Hasso Plattner Institute

What Hasso Plattner Institute does

Hasso Plattner Institute (HPI), legally Hasso-Plattner-Institut für Digital Engineering gGmbH, is a privately organized but publicly funded German university institute founded in 1998 by SAP co-founder Hasso Plattner and headquartered in Potsdam, Germany. The institute delivers practice-oriented B.Sc. and M.Sc. programs in IT-Systems Engineering, Computer Science, and Digital Health, alongside supplementary Design Thinking studies through the HPI d-school, the openHPI MOOC platform, the Engine entrepreneurship center, and the Maker Universe fabrication facility. It operates five HPI Research Schools covering Digital Health, Foundations of AI, Information & Data Engineering, Secure Distributed Computing, and Systems Design, supporting a PhD pipeline across 30+ specialized research chairs grouped into the Business & Society, Data & AI, Digital Health, Foundations, Security, and Systems research clusters.

HPI's underlying technology stack combines a teaching and research platform (openHPI), shared AI compute infrastructure (KI-Servicezentrum), and a multi-cluster research environment covering AI, cybersecurity, digital health, and digital engineering. AI/ML work spans transformer-based neural networks for clinical signal analysis, multi-agent AI systems evaluated in healthcare settings, NLP for clinical information retrieval, and optimization algorithms such as the SustainaPrint 3D-printing stress-point predictor. Integrations include Microsoft 365 for internal productivity and a broad web analytics and advertising stack (Google Analytics, Matomo, Meta/LinkedIn/Reddit pixels, PayPal) for marketing.

The institute's revenue mechanics blend recurring public university tuition and government subsidies with professional development fees for open workshops, Design Thinking Coach certifications, and in-house enterprise training, supplemented by competitive research grants such as a $3.32 million four-year NHLBI award. Distribution combines campus-based degree delivery, self-serve openHPI enrollment, online workshop registration, and direct enterprise sales for customized training. Customers span prospective students, researchers, working professionals, alumni, and organizational clients, with named strategic partnerships with MIT (MHACH), Vivantes Klinikum Berlin-Neukölln, and ESMT Berlin.

Name

Hasso Plattner Institute

Legal name

Hasso-Plattner-Institut für Digital Engineering gGmbH

Website

https://hpi.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Hasso Plattner Institute is a privately organized German university institute in Potsdam offering degree programs, PhD research, and professional training in digital engineering, computer science, AI, cybersecurity, and digital health, serving students, researchers, enterprises, and lifelong learners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education and Research

NAICS

Scientific Research and Development Services (5417), Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (54171)

SIC

Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700)

akta.pro primary industry

Software Engineering & Application Development Training (Languages, Frameworks, Testing) (BPAEANAI)

Keywords

• Computer science education
• Digital engineering research
• Professional development training
• Design thinking workshops
• Academic degree programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Potsdam

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Academic Education: Public university-level education in IT Systems Engineering, Computer Science, and Digital Health. Funded through government educational subsidies and student tuition (where applicable).
2. Professional Development Programs: Continuing education programs including Design Thinking workshops, AI Product Champions, certification programs for professionals and organizations.
3. Workshop and Training Fees: Participation fees for open workshops and in-house training programs for organizations, with pricing varying by format and duration.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Hasso Plattner Institute is a private digital engineering university institute that delivers Bachelor and Master degree programs (IT-Systems Engineering B.Sc., Computer Science M.Sc., Digital Health M.Sc.), Design Thinking supplementary studies through the d-school, online courses via openHPI, and professional development programs (Design Thinking Coach certification, AI Product Champions). It sustains these offerings through 30+ research groups organised into clusters covering Data & AI, Digital Health, Security, Systems, Foundations, and Business & Society, complemented by an AI Service Centre, Maker Universe, and Engine entrepreneurship support.

Product overview

Hasso Plattner Institute is a private university institute for digital engineering located in Potsdam, Germany. The institute offers a portfolio of academic degree programs including IT-Systems Engineering (B.Sc.), Computer Science (M.Sc.), and Digital Health (M.Sc.), along with supplementary Design Thinking studies through the d-school. Beyond formal education, HPI provides continuing education through openHPI online learning platform and professional development programs including AI Product Champions and Design Thinking Coach certification. The institute operates research schools in Digital Health, Foundations of AI, Information & Data Engineering, Secure Distributed Computing, and Systems Design, supporting its mission through an AI Service Centre and HPI Data Center. Additional offerings include the Engine entrepreneurship center, Maker Universe maker space, the Neuland podcast series, and the annual Potsdamer Konferenz für Nationale Cybersicherheit cybersecurity conference.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• d-school – Design Thinking & Innovation: Design thinking education and innovation programs for students and professionals.
• Engine – The Entrepreneurship Center
• openHPI
• Maker Universe
• Mittelstand-Digital Zentrum Berlin
• Neuland Podcast

Products and services

• IT-Systems Engineering (B.Sc.) Bachelor of Science program in IT Systems Engineering, HPI's primary undergraduate degree focusing on digital engineering and computer science fundamentals. Targets prospective students seeking top-ranked IT education in Germany.
• Computer Science (M.Sc.) Master of Science program in Computer Science offering advanced studies in algorithms, AI, software engineering, and related disciplines. Targets graduate students seeking advanced computer science education.
• Digital Health (M.Sc.) Master of Science program focused on digital health, combining healthcare domain knowledge with technology skills for healthcare innovation. Targets students pursuing careers at the intersection of healthcare and technology.
• HPI d-school Design Thinking Program Design thinking education platform offering supplementary studies for students, Design Thinking Coach certification, and workshops and programs for professionals and organizations seeking innovation skills.
• openHPI Online Learning Platform Online learning platform offering educational content on digital technologies and IT topics for students and lifelong learners. Targets individual learners and the public seeking free digital engineering education.
• Engine - The Entrepreneurship Center Entrepreneurship center providing resources and programs for student founders, researchers, and aspiring tech entrepreneurs launching startups.
• Maker Universe Maker space facility supporting hands-on prototyping and creation activities for students and researchers at HPI.
• KI-Servicezentrum (AI Service Centre) AI service center providing computational resources and services for AI research and development activities at HPI and partner institutions.
• HPI Research Schools

Quantifiable outcome

• Regular top placements in CHE Rankings - significantly above average in numerous categories
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration10 records

AI capability9 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, minor and core.

• MIT (Morningside Academy for Design and Schwarzman College of Computing)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 March 2026MIT and Hasso Plattner Institute established MHACH, a 10-year collaborative hub to foster joint research, teaching, and student exchange in AI and creativity. The initiative is led by MIT's Morningside Academy for Design and Schwarzman College of Computing along with HPI.
• Vivantes Klinikum Berlin-NeuköllnminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealthcare partnership for student project work. HPI students conduct Digital Health Spark projects at the hospital, focusing on need-driven innovation in healthcare settings.
• ESMT BerlinminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHPI d-school cooperates with ESMT Berlin for certain workshops and programs, expanding reach for professional development offerings.
• Industry PartnerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHPI maintains active industry engagement through industry partnerships, public partnerships, and academic partnerships programs. Engine entrepreneurship center facilitates industry connections.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• ETH Zurich: Switzerland's flagship public technical university with top-ranked computer science and engineering programs. Highly comparable to HPI as a European research-intensive university focused on CS, AI, and systems, competing for similar international students and faculty.
• Technical University of Munich (TUM): Germany's leading public technical university with a strong computer science school and industry partnerships (notably SAP). Direct domestic competitor for top CS talent, applicants, and corporate-sponsored research in Germany.
• RWTH Aachen University: Major German technical university with a strong computer science faculty and industry-aligned research. Competes with HPI for German CS students, especially in engineering-adjacent CS disciplines.
• Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT): German public research university jointly funded by federal and state governments with deep CS and cybersecurity research. Closely comparable in research-cluster structure and German public-finance model.
• EPFL: Switzerland's other top technical university with a tightly focused engineering and CS portfolio. Comparable to HPI in size, research intensity, and emphasis on innovation and entrepreneurship.

Regional players

• TU Berlin: Berlin-based public technical university and HPI's closest geographic peer in Germany. Overlaps with HPI on CS, AI, and digital health programs and competes for the same regional applicant pool.

Broad incumbents

• MIT Schwarzman College of Computing: MIT's hub for CS and AI research; explicit counterparty in the MHACH partnership. Comparable in research output and brand, but operates at much larger scale and offers broader degree and research options.
• Stanford University (incl. Hasso Plattner Institute of Design / d.school): Shares HPI's namesake founder (Hasso Plattner funded Stanford's d.school) and operates a globally top-ranked CS program plus a design thinking institute — directly comparable to HPI's d-school franchise.
• Carnegie Mellon University (School of Computer Science): US research university widely regarded as a global leader in computer science and AI. Comparable on research excellence and industry pipeline, though at substantially larger scale and US-based.

Emerging players

• Coursera: Global online learning platform partnering with universities to deliver CS, AI, and data science courses at scale. Comparable to openHPI in digital delivery, and a structural competitor for HPI's lifelong-learning and professional audiences.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/hpi_de
• Facebookfacebook.com/HassoPlattnerInstitute

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments7 records

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

Frequently asked questions about Hasso Plattner Institute