Selbständig in Mitteldeutschland

What Selbständig in Mitteldeutschland does

Selbständig in Mitteldeutschland (SiM) is a non-profit information portal and initiative serving founders (Existenzgründer), self-employed professionals (Selbstständige), business successors (Unternehmensnachfolger), and digital nomads across the Central German states of Sachsen, Sachsen-Anhalt, and Thüringen. It is operated as a joint project of the state associations of the Bund der Selbständigen (BDS) / Deutscher Gewerbeverband, the oldest trade association in Germany founded in 1891, which represents approximately 60,000 members nationwide and roughly 2,000 members in Mitteldeutschland. The legal entity behind the initiative is the BDS Landesverband Sachsen, registered at Strehlener Str. 14, 01069 Dresden, with operational anchoring in Halle (Saale). The portal's stated economic footprint is substantial at the parent level — BDS claims to represent approximately 99% of companies in Mitteldeutschland, which collectively employ over 60% of social security-contributing employees in the region — although the SiM portal itself is positioned as a free, independent information resource rather than a commercial product.

The core technology is a WordPress-based content management system with blog, newsletter, and event calendar functionality. Product offerings combine editorial content (articles on business topics, regional news, evergreen guides) with structured services: the Fördermitteldatenbank (funding database), Finanzierungs-Check (financing check via Fördermittelcheck.de), Existenzgründerseminare and webinars delivered in partnership with BDS-Akademie, Gründungsberatung and consulting routed to BDS experts, Barkonferenzen / Mitteldeutsches Barcamp networking events, and the 2-Minuten-Newsletter. Distribution spans blog, email, Facebook and Twitter, the #Onlinegeister podcast, webinars, and in-person events across Jena, Magdeburg, Halle, Dresden, and Weimar.

The business model is non-commercial: the portal is free to end users, with no disclosed revenue, no public pricing, and no venture funding. Monetization is indirect, funneling users into paid BDS memberships, BDS-Akademie training, and BDS consulting services. Strategic partnerships — BDS-Akademie, Fördermittelcheck.de, Lösungslabor e.V., and the BDS Sachsen network — provide the operational and commercial backbone. With approximately 17 employees, the operation functions as a content, education, and referral layer on top of a much larger association infrastructure rather than as a standalone venture-scalable software company.

Name

Selbständig in Mitteldeutschland

Legal name

Initiative Selbständig in Mitteldeutschland (Bund der Selbständigen / Deutscher Gewerbeverband e.V., Landesverband Sachsen)

Website

https://selbstaendig-in-mitteldeutschland.de

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Selbständig in Mitteldeutschland is a non-profit information portal and BDS initiative serving founders, self-employed professionals, business successors, and digital nomads across Sachsen, Sachsen-Anhalt, and Thüringen, providing editorial content, seminars, funding databases, and consulting via a WordPress platform.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Dresden

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Selbständig in Mitteldeutschland operates a free, independent information portal for founders, self-employed professionals, business successors, and digital nomads in Central Germany. The offering bundles online editorial content with paid seminars and webinars, a funding database, financing-check services, one-on-one business consulting/coaching, regional networking events (Barkonferenzen and Mitteldeutsches Barcamp), and a newsletter — all distributed under the umbrella of the Bund der Selbständigen (BDS) trade association.

Product overview

Selbständig in Mitteldeutschland is an independent, free information portal operated by the Bund der Selbständigen (BDS) Landesverband Sachsen, serving self-employed individuals, founders, business successors, and digital nomads across Central Germany. Rather than a unified software platform, the offering consists of a content portal combined with educational services (seminars and webinars), a funding database, consulting services, networking events (Barkonferenzen), and a newsletter. The core value proposition lies in aggregated guidance on entrepreneurship and business development, backed by the BDS's 125+ year history representing approximately 60,000 member businesses nationwide.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Selbständig in Mitteldeutschland Informationsportal Free, independent information portal providing articles, blog posts, event information, and resources for founders, self-employed professionals, business successors, and digital nomads across the Mitteldeutschland region (Sachsen, Sachsen-Anhalt, Thüringen).
• Existenzgründerseminare & Webinare Blended-learning seminars and webinars covering business formation, business plan writing, bookkeeping, and tax preparation for prospective founders and self-employed individuals, delivered in partnership with BDS-Akademie.
• Fördermitteldatenbank Database of state subsidies and public funding opportunities accessible to founders and SMEs, providing information on available grants and financing options.
• Finanzierungs-Check Financing check service assessing and identifying suitable funding options for founders, provided in partnership with Fördermittelcheck.de.
• Gründungsberatung & Consulting One-on-one consulting and coaching for business succession, company founding, public subsidies, and startup support, delivered via the BDS partnership.
• Barkonferenzen (Mitteldeutsches Barcamp) Regional networking events combining barcamp-style interactive sessions with elements of traditional trade fairs, designed to connect entrepreneurs, founders, and SMEs in Central Germany.
• 2-Minuten-Newsletter Free monthly newsletter delivering brief updates on self-employment, entrepreneurship, and regional business news for the Mitteldeutschland audience, with a premium BDS-member version.

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Bund der Selbständigen (BDS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe parent organization and reliable partner of Selbständig in Mitteldeutschland. BDS is the oldest trade association in Germany, established in 1891, advocating for small and medium-sized enterprises. The partnership provides legitimacy, content support, and a network of approximately 60,000 members nationwide.
• BDS Sachsen (Bund der Selbständigen Sachsen)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional partner and co-initiator of Selbständig in Mitteldeutschland. The state association manages the initiative and hosts events like the annual Landesverbandstag in Dresden. Part of the joint project of state associations from Sachsen, Sachsen-Anhalt, and Thüringen.
• BDS-AkademiecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational partner offering seminars and training programs for founders and self-employed individuals. The successful Thuringian BDS Academy structure is being expanded across the Selbständig in Mitteldeutschland network for training and continuing education.
• Fördermittelcheck.deminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner providing access to a funding database (Förderdatenbank) and financing check tools. Helps founders and SMEs identify applicable government grants and subsidies.
• Lösungslabor e.V.minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNon-profit organization offering affordable coworking spaces for founders from the creative industry in Weimar. Promoting entrepreneurship and collaboration in Mitteldeutschland.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Market position

Competitive moat3 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/mitteldeutsch
• Facebookfacebook.com/mitteldeutsch
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/selbst%C3%A4ndig-in-mitteldeutschland

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Selbständig in Mitteldeutschland