Who do you work with?

European startups, SMEs and Mittelstand companies building a presence in India, and Indian companies expanding into Europe. We work with founders, owners and management teams directly rather than through large project structures.

How far do you go on an M&A mandate?

We shape the search, open the right doors, prepare and moderate the conversations and keep both sides aligned through the process. We work alongside legal and financial advisors rather than replacing them.

How do we start a conversation?

Write to us at contact@india-catalyst.com and we will arrange a first call to understand what you are planning.

Do you invest in funds or directly in companies?

In funds. Allocations go into Indian venture capital and mid-market private equity vehicles, diversified across sectors, stages and vintage years rather than concentrated in single companies.

What do investors have to do themselves?

Very little beyond the allocation decision. Sourcing, manager review, due diligence, ongoing monitoring and reporting sit with us.

How do we get in touch?

Write to contact@india-catalyst.com . We will arrange a call to understand your allocation goals and explain how we work.

Home About Us Consulting Capital News

Europe — India

Two Markets. One Catalyst.

Your bridge to opportunities across India and Europe

Bandra-Worli Sea Link crossing Mumbai Bay toward the skyline

Advisory

India Catalyst Consulting

Consulting boutique for market entry, partnerships and network. Specialised in working with startups, SMEs and Mittelstand companies.

Investment

India Catalyst Capital

We provide European family offices and institutional investors with tailor-made access to India's high-growth private markets.

The opportunity

Why now?

India offers unmatched scale: a 1.4B population, the fastest-growing major economy, and a world-class talent pool. Europe brings capital, technology, and industry leadership - assets India increasingly demands. Trade is at record highs, supply chains are shifting, and cross-border talent flows are accelerating. Indian companies are expanding into Europe; European companies are scaling in India. The result: a rare moment where two markets perfectly complement each other.

1.4B: people – the world’s largest population and a young, growing talent pool
~7%: annual real GDP growth – the fastest among major economies
€120bn+: EU–India trade in goods, at a record high
Jan 2026: EU–India Free Trade Agreement concluded – linking ~25% of global GDP

How we work

Our approach is based on three core pillars:

Long-standing investment and consulting experience

Deep cultural competence and India experience

A resilient, high-level network in business, politics and civil society

Background

Our History

We have been working together on various projects in science (Innovation Economics), business (Family Office) and philanthropy (Indo-German Young Leaders Forum (IGYLF)) for over ten years. With the latter, we have built a platform that is now one of the most important non-governmental initiatives between the two countries.

India Catalyst emerged from this history: the desire to transfer existing cultural competence, network and experience from many projects into a professional structure – accessible to companies and investors.

Press & perspectives

India Catalyst in the News

View all news

TV BerlinJuly 2026

"Investing in India is worth it" – Max von Laer on TV Berlin

Max von Laer discusses why investing in India is worthwhile, exploring the country's economic trajectory and the opportunities it offers for European investors.

Watch interview

ThePioneerMarch 2026

India on the path to economic superpower: Why European investors should act now

India barely features in European investor portfolios – yet the landscape has fundamentally changed.

Read article

HandelsblattFebruary 2026

Why more and more students are doing their MBA in India

Indian business schools are becoming increasingly attractive internationally. More European students are choosing to earn their degree in India.

Read article

Berliner ZeitungFebruary 2026

Billion-dollar deal with India: Europe is catching up on what it neglected for decades

Two billion people, a historic free trade agreement – and German companies that need to act now.

Read article

TechFinitiveFebruary 2026

Is the EU-India free trade agreement the 'mother of all deals' or an over-hyped handshake? View from the world experts

India and the EU struck a historic trade deal – the largest free trade agreement ever concluded by either side. CEOs, finance leaders and trade experts share their views.

Read article

View all news

Impressions

Around the table

We host roundtables, dinners and panels that bring European and Indian entrepreneurs, investors and decision-makers into the same room. It's our conviction that the corridor is built one conversation at a time.

Panellists at the India Unlocked event in Berlin

Leadership

Team

Partner

Dr. Maximilian von Laer

Lived in New Delhi for several years, speaks Hindi and worked as Chief of Staff in a German family office. He has extensive experience in strategy, investment management and the operational implementation of German-Indian business projects. He also headed the India work of the Bertelsmann Foundation and brings broad leadership experience – both from his own activity as a founder as well as from management roles in external companies, which he accompanied in particular in various growth and scaling phases.

Partner

Dr. Florian Ramel

Built and managed a portfolio of venture capital and private equity funds in a German family office. He brings deep understanding of fund structures, manager selection and portfolio management in addition to long-standing involvement in German-Indian innovation and network formats. This expertise is complemented by in-depth experience in business management, which he has gained through consulting and supporting numerous companies in their founding phase as well as by assuming management positions.

Questions

Two Markets. One Catalyst.

India Catalyst Consulting

India Catalyst Capital

Why now?

Why now?

Our approach is based on three core pillars:

Our History

India Catalyst in the News

"Investing in India is worth it" – Max von Laer on TV Berlin

India on the path to economic superpower: Why European investors should act now

Why more and more students are doing their MBA in India

Billion-dollar deal with India: Europe is catching up on what it neglected for decades

Is the EU-India free trade agreement the 'mother of all deals' or an over-hyped handshake? View from the world experts

Around the table

Team

Dr. Maximilian von Laer

Dr. Florian Ramel

Frequently asked questions

Who do you work with?

How far do you go on an M&A mandate?

How do we start a conversation?

Do you invest in funds or directly in companies?

What do investors have to do themselves?

How do we get in touch?