Invest in Bavaria

What Invest in Bavaria does

Invest in Bavaria is the official business promotion agency (Ansiedlungsagentur) of the Free State of Bavaria, Germany. Founded in 1999 and headquartered in Munich, the agency supports domestic and foreign companies in establishing or expanding operations in Bavaria through a four-phase advisory lifecycle: planning and preparation, location search and selection, implementation and coordination, and post-settlement growth support. Services are provided free of charge, confidentially, and on an individualized basis. The agency maintains additional offices in Nuremberg (via Bayern Innovativ), Hof (via LfA Förderbank Bayern), and a co-located office at the Bavarian State Ministry in Munich, and engages prospect companies at major industry trade shows including IAA Mobility, Medica, Hannover Messe, and IFAT.

The agency's operating mandate spans cross-industry innovation sectors including automotive, aerospace, mobility, AI, IoT, health and life sciences, fintech, quantum computing, and new materials. It is legally operated by Bayern International – Bayerische Gesellschaft für Internationale Wirtschaftsbeziehungen mbH, a private limited company under the supervision of the Bavarian State Ministry for Economic Affairs, Regional Development and Energy (Bayerisches Staatsministerium für Wirtschaft, Landesentwicklung und Energie). Management is led by co-CEOs Martina Maschauer and Christian Weber, with Tobias Gotthardt (Secretary of State) chairing the Supervisory Board.

The business model is non-commercial: the agency is publicly funded by the Free State of Bavaria and does not generate revenue from the companies it serves. Its value to its principal (the Bavarian State) is delivered indirectly through inbound investment attraction, job creation, and ecosystem development. Since 1999, the agency reports having supported 1,930 investment projects and contributed to the creation of 52,000 new direct jobs across Bavaria, equating to approximately one project every four days and around 48 new jobs per week. Digital assets such as the Key to Bavaria company database, an interactive competence map, and the #bytevaria blog supplement the in-person advisory channel.

Name

Invest in Bavaria

Legal name

Bayern International – Bayerische Gesellschaft für Internationale Wirtschaftsbeziehungen mbH

Website

https://invest-in-bavaria.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Invest in Bavaria is the official business promotion agency of the Free State of Bavaria, founded in 1999 and headquartered in Munich. It provides free, confidential advisory services to domestic and foreign companies across cross-industry innovation sectors seeking to establish or expand operations in Bavaria.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Economic Development Services

NAICS

Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (52394)

SIC

Investment Advice (6282), International Affairs (9721)

akta.pro primary industry

Corporate Finance & Capital Advisory (BPAHADAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Institutional Capital Introduction (LP/Family Office/Endowment Matching) (FSAEALAI)

Keywords

• Investment promotion services
• Economic development advisory
• Site selection consulting
• Foreign direct investment
• Location strategy consulting

Headquarters

HQ city

Munich

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Public Funding: As a government agency, Invest in Bavaria is funded by the Bavarian State Ministry for Economic Affairs, Regional Development and Energy (Bayerisches Staatsministerium für Wirtschaft, Landesentwicklung und Energie). All services provided to companies are free of charge.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Invest in Bavaria is the official business promotion agency (Ansiedlungsagentur) of the Free State of Bavaria, providing free, confidential advisory and consulting services to domestic and foreign companies evaluating or expanding operations in Bavaria. The agency supports the full investment lifecycle through four service phases: planning and preparation, site search and selection, implementation coordination, and ongoing growth support including internationalization. All services are publicly funded and delivered at no cost to the investor.

Product overview

Invest in Bavaria is a business promotion and investment attraction agency for the Free State of Bavaria, Germany. It is operated by Bayern International Bayerische Gesellschaft für Internationale Wirtschaftsbeziehungen mbH under the Bavarian State Ministry for Economic Affairs, Regional Development and Energy. The organization provides advisory and support services to domestic and foreign companies seeking to establish or expand operations in Bavaria, including planning and preparation consulting, location search and site selection, project implementation coordination, and ongoing growth support. The organization also maintains informational digital platforms including a blog (#bytevaria), an interactive competence map, a company database (Key to Bavaria), and organizes events and press releases. These are service offerings rather than software products or modules.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Planning & Preparation Consulting Advisory service for companies investigating new location options, providing market and business environment information, sector and technology network introductions, legal and tax overview, contact brokering with service providers, support and financing instrument guidance, and project-related location criteria development. Intended for domestic and foreign companies evaluating expansion or establishment in Bavaria.
• Site Search & Location Selection Site selection service delivering ideal location presentations, commercial property identification, site visit organization, and tailored location recommendations for companies seeking the right Bavarian site for their operations.
• Implementation & Coordination Support

Named customers7 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Bayerisches Staatsministerium für Wirtschaft, Landesentwicklung und EnergiecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1999The Bavarian State Ministry for Economic Affairs, Regional Development and Energy is the parent ministry overseeing Invest in Bavaria. The agency operates as part of the state's public relations and location marketing efforts.
• Bayern InnovativcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1999Bayern Innovativ is a key partner organization with an office in Nuremberg. They work together on innovation support and networking activities for companies settling in Bavaria.
• LfA Förderbank BayerncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1999LfA Förderbank Bayern (Bavarian Development Bank) is a partner organization with an office in Hof. They provide financing support and instruments for companies investing in Bavaria.
• Regional Economic PromoterscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork of regional economic development agencies throughout Bavaria that collaborate with Invest in Bavaria to support companies settling in specific locations.
• Bundesagentur für Arbeit (Federal Employment Agency)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides assistance with personnel questions through contacts to the Federal Employment Agency and private recruitment companies for companies establishing in Bavaria.
• German Chambers of Commerce Abroad (AHK)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational partner network supporting foreign trade promotion and helping companies with internationalization plans.
• Bavarian Foreign RepresentativesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorldwide network of Bavarian representatives abroad whose work benefits companies' internationalization plans.
• International Communities in BavariaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVarious international communities including Chinese, French, Indian, Japanese, Polish, Russian, South-eastern European, and Turkish communities that help foreign entrepreneurs settle in Bavaria.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Berlin Partner für Wirtschaft und Technologie: Berlin's business and technology development agency. Comparable as a German state-level economic development organization that also offers free location advisory and runs cluster initiatives for tech and creative industries.
• Business France: French national agency supporting international companies investing in France. Comparable as a European national FDI promotion body that provides free advisory, site visits, and introductions to regional partners.
• Switzerland Global Enterprise (S-GE): Official Swiss trade and investment promotion agency. Comparable as a non-profit, publicly supported organization providing free FDI advisory and market entry support to international companies.
• Netherlands Foreign Investment Agency (NFIA): Operates under the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs to attract FDI. Comparable as a publicly funded European agency providing free confidential advisory and matchmaking for foreign investors evaluating Netherlands locations.
• Invest in Canada: Canadian government FDI promotion agency. Comparable as a publicly funded, government-backed investment promotion entity providing free location advisory and introductions to regional partners.
• NRW.Global Business: Official economic development agency of the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia. Directly comparable as a peer state-level investment promotion agency competing for the same pool of inbound FDI to Germany.
• Hessen Trade & Invest: Hessen's state business and innovation promotion agency. Comparable because it provides free site-selection and FDI advisory for a competing German state, with focus on fintech, life sciences, and mobility.
• Hamburg Invest: Hamburg's investment promotion agency under the city's economic authority. Comparable as another German city-state agency providing free location and sector advisory for inbound companies.
• Sachsen! GmbH (Business Development Saxony): Central point of contact for foreign investors in Saxony, Germany. Comparable as a German federal-state FDI agency offering free consulting, cluster access, and financing instrument guidance.

Broad incumbents

• Roland Berger: German-headquartered global strategy consultancy with site selection and corporate finance advisory practices. Comparable as a paid alternative that companies sometimes pair with or substitute for Invest in Bavaria's free advisory services.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/investinbavaria
• Facebookfacebook.com/investinbavaria
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/investinbavaria
• Instagraminstagram.com/investinbavaria
• Xx.com/InvestinBavaria

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 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 Invest in Bavaria