3rd Frankfurt School Real Estate Day: New Perspectives on Capital, Financing and Investment

• The Real Estate Day once again brought together academia, industry and emerging talent, providing guidance in a changing market.
• New financing conditions and shifting capital flows are shaping investment decisions in the real estate industry.
• Debt structures, regulatory requirements and geopolitical uncertainty call for new approaches to financing and investment.

Where will the capital of the future flow – and who will finance real estate in a fundamentally changed market environment? This question was at the heart of the 3rd Frankfurt School Real Estate Day, held under the theme “Funding the Future: Capital, Debt and Investment in Transition.” Organised by the Frankfurt School Real Estate Institute (FS REI), the conference brought together representatives from investment, finance, the real estate industry and academia at Frankfurt School of Finance & Management.

Discussions focused on the key challenges facing investors, lenders and property owners: from shifting institutional capital flows and new debt structures to Germany’s attractiveness as an investment location and the prospects of individual asset classes, as well as the growing importance of infrastructure as an investment theme.

“The real estate industry is undergoing a period of fundamental realignment. Capital remains available, but the requirements regarding financing, risk and returns have changed significantly. This makes dialogue between investors, lenders, academia and emerging talent all the more important. The Frankfurt School Real Estate Day provides precisely this platform: for informed analysis, diverse perspectives and fresh impetus for the future of the industry,” says Professor Dr Kerstin Hennig, Head of the Frankfurt School Real Estate Institute, and moderator of the conference. 

Rethinking capital and financing

One key focus was on how the financing landscape is changing globally and across Europe, and which sources of capital are likely to play a greater role in the future. Discussions also explored new investment opportunities and the growing importance of infrastructure and other real assets.

Leading experts from organisations including BayernLB, LBBW, Berlin Hyp, NATIXIS Pfandbriefbank, Barings, PIMCO Prime Real Estate, BNP Paribas REIM, Fraport, Drees & Sommer, Tristan Capital Partners and ZIA shared their perspectives. In doing so, the Real Estate Day brought together views from banking, institutional investment, asset management, the real estate industry and infrastructure.

“The real estate industry is not facing a shortage of capital, but a structural transformation. The decisive factor will be to combine capital with quality, sustainability and long-term value creation. The Frankfurt School Real Estate Day provides a forum for discussing these changes from different perspectives and assessing their implications for financing and investment,” says Jürgen Fenk, Member of the Management Board of Zech Real Estate AG.

Providing guidance in a complex market

The Real Estate Day brought together market participants, investors, lenders and academics to not only describe current developments, but also assess their implications for specific investment and financing decisions. In particular, the interaction between capital markets, geopolitics, regulation and infrastructure makes this exchange increasingly relevant for the industry.

The Frankfurt School Real Estate Institute combines research, teaching and practice while strengthening the visibility and broader economic significance of the real estate industry. One particular focus is on developing the next generation of professionals, including through the internationally oriented Master in Real Estate, which covers key topics ranging from financing and investment to digitalisation, sustainability and AI.

Pictures of the Real Estate Day are available for download until 9 October 2026 here.