Foris
FORIS AG is a publicly listed German provider of litigation funding, shelf companies, and corporate compliance services. It serves private individuals, companies, founders, and legal professionals in Germany, with select DACH expansion, financed over €1.3 billion in cumulative dispute value and sold more than 12,000 shelf companies.
- Company typePublic
- Founded1998
- HeadquartersBonn, Germany
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Foris does
FORIS AG (Frankfurt Stock Exchange: FRS; ISIN: DE0005775803) is a Bonn, Germany-based publicly listed provider of legal-adjacent financial and corporate services. Founded in 1996 (with commercial operations commencing in 1998), the company pioneered commercial litigation funding in Germany and has financed over 1,000 legal proceedings with cumulative dispute value of approximately €1.3 billion. Its business spans three core service areas: (1) Prozessfinanzierung (litigation funding), where FORIS assumes all litigation costs in exchange for a success-dependent share of winnings, primarily serving disputes with values starting at €100,000 (and via a dedicated fund for cases exceeding €100 million); (2) Vorratsgesellschaften (shelf companies), offering pre-established, pre-banked legal entities (GmbH, UG, AG, SE, GmbH & Co. KG, KG) across German cities and, since 2026, in Switzerland through a partnership with Biolley Treuhand; and (3) Corporate Services, encompassing transparency register compliance, tax compliance, business addresses, management services, advisory and supervisory board setup (via AGIDOS GmbH since 2026), and liquidation services.
The company operates through a B2B/B2C sales-led model, working with over 1,000 law firms, notaries, and tax advisors who refer clients. Distribution combines direct phone/email sales through specialized departments, an online self-serve portal for shelf company reservations, and paid digital marketing via Google, Microsoft, Meta, and LinkedIn. Customer segments span private individuals pursuing legal claims, companies seeking litigation funding or rapid incorporation, founders/entrepreneurs buying shelf companies, and the professional advisor ecosystem. Pricing is outcome-based for litigation funding (no upfront cost to client), one-time for shelf company sales, and quote-based for corporate services; pricing is not publicly disclosed.
FORIS is led by CEO Frederick Iwans (appointed January 2021) and governed by a Supervisory Board chaired by Dr. Christian Rollmann since 2009. The wholly-owned subsidiary FORIS Service GmbH, which houses the Corporate & Compliance Services business, is led by Managing Director Christian Schon (appointed 2026). The company employs 11-50 people, serves customers primarily in Germany with selective DACH expansion, and has no disclosed parent company or institutional ownership; it remains independent since founding.
Foris firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Foris
- Legal name
- FORIS AG
- Website
- https://foris.com
- Company type
- Public
- Founded year
- 1998
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- FORIS AG is a publicly listed German provider of litigation funding, shelf companies, and corporate compliance services. It serves private individuals, companies, founders, and legal professionals in Germany, with select DACH expansion, financed over €1.3 billion in cumulative dispute value and sold more than 12,000 shelf companies.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Foris industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Legal Services
- NAICS
- Other Legal Services (54119), Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services (541)
- SIC
- Services-Legal Services (8111)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Litigation & Dispute Valuation (damages, shareholder disputes) (FSAEAHAI)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Business Valuation & Litigation Support (BPAHABAK)
Keywords
Where Foris is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Bonn
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Foris business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Litigation Funding (Prozessfinanzierung): FORIS funds legal proceedings and arbitration proceedings in exchange for a success-dependent revenue share. The company bears all litigation costs regardless of outcome, enabling clients to pursue claims without financial risk. Revenue is generated through a percentage of winnings or settlements.
- Shelf Companies (Vorratsgesellschaften): Sale of pre-established legal entities (GmbH, UG, AG, SE, GmbH & Co. KG, KG) to entrepreneurs and companies seeking immediate operational capability. Companies come with established bank accounts and are immediately deployable.
- Corporate Services: Services including transparency register compliance, tax compliance, business addresses, management services, advisory board services, and liquidation services for companies and entrepreneurs.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Outcome Based/ Performance | Pay-as-you-go | Litigation funding with dispute values starting at €100,000 |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels7 records
Foris product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Foris AG operates three core business divisions: (1) Litigation Funding / Prozessfinanzierung — financing legal disputes in exchange for a share of proceeds, available to private individuals, companies, and lawyers as referring partners; (2) Shelf Companies / Vorratsgesellschaften — pre-registered, ready-to-trade German limited liability companies sold to founders and entrepreneurs; and (3) Corporate Services / Unternehmensservice — registered office, mail handling, bookkeeping, tax filings, and ongoing corporate compliance including the GO-Plus maintenance package and dedicated tax compliance support.
Product overview
FORIS AG offers three core business areas: litigation funding (Prozessfinanzierung), shelf companies (Vorratsgesellschaften), and corporate services (Services für Gründungen & Unternehmen). The litigation funding service enables clients to pursue legal claims without financial risk by having FORIS cover all costs in exchange for a success-dependent fee. The shelf companies segment sells pre-established legal entities (GmbH, UG, AG, SE, GmbH & Co. KG, KG) available in multiple German cities and internationally via the Biolley Treuhand partnership for Switzerland, with options including the ComfortPlus add-on package. Corporate services encompass transparency register management, tax compliance, business address provision, management services, advisory board setup (via AGIDOS partnership), and liquidation. Supporting service tools include the Prozesskostenrechner, Basiszinsrechner, Speed-Check Handelsregister, and FORIS-Vergütungsrechner for executor compensation calculations. FORIS also operates a litigation funding fund for large-scale cases exceeding €100 million in dispute value.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Litigation Funding for Private Individuals (Prozessfinanzierung für Privatpersonen)
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 1,000 processes financed with consistently high success rate
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Foris
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Foris technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Foris partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- AGIDOS GmbHcoreStrategic partnership where AGIDOS provides professional support for companies in setting up advisory boards and supervisory boards. FORIS customers receive support from strategic conception through definition of role and competency profiles to placement and accompaniment of mandates. This partnership complements FORIS's shelf companies and corporate services offerings.
- Biolley TreuhandcorePartnership for Swiss shelf companies. Biolley Treuhand provides ready-to-use Swiss public limited companies (AG) with Swiss registered office, corporate bank accounts (CHF and EUR), and statutory corporate functions. This enables FORIS to offer international shelf company services beyond Germany.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Foris competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Vorratsgesellschaften.de: German shelf company provider selling ready-made GmbH, UG, and other legal entities. Directly competes with FORIS's Vorratsgesellschaften business across multiple German cities.
- Burford Capital: The world's largest publicly traded litigation finance provider, funding commercial disputes globally. Directly comparable to FORIS's litigation funding (Prozessfinanzierung) business, though operating at significantly greater scale and capital base across multiple jurisdictions.
- GENA 8 GmbH: German shelf company and corporate services provider offering pre-formed legal entities with bank accounts and related corporate services. Comparable to FORIS's combined Vorratsgesellschaften and corporate services offerings.
- Harbour Litigation Funding: UK-based litigation funder offering single-case and portfolio funding to claimants and law firms. Comparable to FORIS's litigation funding model and claimant-segment focus.
- Therium Capital Management: European-focused litigation funder with a similar entrepreneurial claimant and SME focus to FORIS's Prozessfinanzierung service. Operates in multiple European jurisdictions with comparable deal-size appetite.
- Omni Bridgeway: Major global litigation funder with strong European presence (formerly IMF Bentham and Omni Bridgeway merged). Directly comparable to FORIS on litigation funding, including arbitration and large-case disputes where FORIS has launched its new >€100M fund.
- Woodsford Litigation Funding: International litigation funder with strong European presence and claimant-focused funding model. Comparable to FORIS in underwriting mid-market commercial disputes across European jurisdictions.
Broad incumbents
- ETL Group: Large German tax advisory, accounting, and legal services network with extensive SME and founder focus. Comparable to FORIS's corporate services pillar (tax compliance, business addresses, advisory boards) and shelf company referral ecosystem.
- Wolters Kluwer: Global information services and software provider serving legal, tax, and regulatory professionals, with strong German operations. Adjacent incumbent whose German legal information, compliance, and corporate services offerings overlap with parts of FORIS's portfolio.
Others
- DATEV: Germany's dominant tax and accounting software and infrastructure provider serving tax advisors and corporate clients. Ecosystem-adjacent to FORIS's tax compliance service line and partner network of German tax advisors.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Foris social profiles
Digital presenceForis financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Foris leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
Foris subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Foris funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Foris M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Foris
What does Foris do?
Foris AG operates three core business divisions: (1) Litigation Funding / Prozessfinanzierung — financing legal disputes in exchange for a share of proceeds, available to private individuals, companies, and lawyers as referring partners; (2) Shelf Companies / Vorratsgesellschaften — pre-registered, ready-to-trade German limited liability companies sold to founders and entrepreneurs; and (3) Corporate Services / Unternehmensservice — registered office, mail handling, bookkeeping, tax filings, and ongoing corporate compliance including the GO-Plus maintenance package and dedicated tax compliance support.
Is Foris a public or private company?
Foris is a public company. It is classified as public and is currently operating.
When was Foris founded?
Foris was founded in 1998. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Foris based?
Foris is headquartered in Bonn, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does Foris make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Litigation Funding (Prozessfinanzierung) is the primary driver. The others are shelf Companies (Vorratsgesellschaften) and corporate Services.
Who are Foris's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Vorratsgesellschaften.de, Burford Capital, GENA 8 GmbH, Harbour Litigation Funding, Therium Capital Management, Omni Bridgeway and Woodsford Litigation Funding. Broad incumbents are ETL Group and Wolters Kluwer. DATEV is listed as an others.
Does Foris have an API?
No public API is recorded for Foris.
What industry is Foris in?
Foris's product category is Legal Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSAEAHAI, Litigation & Dispute Valuation (damages, shareholder disputes), with a secondary code of BPAHABAK, Business Valuation & Litigation Support. Its NAICS code is 54119 and its SIC code is 8111.