Wisoak

What Wisoak does

Wisoak (Wirtschafts- und Sozialakademie der Arbeitnehmerkammer Bremen gemeinnützige gGmbH) is a non-profit continuing education provider founded in 1974 and wholly owned by the Arbeitnehmerkammer Bremen (Workers' Chamber of Bremen). Operating four physical training centers in Bremen-Hastedt (headquarters), Bremen-Vegesack, Bremerhaven, and Bad Zwischenahn, Wisoak is one of the leading in-person providers of professional qualification and Bildungszeiten (educational leave) in the Bremen-Oldenburg metropolitan region, with an annual program of approximately 800 course offerings. Its core product portfolio spans Aufstiegsfortbildungen (IHK and Arbeitnehmerkammer-certified career advancement courses), Berufliche Qualifizierungen (vocational qualifications), Umschulungen (retraining programs typically funded via Bildungsgutscheine under SGB II/III), and Bildungszeiten/Bildungsurlaub seminars, plus specialized schools for nursing (Pflegeschule) and social assistance (Berufsfachschule für Sozialassistenz) and a Kaufmännisches Trainingszentrum for office-management retraining.

The technology stack is a Moodle-based LMS at e-learning.wisoak.de integrated with a BigBlueButton virtual classroom, supplemented by a Hybrid Teaching Studio enabling simultaneous in-person and online delivery, a virtualized terminal-server environment for DATEV-enabled business courses, and an AI-assisted digital learning ecosystem (SMALO) developed within a BMBF-funded consortium to deliver individualized learning paths in logistics. Wisoak's business model blends three revenue streams: (1) per-course tuition fees published in annual catalogs, with installment plans for programs exceeding three months and KammerCard discounts for Arbeitnehmerkammer Bremen members; (2) customized Firmenschulungen sold directly to enterprises as bespoke in-company training, packaged seminars, or long-term cooperation agreements; and (3) government-funded retraining and qualification programs accessed via Bildungsgutscheine routed through job centers and employment agencies under SGB II/III, often ESF co-financed. The customer base is diversified across working professionals pursuing career advancement, job seekers funded through Arbeitsagentur vouchers, apprentices requiring exam preparation, healthcare/caregiving professionals needing mandatory §43b/53b SGB XI training, regional enterprises buying corporate training, and freelance instructors participating in the Dozent:innen training program.

Name

Wisoak

Legal name

Wirtschafts- und Sozialakademie der Arbeitnehmerkammer Bremen gemeinnützige gGmbH

Website

https://wisoak.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1974

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Wisoak is a non-profit continuing education academy in Bremen, Germany, wholly owned by the Arbeitnehmerkammer Bremen, delivering ~800 in-person and hybrid courses annually across four locations. It serves working professionals, job seekers via SGB II/III Bildungsgutscheine, apprentices, healthcare/caregiving professionals, regional enterprises, and freelance instructors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Continuing Education and Vocational Training

NAICS

Technical and Trade Schools (61151), Technical and Trade Schools (6115), Professional and Management Development Training (61143), Other Technical and Trade Schools (611519), Educational Services (61)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYEDAAAPAL

Education & Training (Instructional Roles)

Education/Adult & Continuing Education/Industry-Specific Training (Healthcare, Tech, etc.)

SECONDARYEDABADAE

Harassment Prevention, EEO & Workplace Conduct Compliance

Education/Corporate Training & Professional Development/Compliance, Ethics & Regulatory Training

SECONDARYBPACANAK

Apprenticeships, Internships & Work-Based Learning Programs

Business & Public Services/HR, Staffing & Recruitment Services/Training, Learning & Development Services

SECONDARYEDABAKAK

Production & Manufacturing Operations (TPM, OEE, SMED)

Education/Corporate Training & Professional Development/Operations, Quality & Lean/Six Sigma Training

Keywords

• Professional continuing education
• Vocational training programs
• Corporate training services
• Educational leave seminars
• Retraining programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Bremen

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Course/Tuition Fees: Wisoak generates revenue primarily through fees charged for participation in professional development courses, career advancement programs (Aufstiegsfortbildungen), retraining programs (Umschulungen), educational leave (Bildungszeiten), and seminars. Fees are set per event and published in course catalogs.
2. Corporate Training (Firmenschulungen): Customized in-company training programs sold to businesses, with options for bespoke curricula, standard seminar packages, or event bundles. Revenue generated through direct B2B contracts with companies.
3. Government-Funded Training (SGB II/III): Retraining and qualification programs funded via education vouchers (Bildungsgutscheine) from job centers and employment agencies under German social law (SGB II/III).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Wisoak is a non-profit continuing education academy operating four physical training centers in the Bremen-Oldenburg metropolitan region (Bremen-Hastedt, Bremen-Vegesack, Bremerhaven, Bad Zwischenahn), delivering approximately 800 in-person courses per year. Its portfolio spans career advancement training (Aufstiegsfortbildungen), vocational qualifications, multi-day educational leave seminars (Bildungszeiten), retraining programs (Umschulungen), a nursing school (Pflegeschule), a vocational school for social assistance, customized corporate training (Firmenschulungen), and weekend seminars.

Product overview

Wisoak (Wirtschafts- und Sozialakademie der Arbeitnehmerkammer Bremen) is a leading provider of professional continuing education and educational leave programs in the Bremen-Oldenburg metropolitan region. The organization operates a multi-site network with facilities in Bremen-Hastedt, Bremen-Vegesack, Bremerhaven, and Bad Zwischenahn. Its core portfolio includes Aufstiegsfortbildungen (career advancement training with IHK/Arbeitnehmerkammer certificates), Berufliche Qualifizierungen (vocational qualifications), Bildungszeiten (educational leave seminars), and Umschulungen (retraining programs) in commercial, social, and healthcare sectors. Specialized schools include a Pflegeschule (nursing school) and Berufsfachschule für Sozialassistenz (social assistance vocational school). The organization offers an E-Learning platform for distance education and manages multiple BMBF-funded innovation projects including SMALO (digital logistics learning ecosystem) and RessourcE (sustainable continuing education). Additional offerings encompass Firmenschulungen (corporate training), weekend seminars, instructor training, and digital participation workshops.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Aufstiegsfortbildungen (Career Advancement Training)

Quantifiable outcome

• 141 participants supported in Quali Plus III project with reduced drop-out rates and improved exam results.

Named customers1 record

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Partnerschaft Umwelt UnternehmenminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 May 2024Wisoak has joined 'Partnerschaft Umwelt Unternehmen,' an environmental partnership for companies committed to sustainability, aligning with Wisoak's educational mission around social-ecological transformation.
• Allgemeiner Deutscher Fahrrad-Club (ADFC) Landesverband Bremen e.V.minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 30 April 2024Wisoak cooperates with the ADFC Bremen on joint cycling-related educational events and content, combining Wisoak's educational expertise with ADFC's cycling advocacy.
• Maritimes Cluster Norddeutschland e.V. (MCN)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 30 November 2023Wisoak cooperated with MCN to organize the Fachtag Biofouling at its premises, addressing maritime industry topics and strengthening ties with the maritime economy sector.
• Hochschule BremencoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 November 2023Wisoak and Hochschule Bremen cooperate on the TOPSIM business simulation program for students of business administration and Wisoak career advancement participants. Also co-organized Caremove, an event to strengthen nursing professions with Hochschule Bremen.
• Senatorin für Arbeit, Soziales, Jugend und Integration (Freie Hansestadt Bremen)coreOthers · 1 April 2022Funding and oversight body for multiple Wisoak projects including climate protection and digitalization measures (ESF Plus), LOS-Agentur, and other government-funded educational initiatives.
• SMALO Consortium Partners (BALance Technology Consulting, ITB, ma-co, tbnlr, LUB, M.I.T., BIBA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2021Wisoak serves as consortium leader in the BMBF-funded SMALO project to create a digital learning ecosystem for the logistics sector. Partners include BALance (technical coordination), ITB (scientific monitoring), ma-co (learning path development), tbnlr and LUB (logistics industry practice access), M.I.T. (technical implementation), and BIBA (pilot testing and AI research).
• Magistrat der Stadt BremerhavencoreOthers · 15 March 2021The Magistrat Bremerhaven finances Wisoak's qualification program for Kita (nursery school) leadership as part of the KitaPlus project, providing training for future childcare managers.
• IQ-Netzwerk Bremen (ikö-diversity project partners: Senator für Finanzen, AFZ)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019IQ Teilprojekt 'ikö-diversity' (Interkulturelle Öffnung und Diversity) supports Bremen in developing a modern, cosmopolitan public administration. Wisoak conducts diversity training, workshops, and qualifications in cooperation with the Senator für Finanzen and the AFZ training center.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Direct peers

• Deutsche Angestellten-Akademie (DAA): One of Germany's largest non-profit continuing education and retraining providers with a national branch network. Directly comparable to Wisoak as a chamber-affiliated (DGB) provider of AZAV-certified retraining, Aufstiegsfortbildung, and Bildungsurlaub programs funded via Bildungsgutscheine.
• WBS Training: Major commercial continuing education and retraining provider in Germany offering AZAV-certified Umschulungen, geförderte Weiterbildung, and IHK-certified courses funded via Bildungsgutschein. Directly comparable to Wisoak's retraining and career-advancement portfolio but with national scale.
• IBB Institut für Berufliche Bildung: Large commercial provider of AZAV-certified retraining (Umschulung), geförderte Weiterbildung, and online IHK courses across Germany. Comparable in offering (retraining, vocational qualification, funded training) with stronger digital delivery than Wisoak.
• Euro Akademie: Network of private vocational schools specializing in social, healthcare, and nursing education (Pflegefachschule, Erzieherausbildung). Comparable to Wisoak's Berufsfachschule für Sozialassistenz and Pflegeschule lines.

Broad incumbents

• DEKRA Akademie: Subsidiary of DEKRA SE offering corporate training, vocational qualification, and continuing education programs across Germany with strong B2B focus. Overlaps with Wisoak's Firmenschulungen and IT/Digitales offerings but operates at national scale.
• TÜV Rheinland Akademie: Large commercial training and certification provider covering IT, quality management, safety, and corporate compliance. Comparable to Wisoak's corporate training (Firmenschulungen) line and IT/Digitales portfolio, but at much larger national scale.

Regional players

• BBW Bildungswerk der Bayerischen Wirtschaft: Regional chamber-affiliated continuing education provider in Bavaria with similar structure to Wisoak (vocational qualification, retraining, Bildungszeiten, in-person delivery). Comparable as a regional chamber-backed peer but does not directly compete geographically with Wisoak.
• Volkshochschule (VHS) Bremen: Public adult education center serving Bremen with similar Bildungszeiten and adult learning offerings. Direct regional overlap with Wisoak on educational leave and adult continuing education, though focused more on general/societal topics versus Wisoak's vocational/career focus.

Emerging players

• alfatraining Bildungszentrum: Commercial provider specializing in digital delivery of AZAV-certified retraining (Umschulung), IHK-certified courses, and IT bootcamps funded via Bildungsgutschein. Comparable to Wisoak's commercial/IT retraining programs but with a primarily online delivery model.

Others

• IHK Bremen und Bremerhaven: Chamber of Commerce that issues the IHK certifications Wisoak's career advancement (Aufstiegsfortbildung) programs prepare students for. Functions as an enabling/credentialing counterpart rather than a direct competitor; the IHK Prüfungsvorbereitung overlap makes it a thematic peer.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/wisoak
• Facebookfacebook.com/wisoakHB
• Instagraminstagram.com/wisoak_bremen

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 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 Wisoak