bfi Inkasso & Factoring

What bfi Inkasso & Factoring does

bfi Inkasso & Factoring (legal name: bfi Bremer Factoring und Inkasso Kontor GmbH) is a family-owned, independent German receivables management firm headquartered in Bremen, founded in 1990 and operating under Rechtsdienstleistungsgesetz §10 with oversight from the Bundesamt für Justiz and membership in the BDIU industry association. The firm offers a full-stack debt recovery and receivables financing platform: amicable and judicial collection (Inkasso), receivables purchase (Forderungskauf), traditional factoring, a Hybrid model combining debt purchase with factoring and ongoing collection, Wirtschaftsauskünfte (credit information reports), payment method control with fraud-prevention at checkout, and attorney-based judicial collection delivered via a partnership with EHGO law firm. Service delivery is supported by a Web-Inkasso self-service portal launched in 2025 and a native integration with VARIO Software AG's ERP, which embeds bfi's collection module as a built-in feature for VARIO users.

The company operates six regional offices across Germany and has extended coverage into Austria and Switzerland, addressing the DACH B2B receivables market. Its customer base is diversified across e-commerce, publishers/media, trade associations, SMEs, large enterprises, insurance, utilities, and public-sector-adjacent segments. Revenue mechanics combine success-based collection fees, factoring spreads on purchased receivables, fees on the Hybrid product, and charges for credit reports and partner-enabled legal services. Sole managing director and managing partner is Andreas Ehlers; the firm is privately held with no public funding history and a stated headcount band of 11–50 employees, making it a small-to-mid-sized specialist rather than a scaled receivables platform.

Technology architecture centers on the Web-Inkasso portal, the VARIO ERP integration, structured multi-channel debtor communication workflows, and automated debtor scoring and credit-check processes. The build is process-automation-led rather than differentiated-AI-led: there is no disclosed proprietary ML model, no public AI research, and limited headcount to support a dedicated AI team, positioning the firm as an operationally efficient incumbent in a regulated niche rather than a technology disruptor.

Name

bfi Inkasso & Factoring

Legal name

bfi Bremer Factoring und Inkasso Kontor GmbH

Website

https://bfi-inkasso.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1990

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

bfi Inkasso & Factoring is a family-owned German debt collection and receivables management firm, founded 1990 and headquartered in Bremen, serving B2B clients across the DACH region with collection, factoring, debt purchase, credit reports, and a Web-Inkasso portal.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Debt Collection and Receivables Management Services

NAICS

Collection Agencies (56144), Nondepository Credit Intermediation (5222)

SIC

Miscellaneous Business Credit Institution (6159), Short-Term Business Credit Institutions (6153)

akta.pro primary industry

Payment Processing for Collections (Lockbox, ACH, Card, IVR) (FSAKAJAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Accounts Receivable (Invoicing, Cash Application, Deductions) (BPAAAGAB), Invoice Financing, Factoring & Receivables Management (FSAGAJAB), Receivables Finance (Factoring, Invoice Discounting, Forfaiting) (FSABAHAD)

Keywords

• Debt collection services
• Receivables management
• Factoring services
• Commercial debt recovery
• Credit reporting services

Headquarters

HQ city

Bremen

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Inkasso (Debt Collection): Collection of outstanding receivables on behalf of clients. Fees are charged to the debtor as default damages (Verzugsschaden). Success-based pricing with no upfront costs to the creditor.
2. Forderungskauf (Debt Purchase): Purchase of outstanding receivables from clients, providing immediate liquidity. bfi takes ownership and handles all collection. Payment to creditor is made upfront.
3. Factoring: Advance payment on receivables before maturity. Replaces open invoice with bfi's bank account, monitors payment receipts, and handles collection if payment fails.
4. Hybrid Inkasso-Forderungskauf: First year: commission-based collection on client's behalf. After one year: optional purchase offer for remaining open cases. Combines benefits of both models.
5. Wirtschaftsauskünfte (Credit Reports): Credit checks, scoring, and economic information services for assessing debtor creditworthiness before and during collection.
6. Forderungsmanagement (Debt Management): Outsourced accounts receivable management including invoicing, payment monitoring, dunning, and full collection services.
7. Anwaltliches Inkasso (Legal Collection): Legal debt collection through partner law firm EHGO, specializing in pre-litigation and post-judgment enforcement.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

bfi Inkasso & Factoring is a German debt collection and receivables management firm that recovers outstanding receivables on behalf of business clients across pre-litigation, judicial, and post-judgment enforcement phases. Beyond standard Inkasso, the company purchases non-performing receivables (Forderungskauf), provides factoring with pre-maturity liquidity, and offers full outsourced Forderungsmanagement including invoicing, payment monitoring, and dunning. Services are delivered on a success-based fee model with no upfront cost to the creditor and are supported by a proprietary Inkasso-Software platform, a Web-Inkasso self-service portal, and a native VARIO ERP integration.

Product overview

bfi Inkasso & Factoring is a Bremen-based, independent receivables management company offering a unified suite of collection and liquidity services. The core offering centers on Inkasso (debt collection), Forderungskauf (debt purchasing), and Factoring, augmented by a digital Web-Inkasso portal, attorney-based collection via the EHGO partner firm, and specialized add-on modules including credit reporting, address lookup, payment-method control with fraud prevention, long-term monitoring, and judicial enforcement. The VARIO Inkasso Integration provides a native, no-cost ERP connector for automated receivables handoff. The portfolio is delivered on an outcome-fee basis with no upfront cost to the client.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Inkasso (Debt Collection)

Quantifiable outcome

• Majority of debtors reach payment agreements after first two dunning letters
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

AI capability3 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• VARIO Software AGcoreTechnology or IntegrationPartnership with VARIO Software AG, manufacturer of ERP software for small and medium-sized trading and service companies in the DACH region. VARIO users can access integrated inkasso functionality directly within their ERP system at no additional cost. bfi serves as the collection partner handling cases transferred through VARIO's automated interface.
• EHGO (Ehlers-Godron Rechtsanwälte)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEHGO (Ehlers-Godron) is a specialized law firm for receivables management operating from bfi's premises. The partnership provides seamless switching between inkasso and legal collection. EHGO offers the full range of legal collection services including pre-litigation, court proceedings, enforcement, and debt purchase. Both firms use the same technology system enabling smooth case transfers.
• Bundesverband Deutscher Inkasso-Unternehmen e.V. (BDIU)minorOthersMembership in the Federal Association of German Debt Collection Companies (BDIU). The association sets standards for responsible, honest, and proper professional practice in the industry. BDIU membership indicates compliance with association standards and provides industry representation.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Atradius Collections: Global B2B receivables management and collections business, part of the broader Atradius credit insurance group. Comparable on enterprise debt recovery and factoring but within a much wider risk-solutions portfolio.
• Coface: Global credit insurance and receivables management player offering debt collection as part of a broader trade credit portfolio. Comparable in enterprise receivables management but operating as a wider incumbent rather than collection specialist.

Emerging players

• collectAI: Fintech-style AI-driven dunning and payment reminder platform competing in digital collections. Comparable in serving e-commerce and digital-first SMBs but with a software-led rather than full-service collection model.
• PAIR Finance: Berlin-based AI-driven debt collection fintech focused on digital-first, behavioral messaging for consumer receivables. Overlapping target customers (e-commerce, publishing) but differentiated by a fully digital, AI-native approach versus bfi's hybrid model.

Direct peers

• Creditreform: Germany's largest credit bureau and collection network, providing Inkasso, Wirtschaftsauskünfte, and factoring. Directly comparable on credit reporting, debt collection, and DACH SMB/mid-market focus.
• Intrum: Pan-European credit management and debt collection major with strong DACH presence. Comparable across full lifecycle (early-stage collection, debt purchase, legal enforcement) and serves similar enterprise/SMB segments.
• GFKL Lowell Group: German-headquartered receivables management firm (now part of Lowell Group) with full-service Inkasso, factoring, and debt purchase. Comparable in scale, DACH roots, and product portfolio including credit reporting.
• Inkasso Tesch: Long-established German debt collection firm with similar full-service Inkasso, Forderungskauf, and Forderungsmanagement offerings. Comparable in regulatory standing, DACH focus, and product breadth.
• EOS Group: One of Europe's largest debt collection services providers, part of Otto Group, offering Inkasso, factoring, and receivables management across DACH and globally. Directly comparable in service mix, geography, and target segments (e-commerce, publishing, utilities).
• Lindorff (now Lowell): European receivables management specialist (now Lowell Group) with DACH operations through GFKL. Comparable in debt purchase, factoring, and full-service Inkasso offerings across similar enterprise and consumer segments.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/bfi_inkasso
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@Der_Forderungsretter?app=desktop
• Facebookfacebook.com/bfi.inkasso
• Instagraminstagram.com/bfi_inkasso/?igshid=mf9tkepaxhw4
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bfi-factoring-inkasso

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries1 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 bfi Inkasso & Factoring