Kern Training
KERN Training is a Frankfurt-based corporate language and business training provider operating since 1969, delivering proprietary digital learning platforms and in-person instruction across 30+ European locations, serving enterprise clients including Siemens and Zalando.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1969
- HeadquartersFrankfurt, Germany
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Kern Training does
KERN Training is a Frankfurt am Main-based corporate language and business training provider established in 1969 and operating as KERN AG IKL Business Language Training & Co. KG, a German limited partnership within the family-owned KERN Group. The firm delivers foreign-language instruction, business communication training, intercultural training, and managed training services to corporate clients and individual learners, supported by a proprietary nine-platform digital learning ecosystem that includes KERN Virtual (live virtual classroom), KERN Lingo (e-learning), KERN SkillsAcademy (soft skills e-learning), KERN Blended (hybrid learning), KERN Speak (AI Coach), KERN Assess / lingoscore (placement testing), KERN FlexLearn, KERN LingoVision, and a central Learning Management System.
The company's go-to-market is sales-led, targeting corporate HR/L&D buyers through 30+ physical language school locations across Germany, the UK, France, the Netherlands, Austria, and the Czech Republic, supplemented by in-house training at client premises and global digital delivery. Revenue mechanics combine per-unit language course fees (45-minute units), per-seminar business training fees, e-learning subscriptions, certification exam administration (TOEFL, TOEIC, telc, Cambridge, TFI), professional services for managed training outsourcing, and state-subsidized training programs covering up to 50% (€500) of course costs for eligible participants. Notable enterprise clients include Siemens, Zalando, Radisson Hotels, Heraeus, Deutscher Wetterdienst, and Ernsting's family. The firm holds AZAV, ISO 9001:2015, and ISO/IEC 27001:2022 certifications, was recognized as "Best Digital Education Provider" by WirtschaftsWoche in 2023, and operates with 51–100 internal employees plus an extended freelance trainer network delivering 480,000 teaching units to 35,000+ participants across 13,000+ courses and seminars annually.
Kern Training firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Kern Training
- Legal name
- KERN AG IKL Business Language Training & Co. KG
- Website
- https://kerntraining.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1969
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- KERN Training is a Frankfurt-based corporate language and business training provider operating since 1969, delivering proprietary digital learning platforms and in-person instruction across 30+ European locations, serving enterprise clients including Siemens and Zalando.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Kern Training industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Corporate Language Training
- NAICS
- Professional and Management Development Training (61143), Business Schools and Computer and Management Training (6114)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Business/Professional Language Training (Industry-Specific) (EDAMAFAG)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Language & Cross-Cultural Training (BPACANAL)
Keywords
Where Kern Training is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Frankfurt
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices48 records
Markets served
Kern Training business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Language Training Courses: Revenue generated from language courses delivered in-person at branch locations, in-house at corporate clients, or via KERN Virtual. Billed per language course unit (LU), with minimum amounts charged per program. Group courses and individual training sessions available.
- Business and Communication Training Seminars: Fees from seminars and workshops covering personal development, leadership, sales, communication, and social skills. Charged per seminar or as part of corporate training packages.
- E-Learning Subscriptions: Subscription-based access to KERN Lingo™ and KERN SkillsAcademy™ platforms, providing self-paced online learning content for languages and business skills.
- International Certification Exams: Revenue from administering and preparing for international language certificates including TOEFL, TOEIC, TFI, telc, and Cambridge Certificates.
- Managed Training Services: Comprehensive training management services for corporate clients including needs assessment, training development, portfolio management, event organization, and reporting.
- Intercultural Training: Specialized training programs addressing cultural sensitivity, intercultural dynamics, country-specific training, and expatriate/inpatriate preparation.
- State Subsidized Training: Government-funded training programs where up to 50% of course costs (up to €500) are covered through state subsidy programs in various German federal states.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Pay-as-you-go | State-subsidized courses covering 50% of costs up to €500 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Per language course unit pricing with minimum amounts |
| Unit Pricing | Multi-year contract | Group training maximum 10 participants (in-person), 6 participants (virtual) |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Seminar and workshop fees for business training |
| Subscription | Annual | E-learning and blended learning platform access |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels6 records
Kern Training product offering
Product offeringCore offering
KERN Training delivers corporate language, business communication, intercultural, and managed training services to companies and individual learners. Services are provided through a network of more than 30 physical language schools across Germany and internationally, on-site at client premises, and via a proprietary digital learning ecosystem (KERN Virtual, KERN Lingo, KERN SkillsAcademy, KERN Blended, KERN Speak AI Coach, KERN Assess, KERN FlexLearn). The portfolio covers language courses in multiple languages, business and soft-skills seminars, intercultural preparation, managed training administration, and preparation for internationally recognized language certifications (telc, TOEFL, TOEIC, Cambridge, TFI).
Product overview
Kern Training operates as a comprehensive corporate language and business training provider offering a portfolio of interconnected digital learning products and professional training services. The core digital offering consists of seven named online solutions: KERN Virtual™ (live virtual classroom instruction), KERN Lingo™ (language e-learning), KERN SkillsAcademy™ (soft skills e-learning), KERN Blended™ (hybrid learning), KERN Speak™ – AI Coach (AI-powered conversation coaching), KERN Assess™ (placement testing with lingoscore™), and KERN FlexLearn™ (flexible self-directed learning), supported by a central Learning Platform. These digital products are complemented by four professional service categories: Language Training (delivered in individual, group, in-house, or virtual formats across multiple languages), Business Training (communication and professional skills seminars), Intercultural Training (cultural competency programs), and Managed Training Services (full-service training administration). International certificate preparation for TOEFL, TOEIC, TFI, telc, and Cambridge exams is also provided.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- KERN Virtual™: Live language courses online in the virtual classroom
- KERN Lingo™
- KERN SkillsAcademy™
- KERN Blended™
- KERN Speak™ – AI Coach
- KERN Assess™
- KERN FlexLearn™
- lingoscore™
- KERN CEF
Products and services
- KERN Virtual™
Quantifiable outcome
- 98% customer satisfaction rate
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Kern Training
Customer profileNamed customers12 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Kern Training technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature8 records
Kern Training partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- KERN AG, SprachendienstecoreParent company of KERN AG IKL Business Language Training & Co. KG. KERN AG is a language services provider (translation and interpreting) based in Frankfurt. The holding company includes Manfred Kern, Michael Kern, and Dr. Thomas Kern as managing directors. The partnership provides synergy between corporate language training and professional translation/interpreting services.
- European Social Fund (ESF)coreEU funding source for German state training programs. The ESF funds various federal state programs (Bildungsscheck, Weiterbildungsbonus, QualiScheck, etc.) that subsidize up to 50% of course costs for eligible participants.
- German State Governments (Brandenburg, Hamburg, NRW, Rhineland-Palatinate, Saxony)corePartnership with German federal states to deliver subsidized professional training programs. Each state has its own program: Bildungsscheck (Brandenburg, NRW), Weiterbildungsbonus (Hamburg), QualiScheck (Rhineland-Palatinate), Weiterbildungsscheck (Saxony). Programs cover up to €500 of training costs.
- TELC (The European Language Certificates)coreAuthorized test center partnership for delivering TELC language certificate examinations. KERN offers preparation courses and administers tests in ten languages (English, German, French, Spanish, Turkish, Italian, Portuguese, Russian, Polish, Arabic) across six CEFR levels (A1-C2).
- ETS (Educational Testing Service)coreAuthorized TOEFL and TOEIC testing center. KERN administers these international English proficiency tests and offers preparation courses. TOEFL is required for admission to 5,000+ universities worldwide; TOEIC has 5+ million annual test-takers globally.
- Cambridge Assessment EnglishcoreAuthorized Cambridge English Certificate preparation and testing center. KERN prepares candidates for B2 First, C1 Advanced, and C2 Proficiency exams, recognized by universities and employers worldwide.
- hogast (Case Study Partner)minorTourism industry partnership implementing an online language school for international hospitality workforce. hogastjob.com publishes 2,000+ monthly job listings; KERN provides German language training for recruited international staff.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Kern Training competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Berlitz Corporation: Berlitz is a global corporate language training and cultural training provider offering in-person, virtual, and e-learning in 70+ countries. Directly competes with KERN in B2B corporate language training, blended delivery, and intercultural programs - the closest functional peer for KERN's full-service bundle.
- inlingua International: inlingua operates one of the world's largest networks of language training centers with a strong franchise model. Directly comparable on corporate language training, in-house delivery, and multiple geographies - a direct competitor, particularly in DACH and continental Europe.
- EF Education First (Corporate): EF Corporate Solutions delivers language training and global mobility programs for enterprises, with strong digital platform (EF Classroom, EF Smart). Comparable to KERN in B2B focus, blended delivery, and exam prep (Cambridge, TOEFL, IELTS), and operates at materially larger scale than KERN.
- Speexx: Speexx is a cloud-based corporate language training provider focused on business English and digital learning for global enterprises. Directly competes with KERN Virtual and KERN Lingo in the SaaS-delivered corporate English segment, with stronger technology native product positioning.
- Wall Street English: Wall Street English provides corporate English training with a blended in-center + digital model across 30+ countries. Comparable to KERN in delivery format (blended, instructor-led, e-learning) and enterprise client focus - particularly direct competition for KERN's English training line.
- Learnlight: Learnlight offers corporate language training, intercultural training, and soft skills programs delivered via a digital platform to global enterprises. Directly comparable on the combined language + intercultural + soft skills bundle sold to multinational HR/L&D buyers - a head-to-head competitor in similar enterprise segments.
Broad incumbents
- Goethe-Institut: Goethe-Institut is the German federal government's international cultural institution promoting German language learning worldwide with 150+ centers. Comparable on German-as-a-foreign-language training and standardized test (Goethe-Zertifikat) administration, but operates as a public-sector institution rather than commercial competitor.
Emerging players
- Babbel (Lesson Nine GmbH): Babbel is the Berlin-based subscription consumer language learning app with Babbel for Business targeting SMBs. Berlin-based peer; while primarily consumer, Babbel for Business competes with KERN's KERN Lingo e-learning on the SMB segment where KERN is less differentiated.
Others
- Telc (telc gGmbH): telc is the European language test certificate provider that administers the exams KERN delivers as an authorized test center. A key partnership rather than competitor, but as standards body it shapes demand for KERN's preparation courses and sets the CEFR framework underlying KERN Assess.
Regional players
- Cactus Language Training: Cactus Language provides corporate language training across the UK, France, Spain, Germany and Italy with a network of qualified teachers. Strong overlap with KERN in business language training and international certificates, but primarily active in Western Europe with weaker DACH penetration.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Kern Training social profiles
Digital presenceKern Training compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
Kern Training financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Kern Training leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Kern Training funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Kern Training M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Kern Training
What does Kern Training do?
KERN Training delivers corporate language, business communication, intercultural, and managed training services to companies and individual learners. Services are provided through a network of more than 30 physical language schools across Germany and internationally, on-site at client premises, and via a proprietary digital learning ecosystem (KERN Virtual, KERN Lingo, KERN SkillsAcademy, KERN Blended, KERN Speak AI Coach, KERN Assess, KERN FlexLearn). The portfolio covers language courses in multiple languages, business and soft-skills seminars, intercultural preparation, managed training administration, and preparation for internationally recognized language certifications (telc, TOEFL, TOEIC, Cambridge, TFI).
Is Kern Training a public or private company?
Kern Training is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Kern Training founded?
Kern Training was founded in 1969. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Kern Training based?
Kern Training is headquartered in Frankfurt, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does Kern Training make money?
Seven revenue lines are on record. Language Training Courses are the primary driver. The others are business and Communication Training Seminars, E-Learning Subscriptions, international Certification Exams, managed Training Services, intercultural Training and state Subsidized Training.
Who are Kern Training's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Berlitz Corporation, inlingua International, EF Education First (Corporate), Speexx, Wall Street English and Learnlight. Goethe-Institut is listed as a broad incumbent. Babbel (Lesson Nine GmbH) is listed as an emerging player. Telc (telc gGmbH) is listed as an others. Cactus Language Training is listed as a regional player.
Does Kern Training have an API?
No public API is recorded for Kern Training.
What industry is Kern Training in?
Kern Training's product category is Corporate Language Training. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAMAFAG, Business/Professional Language Training (Industry-Specific), with a secondary code of BPACANAL, Language & Cross-Cultural Training. Its NAICS code is 61143 and its SIC code is 8200.