sequa

What sequa does

sequa gGmbH is a German non-profit development organization (gemeinnützige GmbH) founded in 1991 and headquartered in Bonn, with an additional office in Berlin. The organization operates as a portfolio of development cooperation programmes and is owned by five of Germany's most powerful economic associations: the BDA (employers), BDI (industry), DIHK (chambers of commerce), GIZ (federal development agency), and ZDH (crafts). Its core functional mandate is to serve as a bridge between the German private sector and international development partners across 80+ countries, channelling German chamber, association, and vocational training expertise into BMZ-, GIZ-, and EU-funded programmes.

The organization's portfolio centres on four capability areas: (1) chamber and association capacity building (KVP programme), (2) vocational education and training partnerships (BBP programme), (3) private sector development and trade promotion (PartnerAfrika, IPD, AL-INVEST Verde, FIT for Climate Businesses), and (4) expert and youth mobility (Erasmus+). Programme implementation typically involves recruiting German chambers or associations as project carriers, matching short-term experts from professional databases to in-country assignments, and coordinating multi-stakeholder consortia. The Import Promotion Desk (IPD), co-implemented with BGA, organises trade fair matchmaking (e.g., Fruit Logistica) connecting SMEs in partner countries with European buyers. There is no proprietary technology platform underlying these activities; sequa's competitive position rests on programme management competence and its unique shareholder ecosystem.

sequa's revenue model is entirely government-funded: BMZ commissions partnership programmes directly, GIZ delegates service contracts for components of larger projects, and the European Commission awards grants (ARCHIPELAGO, AL-INVEST Verde, Erasmus+ mobility). Reported turnover was EUR 60 million in 2023, with conflicting figures of EUR 55–56m reported for 2024. The organization employed over 100 staff as of 2024 and is led by Managing Director Dr. René Vossen. Distribution is direct to funder organizations, with no commercial pricing or sales motion.

Name

sequa

Legal name

sequa gGmbH

Website

https://sequa.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1991

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Bonn

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. BMZ-Funded Partnership Programs: sequa serves as the implementing organization for BMZ-funded Kammer- und Verbandspartnerschaften (KVP), Berufsbildungspartnerschaften (BBP), PartnerAfrika, and Gewerkschaftspartnerschaften (GP) programs. German chambers, associations, and their institutions act as project carriers while sequa coordinates and administers the partnerships.
2. GIZ Service Contracts: sequa carries out service contracts delegated by GIZ (Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit) in areas of private sector development, trade, vocational training, and chamber and association capacity building.
3. EU Grant Projects: sequa implements EU-funded grant projects including ARCHIPELAGO (youth employment in West and Central Africa), AL-INVEST Verde (sustainable trade), and other EC-funded initiatives.
4. Import Promotion Desk (IPD): IPD is funded by BMZ and implemented together with BGA and other partners. It supports SMEs from partner countries in accessing European markets through matchmaking, trade fair participation, and BSO development.
5. Erasmus+ Mobility Programs: sequa administers mobility programs under the EU Erasmus+ framework, enabling apprentices, young professionals, and vocational training staff to undertake international internships in Europe.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

sequa gGmbH is a non-profit development organization that implements international cooperation programs on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), GIZ, and the European Union. Its offerings include chamber and association partnership programs (KVP), vocational training partnerships (BBP), the Import Promotion Desk (IPD) for trade facilitation, GIZ service contracts, EU grant projects, and Erasmus+ mobility programs. The organization coordinates multi-stakeholder partnerships between German chambers/associations and their counterparts in 80+ partner countries.

Product overview

sequa gGmbH is a non-profit development organization that operates as a portfolio of development cooperation programmes and services rather than a unified software product. The core offerings include Kammer- und Verbandspartnerschaften (KVP) for chamber and association development, Berufsbildungspartnerschaften (BBP) for vocational education partnerships, PartnerAfrika for African employment initiatives, the Import Promotion Desk (IPD) for trade facilitation, GIZ Project support, EC Grants assistance, and a Mobility Programme under Erasmus+. These programmes work together to strengthen private sector development, trade promotion, and vocational training across partner countries, with sequa serving as the coordinating and administrative implementing organization.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Import Promotion Desk (IPD): Project that gives small and medium-sized enterprises from partner countries access to the European market and supports them in establishing trade relations, funded by BMZ.
• AL-INVEST Verde
• PartnerAfrika
• ARCHIPELAGO
• KVP + BBP

Products and services

• Kammer- und Verbandspartnerschaften (KVP)

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• BDA (Bundesvereinigung der Deutschen Arbeitgeberverbände)coreOthersBDA is one of sequa's five shareholders, alongside BDI, DIHK, GIZ, and ZDH. BDA represents German employers' interests (48 federal associations / 14 regional associations) and provides strategic guidance and access to German business networks for sequa's development programs.
• BDI (Bundesverband der Deutschen Industrie)coreOthersBDI is one of sequa's five shareholders. BDI represents German industry interests and provides expertise and networks for industrial development and private sector promotion programs.
• DIHK (Deutscher Industrie- und Handelskammertag)coreOthersDIHK is one of sequa's five shareholders and represents all German chambers of commerce. DIHK provides access to the chamber network in Germany and internationally, and partners with sequa on programs such as Westbalkan economic cooperation initiatives.
• GIZ (Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit)coreOthersGIZ is one of sequa's five shareholders and also a key project partner. GIZ commissions sequa through service contracts for components of its international development projects in private sector development, trade, vocational training, and institutional capacity building.
• ZDH (Zentralverband des Deutschen Handwerks)coreOthersZDH is one of sequa's five shareholders, representing German crafts and trades. ZDH provides access to the Handwerkskammer (HWK) network for vocational training partnership programs.
• BGA (Bundesverband Großhandel, Außenhandel, Dienstleistungen)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBGA is the lead partner in the Import Promotion Desk (IPD) project, co-implemented with sequa. IPD is funded by BMZ and supports SMEs from partner countries in accessing European markets.
• German Chambers and Associations Network (AHKs, HWKs, Fachverbände)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGerman chambers of commerce abroad (AHK), crafts chambers (HWK), and industry associations serve as project carriers in KVP, BBP, and other programs. They collaborate with local partner organizations in sequa's 80+ partner countries.
• iMOVE (Training made in Germany)minorStrategic or Co-development Partnersequa supports iMOVE in facilitating the export of German dual vocational training services to India, helping German vocational training institutions establish cooperation with Indian counterparts.
• Handwerkskammer Braunschweig-Lüneburg-StademinorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner chamber in Erasmus+ mobility programs, organizing international internships for apprentices in areas such as hairdressing.
• NaturlandminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGerman organic farming association partnered with Georgian organic farming associations in a project funded by BMZ, promoting ecological agriculture and strengthening civil society structures in Georgia.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• KfW Development Bank: German government development finance institution that finances development projects globally. While focused on financial intermediation rather than implementation, KfW is a major player in German development cooperation alongside sequa's space, with overlapping partners, donor relationships, and policy influence on BMZ strategy.
• ITC (International Trade Centre): UN/WTO joint agency for trade development in developing countries. While a multilateral rather than bilateral organization, ITC has significant overlap with sequa's IPD trade promotion activities and SME export support programs, operating as a broader incumbent in the trade development space.

Direct peers

• DEG (Deutsche Investitions- und Entwicklungsgesellschaft): German development finance institution focused on private sector development in developing and emerging markets. DEG finances private enterprises in partner countries, directly complementing and overlapping with sequa's chamber/association development work, with similar government-backed shareholder structures.
• Enabel: Belgian federal development agency implementing international cooperation projects on behalf of the Belgian government and EU. Enabel has comparable structure to sequa with government-backed funding, focus on private sector development and capacity building in partner countries, and similar implementing organization role.
• ACDI/VOCA: US-based non-profit development organization focused on economic opportunities, food security, and inclusive market systems. ACDI/VOCA shares sequa's emphasis on private sector-led development and capacity building for trade and enterprise, competing for similar donor-funded capacity building contracts.
• Expertise France: French public agency for international technical expertise, implementing European and French-funded development projects. Expertise France shares sequa's implementing organization role with similar public agency funding structures and focus on private sector development and capacity building.
• GIZ (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit): Germany's leading federal development agency and one of sequa's shareholders. GIZ implements large-scale international development projects across all of sequa's focus areas (private sector development, vocational training, governance) but at much greater scale and with broader mandate, making it the most direct comparator in BMZ program implementation.
• Palladium: International development firm implementing programs across 90+ countries in private sector development, governance, and health. Palladium directly competes with sequa for donor-funded private sector development and capacity building contracts from DFID, USAID, BMZ, and EU.
• SNV (Netherlands Development Organisation): Dutch non-profit development organization operating across agriculture, energy, water, and education in 20+ developing countries. SNV has a comparable organizational structure to sequa, with private sector development, capacity building, and public-private partnership programs targeting similar partner countries.
• Swisscontact: Swiss non-profit foundation for development cooperation, particularly strong in vocational training and private sector development. Swisscontact shares sequa's specific focus on dual vocational training export and SME capacity building in partner countries, with similar non-profit foundation structures.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/sequa.mobilitaetsprogramme
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/adept-scripts-inc

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 sequa