FiFo Köln - Finanzwissenschaftliches Forschungsinstitut an der Universität zu Köln

Public Finance Research and Policy Consultingfifo-koeln.org

FiFo Köln is a non-profit fiscal research institute at the University of Cologne that provides scientific policy consulting and commissioned research on public finance, fiscal federalism, municipal finance, tax policy, and environmental economics to German federal ministries, state and municipal governments, and international bodies such as the EU, OECD, and WTO.

Company typePrivate
Founded-
HeadquartersCologne, Germany
Headcount1–10
GTM typeB2B
OfferingServices

What FiFo Köln - Finanzwissenschaftliches Forschungsinstitut an der Universität zu Köln does

FiFo Köln (Finanzwissenschaftliches Forschungsinstitut an der Universität zu Köln) is a non-profit fiscal research institute affiliated with the University of Cologne, operating at the intersection of academic economic research and practical fiscal policy advising. Founded in 1979 as a publication series predecessor (with institutional roots traceable to 1927) and incorporated as a registered association (e.V., Register VR 5608, Amtsgericht Köln), the institute is led by Managing Director Dr. Michael Thöne, who has over 25 years of policy advisory experience and personally advises ten German federal ministries, the Bundestag, state governments, municipal associations, and international bodies including the EU, OECD, and WTO. The institute's core technology is policy-oriented fiscal research and scientific policy consulting, employing economic simulation models, microsimulation analyses, and empirical evaluation frameworks across public finance, fiscal federalism, municipal finance, tax policy, and environmental economics.

The institute's product portfolio comprises five publication series — FiFo Reports (ISSN 1860-6679, published since 2005), FiFo Discussion Papers, Umweltökonomische Diskussionsbeiträge (ISSN 1439-4545, since 1999), the archived Sonderveröffentlichungen (1979–1990), and Finanzwissenschaftliche Forschungsarbeiten — distributed freely via its bilingual website, alongside commissioned policy advisory services delivered directly to government clients. The institute maintains a FiFo Policy Fellows network of associated researchers (including Dr. Carsten Colombier, Prof. Andreas Peichl, and Dr. Thilo Schaefer) and collaborates with over 25 research partners across Germany and Europe, including Ifo, ZEW, RWI, DIW Berlin, Öko-Institut, and Ecologic Institute.

FiFo's business model is non-profit project-based consulting: revenue is generated through commissioned research studies, expert opinions, and policy evaluations contracted by federal ministries, state governments, municipal associations, the Umweltbundesamt, NRW.BANK, and supranational bodies. Publications are distributed free of charge to build academic credibility and visibility. The institute has a small core team of approximately 5 employees, operates from a single location in Cologne (Wörthstr. 26), and is legally independent of the University of Cologne while maintaining institutional affiliation.

FiFo Köln - Finanzwissenschaftliches Forschungsinstitut an der Universität zu Köln firmographics

Firmographics

Name: FiFo Köln - Finanzwissenschaftliches Forschungsinstitut an der Universität zu Köln
Legal name: Finanzwissenschaftliches Forschungsinstitut an der Universität zu Köln
Website: https://fifo-koeln.org
Company type: Private
Operating status: Operating
Headcount range: 1–10 employees
Short description: FiFo Köln is a non-profit fiscal research institute at the University of Cologne that provides scientific policy consulting and commissioned research on public finance, fiscal federalism, municipal finance, tax policy, and environmental economics to German federal ministries, state and municipal governments, and international bodies such as the EU, OECD, and WTO.
Ownership category
akta.pro rank

FiFo Köln - Finanzwissenschaftliches Forschungsinstitut an der Universität zu Köln industry classification

Industry

Product category: Public Finance Research and Policy Consulting
akta.pro industry: PRIMARYEDAGAFAD
Social Sciences Scholarly Publishing
Education/Educational Publishing & Learning Content/Academic & Scholarly Publishing (Journals, Monographs)

Keywords

Fiscal policy research
Public finance consulting
Tax policy analysis
Municipal finance advisory
Environmental fiscal studies

Where FiFo Köln - Finanzwissenschaftliches Forschungsinstitut an der Universität zu Köln is headquartered

Location

Headquarters

HQ city: Cologne
HQ country: Germany
HQ region: Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

FiFo Köln - Finanzwissenschaftliches Forschungsinstitut an der Universität zu Köln business model

Business model

GTM type: B2B
Offering type: Services
Cost components: Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

Government Research Contracts and Advisory Engagements: FiFo Köln conducts commissioned research studies, expert opinions, and policy evaluations for government clients including German federal ministries, state (Länder) governments, municipal associations, and municipal authorities. It also serves international public-sector clients such as EU institutions, OECD, and WTO. Revenue is generated through project-based consulting contracts rather than product sales.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

FiFo Köln - Finanzwissenschaftliches Forschungsinstitut an der Universität zu Köln product offering

Product offering

Core offering

FiFo Köln is a non-profit research institute that produces policy-oriented economic research and delivers scientific policy consulting in public finance, tax policy, municipal policy, environmental policy, and demographic change. Its deliverables include commissioned expert opinions, evaluations, simulation studies, and a portfolio of open-access publication series (FiFo Reports, FiFo Discussion Papers, Umweltökonomische Diskussionsbeiträge) distributed free of charge via its bilingual website.

Product overview

FiFo Köln is a fiscal research institute (Finanzwissenschaftliches Forschungsinstitut) at the University of Cologne that produces policy-oriented research and scientific policy advice in the field of public finances, municipal policy, environmental policy, and demographic change. The institute offers its services through a portfolio of publication series: FiFo Reports (ISSN 1860-6679) for current studies and expert opinions, FiFo Discussion Papers for academic research, and several archived publication series including Umweltökonomische Diskussionsbeiträge (ISSN 1439-4545) for environmental economics and Finanzwissenschaftliche Forschungsarbeiten published by Duncker & Humblot. Additionally, the institute provides policy advisory services to government bodies.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

FiFo Reports (FiFo-Berichte) Electronic studies and expert opinions from FiFo Köln's policy research work, covering public finance, tax policy, municipal policy, environmental economics, and demographic change. Aimed at policy makers, public administration, and the research community; freely downloadable as PDFs.
FiFo Discussion Papers (Finanzwissenschaftliche Diskussionsbeiträge) Academic discussion papers presenting FiFo Köln's research findings on fiscal policy, public finance, and environmental economics. Targeted at researchers, policy analysts, and government decision-makers; distributed open-access.
Umweltökonomische Diskussionsbeiträge (Discussion Papers on Environmental Policy) Environmental economic discussion papers reflecting FiFo's research focus on environmental economics and ecological fiscal policy. Available open-access for researchers, environmental agencies, and policy makers.
Finanzwissenschaftliche Forschungsarbeiten (Research Papers in Public Policy) Academic research series founded by Prof. Günter Schmölders and published by Duncker & Humblot, Berlin. Carries long-form public finance research; targeted at the academic and policy library market.
Sonderveröffentlichungen des FiFo (Special FiFo Publications) Archived predecessor special publication series of FiFo Köln (1979–1990), preserved as a historical record of the institute's early research output.
Policy Advisory Services Scientific policy consulting and commissioned research for ministries, state governments, parliaments, municipal associations, and international bodies on public finance, tax policy, fiscal federalism, municipal finance, environmental economics, and demographic change. Delivered as expert opinions, evaluations, simulation studies, and policy briefs.

Quantifiable outcome

For 2024, the institute quantified tax revenue losses of €4.2 billion and approximately 1.68 million tonnes of CO₂ additional emissions attributable to the company car privilege (1-percent rule), based on improved datasets commissioned by the Umweltbundesamt.
+1 more outcomes

Companies that use FiFo Köln - Finanzwissenschaftliches Forschungsinstitut an der Universität zu Köln

Customer profile

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

FiFo Köln - Finanzwissenschaftliches Forschungsinstitut an der Universität zu Köln technology and API

Technology

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API: No
API docs
API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

FiFo Köln - Finanzwissenschaftliches Forschungsinstitut an der Universität zu Köln partnerships and signals

Strategic signal

Partnerships

30 partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

Difu - Deutsches Institut für UrbanistikminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026FiFo Köln collaborated with Difu (German Institute for Urban Studies) and Öko-Institut on analyzing the German funding system (GFS) in terms of ecologically sustainable and transformative structural policy for the Umweltbundesamt.
Expertise France (EU Technical Support Instrument)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026FiFo Köln acted as a subject matter expert in the development of a practice-oriented methodology for 'Green Budget Tagging' for Baden-Württemberg, supported by Expertise France and the European Commission under the EU Technical Support Instrument.
UN-Habitat / CMHC (Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026FiFo Köln's Director Michael Thöne served as the first interview partner for a new international research project by UN-Habitat and CMHC investigating the role of healthy municipal finances in housing policy. Germany is one of the first countries examined. This is a transatlantic exchange on municipal finance and housing.
NRW.BANKminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026FiFo Köln collaborates with NRW.BANK on the annual 'NRW.BANK.Fokus Kommunen' survey, now in its fourth edition, focusing on municipal administrative capacity and state modernization.
Ifo Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung, MünchenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partner in ongoing or completed projects. FiFo collaborates with Ifo on economic research related to public finance and fiscal policy.
ZEW - Zentrum für Europäische Wirtschaftsforschung, MannheimminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partner in ongoing or completed projects. ZEW is a leading European economic research institute with which FiFo collaborates on fiscal policy topics.
RWI - Rheinisch-Westfälisches Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung, EssenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partner in ongoing or completed projects. Collaboration focuses on economic research and public finance analysis.
DIW Berlin - Deutsches Institut für WirtschaftsforschungminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partner in ongoing or completed projects. DIW is one of the leading economic research institutes in Germany.
IAW - Institut für Angewandte Wirtschaftsforschung, TübingenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partner in ongoing or completed projects at the intersection of applied economic research and public finance.
IW Köln - Institut der deutschen Wirtschaft KölnminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partner in ongoing or completed projects. IW Köln is a major economic research institute affiliated with German industry.
Freie Universität Berlin - FFU (Forschungszentrum Umweltpolitik)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partner in ongoing or completed projects. Collaboration on environmental policy and fiscal aspects of environmental governance.
Universität Stuttgart - Institut für Energiewirtschaft und Rationelle EnergieanwendungminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partner in ongoing or completed projects. Collaboration on energy economics and environmental fiscal policy.
Universität Stuttgart - Institut für Raumordnung und EntwicklungsplanungminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partner in ongoing or completed projects. Collaboration on spatial planning and regional fiscal policy.
TU Hamburg-Harburg - Institut für Verkehrsplanung und LogistikminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partner in ongoing or completed projects.
Ruhr-Universität BochumminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partner in ongoing or completed projects at the intersection of fiscal research and economic policy.
Universität zu Köln - Institut für SteuerrechtminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partner in ongoing or completed projects. As the host university of FiFo Köln, the university provides institutional affiliation and academic collaboration.
Copenhagen Economics, KopenhagenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partner in ongoing or completed projects. International economic consultancy collaboration on fiscal policy topics.
Infras AG, ZürichminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partner in ongoing or completed projects. Swiss research institute specializing in transport, environment, and energy policy.
ILS - Institut für Landes- und Stadtentwicklungsforschung, Dortmund/AachenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partner in ongoing or completed projects. Focus on urban and regional development.
Fraunhofer ISI - Institut Systemtechnik und Innovationsforschung, KarlsruheminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partner in ongoing or completed projects. Fraunhofer is a leading German applied research organization.
Forschungszentrum Jülich - IEK-STEminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partner in ongoing or completed projects. Collaboration on energy and climate policy research.
Öko-Institut, Freiburg/BerlinminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partner in ongoing or completed projects. Leading German environmental research institute with which FiFo collaborates on environmental fiscal policy and climate economics.
Ecologic Institute, Berlin/Brüssel/WashingtonminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partner in ongoing or completed projects. International environmental policy research institute.
Adelphi Research, BerlinminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partner in ongoing or completed projects. Think tank focused on climate, environment, and development policy.
Arepo Consult, BerlinminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partner in ongoing or completed projects. Consultancy specializing in European affairs and fiscal policy.
ifeu - Institut für Energie- und Umweltforschung, HeidelbergminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partner in ongoing or completed projects. Heidelberg-based institute for energy and environmental research.
PTV Planung Transport Verkehr AG, KarlsruheminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partner in ongoing or completed projects. Transport planning and traffic software company.
IÖW - Institut für ökologische Wirtschaftsforschung gGmbH, BerlinminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partner in ongoing or completed projects. Research institute for ecological economics.
GWS - Gesellschaft für Wirtschaftliche Strukturforschung mbH, OsnabrückminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partner in ongoing or completed projects. Economic research institute focusing on economic structure and growth.
Nova Institut GmbH, HürthminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partner in ongoing or completed projects. Research institute focused on bioeconomy, climate, and sustainability.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

FiFo Köln - Finanzwissenschaftliches Forschungsinstitut an der Universität zu Köln competitors and assessment

Company assessment

Direct peers

Ecologic Institute: Berlin/Brussels/Washington environmental policy research institute. Documented FiFo research partner with overlapping environmental fiscal policy expertise.
Difu – Deutsches Institut für Urbanistik: Berlin-based institute for urban studies, collaborating with FiFo on the Umweltbundesamt-funded analysis of the Gesamtdeutsches Fördersystem and active in municipal finance policy.
RWI – Rheinisch-Westfälisches Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung: Essen-based economic research institute focused on public finance, labor markets, and policy evaluation. Active research partner of FiFo on fiscal-policy projects.
DIW Berlin (Deutsches Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung): One of Germany's leading economic research institutes, conducting policy-oriented macroeconomic and fiscal research and regularly advising federal ministries. FiFo and DIW are documented research partners on commissioned projects.
Öko-Institut: Freiburg/Berlin-based environmental research institute active in environmental fiscal policy and climate economics. Co-author with FiFo on the Umweltbundesamt GFS transformation analysis.
IW Köln – Institut der deutschen Wirtschaft: Cologne-based economic research institute affiliated with German industry, conducting policy-oriented research including fiscal and tax policy. Co-located in Cologne and a documented FiFo partner.
ifeu – Institut für Energie- und Umweltforschung Heidelberg: Heidelberg-based research institute for energy and environmental policy. Listed as a FiFo research partner with overlapping environmental and fiscal policy work.
ifo Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung: Munich-based economic research institute providing policy advice on fiscal and structural policy, with which FiFo collaborates on joint research projects.
ZEW – Zentrum für Europäische Wirtschaftsforschung: Mannheim-based economic research institute with a strong fiscal, tax, and European policy advisory portfolio. Listed as a FiFo research partner, operating in the same federal government advisory market.

Emerging players

Copenhagen Economics: Copenhagen-based economic consultancy active in European fiscal, tax, and competition policy. Listed as a FiFo international research partner, competing in adjacent EU-level economic advisory mandates.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

FiFo Köln - Finanzwissenschaftliches Forschungsinstitut an der Universität zu Köln financial estimates

Financial estimate

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

FiFo Köln - Finanzwissenschaftliches Forschungsinstitut an der Universität zu Köln leadership team

Management profile

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

FiFo Köln - Finanzwissenschaftliches Forschungsinstitut an der Universität zu Köln funding detail

Funding detail

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

FiFo Köln - Finanzwissenschaftliches Forschungsinstitut an der Universität zu Köln M&A and investment

M&A and investment

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about FiFo Köln - Finanzwissenschaftliches Forschungsinstitut an der Universität zu Köln

What does FiFo Köln - Finanzwissenschaftliches Forschungsinstitut an der Universität zu Köln do?

Is FiFo Köln - Finanzwissenschaftliches Forschungsinstitut an der Universität zu Köln a public or private company?

FiFo Köln - Finanzwissenschaftliches Forschungsinstitut an der Universität zu Köln is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.

When was FiFo Köln - Finanzwissenschaftliches Forschungsinstitut an der Universität zu Köln founded?

FiFo Köln - Finanzwissenschaftliches Forschungsinstitut an der Universität zu Köln was founded in -1. It employs 1 to 10 people.

Where is FiFo Köln - Finanzwissenschaftliches Forschungsinstitut an der Universität zu Köln based?

FiFo Köln - Finanzwissenschaftliches Forschungsinstitut an der Universität zu Köln is headquartered in Cologne, Germany, in the Europe region.

How does FiFo Köln - Finanzwissenschaftliches Forschungsinstitut an der Universität zu Köln make money?

One revenue line is on record: government Research Contracts and Advisory Engagements.

Who are FiFo Köln - Finanzwissenschaftliches Forschungsinstitut an der Universität zu Köln's main competitors?

Direct peers on record are Ecologic Institute, Difu – Deutsches Institut für Urbanistik, RWI – Rheinisch-Westfälisches Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung, DIW Berlin (Deutsches Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung), Öko-Institut, IW Köln – Institut der deutschen Wirtschaft, ifeu – Institut für Energie- und Umweltforschung Heidelberg, ifo Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung and ZEW – Zentrum für Europäische Wirtschaftsforschung. Copenhagen Economics is listed as an emerging player.

Does FiFo Köln - Finanzwissenschaftliches Forschungsinstitut an der Universität zu Köln have an API?

No public API is recorded for FiFo Köln - Finanzwissenschaftliches Forschungsinstitut an der Universität zu Köln.

What industry is FiFo Köln - Finanzwissenschaftliches Forschungsinstitut an der Universität zu Köln in?

FiFo Köln - Finanzwissenschaftliches Forschungsinstitut an der Universität zu Köln's product category is Public Finance Research and Policy Consulting. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAGAFAD, Social Sciences Scholarly Publishing.