The two-coordinate germanium cation [(IDipp){(Me₃Si)₂CH}Ge:]⁺ has been synthesized, which lacks π-donor stabilization of the metal center and consequently has a very small HOMO–LUMO gap (187 kJ mol⁻¹). It undergoes a variety of facile oxidative bond-forming reactions, most notably allowing access to the first examples of Group 14 metal cations containing ME multiple bonds (E=C, N). The use of an electrostatic (rather than purely steric) strategy to discourage aggregation means that less bulky systems (for example, containing a primary alkylidene fragment, CHR) are accessible.