BVK

What BVK does

BVK (Bundesverband Beteiligungskapital — German Private Equity and Venture Capital Association e.V.) is the central trade association representing the German participation capital industry. Founded in 1989 and headquartered in Berlin (Reinhardtstrasse 29b), BVK serves private equity firms, venture capital firms, institutional investors (LPs), family offices, and corporate venture capital units operating in Germany. Its core functions are policy advocacy vis-à-vis German federal institutions, media representation, market intelligence dissemination, and industry convening through events and publications. The organization is a registered eingetragener Verein (e.V.), governed by a member-elected board led by two Vorstandssprecher (Board Speakers), Ulrike Hinrichs and Dr. Ingo Krocke (also CEO of Auctus Capital Partners).

BVK's product portfolio centers on recurring events and research publications rather than technology products. Flagship event offerings include the Deutscher Eigenkapitaltag (now in its 26th year, attracting ~400 visitors per edition), the member-exclusive BVK-Fachforum with the BVK Night networking reception, the CVC Summit co-hosted with HTGF, and LP investor evenings with global sponsors such as Coller Capital and Schroders Capital. Research and media products include the BVK-Kurier annual publication, the Investorenbarometer (investor sentiment), and Statistik Deutschland / Statistik Europa data products. A dedicated 'Frauen führen Kapital' sub-brand addresses female leadership in the industry, and a German Impact Investing platform extends thematic coverage. There are no proprietary technology platforms, AI/ML capabilities, or APIs — the underlying stack is a standard association management system with a bilingual website (DE/EN), a YouTube video library, and email newsletters.

The revenue model is membership-dues-based and event-sponsorship-driven. BVK acquires and retains members primarily through industry events, direct outreach, and referrals targeting PE/VC firms and institutional investors. Sponsorship revenue comes from a broad roster of asset managers, law firms, and global PE firms (Partners Group, Coller Capital, Schroders Capital, EURAZEO, Deutsche Bank, POELLATH, Debevoise & Plimpton, Golding Capital Partners, Portfolio Advisors, KKA Partners, Orbit | Fund Boutique). Revenue is not publicly disclosed; the operational footprint is small (1–10 paid employees), with management distributed across the board speakers, board members, and named heads of communications, market information/research, and events. As a non-profit association, BVK's success metric is industry-level outcomes rather than top-line growth — recent press releases cite €15.69 billion in financing deployed to German startups and SMEs by member firms as the marquee figure.

Name

BVK

Legal name

Bundesverband Beteiligungskapital - German Private Equity and Venture Capital Association e.V.

Website

https://bvkap.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1989

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

BVK (Bundesverband Beteiligungskapital) is the German trade association for private equity and venture capital, headquartered in Berlin. It represents PE firms, VC firms, institutional LPs, family offices, and CVC units via policy advocacy, industry events (Deutscher Eigenkapitaltag, BVK-Fachforum, CVC Summit), and market research.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industry Trade Association (Private Equity & Venture Capital)

NAICS

Business Associations (81391), Professional Organizations (81392)

akta.pro primary industry

Business Services (B2B) Growth Equity (FSANACAD)

Keywords

• Private equity association
• Venture capital advocacy
• Industry research publications
• Investor networking events
• Membership trade association

Headquarters

HQ city

Berlin

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: BVK generates revenue through annual membership fees from private equity and venture capital firms operating in Germany. Membership tiers provide access to events, publications, networking, and industry advocacy services.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

BVK is a non-profit industry trade association that represents and advocates for private equity and venture capital firms operating in Germany. It delivers its core offering through membership subscriptions that grant access to flagship events (Deutscher Eigenkapitaltag, BVK-Fachforum, BVK Night), industry publications (BVK-Kurier), market research and statistics (Investorenbarometer, Statistik Deutschland, Statistik Europa), policy advocacy toward German government bodies, and networking programs such as the CVC Summit, LP investor evenings, and the 'Frauen führen Kapital' diversity initiative.

Product overview

BVK (Bundesverband Beteiligungskapital / German Private Equity and Venture Capital Association) is a trade association representing the private equity and venture capital industry in Germany. The organization offers a portfolio of event-based products including the annual Deutscher Eigenkapitaltag (flagship event), BVK-Fachforum (member-exclusive forum), and BVK Night (networking evening). Additionally, BVK provides research products such as the BVK-Kurier publication, Investorenbarometer (investor barometer), and statistical reports on German and European markets. The association also runs the 'Frauen führen Kapital' initiative promoting female leadership in the industry. BVK operates membership-based access to exclusive content, market intelligence, and networking opportunities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• FRAUEN FÜHREN KAPITAL: Exclusive platform for female investors and female executives in the private equity and venture capital industry, aimed at networking, professional exchange, and making female perspectives more visible

Products and services

• Deutscher Eigenkapitaltag (DET) Annual flagship BVK conference and the largest German-language platform for exchange between private equity and venture capital experts and politics, featuring panels, impulse talks, and keynote speakers from business, politics, press, and science. Open to PE/VC firms, institutional investors, corporates, and policymakers.
• BVK-Fachforum Member-exclusive industry forum featuring lectures and panels with current PE/VC expertise and networking opportunities with practitioners, policymakers, and academics. Restricted to BVK members.
• BVK Night Evening networking event held alongside the BVK Fachforum, providing informal industry exchange among PE/VC members, sponsors, and invited guests.
• Frauen führen Kapital Exclusive BVK platform for female investors, executives, and professionals in the PE/VC industry, offering regular dialogue formats with personalities from politics, business, and society, plus an expert directory.
• BVK-Kurier BVK's annual publication featuring specialist articles on Impact & Innovation, Private Equity, Venture Capital, and association information, distributed to members and the broader ecosystem.
• Investorenbarometer BVK market research publication providing insights into investor sentiment and market trends across the German PE/VC market.
• Statistik Deutschland BVK statistical reports on the German private equity market covering investment volumes, deal counts, and sector breakdowns.
• Statistik Europa BVK statistical publication covering European private equity markets, providing comparative market analysis beyond Germany.
• German Impact Investing BVK-affiliated platform promoting impact investing in Germany, accessed via german-impact-investing.com.
• BVK-Mitgliedschaft (BVK Membership) BVK's annual membership program providing PE/VC firms, institutional investors, family offices, and CVC units with member-exclusive access to Masterclasses, Fachforum and BVK Night events, market transparency products, and policy advocacy representation.

Quantifiable outcome

• 15.69 billion EUR deployed to startups and SMEs by BVK member firms

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

22 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Debevoise & PlimptonminorGTM or Marketing PartnerInternational law firm sponsoring BVK Fachforum events, providing thought leadership and industry visibility through event partnership.
• Golding Capital PartnersminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAsset manager sponsoring BVK Fachforum, contributing to industry event programming and member networking.
• Satellite OfficesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor for BVK Night networking event, supporting evening programming and member gatherings.
• Schroders CapitalminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAsset management firm sponsoring LP-Lunch events, supporting investor-focused programming.
• Orbit | Fund BoutiqueminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFund boutique sponsoring Deutscher Eigenkapitaltag (DET) events.
• POELLATHminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLaw firm serving as event sponsor for BVK programming.
• Portfolio AdvisorsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerInvestment firm sponsoring investor evenings for LP community engagement.
• Coller CapitalminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPrivate equity secondary market specialist sponsoring BVK events.
• KKA PartnersminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCommunications firm supporting BVK through event sponsorship.
• Partners GroupminorGTM or Marketing PartnerGlobal private markets firm sponsoring BVK industry events.
• Deutsche BankminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMajor German bank supporting BVK events as sponsor.
• EURAZEOminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFrench investment company sponsoring BVK events and programming.
• Future StandardminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerWorkshop provider delivering professional development content for BVK events.
• Berlin PartnercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOfficial partner for CVC Summit, providing regional ecosystem support and Berlin-based networking for corporate venture capital units.
• HTGF (High-Tech Gruenderfonds)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGermany's most active early-stage investor, co-hosting CVC Summit with BVK.
• Swiss PostminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate venture capital unit co-hosting CVC Summit as part of BVK programming.
• Signal IdunaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInsurance group with venture activities, co-hosting CVC Summit.
• BorgWarnerminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAutomotive technology company with CVC operations, co-hosting CVC Summit.
• MANN+HUMMELminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFiltration technology company with corporate venture activities, co-hosting CVC Summit.
• u-pathminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate venture capital entity co-hosting CVC Summit with BVK.
• IFA BerlinminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint program partner providing cross-promotional opportunities and ecosystem connections.
• AsiaBerlinminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInitiative partner for Asia-Germany business connections supporting BVK programming.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Alternative Investment Management Association (AIMA): Global hedge fund and alternative investment industry association. Broader than BVK but overlapping in alternative-asset policy advocacy, market research publications, and member education. Operates globally where BVK is Germany-only, making it a broader incumbent rather than a direct competitor.

Others

• European Investment Fund (EIF): EU-backed fund-of-funds and VC/PE market participant. Not a trade association but an ecosystem counterpart whose policy positions, fund-of-funds activity, and SME financing data frequently overlap with BVK's Statistik Deutschland publications and member-firm financing data.

Regional players

• France Invest: French private equity association, formerly AFIC. National PE/VC trade association with membership dues, annual conference (Convention), industry statistics, and policy advocacy in Paris. Direct functional equivalent to BVK serving French GPs and LPs.
• Luxembourg Private Equity and Venture Capital Association (LPEA): National PE/VC association for Luxembourg. Functions as a direct structural analogue to BVK at smaller scale, with membership dues, an annual conference, and policy advocacy — relevant for cross-border GPs that overlap with BVK's German membership.
• NVP (Nederlandse Vereniging van Participatiemaatschappijen): Dutch private equity and venture capital association. National industry body for the Dutch PE/VC market with similar advocacy, networking, and research functions. BVK and NVP frequently co-engage on EU-level policy through Invest Europe.
• Swiss Private Equity & Corporate Finance Association (SECA): Swiss PE/VC industry association. Operates the same membership, events, and policy advocacy model as BVK for the Swiss market — relevant comparable for product mix and revenue structure.
• British Private Equity and Venture Capital Association (BVCA): UK national PE/VC trade association. Closest functional analogue to BVK in a different geography — membership dues model, similar events (BVCA Summit), annual industry statistics, and government advocacy. Comparable in structure and product set but serving the UK market rather than competing with BVK.

Direct peers

• Invest Europe: Pan-European private equity and venture capital trade association, formerly EVCA. Direct functional peer to BVK at the supranational level — both operate as membership-based industry bodies representing PE/VC firms, publishing market statistics, running flagship events (Invest Europe's Annual Congress), and conducting policy advocacy with European institutions.

Emerging players

• Institutional Limited Partners Association (ILPA): Global membership association for limited partners in private equity. While LP-focused rather than GP-focused like BVK, ILPA overlaps directly through BVK's LP investor evenings, LP-Lunch events (sponsored by Schroders Capital, Portfolio Advisors, Coller Capital), and shared policy/research agenda on private markets.
• German Startups Association (Bundesverband Deutsche Startups): Adjacent trade association representing German startup founders rather than PE/VC investors. Comparable in operating model (membership-based, Berlin-based, policy advocacy, events) but addressing the investee side of the same German venture ecosystem BVK represents.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/BvkapDe
• Xx.com/wir_investieren
• Facebookfacebook.com/schlossplatzberlin
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bundesverband-deutscher-kapitalbeteiligungsgesellschaften-bvk

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 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 BVK