FH Nordakademie

What FH Nordakademie does

NORDAKADEMIE Hochschule der Wirtschaft, founded in 1992, is the first state-recognized private university in Germany founded and funded directly by business. It is structured as a gemeinnützige Aktiengesellschaft (non-profit stock corporation) and operates from two campuses in Elmshorn (headquarters, 18,000 m² sustainability campus) and Hamburg (Dockland). The institution's core product is the dual study model: Bachelor students combine paid practical training at partner companies with academic study, while Master programs are delivered part-time for working professionals. It offers 2,200+ study places, maintains 900+ partner companies (300+ actively placing students), and has produced 7,500+ alumni, graduating approximately 400 Bachelor students per year.

The technology backbone includes Microsoft 365 for productivity, HubSpot CRM for marketing automation, EvaSys for course evaluation, Mobility-Online for international exchanges, the in-house Campus Informations System (CIS) for student lifecycle management, the Firmenportal for partner-company collaboration, and the DASC-PM v2.0 methodology framework for data-science and AI project work. Bachelor programs are tuition-free for students because partner companies cover education costs in exchange for talent access; part-time Master programs and continuing-education certificates generate tuition-based revenue. The product portfolio spans Bachelor programs (Business Administration, Engineering & Management, Business Informatics, Software Engineering, IT Engineering), Master programs (including Applied AI, Applied Data Science & AI Management, MBA, and others), and modular certificates in Sustainability, AI, and Leadership.

The go-to-market is sales-led with a strong partner-channel dynamic: prospective students apply via dedicated portals and are matched with partner companies, while new partner companies are onboarded through direct consulting engagement. Marketing spans the institution's website, HubSpot email automation, Facebook and TikTok organic social, StudyCheck reviews, and events. The institution maintains recognized third-party validation through the SZ-Institut Beste Hochschulen 2026 ranking and CHE-Siegel quality seals across multiple programs. Leadership comprises President Prof. Dr. Stefan Wiedmann, Chancellor Anke Vogler, and a Supervisory Board chaired by Holger Micheel-Sprenger; no external parent company or private-equity ownership is evidenced.

Name

FH Nordakademie

Legal name

NORDAKADEMIE gemeinnützige Aktiengesellschaft Hochschule der Wirtschaft

Website

https://nordakademie.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1992

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

NORDAKADEMIE is a state-recognized private German university operating a dual-study model that pairs tuition-free Bachelor study with paid partner-company training. It serves 2,200+ students across Elmshorn and Hamburg campuses via 900+ corporate partners and offers part-time Master's and continuing education programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Elmshorn

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Dual Bachelor Programs: Dual Bachelor programs are tuition-free for students as partner companies bear the costs in exchange for trained graduates. Revenue is indirect through partnership fees and the value of trained talent pipeline to partner companies.
2. Part-time Master Programs: Part-time Master programs charge tuition fees. Students are typically employed professionals sponsored by their employers. Fee structure is detailed in the Gebührenordnung (fee schedule) document.
3. Certificates and Continuing Education: Certificate programs and continuing education modules in areas such as Sustainability, Artificial Intelligence, and Leadership generate additional revenue.
4. Partner Company Services: Over 900 partner companies benefit from early access to trained talent, with graduates having up to 4 years of company experience upon graduation.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

NORDAKADEMIE is a private university of applied sciences offering dual Bachelor programs that combine academic study with paid practical training at partner companies (Business Administration, Engineering & Management, Business Informatics, Software Engineering, IT Engineering), and part-time Master programs for working professionals (Applied AI, Applied Data Science & AI Management, Financial Management & Accounting, Digital Marketing Management, General Management, HR Management, MBA). It also sells certificates and continuing education modules in Sustainability, AI, and Leadership.

Product overview

NORDAKADEMIE is a private university of applied sciences (Hochschule der Wirtschaft) offering a dual study model. Its portfolio consists of dual bachelor programs and part-time master programs for working professionals. The bachelor offerings include Business Administration, Engineering & Management, Business Informatics, Software Engineering, and IT Engineering. The master portfolio covers Applied Data Science & AI Management, Applied Artificial Intelligence, Financial Management & Accounting, Digital Marketing Management, General Management, HR Management & Business Psychology, Engineering & Management, Business Informatics/IT-Management, and an MBA. Supporting infrastructure includes the CIS (Campus Informations System) student portal and the Firmenportal corporate portal for partner companies. The institution also provides certificate programs in trending topics like AI, Sustainability, and Leadership, and maintains two campuses in Elmshorn and Hamburg with partnerships with over 900 companies.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Dual Bachelor Programs Dual Bachelor study programs that combine academic education at NORDAKADEMIE with paid practical training at partner companies. Students alternate between campus-based learning and on-the-job training, earning a salary while completing a tuition-free degree. Available disciplines include Business Administration (BWL), Engineering & Management (Wirtschaftsingenieurwesen), Business Informatics (Wirtschaftsinformatik), Software Engineering, and IT-Engineering. Targeted at prospective students who want to avoid tuition debt and gain practical experience before graduation.
• Part-time Master Programs Career-compatible Master of Science and MBA programs delivered part-time so working professionals can study alongside their job. Programs include Applied Data Science & AI Management, Applied Artificial Intelligence (M.Sc.), Financial Management & Accounting, Digital Marketing Management, General Management, HR Management & Business Psychology, Engineering & Management, Business Informatics/IT-Management, and MBA. Tuition-based; specific fees detailed in the university's Geb\u00fchrenordnung. Targeted at employed professionals seeking career advancement and specialization.
• Certificates & Continuing Education Standalone certificate modules and continuing education courses in trend topics including Sustainability (Nachhaltigkeit), Artificial Intelligence (K\u00fcnstliche Intelligenz), and Leadership (F\u00fchrung). Targeted at professionals seeking short-form upskilling without committing to a full degree. Priced per module.

Quantifiable outcome

• 400 Bachelor graduates per year entering the workforce with 4 years of company experience
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration13 records

AI capability4 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

20 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• AccenturecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAccenture is a partner company offering dual study positions to NORDAKADEMIE students, providing practical training opportunities in professional services consulting.
• AirbuscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAirbus partners with NORDAKADEMIE to train students in aerospace-related dual study programs, combining academic learning with practical aviation industry experience.
• LufthansacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLufthansa offers dual study positions at NORDAKADEMIE, providing aviation industry training alongside academic education for future specialists.
• GeneralicoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGenerali provides dual study opportunities in insurance and financial services, training students in risk management and insurance products.
• msg systems AGcoreStrategic or Co-development Partnermsg systems AG offers IT-focused dual study positions, training students in software development and IT consulting alongside NORDAKADEMIE's technology programs.
• HHLAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHHLA (Hamburger Hafen und Logistik Aktiengesellschaft) provides logistics and port management dual study opportunities in Hamburg.
• Universitätsklinikum Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUKE offers healthcare-related dual study positions, training students in hospital management and healthcare administration.
• Körber Technologies GmbHcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKörber provides technology-focused dual study positions, combining NORDAKADEMIE's engineering programs with practical technology industry experience.
• Philips GmbHcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPhilips offers dual study opportunities in healthcare technology, training students in medical device development and health technology solutions.
• freenetcoreStrategic or Co-development Partnerfreenet provides telecommunications-focused dual study positions, training students in mobile and digital services alongside academic studies.
• AcerminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcer provides technology-focused dual study opportunities for students interested in IT hardware and consumer electronics.
• AlfaLavalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAlfaLaval offers engineering-focused dual study positions in mechanical and process engineering.
• CGI DeutschlandminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCGI provides IT consulting dual study opportunities, training students in software development and IT services.
• Bauer Media GroupminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBauer Media Group offers media and publishing-focused dual study positions in marketing and business administration.
• HanseYachts AGminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHanseYachts provides maritime industry-focused dual study opportunities in yacht manufacturing and business management.
• Hafen City Hamburg GmbHminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHafen City provides urban development and real estate focused dual study opportunities in Hamburg's growing harbor district.
• DESMA Schuhmaschinen GmbHminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDESMA offers engineering-focused dual study positions in shoemaking machinery and manufacturing technology.
• DAKOSYminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDAKOSY provides logistics and customs software focused dual study opportunities in Hamburg's port ecosystem.
• LIBRI GmbHminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLIBRI offers book publishing and distribution focused dual study positions in information management and business administration.
• Arrow DeutschlandminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerArrow provides IT distribution focused dual study opportunities in technology sales and supply chain management.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• FOM Hochschule: Germany's largest private university with 50,000+ students, also offering work-integrated / part-time degree programs alongside employment. Directly comparable as a major private, practice-oriented higher education provider targeting working professionals and dual-study candidates.
• IU Internationale Hochschule: Largest German private university (~100,000 students), strong in online and dual/work-integrated learning with a comparable Bachelor/Master portfolio in business, IT, and engineering. Closest for-profit competitor in program mix and target audience.
• Duale Hochschule Baden-Württemberg (DHBW): The pioneer and largest dual-study university in Germany with ~35,000 students. Operates the state-recognized dual-study model that NORDAKADEMIE also uses, making it the most direct comparable on pedagogy and industry integration.
• SRH Hochschule Heidelberg (SRH Group): Part of the larger SRH private education group; offers part-time Master and Bachelor programs in business, engineering, and IT with a practice-oriented approach analogous to NORDAKADEMIE's portfolio.
• Hochschule Fresenius: Private German university group with locations including Hamburg, offering Bachelor and Master programs in business, psychology, and technology; directly comparable in degree portfolio and target audience of working professionals.
• Hochschule Macromedia: Private German university with strong presence in Hamburg offering business, management, and digital programs; comparable as a private practice-oriented higher education institution competing for similar student segments in the Hamburg/Northern Germany market.
• AKAD University: Germany's largest private distance-learning university, offering part-time Bachelor and Master programs for working professionals. Comparable on the part-time-Master, continuing-education, and remote-friendly delivery model.
• Hochschule 21: Private dual-study university in Northern Germany (Buxtehude/Stade, near Hamburg) offering Bachelor programs combining academic study with practical training. Highly comparable on dual-study pedagogy and regional Northern German footprint.

Emerging players

• Constructor University (formerly Jacobs University Bremen): Private, English-language university in Bremen founded 2001, recently undergoing ownership transition. Comparable as an independent private German university, although differentiated by research / international focus rather than the dual-study model.

Regional players

• Hochschule für Angewandte Wissenschaften Hamburg (HAW Hamburg): Major public Hamburg university of applied sciences with comparable departments in business, engineering, and IT. Competes for the same regional student pool and partner companies in Hamburg though differentiated as a low-cost public institution.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/nordakademie
• TikToktiktok.com/@nordakademie
• Xx.com/dienordakademie
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/nordakademie-gag-hochschule-der-wirtschaft

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 FH Nordakademie