By using your company name for goods and services, you can, even if unknowingly, infringe the trademarks or other trademark rights of third parties. Warnings and their costs can be the consequence. Often the change of your company name, i.e., the change of your start-up name, is the necessary way out. This usually has negative consequences from an external perspective, but also from a marketing point of view. In order to protect yourself from such unpleasant consequences, it is advisable to check the start-up name, the company and product names you have designed for possible collisions with existing trademarks before founding the company.

 Trademark Research Before Founding a Start-up

From a tax perspective, too, virtual shares are an attractive solution in order to give employees a share in the appreciation of the company. The main reason for this lies in the mere fact that there are no doubts on the tax effects of virtual shares; they are clearly predictable. In addition, the dry income problem does not apply to virtual shares. Therefore, the initial plan to motivate employees to deliver high performances is not jeopardised by tax burdens arising in advance. Taxes are only due once the employees actually receive cash payments.

Virtual Shares: From a Tax Perspective

From a founders’ perspective, virtual shares have many advantages. They motivate good employees to become personally involved and stay in the company without making them shareholders. This is because no real GmbH shares are issued to the employees. They only participate economically in the appreciation of the company.

Virtual Shares From a Founder’s Perspective: Their Advantages and How They Work

There are new eligibility guidelines for the Invest funding programme. They apply to applications from 06.02.2023 on and make things easier with respect to convertible loans. 

Convertible Loans and the New Invest Eligibility Guidelines

Since 1st of August 2022 you can establish a GmbH or UG (haftungsbeschränkt) online. The Federal Chamber of Notaries (Bundesnotarkammer) has developed a platform for the online incorporation of a GmbH or UG (haftungsbeschränkt) thanks to which you can establish a GmbH or UG (haftungsbeschränkt) subject to a two-stage identity procedure. With this procedure, you can skip the face-to-face appointment at the notary's office and replace it by a safe video call. You only need two mobile devices (computer/tablet and smartphone) on which you can download the free notary app. With this app and the special video communication system, it is possible for the notary to check your identity by reading the chip of your suitable identity document (eID-capable identity card/eID card for EU and EEA citizens/electronic residence permit). Furthermore, the online procedure also enables the notarial certification of applications to the commercial register.

The Online Formation and Registration of a Gmbh or UG (Haftungsbeschränkt)

To be liquid means colloquially "to be fluid". Or in business terms, you should have enough money in your business account at all times.

If the payouts are greater than your deposits over a longer period of time, your company is on the verge of going out of business. Accordingly, liquidity is as important for start-ups as oxygen is for living creatures.


Liquidity Planning for Start-Ups

Controlling is an essential component of entrepreneurial success. By setting and monitoring goals, start-ups are able to react to deviations in any business situation. Controlling in start-ups should still give you a lot of freedom and flexibility for your young company and ideally grow with the company. It is a tool for start-ups that are serious and want to be successful in the long term.

This is How You Can Successfully Manage Your Start-Up - With Controlling!

What is the best way to become self-employed? There are many professions for self-employment. Business areas with little competition are best suited, for example local offers or services and goods that no one else has on offer.

Whether there are costs involved in becoming self-employed depends, among other things, on the type of business idea you have. As a sole proprietor, you can also get started without start-up capital. However, funding is always helpful if you want to gain customers as quickly as possible. Many founders decide to start a small business and then expand it step by step.


Becoming Self-Employed: Step by Step to Self-Employment

Whether you are a German or international entrepreneur - the right prerequisites are important if you want to get off to a successful start with your ideas and business concepts. Acquire the necessary expertise as an Entrepreneur in Residence or during your studies if you don't want to take the full risk right away. Here you can learn everything about successful entrepreneurship and become a successful founder yourself with the necessary know-how.

What Exactly Is an Entrepreneur?

Working as a digital nomad sounds tempting, but in reality it is often harder than expected and by no means just a holiday with lucrative side work. However, with good preparation, a regular clientele and some start-up capital, the entry for internet nomads can be successful. If you want to become a digital nomad, you should also choose places that offer good internet and mobile phone reception.

Digital Nomads - A Lifetime Dream?

Of course, a real Christmas party where everyone meets in person cannot be replaced with a digital party. Nevertheless, the virtual Christmas party can be a good alternative for companies at special times. After all, coming together virtually as a team does not necessarily always have to have a business character.

With all kinds of games and other ideas, the celebration can even be quite fun. It is important to prepare well and have a moderator to guide the evening in order to prevent chaos and to make sure the joint games and activities are coordinated.

Digital Christmas Party - An Alternative?

Thanks to smartboards at school or homeschooling via learning platforms, pupils and teachers can now work through the subject matter digitally. For digital learning at school to have a positive influence on other areas of life, it is important that teachers are professionally qualified and that parents monitor the learning opportunities at home.

The digitalisation of teaching as well as the pedagogical teaching of media skills have an impact on later opportunities in professional life and will therefore continue to be a high priority in schools and training centres.


Digital Learning in All Areas of Life

According to the definition of digital identity, a large number of areas of life are affected by the digital transformation and the introduction of a digital identity. The digital identity is often described as the "I" in the Internet, as many digital processes take place online. Whether the digital identity will successfully influence companies in Germany depends strongly on the competent implementation as well as the acceptance of citizens to actively use their digital identity online and offline in the future.

Overall, the introduction of a digital identity in Europe will bring many advantages. Many of today's very time-consuming processes can be simplified and handled much faster. Above all, it will be easier to go to the authorities, make applications and prove one's own identity if the implementation is technically flawless. Instead of creating new profiles and online identities everywhere, thanks to digital identity, in the future, everything will work with a single ID throughout the EU.

Digital Identity - The ME on the Net 

There is no concrete guide through the digital world. Even what the digital world will look like in the future cannot be clearly predicted today. However, the trend towards digital transformation is clearly recognisable and many companies, but also schools, have already recognised this and are increasingly focusing on digital training and the use of innovative technologies.

Data and consumer protection should not be fogotten in the digital world, so that digital content can be used safely and trustworthily in the future and be accepted as an opportunity by everyone. Those who feel safe in the digital world are also open to new developments that will definitely come in the future.

The Digital World - In Businesses, Schools and Private Life

Digital currencies are in vogue - several countries around the world are currently working on introducing them to offer an alternative to cryptocurrencies. The EU has also set itself the goal of establishing the digital euro in the next few years and making it as stable and secure as classic cash.

Advice for Founders

Trademark Research Before Founding a Start-up

Virtual Shares: From a Tax Perspective

Virtual Shares From a Founder’s Perspective: Their Advantages and How They Work

Convertible Loans and the New Invest Eligibility Guidelines

The Online Formation and Registration of a Gmbh or UG (Haftungsbeschränkt)

Liquidity Planning for Start-Ups

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