourism, labor markets, energy transition, and SME competitiveness. They do not operate a traditional software product or platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Economic Consulting Projects Customized project solutions based on latest economic findings, statistical information, databases, own surveys, and empirical case studies for German and international companies, international institutions, and public sector clients. Spans economic analysis, policy evaluation, market research, regional economic impact studies, survey implementation, and macroeconomic modeling.

Quantifiable outcome

• Regional economic effects study of energy transition in Hanover region showed €24.9 billion in additional investments, €9.5 billion in gross value added, ~4,100 jobs created, and €470 million in additional tax revenues.
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers14 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• DIW Berlin (Deutsches Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDIW Econ is the consulting subsidiary (Consulting-Unternehmen) of DIW Berlin. The company complements its scientific expertise through close cooperation with its parent institute, gaining access to DIW Berlin's research infrastructure, proprietary databases including the Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP), scientific networks, and leading researchers. This relationship provides DIW Econ with significant competitive advantages in economic research and consulting capabilities.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• The Brattle Group: Global economic and financial consulting firm with a strong econometric and quantitative practice. Comparable to DIW Econ in rigorous empirical analysis, regulatory economics, and litigation/regulatory support work.
• Oxford Economics: One of the world's largest economic consulting and forecasting firms, combining global macroeconomic models with bespoke consulting. Comparable to DIW Econ in applied econometrics, macroeconomic modeling, and policy/industry impact analysis, but with materially greater scale and international footprint.
• Prognos: Swiss-German economic research and consulting firm producing studies, forecasts, and policy advice for public and private clients. Comparable to DIW Econ in applied economic research, sector studies, and policy consulting across European markets.
• Frontier Economics: European economic consultancy with strong public-sector and regulatory economics practice. Comparable to DIW Econ in economic policy advisory, regulatory impact assessment, and competition economics work for governments and corporates.
• ZEW (Centre for European Economic Research): Leading German economic research institute with a strong applied economics and policy-evaluation consulting practice. Comparable to DIW Econ in serving German federal ministries and EU institutions with empirical economic research and policy evaluation.
• RWI Leibniz Institute for Economic Research: German Leibniz-association economic research institute that also performs applied consulting for German federal ministries and international clients. Closest German analogue to DIW Econ in institutional positioning, methodology, and public-sector client base.
• ifo Institute: Munich-based economic research institute and producer of the ifo Business Climate Index. While more research-focused than DIW Econ in its public profile, ifo conducts applied economic consulting for German and European policymakers in a directly comparable methodology.
• Cambridge Econometrics: An economic modeling and consulting firm specializing in macroeconomic forecasting, CGE modeling, and sectoral impact analysis. Directly comparable to DIW Econ in methodological stack (CGE, input-output, econometric modeling) and client base (governments, international institutions, corporates). Notably, Prof. Sevrin Waights worked at Cambridge Econometrics before joining DIW Econ.

Broad incumbents

• McKinsey & Company: Global management consulting giant with a sizable economic and policy practice. Competes with DIW Econ for institutional and corporate engagements but operates as a broad incumbent rather than a specialist economic consultancy.

Others

• DIW Berlin (Deutsches Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung): Parent research institute of DIW Econ. While not a commercial peer, DIW Berlin's consulting-adjacent activities and brand credibility directly transfer to DIW Econ's positioning; included as a unique parent-subsidiary relationship reference.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/diwecon
• Facebookfacebook.com/diweco
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/diw-econ-gmbh

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about DIW Econ