Investitionsbank Berlin products, services and reviews

About Investitionsbank Berlin

Investitionsbank Berlin (IBB) is the State of Berlin’s development bank tasked with implementing economic, innovation, housing, and labor-market promotion programs. It does not operate as a universal retail bank and generally offers no current accounts; instead it provides subsidized loans, guarantees, grants, and advisory services for SMEs, startups, project developers, and housing companies, with some programs available to private households under defined income and use conditions. Delivery typically follows the house-bank principle in which applications are submitted through a commercial bank that shares risk and collateral, though certain grant or microfinance lines and innovation instruments are handled directly via IBB’s portals. Business financing spans startup and growth loans, working capital and investment support, innovation and R&D funding, and investment grants co-financed under national or EU frameworks (including ERDF/ESF where applicable); IBB Ventures, the group’s venture capital arm, makes minority equity investments in early-stage companies alongside private co-investors. In housing, IBB administers Berlin’s social housing construction and modernization programs and runs energy-efficiency and refurbishment schemes for residential stock. Funding for these activities comes from the State of Berlin’s budgets, refinancing on capital markets, and mandate-based funds; program terms reflect state-aid rules (e.g., de minimis or General Block Exemption), sector-specific eligibility, and location requirements tied to Berlin. Applicants should expect formal documentation, credit and viability checks, possible collateral or personal guarantees, processing or commitment fees on certain loans, and fixed budgets that can lead to application cutoffs; conditions, interest rates, and available instruments are updated periodically and may change without notice. IBB is a public-law institution operating under German banking and public funding regulations, coordinates with federal promotional banks and local authorities, and provides application guidance via online resources, phone, and scheduled advisory appointments.