Around half a million companies are established in Germany each year, according to the Institut für Mittelstandsforschung. Unfortunately, almost as many are dissolved in the same period of time, often after a very short time. Fear of potential costs should not deter founders from seeking professional help. But even in the pre-foundation phase, a professional can protect you from nasty surprises or later troubles, such as with the tax office. Often, start-up consulting will even pay off financially for you by attracting funding, such as by optimizing your funding structure. In many cases, counselling can be self-supported.