What GFN does

GFN GmbH is a German vocational training and education provider founded in 1997 in Heidelberg, operating as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Amadeus Fire AG, a Frankfurt-listed staffing and training company. The company delivers government-funded retraining and continuing education programs in IT and commercial professions and holds the position of Germany's market leader in Fachinformatiker Systemintegration retraining according to an evaluation by the Federal Employment Agency (Bundesagentur für Arbeit). GFN serves primarily job seekers and unemployed individuals registered with the employment agency, with secondary customer segments including employing companies seeking employee qualification programs, university dropouts seeking recognized vocational credentials, and Bundeswehr personnel transitioning to civilian careers.

The company's product portfolio centers on three core offerings: Umschulungen (multi-month full-time vocational retraining programs leading to IHK-recognized qualifications such as Fachinformatiker Systemintegration and Anwendungsentwicklung, Kaufmann für IT-Systemmanagement, and Kaufmann für Büromanagement), IT-Weiterbildungen (shorter continuing education courses in IT administration, programming, SAP, project management, online marketing, and quality management with vendor certifications from Microsoft, SAP, CompTIA, ITIL, and PRINCE2), and Coachings (career coaching services funded via AVGS activation vouchers). These are delivered through GFN's proprietary Interconnected Learning platform, which combines trainer-led instruction with digital learning modules, Remote Labs for hands-on practice, and personalized learning paths. The company maintains an in-house Trainer-Akademie for instructor development and offers differentiated add-ons including the KI-Führerschein (free AI competency program covering ChatGPT and Microsoft Copilot), Vorbereitungskurse (preparatory courses), and a Jobgarantie underwritten by parent Amadeus Fire AG that offers graduates a permanent employment contract upon completion of selected programs.

GFN's revenue model is dominated by public funding flows. Participants access training free of charge via Bildungsgutschein (education vouchers covering up to 100% of costs) issued by the Federal Employment Agency or job centers, or via AVGS vouchers for coaching services. Secondary revenue derives from employer-funded employee qualification programs under the Qualifizierungschancengesetz framework, where employers jointly fund training with public subsidies, plus limited open-enrollment seminars for self-paying customers at published list prices. Training is delivered nationwide through multiple physical training centers and online channels, with the website offered in five languages (German, English, Ukrainian, Arabic, Turkish) to reach migrant demographics. Distribution is gated by AZAV certification under §178 SGB III, which functions as both a regulatory prerequisite for receiving government voucher funding and a de facto channel partnership with the Federal Employment Agency and Germany's network of job centers.

Name

GFN

Legal name

GFN GmbH

Website

https://gfn.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

GFN GmbH is a German vocational training provider and wholly-owned subsidiary of Amadeus Fire AG, delivering government-funded IT and commercial retraining to job seekers. It operates Germany's leading Fachinformatiker retraining program through AZAV-certified training centers nationwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Vocational Training and Education

NAICS

Computer Training (611420), Technical and Trade Schools (6115)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Information Technology & Software (EDAAAPAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Vendor/Authorized Certification Training (Microsoft/AWS/Cisco, etc.) (BPAEANAA), Training Delivery Providers (In-Person, Virtual, Train-the-Trainer) (BPACANAM), Training Delivery Services (Onsite/Virtual Instruction, Workshops, Coaching) (BPAEANAN)

Keywords

• Vocational retraining
• IT continuing education
• Career coaching
• Certification training
• Professional development

Headquarters

HQ city

Heidelberg

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Government-funded training contracts (Bildungsgutschein / AVGS): GFN's primary revenue is derived from government-funded training contracts. Employment agencies (Agentur für Arbeit) and job centers fund participant training via Bildungsgutschein (up to 100% cost coverage) and AVGS (activation and placement vouchers for coaching services). Training is free for participants; GFN is reimbursed by public funding bodies.
2. Employer-funded employee qualification (Beschäftigtenqualifizierung): GFN offers customized qualification programs for employed workers and their companies, where the employer (or jointly employer + public funds) covers training costs under the Qualifizierungschancengesetz framework.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

GFN delivers government-funded vocational retraining (Umschulungen), IT continuing education (IT-Weiterbildungen), and individual career coaching (Coachings) to job seekers and employees across Germany. Offerings are delivered through a Blended Learning model using the proprietary Interconnected Learning format with Remote Labs, preparing participants for vendor and non-vendor industry certifications and qualified re-employment.

Product overview

GFN operates as a vocational training and retraining provider offering a comprehensive portfolio of educational products for career changers and professionals seeking advancement. The core offerings include Umschulungen (vocational retraining programs) leading to IHK-recognized qualifications in IT and commercial fields, IT-Weiterbildungen (continuing education courses) in areas like IT administration, programming, SAP, and project management with industry certifications, and Coachings (career coaching services) for job placement support. These are delivered through GFN's proprietary Interconnected Learning platform, which combines trainer-led instruction with digital learning modules, practical labs, and personalized learning paths. Supplementary offerings include Vorbereitungskurse (preparatory courses), the KI-Führerschein (AI certification program), the Trainer-Akademie (internal trainer development academy), and the Jobgarantie (job guarantee program in partnership with Amadeus Fire AG). Programs are available in multiple formats including full-time, blended learning, and online delivery.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Vocational Retraining (Umschulung) Full vocational retraining measures (Umschulungen) for job seekers, typically funded via the German Bildungsgutschein, designed to transition participants into a new occupation through GFN's Blended Learning delivery under the proprietary Interconnected Learning concept with Remote Labs.
• IT Continuing Education (IT-Weiterbildungen) Continuing education programs in IT, accounting (DATEV), real estate (CORELOGIC), and industrial operations that prepare participants for vendor and non-vendor certifications such as Microsoft, SAP, CompTIA, ITIL, PRINCE2, Sage, CORELOGIC, DATEV, Certified Business Engineer GFN/Hochschule Pforzheim, and GFN Reliability Engineer, delivered through Blended Learning with Interconnected Learning and Remote Labs.
• Career Coaching (Coaching) Individual career coaching (Bewerbungscoaching, Career Coaching, Career Entry Coaching, Re-Entry Coaching, Experienced-Professional Coaching, and Profilcoaching) for registered job seekers, typically funded via the German AVGS activation voucher.
• Interconnected Learning GFN's proprietary educational format and concept that combines trainer-led instruction, digital learning modules, self-study phases, and Remote Labs for hands-on software/hardware practice, delivered across on-site classroom, virtual classroom, and self-study modalities to create a unified learning journey.
• Employee Qualification (Beschäftigtenqualifizierung / Qualifizierungschancengesetz) Corporate upskilling and qualification programs for German employers under the Qualifizierungschancengesetz framework, with GFN providing a skill-potential analysis (Bedarfsermittlung) for the employer and bundling government subsidy coverage into the contracting structure (up to 100% subsidy of continuing-education costs for qualifying employers).
• KI-Führerschein (AI Competency Program) Proprietary AI literacy and competency program delivered at three levels (KI-Einsteiger, KI-Anwender, KI-Profi), complemented by a Micro-Credentials catalog including KI Grundlagen, KI in der Praxis, KI für Ausbilder, KI für Führungskräfte, and KI für Trainer, designed to certify AI fluency across vocational-education stakeholders.
• GFN Trainer-Akademie Proprietary trainer certification program offered by GFN to certify trainers and instructors in its instructional methodology, ensuring the quality and consistency of GFN's Blended Learning delivery across the nationwide training-center network.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 95% of GFN graduates secure employment after completing their retraining.
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• MicrosoftcoreTechnology or IntegrationGFN is a certified Microsoft partner authorized to deliver official Microsoft certification preparation courses (Azure, Microsoft 365, Power Platform, etc.) and facilitate exam delivery. Microsoft provides curriculum alignment and certification pathways.
• SAPcoreTechnology or IntegrationGFN is a certified SAP Education Partner authorized to deliver SAP certification preparation courses (Foundation Level, Business User, Consultant tracks) and facilitate SAP certification exams.
• CompTIAmajorTechnology or IntegrationGFN is an authorized CompTIA training partner (CompTIA Authorized Academy), delivering CompTIA A+, Network+, Security+, and other professional certification preparations.
• EXINmajorTechnology or IntegrationGFN is an EXIN partner (Diamond level), delivering EXIN Agile, Kanban, and other IT service management certifications. The EXIN Kanban partnership is specifically highlighted on GFN's partner logos.
• Linux Professional Institute (LPI)majorTechnology or IntegrationGFN is an approved LPI training partner, delivering LPIC-1 and LPIC-2 Linux certification preparation courses and facilitating LPI certification exams.
• Axelos / PeopleCert (ITIL, PRINCE2)majorTechnology or IntegrationGFN is an accredited training organization for ITIL and an authorized training provider for PRINCE2, delivering official Axelos/PeopleCert certification exams in project management and IT service management.
• TÜV NordmajorTechnology or IntegrationGFN delivers TÜV Nord-certified training programs, including the Data Protection Officer (Datenschutzbeauftragte:r) certification, allowing participants to obtain TÜV credentials.
• Agentur für Arbeit (Federal Employment Agency)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThe German Federal Employment Agency (and its local job centers) is the primary funding body for GFN's training participants. As the gatekeeper of the Bildungsgutschein and AVGS programs, the employment agency effectively distributes GFN's services by referring and funding job seekers.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• alfatraining Bildungszentrum: Germany-based AZAV-certified IT training provider offering Umschulungen and Weiterbildung courses in programming, SAP, IT administration, and commercial fields. Direct competitor for GFN in the AZAV-funded IT retraining market.
• WBS Training AG: AZAV-certified German vocational training and retraining provider offering government-funded IT and commercial Umschulungen and Weiterbildungen. Competes directly with GFN for the same Bildungsgutschein-funded participants across Germany.
• Karriere tutor GmbH: German online-focused education provider delivering AZAV-funded IT and commercial retraining to job seekers, with curriculum overlapping GFN's Umschulungen and Weiterbildung offerings and a similar remote-delivery model.

Emerging players

• Udemy: Global online learning marketplace with extensive IT, business, and certification-oriented course catalog. Adjacent competitor for self-pay learners who would otherwise consider GFN's open seminars.
• Coursera: Global online learning platform offering IT certifications, professional certificates, and degree-aligned programs in partnership with universities and tech companies. Competes with GFN's self-pay and online Weiterbildung offerings outside the funded model.
• BrainStation: Global digital skills training provider offering bootcamps and courses in software development, data, design, and marketing. Comparable to GFN's IT career-change programs in curriculum and target audience, though operates outside Germany's funded market.
• StackFuel: Berlin-based training provider specializing in data science, data engineering, and cloud skills with hybrid learning formats. Partial overlap with GFN's IT Weiterbildung category, focused on a narrower data/AI curriculum.

Others

• New Horizons Worldwide: Long-standing IT training franchise with German locations delivering vendor-authorized (Microsoft, Cisco, CompTIA) certification courses. Comparable in vendor-cert delivery model but operates more as a commercial training center than a government-funded retraining provider.

Broad incumbents

• Haufe Akademie: Established German corporate training provider under Haufe Group, offering broad professional development across IT, management, and compliance. Overlaps with GFN in employee upskilling but is broader and primarily serves enterprises rather than job seekers.
• Cegos Group: Global corporate training and development provider offering IT, project management (PRINCE2, ITIL), and leadership programs. Comparable to GFN in course content but much larger international portfolio targeting enterprise rather than funded job-seeker segments.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/GFN_GmbH
• Facebookfacebook.com/gfn.gmbh
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/gfn-gmbh

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 GFN