Deutsches Eigenkapitalforum: Lead conference for issuers and investors

28 Nov 2019

Deutsches Eigenkapitalforum: Lead conference for issuers and investors

Titel: Deutsches Eigenkapitalforum

Every year, the Deutsches Eigenkapitalforum (German Equity Forum, EKF) is a highlight in Deutsche Börse AG's calendar of events. From 25 to 27 November 2019, the Sheraton Hotel at Frankfurt Airport once again hosted the “Companies meet investors” event at Europe's largest information and network event on corporate financing via the stock exchange.

The event partners Deutsche Börse AG and KfW Capital traditionally welcome the participants. Hauke Stars, member of the Executive Board of Deutsche Börse, looked back on the past IPO year. Although there were two major IPOs in the third quarter with Traton SE and TeamViewer AG, the economic situation in Europe, Brexit and the trade conflict between the USA and China caused uncertainty in the markets. “We can all only hope that uncertainty will finally become certainty in 2020”.

In her speech, Ingrid Hengster, Executive Board member of KfW Bankengruppe, emphasised the importance of innovation and suitable financing for a country like Germany that is poor in raw materials. KfW decided to offer promotional loans at negative interest rates in the near future in order to remain a reliable partner for entrepreneurs in the negative interest rate environment. According to Hengster, KfW Capital will invest two billion euros in German and European venture capital funds over the next ten years to improve the financing conditions for innovative growth companies through financially strong companies. "No idea must fail because of the lack of financing," Hengster said. 

More than 1,000 institutional investors and financial analysts as well as around 250 companies took part in EKF. For companies from various industries, the focus is on analysts' conferences and the more than 4,500 1-on-1 meetings with investors. Deutsche Börse Venture Network and a selection of its member companies were also present. Like other growth companies, they took the opportunity to present themselves to investors at the Venture Stage. 

Deutsche Börse was once again able to recruit exciting experts from the financial community for the supporting programme consisting of lectures and panel discussions. The chief economist of Commerzbank AG, Jörg Krämer, for example, spoke about the “Cold Trade War” and its consequences.

Protectionism, Brexit, climate crisis: Jörn Quitzau, economist and head of economic trends at Berenberg, addressed the challenges facing the German economy. For a long time, Germany was the economic engine in Europe and is now suddenly in crisis. Is this just a dent on the way up or is it the beginning of long-lasting structural problems? He also talked about that.

The Deutsches Eigenkapitalforum 2020 will take place from 16 to 18 November.