Investitionsbank Berlin

Chairman of the Management Board Hinrich Holm oversees overall strategy, while IBB Ventures managing directors make independent venture investment decisions through a dedicated investment committee. The bank reports to the Berlin Senate Department for Economics, which holds ultimate governance authority without interfering in individual deal selection.

IBB Ventures operates as a legally separate, wholly-owned subsidiary with its own deal team and investment committee. This structure allows it to co-invest alongside private venture funds on commercial terms while remaining insulated from the public-policy lending division that handles housing and SME finance.

No. IBB's statutory mandate restricts all investment and lending activity to Berlin and its immediate economic region. Even portfolio companies backed by IBB Ventures must maintain a material operational presence in the German capital.

IBB Ventures relies on co-investment syndicates with established Berlin-based VCs, drawing deal flow from firms such as Earlybird, Project A, and HV Capital. The bank also operates a business-plan competition and startup campus that serve as sourcing funnels for its venture arm.

While KfW operates as Germany's national development bank, IBB functions as Berlin's regional equivalent — originating and managing state-level economic development programs directly. The two institutions often cooperate on federal-state blended lending programs but maintain separate balance sheets and credit committees.

The bank provides both. Its core development division offers low-interest loans and grants, while IBB Ventures takes direct equity stakes in early-stage technology companies. The bank also participates in fund-of-funds commitments to Berlin-focused venture capital vehicles.

IBB's mandate excludes speculative real estate development, fossil-fuel infrastructure, and consumer lending. As a development bank, it cannot engage in proprietary trading or activity that competes directly with private-sector banks on standard commercial terms.