Bonn Institute for SME Research

What Bonn Institute for SME Research does

The Institut für Mittelstandsforschung Bonn (IfM Bonn) is a non-profit research institute founded in 1957 in Bonn, Germany, organized as a private law foundation (Stiftung des privaten Rechts). It is Germany's leading independent research institute specializing exclusively in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs, collectively termed the 'Mittelstand'), producing statistical data, panel surveys, thematic dossiers, and policy advisory on business succession, entrepreneurship, innovation, digitalization, bureaucracy, and crisis resilience. Core knowledge products include the KMU-Barometer (SME Development Barometer built on the European 'Survey on the Access to Finance of Enterprises'), the NUI-Indikator (regional Startup Indicator), the Zukunftspanel Mittelstand (Mittelstand Panel), the Datenpool Mittelstand data repository, interactive Dashboards, Thematic Dossiers, Policy Briefs, Working Papers, Chartbooks, the 'Mittelstand Research Meets Practice' podcast, and the proprietary Unternehmensnachfolgen Schätzverfahren — an estimation method for German business successions developed since the mid-1990s and validated against official trade registration statistics.

IfM Bonn's business model is institutional funding rather than commercial sales. Base funding comes from the German Federal Government (via the Bundesministerium der Finanzen and the Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Energie) and the State Government of North Rhine-Westphalia (via the Ministerium für Kultur und Wissenschaft), with supplementary revenue from commissioned research (Auftragsforschung) for government ministries, foundations (e.g., Bertelsmann Stiftung), and other organizations. All publications, statistics, dashboards, podcasts, and survey data are distributed free of charge through the website, a quarterly bilingual newsletter, YouTube, Twitter/X, LinkedIn, XING, press releases, and conference presentations including Mittelstand Roundtables with policymakers. Customers are segmented horizontally: the primary audience is the SME/Mittelstand ecosystem and policymakers/government bodies, with secondary audiences of academic researchers (via the IfM Research Fellow Network spanning Universität Siegen, Indiana University, and Copenhagen Business School) and business associations (BDI, ZDH).

The institute is led by President and Managing Director Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Friederike Welter, who also holds the SME Management & Entrepreneurship chair at the University of Siegen and sits on federal advisory bodies including the EFI Commission of Experts and the EXIST Expert Advisory Board. Headcount is in the 11-50 range; the website is GDPR-compliant and largely BITV 2.0 accessible. There are no commercial subsidiaries, no venture capital or private equity ownership, and no M&A activity — IfM Bonn operates as a stable, publicly-funded research foundation.

Name

Bonn Institute for SME Research

Legal name

Institut für Mittelstandsforschung Bonn

Website

https://ifm-bonn.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1957

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Institut für Mittelstandsforschung Bonn (IfM Bonn) is a non-profit research institute founded in 1957, producing statistical data, panel surveys, and policy advisory on Germany's small and medium-sized enterprises (Mittelstand) for federal and state governments, academic researchers, and the SME ecosystem.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

SME Economic Research and Statistics

NAICS

Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services (541690)

akta.pro primary industry

Monitoring, Evaluation, Research & Learning (MERL) (BPAGABAO)

Keywords

• SME research
• Mittelstand analysis
• Business succession studies
• Entrepreneurship research
• SME statistics

Headquarters

HQ city

Bonn

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. Public Funding: Core funding from the German Federal Government and the State Government of North Rhine-Westphalia
2. Commissioned Research (Auftragsforschung): Third-party funded research projects commissioned by government ministries, foundations, and other organizations

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

IfM Bonn is a publicly funded, non-profit research institute that produces statistical data, longitudinal surveys, and policy-oriented research on small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs / Mittelstand) in Germany. Its portfolio includes recurring statistics products (KMU-Barometer, NUI-Indikator, Mittelstand Panel), a Datenpool Mittelstand research data repository, publications (chartbooks, policy briefs, working papers), commissioned research for government ministries, and free public dissemination through a website, newsletter, podcasts and dashboards.

Product overview

The IfM Bonn is a research institute focused on SME (Mittelstand) research, offering a portfolio of knowledge products and services. Its core offerings include regular statistical products such as the KMU-Barometer, NUI-Indikator, and Zukunftspanel Mittelstand panel surveys. The institute publishes thematic research through publications including Chartbooks, Policy Briefs (Unternehmertum im Fokus), Working Papers, and IfM-Materialien. It provides access to research data through its Datenpool Mittelstand and Forschungsdaten des IfM Bonn. Additional services include the IfM-Podcastserie, interactive Dashboards, periodic IfM-Befragungen surveys, and comprehensive Themendossiers on relevant SME topics. The institute also produces specific forecasts such as the Unternehmensnachfolgen in Deutschland business succession estimates.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• KMU-Barometer (SME Development Barometer) A barometer measuring SME development and sentiment using the European 'Survey on the Access to Finance of Enterprises' to track business conditions and challenges for small and medium-sized enterprises in Germany.
• NUI-Indikator (Startup Indicator) An indicator measuring and ranking regional startup activity and business formation in Germany, including regional rankings.
• Zukunftspanel Mittelstand (Mittelstand Panel) A panel survey providing regular insights into the current situation, challenges, and future prospects of Mittelstand enterprises in Germany.
• IfM-Podcastserie Mittelstandsforschung trifft Praxis Podcast series where the IfM President interviews notable practitioners about SME research findings and their practical applications.
• Datenpool Mittelstand (SME Data Pool) A comprehensive data repository containing research data on Mittelstand/SMEs for analysis and reference by researchers and policymakers.
• Forschungsdaten des IfM Bonn (Research Data) Aggregated research data from IfM Bonn including statistics on Mittelstand, startups, business succession, and other SME-related topics.
• Themendossiers (Thematic Dossiers) Comprehensive thematic dossiers covering topics such as Geopolitical Challenges, Women in the Economy, SME Policy, Digitalization, Business Succession, Innovation Activities, and Climate Change.
• IfM-Befragungen (IfM Surveys) Periodic mail surveys of Mittelstand executives conducted by IfM researchers to gather primary data on business conditions, bureaucracy, innovation and succession.
• Publikationen (Publications) Comprehensive publication portfolio including Chartbooks, Daten und Fakten, Denkpapiere, IfM-Hintergrundpapiere, IfM-Materialien, Policy Briefs, Working Papers, and Schriften zur Mittelstandsforschung, all available free of charge.
• Dashboards Interactive dashboards presenting key SME statistics and data visualizations on topics like business succession and foreign activities.
• Unternehmensnachfolgen in Deutschland (Business Successions in Germany) Estimates and forecasts of business succession numbers in Germany covering 2022-2026, using IfM Bonn's proprietary estimation procedure; approximately 190,000 companies expected to transfer during the period.
• Auftragsforschung (Commissioned Research) Third-party funded research projects commissioned by government ministries, foundations and other organizations on SME-related topics such as business succession, sustainability reporting impacts and innovation activities.

Quantifiable outcome

• Approximately 190,000 companies estimated for succession planning between 2022-2026
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Universität SiegencoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2013Long-standing cooperation since 2013 with the University of Siegen, specifically the Chair of Business Administration, particularly Management of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises & Entrepreneurship held by Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Friederike Welter. Joint activities include research collaboration, student supervision, and public engagement events such as the Mittelstand Quiz at Open University Day.
• RKW KompetenzzentrumminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization for knowledge exchange and dissemination of SME-related research findings.
• Offensive MittelstandminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborating partner in initiatives promoting SME best practices and framework conditions.
• Bundesministerium der FinanzencoreOthersFederal Ministry of Finance - one of the key government funding bodies for the institute's research activities.
• Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und EnergiecoreOthersFederal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy - major funding source and key stakeholder for SME policy research.
• Ministerium für Kultur und Wissenschaft des Landes Nordrhein-WestfalencoreOthersMinistry of Culture and Science of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia - state-level funding source.
• Arbeitsgemeinschaft deutscher wirtschaftswissenschaftlicher Forschungsinstitute e.V. (ARGE)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorking group of German economic research institutes for collaborative research initiatives.
• Förderkreis Gründungs-Forschung e.V. (FGF)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupport association for entrepreneurship research promoting academic exchange and research funding.
• Forum der deutschen MittelstandsforschungminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerForum for German SME Research - network of researchers focused on Mittelstand studies.
• Bundesverband der Deutschen Industrie e.V. (BDI)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFederation of German Industries - channel for disseminating research findings to industrial sector stakeholders.
• Zentralverband des Deutschen Handwerks (ZDH)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCentral Association of German Crafts - important channel for reaching craft sector SMEs.
• Stifterverband für die Deutsche WissenschaftminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDonors' Association for German Science - foundation supporting science and research activities.
• Stiftung FamilienunternehmenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFoundation for Family Businesses - collaboration on family business succession and governance research.
• GIZ (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on conferences and knowledge exchange regarding globalization and Mittelstand international activities.
• Bertelsmann StiftungminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommissioned research on Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) impacts on Mittelstand enterprises.
• Indiana UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational research collaboration including Prof. David B. Audretsch presenting at IfM Science Forum. Joint work on entrepreneurial emotional education.
• Copenhagen Business SchoolminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost of 'Rethinking Entrepreneurship in Society' workshop with international researchers including Prof. Welter.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• ifo Institut: Munich-based leading German economic research institute producing the ifo Business Climate Index and broad economic analyses. While not SME-specialized, it publishes adjacent research on German Mittelstand and competes for policy-advisory attention.
• IfW Kiel - Kiel Institute for the World Economy: Major German economic research institute focused on global economic policy, trade, and structural change. While its core mandate is international macroeconomics, it produces adjacent SME and Mittelstand analyses relevant to German policymakers.
• IWH Halle - Halle Institute for Economic Research: German economic research institute (Leibniz Association member) producing research on productivity, structural change, and firm dynamics. Includes SME-relevant firm-level analyses as part of its broader economic research remit.
• ZEW - Centre for European Economic Research: Major German economic research institute based in Mannheim, covering industrial economics, innovation, and SME topics as part of a broader portfolio. Operates with a similar public-funded nonprofit model but serves a wider research scope than IfM Bonn's Mittelstand focus.
• DIW Berlin - German Institute for Economic Research: Berlin-based economic research institute covering German socioeconomic research including SMEs, labor markets, and fiscal policy. Comparable public-funded nonprofit structure with a broader research portfolio than IfM Bonn's Mittelstand specialization.

Direct peers

• RKW Kompetenzzentrum: German SME-focused organization promoting productivity and innovation among Mittelstand enterprises. Already a partner of IfM Bonn for knowledge exchange, with a directly comparable target audience and SME consulting orientation.
• Creditreform Wirtschaftsforschung: Research division of Creditreform, Germany's largest credit rating agency, publishing regular SME statistics, business climate indices, and insolvency forecasts. Uses comparable survey methodologies to IfM Bonn and serves overlapping stakeholder groups in the Mittelstand.
• IfM Mannheim - Institut für Mittelstandsforschung Mannheim: The most direct peer: another German nonprofit research institute focused on SME (Mittelstand) research, publishing standardized SME definitions, statistics, and policy-relevant studies. Structured very similarly to IfM Bonn and frequently alternates as the leading reference source for German SME statistics.
• KfW Research: The research arm of Germany's state development bank KfW, producing SME-relevant data, surveys (e.g., KfW Mittelstandspanel), and policy analyses on access to finance, business succession, and entrepreneurship — comparable mission, methodology, and stakeholder base to IfM Bonn.

Emerging players

• OECD Centre for Entrepreneurship, SMEs, Regions: OECD division producing cross-country SME statistics, Entrepreneurship Indicators, and policy reviews. Comparable research output at an international scale but lacks IfM Bonn's deep German Mittelstand specialization and proprietary longitudinal datasets.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCXkJstTRX-c7yMLCdK9Y5Kg
• Xx.com/ifm_bonn_en
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/institut-fuer-mittelstandsforschung-bonn

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 Bonn Institute for SME Research