Starting a Business in Berlin

4 5 Starting a Business in Berlin A Beginner’s Guide FOUNDING PROCESS MODEL Creating an idea Initial information and advice residence title (if necessary) Tax advisor Legal advisor Insurances Other consultants Public authorities Financing and capital procurement How do you come up with the idea or who can inspire you to start a business, e.g. talking to founders, job center, university, etc. This is where you can get first information on how to start a business, e.g. with the help of internet research, brochures, initial consultation by IHK Berlin, accelerators, incubators or others. These are all kind of advisors or authorities that you can contact in order to create your business plan, e.g. to decide on the legal form, create your profi- tability forecast etc. These institutions you can contact to obtain fi- nancing e.g. IBB or KfW for promotional loans, investment companies, banks, business angels, VCs, crowdfunding platforms. INFORMING PLANNING Commercial register entry (if necessary) Trade registration Tax ID application Contracting insurances The commercial register entry (“Handelsregister- eintrag”) is mandatory for some legal forms. A notary will arrange this for you. Trade registration (“Gewerbeanmeldung”) is done at the “Gewer- beamt”. The tax office (“Finanz- amt”) will contact you automatically after trade registration. To accelerate proceedings, hand in the 8-page- form personally (tax advisors offer support). All further steps needed to start operations, like finding office space in “Gründungszentren” etc. FOUNDING OTHER Opening up a bank account Finding commercial space