Business location Germany
Promoting innovation, shaping the digital future
Technological change is taking place at a rapid pace. KfW supports companies as they move into new worlds.
With the new shuttle warehouse, ‘Bergzeit’ was able to increase its output from 7,000 to a maximum of 12,000 parcels per day at peak times.
AI, blockchain, quantum computing, the energy transition - the pace at which technology is developing is breathtaking. It is essential for companies to keep pace with the digital transformation. This is the only way to open the doors to tomorrow and make economic success tangible. As KfW, we support companies in this transformation as partners. This is also the case with Bergzeit, a mountain sports outfitter that has transformed itself in 25 years from a small touring portal to an industry giant. Teresa Schuster, Deputy Managing Director of Bergzeit, explains:
"We applied for a KfW loan because the targeted promotion of innovative and sustainable projects is important to us. We used the funds to install 13 e-charging points at the company building and to build a second logistics hall with an automated shuttle warehouse that is completely digitally controlled. This was the only way to realise our targeted growth."
After 20 months of construction, the shuttle warehouse was put into operation.
Bergzeit is an excellent example of the success of our funding programmes. In principle, we use promotional loans and/or grants to support companies that want to implement innovations in their operations and focus on digitalisation.
"Of course, we are also promoting the use of artificial intelligence with our own funds, for example in content management. Another option is digital product advice, for example, which we use to reduce returns."
35%
Teresa Schuster, COO, Deputy Managing Director, Bergzeit GmbH.
However, we at KfW see ourselves not only as a lender, but rather as a strategic partner for the digital transformation. In this way, we want to strengthen Germany as a technology centre overall and at the same time support individual companies in their efforts to hold their own in national and international competition through innovation. We bring our expertise and extensive experience to the table.
Companies can apply for funding in various ways. Bergzeit first sought advice from its house bank in order to find an optimal programme. The projects were then financed via KfW, which stood by the company as a partner when Bergzeit took the next big step forward.
"We benefited from the fact that KfW supported many of our measures. That made the decision easier for us in some cases."
Published on KfW Stories on 15 May 2025.
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