Steinbeis Transfer Management
Steinbeis Transfer Management is a German foundation operating a decentralized network of ~1,000 transfer companies and 4,500-4,800 experts, delivering research, consulting, and training services that bridge academic research and industrial application for SMEs and established enterprises.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1971
- HeadquartersStuttgart, Germany
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Steinbeis Transfer Management does
Steinbeis Transfer Management is the operational technology transfer organization of the Steinbeis-Stiftung für Wirtschaftsförderung, a German foundation re-established in 1971 (with roots to 1868/69) and headquartered in Stuttgart. It operates as a decentralized network of approximately 1,000 independent transfer companies (Steinbeis-Unternehmen) employing 4,500-4,800 experts who collectively serve more than 10,000 customers annually. The core mission is intermediating between academic research and industrial application, providing SMEs and established enterprises access to scientific knowledge and emerging technologies across digitalization, AI, automation, materials science, analytics, and sustainability.
The service portfolio is organized around three integrated pillars: Research & Development (application-oriented R&D assignments and product/process optimization), Consulting & Expertises (short-term to comprehensive business consulting via flexible expert teams), and Training & Continuing Education (compact seminars, in-house workshops, and modular study programs at the affiliated Steinbeis Hochschule). Supporting infrastructure includes an Expert Search online portal, the free Kurzberatung program for Baden-Württemberg SMEs under €100M revenue, and physical Steinbeis-Haus facilities in Stuttgart, Berlin (Adlershof, completed 2023), and Karlsruhe. Subsidiaries span dedicated consulting (Steinbeis Beratungszentren GmbH), market-oriented R&D (Steinbeis Forschungs- und Innovationszentren GmbH), digital transformation research (Ferdinand-Steinbeis-Institut, 2015), cooperative research (Ferdinand-Steinbeis-Gesellschaft, 2019), and specialist publishing (Steinbeis-Edition, 2003).
The business model is predominantly professional services delivered through the transfer-company network, supplemented by tuition at Steinbeis Hochschule (private university offering bachelor and master programs), publishing revenue from Steinbeis-Edition and TRANSFER Magazine, and office/seminar rental income from the Steinbeis-Haus facilities. Customer segments are horizontal: Baden-Württemberg SMEs, established German enterprises seeking innovation, and academic entrepreneurs building companies under Steinbeis company-building support. Named reference customers include Carl Zeiss Industrielle Messtechnik, Charles River, dm-drogerie markt, Mahle International, and Voith Turbo. The foundation is governed by a 23+23-member Kuratorium drawing from business, science, politics, and administration, including representatives from TRUMPF, SAP, KIT, and Fraunhofer ISI.
Steinbeis Transfer Management firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Steinbeis Transfer Management
- Legal name
- Steinbeis-Stiftung für Wirtschaftsförderung (StW)
- Website
- https://steinbeis.de
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1971
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Steinbeis Transfer Management is a German foundation operating a decentralized network of ~1,000 transfer companies and 4,500-4,800 experts, delivering research, consulting, and training services that bridge academic research and industrial application for SMEs and established enterprises.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where Steinbeis Transfer Management is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Stuttgart
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices4 records
Markets served
Steinbeis Transfer Management business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Technology Transfer Services: Consulting, research & development, and expert services provided through the network of Steinbeis transfer companies to businesses seeking innovation and knowledge transfer.
- Training and Education: Praxisnahe Weiterbildungsformate including seminars, workshops, in-house trainings, and modular study programs at the Steinbeis Hochschule.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Free short-term consulting for SMEs in Baden-Württemberg |
| Unit Pricing | Monthly | Open space office rental in Berlin |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels4 records
Steinbeis Transfer Management product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Steinbeis Transfer Management operates a foundation-backed network that delivers applied research and development, business and technology consulting, vocational training and continuing education, and company-building services to industrial and SME clients. Revenue is generated by matching client requirements with experts from a network of roughly 1,000 transfer companies and approximately 4,500–4,800 specialists who execute projects on a contract basis.
Product overview
Steinbeis Transfer Management operates as a technology transfer organization with a platform-based architecture. The core offering centers on Company Building services through Steinbeis GmbH & Co. KG für Technologietransfer, which manages a network of approximately 1,000 transfer companies. These companies provide three integrated service pillars: Research & Development, Consulting & Expertises, and Training & Continuing Education. The organization also operates Steinbeis Hochschule (private university) for academic programs, Steinbeis-Edition for specialist publications, and the TRANSFER Magazine for network communication. Physical infrastructure includes Steinbeis-Haus facilities in Berlin-Adlershof, Stuttgart-Hohenheim, and Karlsruhe. An Expert Search portal enables access to the network's expertise, while a Short Consultation service provides free initial advisory support for SMEs in Baden-Württemberg.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Steinbeis-Haus: Physical locations and facilities operated by Steinbeis for technology transfer activities, including Stuttgart-Hohenheim, Berlin-Adlershof, and Karlsruhe locations
- Steinbeis Hochschule
- Steinbeis-Edition
- Transferpreis der Steinbeis-Stiftung – Löhn-Preis
- Ferdinand-Steinbeis-Institut (FSTI)
- Ferdinand-Steinbeis-Gesellschaft für transferorientierte Forschung (FSG)
- Steinbeis-Unternehmen
- Company Building
- Steinbeis-Kompetenzen
Products and services
- Applied Research and Development Services
- Business and Technology Consulting
- Training and Continuing Education Programs
- Company Building and Incubation Support
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 2,500 companies founded since 1983, with ~1,000 currently active
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Steinbeis Transfer Management
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Steinbeis Transfer Management technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
Steinbeis Transfer Management partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- TRUMPF GmbH + Co. KGminorTRUMPF representatives participate in the Steinbeis Supervisory Committee (Kuratorium) as part of the business representation.
- SAP SEminorSAP is represented in the Steinbeis Supervisory Committee through their Vice President Christine Regitz.
- Karlsruher Institut für Technologie (KIT)coreKIT is represented in the Supervisory Committee through Prof. Dr. Thomas Hirth (Vice President) and Prof. Dr. Michael J. Hoffmann from the Institute for Applied Materials.
- Fraunhofer-Institut für System- und Innovationsforschung (ISI)coreFraunhofer ISI is represented in the Supervisory Committee through Director Prof. Dr. Marion A. Weissenberger-Eibl.
- Steinbeis-HochschulecorePrivate university established in 1998, offering bachelor, master, and continuing education programs in cooperation with Steinbeis transfer companies.
- TOPAS Industriemathematik Innovation gGmbHcoreWinner of the 2026 Transferpreis for autonomous firefighting robotics project involving hardware and software platform development with AI-based object recognition.
- Alpha Robotics Germany GmbH & Co. KGcoreWinner of the 2026 Transferpreis, providing hardware platform and practical experience from real fire service scenarios for autonomous robotics project.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves14 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Steinbeis Transfer Management competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Battelle Memorial Institute: US-based nonprofit applied science and technology organization managing national laboratories and conducting contract research for industry and government. Comparable to Steinbeis in foundation/nonprofit structure and applied R&D-to-industry transfer model, though materially larger in scale.
- CSIRO (Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation): Australia's national science agency conducting applied research with technology transfer, industry partnerships, and spin-out creation. Comparable to Steinbeis in operating model and revenue mix (public + industry contracts).
- Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft: Germany's largest applied research organization, operating 76 institutes with applied R&D and technology transfer from universities to industry. Directly comparable to Steinbeis as a German technology transfer intermediary serving the Mittelstand, though Fraunhofer is institute-based and publicly funded.
- Oxford University Innovation: Technology transfer and consulting arm of the University of Oxford, supporting spin-outs, licensing, and consulting. Comparable to Steinbeis in academic-to-industry transfer and company building, though operating from a single institution.
- Stanford Office of Technology Licensing (OTL): University technology transfer office licensing Stanford research to industry and supporting start-ups. Comparable to Steinbeis in the technology transfer function specifically, though operating at a single university rather than a network model.
- TNO (Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research): Dutch applied research organization translating scientific knowledge into industry-ready innovations. Comparable to Steinbeis in mission and operating model (applied research, industry contracts, spin-off support), though TNO is government-funded and institute-based rather than foundation-based.
- VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland: Finland's applied research organization conducting technology transfer between research and industry. Comparable to Steinbeis in mission and customer base (industrial SMEs and corporates), with similar focus on digitalization, AI, and sustainability themes.
Broad incumbents
- Leibniz Association: German research organization operating 97 institutes across natural, engineering, environmental, and social sciences. Comparable to Steinbeis as a German applied research peer with industry transfer mandates, though broader in scope and institute-based.
- Helmholtz Association: Germany's largest scientific organization operating 18 research centers in energy, health, and information. Comparable to Steinbeis as a German R&D ecosystem player, though focused on large-scale fundamental research with broader scope.
- Max Planck Society: Germany's leading basic research organization operating 86 Max Planck Institutes. Comparable to Steinbeis in the German research-to-industry ecosystem, with overlap in spin-off generation through Max Planck Innovation.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Steinbeis Transfer Management social profiles
Digital presenceSteinbeis Transfer Management compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Steinbeis Transfer Management financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Steinbeis Transfer Management leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Steinbeis Transfer Management subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries7 records
Steinbeis Transfer Management funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Steinbeis Transfer Management 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 Steinbeis Transfer Management
What does Steinbeis Transfer Management do?
Steinbeis Transfer Management operates a foundation-backed network that delivers applied research and development, business and technology consulting, vocational training and continuing education, and company-building services to industrial and SME clients. Revenue is generated by matching client requirements with experts from a network of roughly 1,000 transfer companies and approximately 4,500–4,800 specialists who execute projects on a contract basis.
Is Steinbeis Transfer Management a public or private company?
Steinbeis Transfer Management is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Steinbeis Transfer Management founded?
Steinbeis Transfer Management was founded in 1971. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Steinbeis Transfer Management based?
Steinbeis Transfer Management is headquartered in Stuttgart, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does Steinbeis Transfer Management make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Technology Transfer Services are the primary driver. The others are training and Education.
Who are Steinbeis Transfer Management's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Battelle Memorial Institute, CSIRO (Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation), Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft, Oxford University Innovation, Stanford Office of Technology Licensing (OTL), TNO (Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research) and VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland. Broad incumbents are Leibniz Association, Helmholtz Association and Max Planck Society.
Does Steinbeis Transfer Management have an API?
No public API is recorded for Steinbeis Transfer Management.