What The bvik Bundesverband Industrie Kommunikation does

Bundesverband Industrie Kommunikation e.V. (bvik), founded in 2010 and headquartered in Augsburg, Germany, is an independent non-profit registered association (eingetragener Verein) serving as the leading professional body for B2B marketing and industrial communication in the DACH region. The association aggregates a network of over 3,000 marketing professionals across approximately 350 corporate member companies spanning industrial manufacturing, engineering, enterprise software, and B2B services. Its core offerings include the B2B-Kompetenz-Werkstatt professional training program, the annual Tag der Industriekommunikation (TIK) conference, the "be a viktor" Excellence award, the B2B-Agenturmatching agency matching service, and a content portal featuring whitepapers, trendpapers, and longitudinal B2B marketing budget studies dating back to 2011.

The association does not operate proprietary technology platforms beyond a standard member portal (portal.bvik.org); its competitive differentiation rests on community curation, content/research assets, and event programming rather than software. Revenue is generated through four streams: recurring annual membership dues from corporate, individual, and supporting (Fördermitglied) members; event and training fees for TIK and B2B-Kompetenz-Werkstatt programs; award submission fees (295-535 EUR per submission); and publication sales (195 EUR plus VAT per whitepaper for non-members). Go-to-market is community-led, leveraging word-of-mouth referrals, member testimonials, content marketing, and earned media coverage in trade publications.

As a non-profit, bvik is governed by a volunteer board chaired by Kai Halter (VP Marketing at ebm-papst) with professional management led by Managing Director Ramona Kaden (appointed January 2020). The organization employs 1-10 staff and supports a broader network of named executives, including Tanja Auernhamer (Head of Communications), Verena Ellenberger, Sebastian Krzonkalla, and Regina Karnapp. Strategic partnerships span supporting members (Hootsuite, Statista, Kantar, SC-Networks, Lytho, WIENERS+WIENERS, Go-Event, FYNEST International) and event collaborations (OMR 2026, W&V Summit 2026, Marketing Tech Lab/Valantic).

Name

The bvik Bundesverband Industrie Kommunikation

Legal name

Bundesverband Industrie Kommunikation e.V.

Website

https://bvik.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

bvik is a non-profit industry association based in Augsburg, Germany, serving over 3,000 B2B marketing professionals and 350 member companies across DACH industrial and B2B service sectors. It provides training, conferences, awards, benchmarking research, and agency matching services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industry Association / B2B Marketing Professional Services

NAICS

Convention and Trade Show Organizers (56192), Other Similar Organizations (except Business, Professional, Labor, and Political Organizations) (813990)

SIC

Services-Advertising Agencies (7311)

akta.pro primary industry

B2B / Industrial Market Research (MPAAALAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Industry-Specific B2B Trade Show Organizers (THAHABAB)

Keywords

• B2B marketing association
• Industrial communication services
• B2B marketing training
• Marketing benchmark studies
• Industry networking events

Headquarters

HQ city

Augsburg

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: The association generates revenue through annual membership fees from corporate members, individual members, and supporting/förder members. Specific fee amounts are not publicly disclosed on the website but membership application is handled via application form submission.
2. Event and Training Fees: Revenue is generated from fees for events such as the TIK (Tag der Industriekommunikation) conference, B2B-Kompetenz-Werkstatt training courses, and partner events. These are typically priced at standard rates with potential member discounts.
3. Award Participation Fees (be a viktor): The Excellence award competition 'be a viktor' charges submission fees ranging from 395-465 EUR for first submissions (members) and 295-365 EUR for subsequent submissions, with non-member rates at 450-535 EUR and 340-420 EUR respectively. Special award categories have fixed fees of 125-195 EUR.
4. Publications Sales: Whitepapers and trendpapers are sold to non-members for approximately 195 EUR plus VAT per publication. Members receive free access after login.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels11 records

Core offering

bvik is a non-profit industry association (eingetragener Verein) that bundles B2B marketing expertise from over 3,000 marketing professionals and ~350 member companies in the DACH region. Its core offerings include membership services, professional development via the B2B-Kompetenz-Werkstatt, the annual Tag der Industriekommunikation (TIK) conference, the 'be a viktor' B2B Marketing Excellence Award, agency matching services, and an extensive library of B2B marketing research publications, whitepapers, and trendpapers.

Product overview

The bvik Bundesverband Industrie Kommunikation is a professional association (e.V.) for B2B marketing and industrial communication, not a traditional software product company. The organization offers a portfolio of membership-based services including: the B2B-Kompetenz-Werkstatt for professional training, the be a viktor award program for excellence recognition, the annual Tag der Industriekommunikation (TIK) conference, B2B-Agenturmatching for agency referral services, and various research publications including the B2B-Marketing-Budgets studies and Trendbarometer Industriekommunikation. Additional offerings include Trendpapers and Whitepapers on specialized topics, a B2B-Glossar terminology resource, and press services. These services are designed to serve a network of over 3,000 marketing professionals from industry and B2B service companies.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• be a viktor: The B2B Marketing Excellence Award - the first and only award in the German-speaking region exclusively focused on B2B marketing and industrial communication, presented annually by bvik.

Products and services

• B2B-Kompetenz-Werkstatt Professional development and training program offering courses with high practical relevance for B2B marketers and communicators, focusing on digital skills and B2B-specific competencies. Available as packages for non-members at special rates.
• be a viktor - B2B Marketing Excellence Award The first and only Excellence award in the German-speaking region (DACH) exclusively focused on B2B marketing and industrial communication, evaluating projects on strategic clarity, measurable impact, and business relevance. Submission fees range from 295-535 EUR depending on member status and submission number, with special categories at 125-195 EUR. Submission period September-December 2026, award ceremony Spring 2027.
• Tag der Industriekommunikation (TIK) Conference Annual flagship conference bringing together 350+ B2B marketing professionals from industry and communication agencies to discuss trends, share keynotes, run workshops, and network. Held in Fürstenfeldbruck near Munich, attracting approximately 350 attendees per edition (e.g., TIK 2025).
• B2B-Agenturmatching A referral service helping member companies find suitable B2B service providers across categories including Account Based Marketing, Content Marketing, Marketing Automation, SEO/SEA, Event Management, Social Media, Design, and more.
• B2B-Marketing-Budgets Studies Annual benchmark studies tracking marketing budget developments in German industry, providing insights on spending trends, budget allocation, and strategic priorities. Series has been published annually since 2011 and serves as the primary B2B marketing budget benchmark in the DACH region.
• Trendbarometer Industriekommunikation Annual trend study identifying the top trends and challenges in industrial marketing communication, based on surveys of industry professionals across the DACH region.
• Trendpapers and Whitepapers Comprehensive publications covering topics such as AI in B2B marketing, sustainability communication, employer branding, marketing automation, social media strategy, and the future of trade shows. Sold to non-members at approximately 195 EUR plus VAT per publication; members receive free access.
• Young Professionals Program Special offerings and entry-level programs for young professionals starting their careers in B2B marketing, including educational packages at special rates and access to the association's network.
• Zukunftszeichen Podcast Podcast series featuring conversations with B2B marketing leaders, such as Dominik Heigemair from Festo discussing data and the people who can read it, used as a thought leadership content channel for the B2B marketing community.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 350 member companies from industrial and B2B service sectors participate in the network
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered minor, core and supporting/fördermitglied.

• W&V (Werben & Verkaufen)minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 March 2026Industry platform partnered with bvik to organize a panel discussion 'B2Besser: Daten, Technologie und Kreativität – B2B-Marken als Hidden Champion im KI-Zeitalter' at W&V Summit 2026 in Motorworld München.
• Telekom MMS and Hochschule der MediencoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2023Cooperation partners for the 'Digitalisierungsgrad 2023 im B2B-Marketing' study. Telekom MMS provided technology expertise while Hochschule der Medien contributed academic research capabilities.
• Go-Eventsupporting/fördermitgliedStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2022360-degree full-service event agency from Augsburg region, joined as supporting member to contribute expertise in data-driven management and event design.
• FYNEST Internationalsupporting/fördermitgliedStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2022Advertising agency from Graz, supporting member contributing expertise in experiential marketing and event design with experience factor.
• DDW - Die Deutsche WirtschaftminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2021Entrepreneur platform supporting bvik as a topic partner since Spring 2021, with focus on SME and Mittelstand representation.
• Statistasupporting/fördermitgliedStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2021Statistics and market data platform, supporting member since February 2021. Provided data partnership for bvik's budget studies.
• Hootsuite (Fördermitglied since January 2021)supporting/fördermitgliedStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Hootsuite joined as a supporting member in January 2021 to support bvik's mission of professionalizing B2B marketing communication.
• Lythosupporting/fördermitgliedStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2020Lytho BV joined as a supporting member in September 2020. The fourth supporting member after SC-Networks, WIENERS+WIENERS, and Kantar.
• WIENERS+WIENERSsupporting/fördermitgliedStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2020Supporting member providing localization and translation services, particularly for international website localization.
• Kantar (Fördermitglied since January 2020)supporting/fördermitgliedStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Kantar joined as a supporting member on January 1, 2020, to support the association's professionalization mission.
• Hootsuitesupporting/fördermitgliedStrategic or Co-development PartnerSocial media management platform and bvik supporting member (Fördermitglied). Contributed to the whitepaper 'Social Media als strategischer Erfolgsfaktor im B2B' published by bvik.
• activeMindminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerData protection and legal experts who collaborated with bvik to create the 'KI-Guideline 2025: Checkliste für den rechtskonformen Einsatz von KI' whitepaper on compliant AI usage.
• SC-Networks GmbHsupporting/fördermitgliedStrategic or Co-development PartnerMarketing automation solution provider and supporting member. Co-developed the 'Marketing Automation im B2B' whitepaper. SC-Networks is the manufacturer of Evalanche marketing automation software.
• Kantarsupporting/fördermitgliedStrategic or Co-development PartnerMarket research and consulting company, supporting member of bvik since January 2020.
• OMR (Online Marketing Rockstars)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership for the OMR 2026 festival where bvik delivered a masterclass session 'B2Besser: Erfindergeist trifft digitale Strahlkraft – Industriemarken im Rampenlicht' in Track 24, Hall B1.
• Marketing Tech Lab / ValanticminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner contributing to the CMO Benchmarks study featured in the Marketing Tech Monitor 2026. Valantic published a management summary with bvik partnership.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Others

• WARC: A global marketing effectiveness intelligence and research subscription service. Comparable because it monetizes B2B marketing benchmarks and insights — adjacent to bvik's annual budget studies and Trendbarometer — and competes for the same content budget and sponsor relationships.
• Bitkom: Germany's digital industry association with ~2,000 member companies, generating research and events on digital transformation including in B2B marketing topics. Comparable for the membership-driven, non-profit, research-and-events operating model targeting similar enterprise members.
• BVDW (Bundesverband Digitale Wirtschaft): Germany's leading trade association for the digital economy, serving agencies, tech companies, and marketers with events and research. Comparable because it competes for the same B2B marketing content agenda (digital transformation, AI, marketing tech) and for corporate marketing budget sponsorships.
• VDMA (Verband Deutscher Maschinen- und Anlagenbau): Germany's largest industrial association representing mechanical engineering. Comparable as a long-standing non-profit membership association serving overlapping industrial member companies with research, statistics, and flagship events.

Regional players

• ZAW (Zentralverband der deutschen Werbewirtschaft): Germany's central association for the advertising industry, coordinating industry-wide policy, economics, and self-regulation. Comparable as a Germany-based umbrella industry body but with a broader B2C+B2B advertising mandate overlapping bvik's B2B agenda.
• 4A's (American Association of Advertising Agencies): The US national trade association for advertising agencies, providing industry research, training, and standards. Comparable because it operates the same association-for-the-marketing-industry playbook but is restricted to the US market.

Broad incumbents

• American Marketing Association (AMA): The largest marketing professional association globally, with chapters, training programs, journals, and conferences. Comparable because it pursues the same playbook of monetizing marketing professionals through memberships, certification, content, and events.
• IAA (International Advertising Association): A global industry body for advertising and marketing communications with chapters in 40+ countries. Comparable through its membership-based association model, conferences, and thought-leadership programs aimed at marketing professionals.
• Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM): The UK's chartered professional body for marketing, providing membership, training, qualifications, events, and thought leadership. Comparable as a long-established marketing professional association running similar products (training, awards, benchmarks) at greater scale and geographic breadth.

Direct peers

• GWA (Gesamtverband Kommunikationsagenturen): Germany's leading industry association for communication agencies, headquartered in Germany and operating with the same non-profit / member-based model. Comparable because it serves the same B2B marketing ecosystem from the agency side rather than the in-house side, and runs overlapping content, awards, and benchmarking programs.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/bvik.org
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bvik-bundesverband-industrie-kommunikation
• Instagraminstagram.com/bvik_ev
• Xx.com/bvik_ev

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 The bvik Bundesverband Industrie Kommunikation