Institut für Automobilwirtschaft (IfA)

What Institut für Automobilwirtschaft (IfA) does

Institut für Automobilwirtschaft (IfA) is a university research institute (wissenschaftliche Einrichtung) embedded within the Hochschule für Wirtschaft und Umwelt (HfWU), a public law corporation in Nürtingen-Geislingen, Germany. Founded in 1995 and led by Prof. Dr. Stefan Reindl (Director) and Prof. Dr. Benedikt Maier (Deputy Director), IfA generates empirical market research, benchmarking studies, and industry events focused on automotive and mobility economics — primarily the German automotive retail and manufacturing ecosystem.

Its product portfolio spans four interconnected lines. First, recurring research studies: the IfA MarkenMonitor (annual dealer satisfaction survey of ~1,300 executive respondents across 40 criteria), the IfA | DAT HändlergruppenMonitor (annual analysis of the TOP 100 German dealer groups representing 30.7% of new-vehicle sales and €61.3B in 2024 revenue), and the Kundenzufriedenheit im Autohaus study co-developed with rpc and Die Autohauskenner. Second, the BenchPRO online benchmarking platform, developed with Gehrke Econ and PlanAPP, providing subscription-based KPI comparisons for dealerships and workshops. Third, event products anchored by the annual IfA Branchengipfel congress (600+ attendees, 25+ years running, exclusive-forum sponsorships from Carwow, AUTO1, mobile.de, Aufinity Group, and TÜV SÜD), the biennial IfA Autohausgipfel, the automotive TopCareer fair (800+ attendees, 50+ companies), and the Beste Autohaus Arbeitgeber initiative (14,000+ employees surveyed across 300+ dealerships). Fourth, academic programs: a B.Sc. in Automotive and Mobility Business and an M.Sc. in Automotive and Mobility Management, delivered full-time, part-time, and (since 2020) via online distance learning.

Revenue is generated through a mix of study/report sales, event sponsorships and ticketing, BenchPRO subscriptions, and tuition from academic programs, supplemented by BMBF research funding via the DiSerHub Southwest Hub. Two operating entities sit beneath IfA: ifa management GmbH (shared services for events and web operations) and Betreibergesellschaft Zukunftswerkstatt 4.0 mbH (joint venture with DAT and HfWU operating the Esslingen transformation facility opened in November 2021). The institute does not disclose revenue and operates without external investors, consistent with its public-university status.

Name

Institut für Automobilwirtschaft (IfA)

Legal name

Institut für Automobilwirtschaft (IfA)

Website

https://ifa-info.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

IfA is a 30-year-old university research institute at HfWU that produces annual dealer satisfaction, dealer-group, and customer-experience studies, runs Germany's leading automotive retail congress and benchmarking platform, and offers B.Sc./M.Sc. programs in automotive and mobility business.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Automotive Economic Research and Consulting

NAICS

Convention and Trade Show Organizers (56192)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731), Services-Testing Laboratories (8734)

akta.pro primary industry

Integrated Facilities Management (IFM) & Hard/Soft Services (EDAEAAAA)

Keywords

• Automotive market research
• Dealer satisfaction studies
• Automotive industry events
• Automotive benchmarking platform
• Automotive business education

Headquarters

HQ city

Geislingen

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Research Studies and Reports: Sale of market research studies including IfA MarkenMonitor, IfA | DAT HändlergruppenMonitor, and industry-specific reports to manufacturers, dealers, and trade associations
2. Academic Programs: Tuition-based Bachelor (B.Sc.) and Master (M.Sc.) programs in Automotive and Mobility Business/Management, offered full-time and part-time
3. Event Management: Revenue from major automotive industry events including IfA Branchengipfel congress, IfA Autohausgipfel, and automotive TopCareer career fair with partner sponsorships
4. Benchmarking Services: BenchPRO online benchmarking platform providing performance analysis tools for automotive retail with subscription/access fees

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

IfA is a university research institute that conducts annual market research studies on automotive distribution (most notably the IfA MarkenMonitor dealer satisfaction study and the IfA | DAT HändlergruppenMonitor covering the TOP 100 German dealer groups), hosts Germany's leading automotive congresses and career fairs (IfA Branchengipfel, IfA Autohausgipfel, automotive TopCareer), operates the BenchPRO online benchmarking platform for automotive retail, runs the Beste Autohaus Arbeitgeber employer-branding survey with 14,000+ employees, and delivers Bachelor and Master degree programs in Automotive and Mobility Business/Management through its parent HfWU.

Product overview

Institut für Automobilwirtschaft (IfA) is a research institute at Hochschule für Wirtschaft und Umwelt Nürtingen-Geislingen (HfWU), founded in 1995, offering a portfolio of market research studies, industry conferences, and educational programs for the automotive and mobility sector. The core research products include the IfA MarkenMonitor (dealer satisfaction analysis), IfA | DAT HändlergruppenMonitor (TOP 100 dealer group analysis), and Kundenzufriedenheit im Autohaus (customer satisfaction study). Event offerings encompass the annual IfA Branchengipfel congress, the biennial IfA Autohausgipfel summit, the automotive TopCareer career fair, and the Forum Automotive lecture series. Technology platforms include BenchPRO (benchmarking tool developed with Gehrke Econ and PlanAPP) and DiSerHub (digital transformation hub). The Zukunftswerkstatt 4.0 serves as an innovation laboratory for automotive retail. Educational offerings include Bachelor (B.Sc. Automotive and Mobility Business) and Master (M.Sc. Automotive and Mobility Management) programs. The IfA also runs the 'Beste Autohaus Arbeitgeber' initiative for employer branding in automotive retail.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• IfA MarkenMonitor

Quantifiable outcome

• 600+ industry decision-makers gathered annually at IfA Branchengipfel
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and major.

• AutoScout24coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Long-term cooperation partner for IfA MarkenMonitor dealer satisfaction study for 7 consecutive years; joint annual award presentations and event hosting; supports research methodology and industry outreach
• rpc – The Retail Performance CompanyminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Joint study on customer satisfaction in automotive retail exploring factors that differentiate most successful dealerships
• Die AutohauskennerminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Partner in joint study on customer satisfaction with rpc analyzing automotive retail customer interaction quality
• Zukunftswerkstatt 4.0coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Transformation hub facility opened 2021 in Esslingen for automotive retail digitalization; operated by consortium including HfWU, DAT, and ifa management GmbH; hosts IfA events and training programs
• DiSerHub ConsortiumcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025BMBF-funded transformation hub for digital automotive services; IfA leads Southwest Hub covering Baden-Württemberg/Hessen focused on data-based business models for automotive retail and workshops
• DAT Deutsche Automobil TreuhandcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Joint IfA | DAT HändlergruppenMonitor analyzing TOP 100 German automotive dealer groups for 4 years; shared ownership of Zukunftswerkstatt 4.0 facility; annual study presentations at IfA Branchengipfel
• AutomobilwochecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Annual joint initiative Beste Autohaus Arbeitgeber (BAA) for employer branding in automotive retail since 2019; annual survey of 14,000+ employees; joint award ceremonies
• CarwowmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerStrategic partner for IfA Branchengipfel; presents Carwow TrendForum with customer trend reports; joint event sponsorship
• AUTO1 GroupmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerExclusive partner of Sales Forum at IfA Branchengipfel; supports industry discussion forums on automotive sales topics
• TÜV SÜDmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner for Retail Strategy Circle at IfA Autohausgipfel; co-develops strategy day content; joint research initiatives including Digital Study
• BenchPRO Partners (Gehrke Econ, PlanAPP GmbH)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOnline benchmarking platform for automotive retail enabling performance comparisons across cost positions and KPIs; developed jointly with Gehrke Econ and PlanAPP
• Zentralverband Deutsches Kraftfahrzeuggewerbe (ZDK)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKey partner in DiSerHub project; regular participation in IfA Branchengipfel; joint initiatives on automotive retail transformation and professional development
• mobile.demajorGTM or Marketing PartnerExclusive partner of New Brands Forum at IfA Branchengipfel focusing on Chinese automotive manufacturers and market entry strategies
• Aufinity Group (bezahl.de)majorGTM or Marketing PartnerExclusive partner of Retail Forum at IfA Branchengipfel focusing on large automotive dealer groups; supports networking and discussion formats
• e-mobiliominorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner of Sales Forum at IfA Branchengipfel 2024 focusing on market structures and automotive distribution

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• AutoScout24: Europe's largest online automotive marketplace, partner on MarkenMonitor for 7 years. Comparable as a data-rich automotive platform serving dealers and OEMs with market intelligence and customer-facing reach.
• LMC Automotive: Global provider of automotive forecasting, market intelligence, and dealer economics studies. Comparable to IfA's HändlergruppenMonitor and MarkenMonitor in producing OEM and dealer benchmarking analyses, with broader geographic coverage.
• Berylls Strategy Advisors: Munich-based automotive consulting firm specializing in strategy, retail, and aftermarket topics for OEMs and dealer groups. Closely overlaps IfA's research and consulting scope for the German automotive value chain, though operating as a private commercial firm.
• DAT Deutsche Automobil Treuhand: Provider of automotive market data, vehicle valuations, and dealer-group analyses in Germany and a long-term IfA partner on the HändlergruppenMonitor study. Comparable because it produces overlapping dealer market intelligence and benchmark reports.
• Center of Automotive Management (CAM): Independent automotive research institute based in Germany producing market studies, innovation indices, and events on automotive economics. Directly comparable to IfA as a non-commercial research body serving OEMs, dealers, and policymakers with longitudinal analyses.

Broad incumbents

• Roland Berger: Global management consultancy with one of the strongest German automotive practices, advising OEMs and dealer groups on retail transformation. Comparable as a broader incumbent with overlapping automotive economics and dealer-network advisory scope.
• Porsche Consulting: Management consultancy affiliated with Porsche AG, focused on automotive, retail, and operational excellence. Comparable as an automotive specialist consultancy that frequently publishes benchmarks and transformation studies.
• Arthur D. Little: Global management consultancy with a long-standing automotive practice covering OEMs, suppliers, and aftermarket. Comparable to IfA as a long-established voice in automotive economics and industry research, but operating commercially across many industries.

Emerging players

• SBD Automotive: Independent automotive technology and retail research firm providing benchmarking and consultancy. Comparable as a research-led peer focused on automotive transformation, though with stronger technology rather than economics emphasis.

Others

• Zentralverband Deutsches Kraftfahrzeuggewerbe (ZDK): German trade association representing automotive retail and workshops. Comparable as a stakeholder ecosystem partner addressing the same dealer/manufacturer community IfA serves, but as an association rather than research institute.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/institutfurautomobilwirtschaft
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/institut-f%C3%BCr-automobilwirtschaft-ifa

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries2 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 Institut für Automobilwirtschaft (IfA)