Germany will seek private investment at an Oct. 20 summit in Berlin, as Chancellor Friedrich Merz courts business leaders after price-adjusted spending on fixed assets fell 0.5% in 2025.
The government expects about 200 domestic and international executives and investors at the main conference. A separate reception on Oct. 19 could draw as many as 500 people. Merz is scheduled to speak at the reception and join Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang for an onstage discussion.
The Federal Statistical Office said price-adjusted gross fixed capital formation fell 0.5% in 2025 from 2024. Investment in machinery and equipment declined 2.3%.
The weakness extends beyond a single year, according to Allianz Research. It estimates that German gross fixed investment was 6.4% lower in 2025 than in 2019, compared with increases of 6.7% in the rest of the eurozone and 20.2% in the United States over the same period.
Allianz identifies high energy and labor costs, bureaucracy, skills shortages and financing constraints as barriers to investment. It says the Deutschlandfonds aims to draw €130 billion from private investors using about €30 billion in public guarantees and equity. That public backing is intended to reduce investors’ exposure to project risk. Allianz says projects in energy, digital infrastructure, transport and defense could attract investment if barriers ease.
The government describes the summit as the start of a continuing effort to connect investors with German officials. Conference sessions are scheduled to cover industrial artificial intelligence, semiconductors, finance, infrastructure and energy. Handelsblatt previously reported plans for an industrial AI partnership involving Nvidia and public funding.
The Oct. 20 opening session begins at 3:30 a.m. ET (07:30 UTC). Merz, Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil and Economic Affairs and Energy Minister Katherina Reiche are scheduled to make a joint statement at approximately 9:30 a.m. ET (13:30 UTC).
