What CODE University of Applied Sciences does

CODE University of Applied Sciences is a private, state-recognized university located in Berlin (Donaustr. 44, 12043 Berlin), operating as CODE Education GmbH (HRB 181119 B). Founded by Tom Bachem and officially launched as a teaching institution in 2018, CODE offers three English-taught Bachelor's programs (Software Engineering B.Sc., Business Management & Entrepreneurship B.A., Digital Design & Innovation B.A.) and two Master's programs (Technology & Management M.Sc., Innovation Design M.A.), targeting ambitious candidates seeking careers as software engineers, designers, and entrepreneurs. The institution is deliberately embedded in Berlin's tech ecosystem and is governed since 2023 by the CODE Trust — a majority-shareholder structure composed of prominent German tech founders (Stephan Schambach, Daniel Krauss, Florian Heinemann, Rolf Schroemgens, Petra Becker) who provide capital, governance, and network access.

The university's core pedagogy is curiosity-driven and project-based: students work in interdisciplinary teams of 6–15 on self-selected or partner-company projects, guided by professors acting as mentors, with a Science, Technology & Society (STS) liberal-arts thread running throughout. Curriculum modules span web development, data science, applied AI, UX/IoT, product management, and digital marketing; AI is woven across modules (AI Basics, Machine Learning, Data Science, AI in Design, AI for Product Managers) and an Applied AI specialization. More than 50 corporate and startup partners — including Porsche, SAP, Telekom, Meta, AWS, and Axel Springer — supply projects, theses, and recruiting pipelines; international academic exchange partnerships include Stanford Summer Session, Elisava, TU/e Eindhoven, and NTNU. Faculty research includes work on learner motivation in the age of generative AI.

CODE's business model is tuition-driven subscription recurring revenue at €1,250 per month for Bachelor's programs, with upfront and annual payment discounts, a scholarship program based on financial need and merit, and an Income Share Agreement (Pay Later Model) that defers payment until post-graduation employment above an income threshold. As a private institution not state-funded, tuition is the primary revenue stream; the December 2025 €7M+ funding round (CODE Trust, Fadelia, GF BRYCK Ventures, IBB Capital) explicitly funds new programs, international expansion, and AI initiatives. Marketing is community-led via the code.berlin website, DAAD and Study-in-Germany referrals, Open Campus Days, Instagram, LinkedIn, and partner referrals, targeting both domestic and international applicants through rolling admissions.

Name

CODE University of Applied Sciences

Legal name

CODE Education GmbH

Website

https://code.berlin

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

CODE University of Applied Sciences is a private, state-recognized university in Berlin offering English-taught Bachelor's and Master's degrees in software engineering, digital design, and business entrepreneurship. It delivers project-based, curiosity-driven education embedded in Berlin's tech ecosystem with 50+ corporate partners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Educational Services (611)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Polytechnic & Applied Sciences Universities (EDAHAEAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Engineering & Technology Institutes (Comprehensive) (EDAHAEAA), Text-Based Programming (Python, Java, C/C++) (EDAMACAB), University/College Continuing Education (Extension) Programs (EDAAAEAA)

Keywords

• Higher education services
• Undergraduate degree programs
• Technology focused university
• Project based learning
• Digital education programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Berlin

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Tuition Fees: CODE charges tuition fees of €1,250 per month for Bachelor programs. As a private university not funded by the state, tuition is the primary revenue stream. Students pay monthly throughout their studies.
2. Income Share Agreement (Pay Later Model): Alternative financing option where students repay tuition after graduation once employed above a minimum income threshold. Students pay nothing if their income falls below the threshold.
3. Scholarships: CODE offers scholarships to students meeting eligibility criteria based on financial need and academic merit, awarded after successful completion of the admission process.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

CODE University of Applied Sciences is a private, state-recognized university in Berlin that delivers state-accredited Bachelor's and Master's degree programs (Software Engineering, Business Management & Entrepreneurship, Digital Design & Innovation, Technology & Management, Innovation Design) through a project-based, curiosity-driven learning model integrated with Berlin's tech ecosystem. It supplements degree programs with an Income Share Agreement financing option and an Executive Education offering, with AI embedded across the curriculum.

Product overview

CODE University of Applied Sciences is a private university in Berlin offering a portfolio of five state-accredited degree programs — three Bachelor's (Software Engineering B.Sc., Business Management & Entrepreneurship B.A., Digital Design & Innovation B.A.) and two Master's (Technology & Management M.Sc., Innovation Design M.A.) — all taught in English. The institution is built around a project-based, curiosity-driven learning concept (Science, Technology & Society) that runs throughout studies, integrating interdisciplinary modules and company partnerships. The curriculum embeds AI across multiple layers: dedicated AI modules (Artificial Intelligence Basics, Machine Learning, Data Science, AI in Design, AI for Product Managers), AI-focused specializations (Applied Artificial Intelligence, AI Innovation), and student-founded AI startups supported through the university's startup ecosystem. Financing is facilitated through an Income Share Agreement (Pay Later Model) alongside traditional tuition payment options. Executive Education programs extend AI learning to professionals outside the degree programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Software Engineering (B.Sc.) A three-year English-taught bachelor's degree program for prospective software engineers that builds and deploys software using modern technologies, covering web development, software operations, data science, and applied AI.
• Business Management & Entrepreneurship (B.A.) A bachelor's degree program for aspiring entrepreneurs and product leaders, teaching business strategy and product launch with specializations in product management, digital marketing, AI innovation, and entrepreneurial leadership.
• Digital Design & Innovation (B.A.) A bachelor's degree program for designers focused on crafting meaningful user experiences and realizing artistic vision, with specializations in IoT, AI in design, design research, digital media, and UX.
• Technology & Management (M.Sc.) A master's degree program that combines hands-on technology and business skills to prepare graduates as leaders in the technology industry.
• Innovation Design (M.A.) A master's degree program applying design as a strategic tool to lead innovation and shape future products, offered in 60, 90, and 120 credit-point variants.
• Executive Education Professional development programs for working professionals seeking to deepen their understanding of AI, offered alongside the degree programs.
• Income Share Agreement (Pay Later Model) An alternative tuition financing product where students begin repaying tuition only after graduation once employed and earning above a minimum income threshold, with zero repayment when income is below threshold.

Quantifiable outcome

• Graduates work at leading tech companies including Meta, SAP, Amazon Web Services, Porsche, and Axel Springer
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability5 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Oxford InternationalcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 February 2026Oxford International has partnered with Whitecliffe University of Applied Sciences (currently Berlin International University of Applied Sciences) to expand English-taught study opportunities in Berlin. Beginning October 2026, international students can study across nine undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in architecture, design, and business. Oxford International provides international market development services including student recruitment, marketing, admissions, compliance, and student support. Oxford International's global network serves nearly 80,000 students annually.
• Whitecliffe University of Applied Sciences (Berlin International)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 February 2026Whitecliffe University of Applied Sciences (operating as Berlin International University of Applied Sciences) partners with Oxford International to expand English-language programs in Berlin. Has existing student base spanning 93 countries with 70% international enrollment. Nine undergraduate and postgraduate programs in architecture, design, and business will be available from October 2026.
• PorschemajorOthersPorsche is a partner company of CODE. Students work on exclusive projects with Porsche, and Porsche collaborated with CODE alumnus Luis Coelho on his bachelor's thesis about driver emotion assessment using machine learning.
• TelekommajorOthersTelekom is a partner company of CODE, providing exclusive projects and collaboration opportunities for students in the CODE ecosystem.
• SAPmajorOthersSAP is a partner company of CODE, supporting the university's mission to educate digital pioneers through project collaborations.
• Stanford Summer SessionminorOthersStanford Summer Session partnership provides CODE students with opportunities for international academic exchange and summer programs at Stanford University.
• ElisavaminorOthersElisava (Barcelona School of Design and Engineering) is a partner institution providing international academic collaboration opportunities.
• TU/e (Eindhoven University of Technology)minorOthersTU/e is a partner institution enabling international academic exchange and collaboration for CODE students.
• NTNU (Norwegian University of Science and Technology)minorOthersNTNU is a partner institution providing international academic collaboration opportunities for CODE students.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• 42 (42 Heilbronn / 42 Network): Project-based, tuition-free software engineering school with a Berlin campus (42 Berlin) and Heilbronn campus. Directly comparable to CODE as an alternative, practice-driven tech education model in the same German market, targeting similar student personas without traditional lectures.
• Constructor Academy: Switzerland-rooted tech education provider offering full-stack, data science, and AI bootcamps as well as longer programs. Comparable to CODE in its project-based, industry-aligned curriculum and its emphasis on software engineering talent for European tech employers.
• Holberton School: Project-based software engineering school with ISA-style deferred tuition, originally from San Francisco and now operating in multiple geographies. Closely comparable to CODE on pedagogy (peer learning, project-based), target student (aspiring software engineers), and deferred-payment business model.
• Le Wagon: Global coding bootcamp with a strong Berlin presence offering full-stack web development and data science bootcamps. Comparable to CODE in targeting career-changers and aspiring developers, with a faster and cheaper format than a 3-year Bachelor's — and therefore a partial alternative rather than full substitute.
• Ironhack: Global tech bootcamp with a Berlin campus covering web development, data analytics, UX/UI design, and cybersecurity. Overlaps with CODE on the Digital Design & Innovation and Software Engineering curricula at a shorter, lower-cost format.

Broad incumbents

• General Assembly: Established global provider of bootcamps and short courses in software engineering, data, design, and tech management (now part of Adecco). Comparable to CODE across multiple program areas — software engineering, design, and business — but operates across the broader tech-education category rather than as a state-accredited degree-granting university.
• Technische Universität Berlin: Major German public technical university in Berlin with established computer science, business, and design programs. Comparable to CODE on curriculum areas (software engineering, business, design), competing in the same Berlin talent pool but at much lower tuition and with substantially more prestige and scale.

Regional players

• SRH Berlin University of Applied Sciences: Private, state-recognized Berlin University of Applied Sciences offering Bachelor's and Master's programs in English with a focus on technology, design, and business. Comparable to CODE as another private, English-taught, applied-sciences university competing for the same international student pool in Berlin.
• BSP Business & Law School: Private, state-recognized Berlin business school with English-taught Bachelor's and Master's programs including technology management tracks. Comparable to CODE as a competing private, English-medium, applied-sciences institution in Berlin targeting similar international student segments.
• Touro College Berlin: Private, English-medium Berlin campus of the US-based Touro College system offering Bachelor's and Master's programs in business and technology. Comparable to CODE as another English-taught private higher-education competitor in Berlin competing for international applicants willing to pay tuition for applied degrees.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/codeuniversity
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/codeuniversity
• Instagraminstagram.com/codeuniversity
• TikToktiktok.com/@codeuniversity
• Facebookfacebook.com/codeuniversity

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds3 records

Investors5 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about CODE University of Applied Sciences