Engineers Without Borders
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2005
- HeadquartersKarlsruhe, Germany
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Engineers Without Borders does
Engineers Without Borders (EWB) is a Germany-based non-profit organization, founded in 2005 and headquartered in Karlsruhe, with 101–250 employees. The organization operates as part of a global engineering charity network, providing education, water supply, health, energy, and civil work support services to underserved communities. Its primary documented program footprint is Eastern Uganda, where up to 70% of the population lacks access to safe water, sanitation, energy and education facilities.
EWB does not sell products or technology in the commercial sense; instead, it delivers engineering expertise, infrastructure development, and capacity building through regional chapters and implementation partners such as EWB East Africa. The organization is coordinated at the network level by EWB International, which facilitates partnerships between the EWB network and external technology and funding providers.
The organization's revenue model is that of a charitable non-profit: it relies on donations, grants, and corporate partnerships rather than product pricing or service fees. Its most significant disclosed partnership is with Trimble (announced 2025-10-03), under which Trimble committed monetary donations, hardware, software and specialized training expertise in support of an 18-month critical infrastructure project in Eastern Uganda. The project explicitly targets unlocking local government funds for infrastructure development, signaling a blended-finance approach combining philanthropy, corporate in-kind support, and public-sector co-funding.
Engineers Without Borders firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Engineers Without Borders
- Website
- https://ewb-karlsruhe.de
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2005
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Engineers Without Borders industry classification
Industry- Product category
- International Development Engineering Services
- NAICS
- Engineering Services (54133), Engineering Services (541330)
- SIC
- Services-Engineering Services (8711), Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Infrastructure, Engineering & Public Works Technical Assistance (WASH/Transport/Energy) (BPADAEAF)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Civil & Structural Engineering Consulting (BPAHAIAA), Education Systems & Skills Technical Assistance (BPADAEAI)
Keywords
Where Engineers Without Borders is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Karlsruhe
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Markets served
Engineers Without Borders business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Engineers Without Borders product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Engineers Without Borders is a non-profit engineering charity that delivers critical infrastructure projects (water supply, sanitation, energy, education facilities, health, and civil works) to underserved communities through an international network of regional chapters and volunteer engineers. The organization brokers and executes long-duration humanitarian engineering initiatives, such as the 18-month Eastern Uganda infrastructure program, supported by corporate donations, partner technology, and capacity-building training.
Product overview
Engineers Without Borders is a global engineering charity network focused on international development projects. Based on the available source data, no specific product offerings, digital platforms, software modules, or branded services were identified. The organization appears to function primarily as a charitable network facilitating engineering projects and partnerships rather than as a technology product company.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Critical Infrastructure Development Program (Eastern Uganda) 18-month critical infrastructure initiative in Eastern Uganda delivering safe water, sanitation, energy, and education facilities to underserved communities, executed via EWB East Africa and EWB International coordination and supported by Trimble donations, hardware, software, and training.
Companies that use Engineers Without Borders
Customer profileSegments1 record
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Engineers Without Borders technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Engineers Without Borders partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- TrimblecoreTrimble committed substantial monetary donations, hardware, software, and specialized training expertise to support international projects. The collaboration's first initiative is an 18-month critical infrastructure project in Eastern Uganda targeting communities lacking access to safe water, sanitation, energy and education facilities.
- EWB InternationalcoreFacilitates the strategic partnership between Engineers Without Borders network and external partners like Trimble, coordinating international development projects.
- EWB East AfricacoreRegional implementation partner executing the 18-month critical infrastructure project in Eastern Uganda, working to unlock local government funds for infrastructure development.
Scale indicators1 record
Recent moves4 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Engineers Without Borders competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Water For People: Engineering-led NGO working on durable WASH infrastructure in developing countries, with an explicit "Everyone Forever" model of partnering with local government — closely mirroring EWB's government-fund unlocking approach.
- WaterAid: Global nonprofit focused on WASH (water, sanitation, hygiene) infrastructure in low-income communities. Highly comparable to EWB's Uganda project scope and engineering-driven delivery model.
- Engineers Without Borders International: Direct peer and parent network coordinating international EWB chapters including the Karlsruhe subject. Operates the same engineering-for-development mission model across multiple countries, including active programs in Africa.
- Engineers Without Borders USA: Sister EWB chapter operating under the same global engineering-for-development brand, executing community infrastructure programs with volunteer engineering expertise. Directly comparable mission, structure, and project mix.
Broad incumbents
- World Vision International: Large faith-based international development organization executing integrated WASH, energy, and education programs across sub-Saharan Africa. Comparable multi-sector community development model; substantially larger and more diversified.
- Mercy Corps: Major international development NGO with programs spanning WASH, energy access, and education in fragile states like Uganda. Comparable beneficiary segments and infrastructure mandate, but operates at materially larger scale with humanitarian response capacity EWB lacks.
- Concern Worldwide: International humanitarian and development NGO with active livelihoods, WASH, and education programming in Uganda. Comparable beneficiary geography and integrated community-infrastructure approach.
- Habitat for Humanity International: Large international nonprofit delivering housing and community infrastructure in developing regions. Comparable in mobilizing volunteer engineering capacity and partnering with local government, but broader scope and larger budget than EWB Karlsruhe.
- Plan International: Global NGO combining child-focused education programs with WASH and community infrastructure in East Africa. Overlaps with EWB's integrated WASH-and-education community mandate; far larger footprint and donor base.
Others
- Mott MacDonald: Global engineering consultancy that operates a development advisory practice delivering WASH and energy infrastructure advisory for DFIs and multilaterals in Africa. Comparable technical skill set applied to international development, though commercial rather than charitable model.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights5 records
Customer concentration
Engineers Without Borders social profiles
Digital presenceEngineers Without Borders financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Engineers Without Borders leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Engineers Without Borders funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Engineers Without Borders 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 Engineers Without Borders
What does Engineers Without Borders do?
Engineers Without Borders is a non-profit engineering charity that delivers critical infrastructure projects (water supply, sanitation, energy, education facilities, health, and civil works) to underserved communities through an international network of regional chapters and volunteer engineers. The organization brokers and executes long-duration humanitarian engineering initiatives, such as the 18-month Eastern Uganda infrastructure program, supported by corporate donations, partner technology, and capacity-building training.
Is Engineers Without Borders a public or private company?
Engineers Without Borders is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Engineers Without Borders founded?
Engineers Without Borders was founded in 2005. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Engineers Without Borders based?
Engineers Without Borders is headquartered in Karlsruhe, Germany, in the Europe region.
Who are Engineers Without Borders's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Water For People, WaterAid, Engineers Without Borders International and Engineers Without Borders USA. Broad incumbents are World Vision International, Mercy Corps, Concern Worldwide, Habitat for Humanity International and Plan International. Mott MacDonald is listed as an others.
Does Engineers Without Borders have an API?
No public API is recorded for Engineers Without Borders.
What industry is Engineers Without Borders in?
Engineers Without Borders's product category is International Development Engineering Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPADAEAF, Infrastructure, Engineering & Public Works Technical Assistance (WASH/Transport/Energy), with a secondary code of BPAHAIAA, Civil & Structural Engineering Consulting. Its NAICS code is 54133 and its SIC code is 8711.