What Kosmos does

Kosmos (legal entity: KOSMOS Verlag) is a Stuttgart-headquartered German publishing company founded in 1822 that operates as a direct-to-consumer e-commerce business selling board games, card games, experiment kits, children's and youth books, non-fiction guidebooks, puzzles, and digital learning products. Its catalog spans more than 400 games and 25+ sub-brands including CATAN, EXIT, Die drei ???, Die Schule der magischen Tiere, Andor, Ubongo, Cascadia, and Pumuckl, supplemented by licensed franchises such as Harry Potter and Der Herr der Ringe. Distribution runs through the company's Shopify-based kosmos.de storefront, a separate B2B portal (b2b.kosmos.de) for retailers and resellers, and the flagship KOSMOS Shop Stuttgart retail location, with free shipping in Germany above €35 and a 14-day return policy.

The business model combines one-time unit-priced physical product sales, licensing royalties on major franchise IP, and a growing digital layer delivered through the KOSMOS Akademie platform — covering webinars, online courses, audio courses, and e-books in adult-hobby categories such as dog training, horse care, gardening, astronomy, and hunting. Customer segments split across families with children (the primary persona seeking educational entertainment), adult hobbyists (consumers of practical non-fiction guides and digital courses), and game enthusiasts (dedicated hobby gamers purchasing premium cooperative and strategy titles). Pricing spans roughly €4.49–€119.99 across the catalog, with promotional discounts up to 70% off and a €5 newsletter-signup voucher used as an acquisition incentive. The company has 101–250 employees, is privately held with no disclosed parent or external investors, and operates exclusively within the DACH region.

Name

Kosmos

Legal name

KOSMOS Verlag

Website

https://kosmos.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1822

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Kosmos (KOSMOS Verlag) is a 200-year-old Stuttgart-based German publisher selling board games, children's books, and STEM experiment kits via DTC e-commerce, B2B resellers, and a flagship Stuttgart store, serving families, adult hobbyists, and game enthusiasts across the DACH region.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Toy and Book Publishing

NAICS

Hobby, Toy, and Game Retailers (45912), Book Retailers and News Dealers (4592), Software Publishers (5132)

SIC

Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731), Games, Toys & Children's Vehicles (No Dolls & Bicycles) (3944), Retail-Hobby, Toy & Game Shops (5945)

akta.pro primary industry

Educational/Children’s Learning Games & Puzzles Retail (CRALALAN)

Keywords

• Board game publishing
• Children's book publishing
• Experiment kits
• Educational toys
• Non-fiction guidebooks

Headquarters

HQ city

Stuttgart

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Physical Products: Sales of physical board games, card games, experiment kits, puzzles, children's books, and non-fiction guides through e-commerce and retail channels.
2. Digital Products: Sales of e-books, audio courses, online courses, webinars, and webinar recordings for topics including dog training, horse care, gardening, astronomy, and hunting.
3. Licensing: Licensing of branded intellectual property including CATAN, EXIT, Die drei ???, Harry Potter, Die Schule der magischen Tiere, and other franchises for games and books.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Kosmos (KOSMOS Verlag) is a German publisher and manufacturer that develops, produces, and sells board and card games, children's and youth books, non-fiction guidebooks, puzzles, and science experiment kits. The company also operates the KOSMOS Akademie digital learning platform delivering e-books, audio courses, online courses, and live and recorded webinars on hobby topics such as dog training, horse care, gardening, and astronomy. Products are sold directly to consumers through the company's e-commerce site, supplemented by a B2B portal for retailers and a flagship physical store in Stuttgart.

Product overview

KOSMOS Verlag is a leading German publisher of games, children's books, and experiment kits. The product portfolio centers on four main pillars: (1) Board and card games including the flagship EXIT Das Spiel escape room series, the classic CATAN trading game, Die drei ??? detective games, Adventure Games cooperative adventures, Ubongo puzzle games, Cascadia nature strategy game, and licensed products like Harry Potter and Der Herr der Ringe; (2) Children's and youth books featuring series like Die drei ???, Die drei !!!, Sternenschweif, TKKG Junior, Die Zeitdetektive, Pumuckl, and WAS IST WAS educational titles; (3) Experiment and science kits for children covering electronics (Easy Elektro), robotics (Roboter & Programmierung), Triops & dinosaur breeding, Fun Science creative experiments, and nature exploration; (4) Digital products through the KOSMOS Akademie platform including apps, audio courses, e-books, online courses, and live webinars on topics like dog training, horse care, gardening, and astronomy. The company also publishes Ratgeber (guidebooks) covering nature, gardening, health, animals, and astronomy. KOSMOS serves as a direct manufacturer (Herderseller) selling primarily through its German e-commerce platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• CATAN: A popular board game franchise published by Kosmos
• EXIT Das Spiel
• Die drei ???
• Die drei !!!
• TKKG
• Die Zeitdetektive
• Sternenschweif
• Die Schule der magischen Tiere
• Adventure Games
• Andor
• UBONGO
• Fun Science
• Easy Elektro
• KOSMOS Akademie
• Kicker Kids
• Pumuckl
• Belser
• Hannibal
• AllesKönnerKiste
• Cartaventura
• Masters of Crime
• Story Puzzle
• Gecko Run
• SchlauFUX
• Was blüht denn da?
• Himmelsjahr

Products and services

• EXIT Das Spiel Cooperative escape-room board game series where players solve puzzles and riddles to escape themed scenarios; multiple titles including Der versunkene Schatz, Das mysteriöse Museum, Die unheimliche Villa, and Der verwunschene Wald. Sold to families and game enthusiasts across the DACH region.
• CATAN (Das Spiel, Das Kartenspiel, Das Würfelspiel, Seefahrer, Junior) Internationally recognised resource-trading and building board game franchise where players settle, trade, and build on the island of Catan; includes variants such as the classic game, card game, dice game, Seafarers expansion, and a junior version for children. Licensed product sold to families and game enthusiasts.
• Die drei ??? (The Three Question Marks) Detective fiction series and games featuring teenage detectives Justus, Peter, and Bob; includes books, games, puzzles, and experiment kits based on the German mystery franchise, sold to children and families across the DACH region.
• Adventure Games Cooperative adventure games for 1+ players combining story reading with interactive gameplay; scenarios include Mission Mars, Die Venedig-Verschwörung, and Die Abenteuer des Robin Hood. Sold to families and game enthusiasts.
• Andor Fantasy adventure board game where players take on heroic roles in the land of Andor; includes Andor Junior for younger players and multiple expansions. Sold to families and hobby board-game enthusiasts.
• Ubongo Fast-paced tangram-style puzzle board game with multiple versions including Ubongo Flex, Ubongo! Extrem, Ubongo Kartenspiel, and Ubongo Duell. Sold to families and game enthusiasts.
• Cascadia Nature-themed strategy board game (Spiel des Jahres 2022) in which players create habitats and populate them with wildlife in the Pacific Northwest; includes Cascadia Junior and Cascadia Landmarks expansions. Sold to families and hobby game enthusiasts.
• Die Schule der magischen Tiere (The School of Magic Animals) Board game series based on the popular children's book series about children who receive magical animal companions; multiple game variants available. Sold to children and families across the DACH region.
• Harry Potter games Board games published under official Warner Bros. license based on the Harry Potter franchise, including Kampf um Hogwarts (Battle for Hogwarts) and related products. Sold to families and fans of the franchise in the DACH region.
• Die Crew (The Crew) Cooperative space-themed trick-taking card game (Kennerspiel des Jahres 2020) in which players complete over 50 missions. Sold to families and hobby board-game enthusiasts.
• Cartaventura Narrative card game series with branching storylines set in historical locations (e.g., Hollywood) where player choices shape the adventure. Sold to families and game enthusiasts.
• Easy Elektro (electronics experiment kits) Electronics experiment kit series teaching children about circuits, coding, and renewable energy through hands-on building projects; variants include Start, Big Fun, and Green Energy. Sold to families with children and used for at-home STEM learning.
• Fun Science (experiment kits) Creative experiment kits for children covering topics such as crystal growing, slime making, chocolate laboratory, and gummy candy creation. Sold to families with children.
• Roboter & Programmierung (robot and programming kits) Robot building and programming experiment kits including Proxi (BBC micro:bit based), Miika K.I. (AI robot), the ReBotz series, Nuna (hedgehog robot), and Gecko-Bot. Sold to families with children for STEM education.
• Triops & Dinosaurier (breeding and excavation kits) Breeding and excavation experiment kits allowing children to grow triops (prehistoric crustaceans) and excavate dinosaur fossils from plaster blocks. Sold to families with children for science learning.
• Ratgeber (Non-fiction guidebooks) Non-fiction guidebook series covering gardening, dogs, horses, birds, fishing, hunting, astronomy, nature, health, and conscious living; authored by topic experts (e.g., SPIEGEL bestselling author Maren Grote). Sold to adult hobbyists across the DACH region.
• Kinder- und Jugendbuch (Children's and youth books) Extensive catalog of children's and youth books including series such as Die drei ???, Sternenschweif, TKKG Junior, Die Zeitdetektive, and learning-to-read titles. Sold to children and families in the DACH region.
• KOSMOS Naturführer (Nature identification guides) Nature identification guidebooks covering birds, plants, mushrooms, garden wildlife, and Mediterranean marine life with detailed photographs and descriptions. Sold to adult nature hobbyists and families.
• Puzzles Jigsaw puzzles featuring popular IPs such as Fourth Wing and Die drei ???, including standard puzzles and mystery puzzles combining puzzle-solving with detective stories. Sold to families and game enthusiasts.
• KOSMOS Akademie (digital learning platform) Digital knowledge platform offering webinars, online courses, audio courses, and video content for continuing education in nature, animals (dogs, horses), gardening, astronomy, hunting, and health topics. Sold to adult hobbyists across the DACH region.
• Online-Kurse (online courses) Comprehensive digital learning courses with video content, training plans, and step-by-step instructions for topics including dog training, horse training, and nature education; examples include 'Der Onlinekurs mit Martin Rütter' (€29) and 'Hunde lesen lernen' (€99). Sold to adult hobbyists.
• Audio-Kurse (audio courses) Audio-based learning courses for on-the-go learning on topics such as dog training, horse care, and nature studies. Sold to adult hobbyists.
• Live-Webinare & Webinare (webinars) Interactive live and recorded webinars hosted by KOSMOS experts covering topics such as dog behaviour, horse training, hunting, gardening, astronomy, and nature (e.g., Hunde webinars from €36; some webinars free). Sold to adult hobbyists.
• E-Books Digital book-format versions of KOSMOS guidebooks and children's books available in PDF, EPUB, and EPUB3 formats. Sold to consumers across the DACH region.
• Apps Digital applications related to KOSMOS products, available for download from the Apps section of the website. Sold to consumers using KOSMOS games and books.
• WAS IST WAS educational quiz and game series Educational quiz and knowledge game series based on the long-running German non-fiction children's brand, featuring approximately 1,800 questions across various knowledge areas. Sold to families and children.
• Pumuckl books and games Books and games featuring Pumuckl, the Bavarian kobold character created by Ellis Kaut, including Bücherhelden first-reader titles. Sold to children and families.
• Der Herr der Ringe (Lord of the Rings) board games Board games and products based on J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings universe, published under license by KOSMOS. Sold to adult board-game enthusiasts and fans of the franchise.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Ravensburger: German games, puzzles, and children's books publisher headquartered nearby. Directly comparable portfolio across family games, puzzles (Ravensburger puzzle brand), and licensed children's IP, with comparable scale and DACH-centric distribution.
• Pegasus Spiele: German hobby-game publisher focused on family, strategy, and licensed board games. Directly comparable in target audience, distribution channels, and Spiel des Jahres competitive set.
• HABA: German maker of family games, children's books, and wooden toys. Direct overlap on educational family entertainment, premium-positioning in German-speaking markets, and analogous multi-segment (games + books) catalog.
• Schmidt Spiele: Long-established German games publisher (Mensch ärgere Dich nicht among other classics). Comparable in DACH distribution, mass-market family-game positioning, and heritage brand status.
• Thames & Kosmos: Science and STEM experiment kit publisher distributing the KOSMOS experiment-kit line internationally. Highly comparable product category, age targeting, and kit format, with overlap on robotics, electronics, and chemistry kits.
• Carlsen Verlag: Major German children's and youth book publisher (part of Bonnier). Direct overlap with KOSMOS's children's book, series fiction, and learning-to-read lines in the DACH market.
• Loewe Verlag: German children's book publisher with comparable series-driven fiction and reading-age books. Closely comparable in target segment (German-speaking families and young readers), pricing band, and retail positioning.

Broad incumbents

• Asmodee: Global board and card game publisher with extensive hobby-game catalog. Overlaps with KOSMOS on cooperative, strategy, and party games (e.g., CATAN distribution in some markets, Exit-style titles) but operates globally and across many more SKUs than KOSMOS.
• Hasbro: Global toy and game major with overlapping portfolio in family board games, licensed IP games, and puzzles. Operates at much greater scale and global reach than KOSMOS, but competes for the same shelf and gift-purchase occasions.
• Mattel: Global toy and games company with family and licensed game lines adjacent to KOSMOS's family and IP-driven catalog. Significantly larger and more global but overlapping end-customer segments.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/KOSMOS_Verlag
• Facebookfacebook.com/kosmos.verlag

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Kosmos