Berlin is looking for successors: 8,600 companies are in front of that!

Berlin is looking for successors: 8,600 companies are in front of that!

Franklinstraße 6, 10587 Berlin, Deutschland - The challenges for companies in Berlin are numerous, especially when it comes to the question of succession. This became clear at the official opening of the follow -up center at the Berlin Bürgschaftsbank in Charlottenburg on Wednesday. A digital portal is offered here, which is supposed to network entrepreneurs with potential successors. Despite the registration of around 300 interested parties and some discussions performed, no binding contracts have so far been concluded.

The follow-up center is a joint project by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry (IHK) and the Chamber of Crafts (HWK), which is supported by the Senate Economic Administration. This initiative is necessary because the Berlin economy faces major challenges; In 180,000 Berlin companies, many entrepreneurs are over 55 years old. Over 8,600 companies urgently need a successor solution within the next two years, as corporate successor speaker Christian Schuchardt emphasizes.

demographic change and successor deficiency

The forecasts are alarming: If it is not possible to find successors in good time, closures and the loss of jobs and the traditional company are at risk. Economic Senator Franziska Giffey (SPD) pointed out the importance of maintaining infrastructure and emphasized the need to launch the follow -up center.

The discrepancy between the registered follow -up and the entrepreneurs who want to hand over their businesses is striking. While more than two thirds of the registrations come from young entrepreneurs who want to succeed, finding suitable successors is the greatest challenge according to the survey - even before financial considerations.

Quality of the interested parties

Despite the challenges, director Thomas Gütschow is optimistic about the quality of the interested parties, who often have to show a strong background and a valid letter of motivation. With 30 identified potential “matches”, there were initial talks. This shows that the search for suitable successor partners is not only a number problem, but also depends on numerous qualitative factors.

worrying is the fact that many of the companies suitable for succession only act on a smaller scale. Over 50 percent of companies interested in the successor center employ fewer than ten employees. This raises questions about the long -term load -bearing capacity of companies, and it remains unclear whether they can withstand the challenges of the industry.

The coordination between the old and new entrepreneurs is crucial. In many cases, the emissions have expressed the request to continue to provide advice. However, this can be an additional hurdle for the successors, since clear agreements with regard to the distribution of roles must be made. The follow -up center must act as a mediator and define clear rules of the game.

Another aspect is the handling of the workforce, which is often concerned about the upcoming changes. An unsafe work environment could also endanger the value of the company, which means that many entrepreneurs prefer to keep their plans behind the mountain.

For everyone who is interested in such a successor, the free consultation offer from the successor center, chambers of crafts and the guarantee bank offers valuable help. After all, the preservation of jobs, tradition and entrepreneurial knowledge is of central importance for the future of Berlin.

In the coming months, it will be necessary to observe whether further progress can be made. The first hurdle is to find the right “match” in order to enable as many Berlin companies as possible as possible. For more detailed information on this topic, see the current reporting on www.tagesspiegel.de .