More and more companies in Germany are unable to find successors. According to KfW Around 231,000 small and medium-sized businesses are planning to close by the end of 2025—67,500 more than in the previous year. Jobs, regional value creation, and innovative strength are at stake.
To cushion this development, UnternehmerTUM Its offerings include Entrepreneurship through Acquisition (ETA). The approach involves founders acquiring existing companies, developing them further, and securing their future.
Closing succession gaps in medium-sized businesses
Christian Mohr, Chief Customer Officer of UnternehmerTUM, explains:
"The significant succession gap facing German companies is one of the greatest challenges facing our economy, requiring new solutions and innovative approaches. Accordingly, the topic of external business succession is becoming increasingly important. With the ETA program, UnternehmerTUM is closing a strategic gap in its portfolio – with a comprehensive offering from training to implementation. With our strong international network (...), we want to sustainably support companies in their transformation and thus contribute to a Germany of entrepreneurs."
The figures underscore the urgency: According to the Institute for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (ISME Research) in Bonn, more than 190,000 companies across Germany with more than 2.5 million employees are scheduled to be handed over by 2026. In Bavaria alone, according to the Bavarian State Ministry, this affects 36,500 businesses with 618,000 jobs. Many owners are over 60 years old, but only just under half have found a concrete succession solution so far. If the handover fails, there is a risk not only of business closures but also of losses to regional ecosystems.
New opportunities for founders
The new offering from UnternehmerTUM is aimed at talented individuals who see company acquisition as an alternative to starting a new business. The ETA Hub promotes knowledge transfer, connects successor companies with investors, and builds bridges between business, academia, and politics.
Partners include Novastone Partners, Deutsche Bank WM, and Tengelmann Growth Partners. With this network, UnternehmerTUM aims to generate new growth momentum. This opens up a new form of startup for the Munich startup scene, which could strengthen Bavaria as a business location in the long term.
