Founding a company in Germany: €9600, 152 days and I still can't send an invoice

Post by mb_thd » Wed, Jun 24, 2026, 1:25 PM UTC

ExoticPearTree wrote: post #55

lnsru wrote: post #19

I am an electrician. Got my certification done with Handwerkskammer, went to the city hall, registered my company and filled online form rejecting the option with VAT number since all my clients are in greater Munich area. Same path could be chosen with VAT number. Ranting about choosing most complex business form and having no money for a consultant is not adequate in my eyes. Btw I am always liable as electrician (…

> Ranting about choosing most complex business form and having no money for a consultant is not adequate in my eyes. You shouldn't need a consultant to open a company. Should be a form and that's it. Maybe an accountant to certify your books, but that's it.

Post by VadimPR » Wed, Jun 24, 2026, 1:26 PM UTC

something765478 wrote: post #56

VadimPR wrote: post #8

Before Europe gets lumped in as one country, founding a company in Netherlands and Sweden, speaking from personal experience, is a breeze. Although Sweden is a bit strange in the fact that banks have as much equal say as the government authority does in you starting a company, and if they don't want you as a customer, they can simply deny the right for your company to start!

> Although Sweden is a bit strange in the fact that banks have as much equal say as the government authority does in you starting a company, and if they don't want you as a customer, they can simply deny the right for your company to start! Wait, how does that work? Are you saying that if the bank doesn't like me, instead of just denying me a loan, they can convince other banks not to loan to me as well?

Post by Aurornis » Wed, Jun 24, 2026, 1:26 PM UTC

mpweiher wrote: post #29

earcar wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It is not complicated, it is in fact quite standard here in Germany. I explain in the post how the other options are worse.

Yes, what you are doing is complicated. I did a GmbH with "Musterprotokolle" so virtually no lawyer fees and quick and easy to set up. And a GmbH is limited liability. It's in the name. Gesellschaft mit beschränkter Haftung . GmbH. The Geschäftsführer is liable for certain (avoidable) things in either case. The difference is that that the Co KG can be taxed like a "Personengesellschaft". So you wanted to optimize tax…

Post by fifafu » Wed, Jun 24, 2026, 1:27 PM UTC

Aurornis wrote: post #69

stop50 wrote: post #2

For information: GmbH & Co. KG is one of the most complicated forms an company can be founded, the same goes if the inner company is an UG. Many things have to be done twice. The only good thing is that an investor or an owner are not liable with their private money.

> The only good thing is that an investor or an owner are not liable with their private money. That’s incredibly important. More than a footnote. I would consider any other form to be non-viable if it doesn’t have such protections. For comparison, starting an LLC in the United States is a trivial operation. I can’t even remember how long it took me to set mine up because it was a trivial event. Maybe a couple hours,…

Post by philipwhiuk » Wed, Jun 24, 2026, 1:27 PM UTC

AmazingTurtle wrote: post #57

I founded a UG with 2 friends. 7.500 capital, 2.500 each. From that money, we paid the notary. We drafted with chatgpt on our own and presented it to an attorney for review, ~300€. Notary ~1.200€. All in all, we are 1.5 years in, we still have ~3.000 left from that 7.500 capital. Obviously you're doing something wrong