DGRV

What DGRV does

DGRV – Deutscher Genossenschafts- und Raiffeisenverband e. V. is Germany's central cooperative and Raiffeisen apex association (Spitzenverband), headquartered in Berlin. It functions as a registered association (eingetragener Verein / e. V.) that aggregates and represents the interests of approximately 7,000 cooperatives across housing, agriculture, energy, trade, credit, and services, encompassing roughly 18.7 million cooperative members through 5,197 member enterprises. Rather than operating a software platform, DGRV delivers value through policy advocacy, advisory services, member framework contracts, publications, and international development cooperation active in approximately 25 countries.

Its core service lines are: (1) the Bundesgeschäftsstelle Energiegenossenschaften, the central federal contact point for energy cooperative policy and project coordination; (2) Rahmenverträge, a framework-contract program with ~20 partners (e.g., Vodafone as Premiumpartner, plus SCHUFA, CRIF Bürgel, Sixt, Europcar, JobRad, Fitness First, meistro, GENO Energie, Handelsblatt, juris.de) bundling member demand into preferential rates; (3) Internationale Zusammenarbeit, BMZ-funded development projects (including the SEWOH initiative) that build cooperative and self-help-group capacity abroad, notably a 25-year partnership with APMAS in India ending December 2025; and (4) publications and policy positions including PerspektivePraxis, the VS-Standard voluntary sustainability reporting standard, and statements on cooperative, tax, and energy law.

DGRV's revenue model is membership-dues and federation-fee based (subscription/recurring), with supplemental international development funding from BMZ frameworks. GTM is channel-partner and community-led rather than transactional: advocacy is exercised through formal submissions to federal ministries and coalitions such as the Energy Sharing alliance; community engagement is delivered via digital podiums, webinars, and publications. As a non-profit e. V., DGRV does not have equity funding, M&A, or external shareholders — it is structurally an industry self-organization body rather than an investable enterprise.

Name

DGRV

Legal name

DGRV – Deutscher Genossenschafts- und Raiffeisenverband e. V.

Website

https://dgrv.de

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Short description

DGRV is Germany's central cooperative apex association (e. V.) in Berlin, representing approximately 7,000 cooperatives and 18.7 million members across housing, agriculture, energy, trade, credit, and services through advocacy, framework contracts, and international development projects in ~25 countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cooperative Federation Services

NAICS

Business Associations (813910), Business Associations (81391), Civic and Social Organizations (813410), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Electric Cooperatives (Rural/Member-Owned Utilities) (EUADABAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Distributed Generation (DG) Solar & Small Wind (EUAMAJAD), Humanitarian-Development-Peace Nexus & Resilience Programming (BPADAEAK), Technical Committees, Working Groups & Expert Panels (BPADANAB), Community Microgrids (Neighborhood, Municipal, Cooperative) (EUAFAJAC)

Keywords

• Cooperative federation
• Cooperative advocacy
• Framework contracts
• Energy cooperatives
• International cooperation

Headquarters

HQ city

Berlin

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership dues and federation fees: DGRV operates as the umbrella federation for cooperative associations in Germany. It represents member cooperative organizations and generates revenue through membership fees and federation contributions from its affiliated member organizations (5,197 companies across multiple cooperative sectors).

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

DGRV is the national umbrella federation (Spitzenverband) for registered cooperatives (eingetragene Genossenschaften) in Germany, representing 18.7 million cooperative members through 5,197 member companies. It sells political advocacy, regulatory representation, framework contracts with partner companies that provide preferential rates to member cooperatives, advisory services through its Bundesgeschäftsstelle Energiegenossenschaften for energy cooperatives, and international cooperation projects in approximately 25 countries.

Product overview

DGRV (Deutscher Genossenschafts- und Raiffeisenverband e. V.) is a cooperative apex organization representing approximately 18.7 million cooperative members across 5,197 member companies. Rather than offering a software product, DGRV provides a portfolio of services including: framework contracts (Rahmenverträge) offering member benefits across telecommunications, automotive, energy, and professional services; the Bundesgeschäftsstelle Energiegenossenschaften as a central advisory hub for energy cooperatives; international cooperation projects in approximately 25 countries; and publications including PerspektivePraxis professional reports, the VS-Standard for sustainability reporting, and thematic guides on heating cooperatives and climate protection. This is not a platform-plus-modules architecture but a member services organization.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Bundesgeschäftsstelle Energiegenossenschaften: Central contact point for federal politics, authorities, associations, and the public regarding energy cooperatives in Germany
• PerspektivePraxis
• Rahmenverträge

Products and services

• Rahmenverträge (Framework Contracts) Member service in which DGRV aggregates demand from member cooperatives and negotiates framework contracts with partner companies (e.g., Vodafone, SCHUFA, Sixt, meistro ENERGIE, JobRad, Fitness First) to deliver preferential pricing and free added-value services across telecommunications, credit information, mobility, energy, health, and professional services.
• Bundesgeschäftsstelle Energiegenossenschaften (Federal Office for Energy Cooperatives) Advisory and advocacy service that serves as the central point of contact for federal politics, authorities, associations, and the public on matters related to energy cooperatives. Provides policy advocacy, project coordination, and expert guidance on energy law, tax, and grid access for renewable energy and heating cooperative projects.
• Internationale Zusammenarbeit (International Cooperation) Development service that supports economic and social development in partner countries by promoting cooperatives and their networks. Currently active in approximately 25 countries, with project partnerships such as APMAS in India under BMZ SEWOH frameworks.

Quantifiable outcome

• DGRV's 25-year cooperation with APMAS in India contributed to strengthening self-help group systems now comprising 171 million women in ~14 million groups, and established sector-own control (SOC) mechanisms across thousands of cooperatives.
• +1 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

27 partnerships are on record, tiered core, premiumpartner and partner.

• DStGB (Deutscher Städte- und Gemeindebund)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 June 2026DStGB and DGRV jointly published documentation (DStGB-Dokumentation 178) on 'Wärmegenossenschaften' (heating cooperatives), showing how cities and municipalities can support or establish cooperative heating networks as part of the municipal heat transition.
• Energy Sharing Coalition (Bündnis Bürgerenergie, Bürgerwerke, DGS, EWS Schönau, Green Planet Energy, naturstrom, Solarenergie-Förderverein)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 May 2026DGRV is part of a broad coalition of energy associations and companies that jointly assessed the new Energy Sharing regulations effective June 1, 2026. The coalition sees important progress but identifies significant need for further regulatory improvement.
• Fraunhofer ISIcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 July 2025Fraunhofer ISI conducted a short study (Kurzgutachten) commissioned by DGRV on the potential for cooperative district heating networks in Germany, identifying potential for up to 8,000 such networks.
• Bündnis Bürgerenergie (BBEn)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 January 2024DGRV and BBEn jointly published a study and position paper on citizen participation in wind and solar parks, commissioned from IKEM. The study proposes a nationwide citizen participation law for renewable energy projects.
• IKEM (Institut für Klimaschutz, Energie und Mobilität)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 January 2024IKEM conducted a study on citizen participation regulatory options for wind and solar parks on behalf of DGRV and BBEn.
• APMAS (Hyderabad, Telangana, India)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2007APMAS (Association for Promoting Sustainable Self-Help Groups) is DGRV's central partner in India for cooperative development. Founded in 2001, APMAS developed from a civil society initiative into a nationally recognized competence center. The DGRV-APMAS cooperation focused on strengthening cooperative-organized self-help groups and Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) under the BMZ SEWOH initiative. The 'Sector Own Control' (SOC) approach developed together was adopted across thousands of cooperatives. The project partnership ended in December 2025, with APMAS now operating independently.
• Vodafone GmbHpremiumpartnerGTM or Marketing PartnerVodafone is listed as a Premiumpartner in the DGRV framework contracts program. It provides telecommunications services including fixed network, mobile, and industry solutions to DGRV member cooperatives at preferential rates.
• CRIF Bürgel GmbHpartnerOthersCRIF Bürgel provides B2B and B2C credit information, receivables management, and business address verification services to DGRV members through the framework contract program.
• SCHUFA Holding AGpartnerOthersSCHUFA provides B2B and B2C credit information services, including information on 3.9 million businesses, to DGRV member cooperatives via framework contracts.
• SixtpartnerOthersSixt provides car rental services including daily, weekly, and monthly rentals as well as multi-year leasing contracts to DGRV members through framework contracts.
• EuropcarpartnerOthersEuropcar offers car rental services including 24h service, individual chauffeur service, and carsharing to DGRV member cooperatives.
• ecotaris GmbHpartnerOthersecotaris provides planning, procurement, and installation of photovoltaic systems, electricity and heat marketing, and system maintenance services to DGRV members.
• meistro ENERGIE GmbHpartnerOthersmeistro ENERGIE provides electricity supply, gas supply, and LED retrofit services to DGRV member cooperatives.
• GENO EnergiepartnerOthersGENO Energie provides electricity supply services to DGRV member cooperatives.
• JobRadpartnerOthersJobRad provides bicycle leasing for companies and employees to DGRV member cooperatives.
• Fitness FirstpartnerOthersFitness First offers fitness and strength training, wellness facilities, and health management services to DGRV member employees.
• voiiopartnerOthersvoiio provides corporate health management services for companies and employees to DGRV member cooperatives.
• documentus Deutschland GmbHpartnerOthersdocumentus provides document, data, and hard drive destruction services as well as archiving to DGRV member cooperatives.
• Rhenus Data OfficepartnerOthersRhenus Data Office provides document, data, and hard drive destruction, archiving, archive moves, and mailroom services to DGRV member cooperatives.
• ecotel communication agpartnerTechnology or Integrationecotel provides IP telephony services to DGRV member cooperatives, with case studies demonstrating integration with cooperative banking systems (e.g., VR-PLUS Altmark-Wendland eG).
• HandelsblattpartnerOthersHandelsblatt provides data feeds and subscriptions to DGRV member cooperatives at preferential rates.
• CapitalpartnerOthersCapital provides ePaper and print subscriptions to DGRV member cooperatives.
• WirtschaftsWochepartnerOthersWirtschaftsWoche provides magazine subscriptions to DGRV member cooperatives.
• juris.departnerOthersjuris.de provides up-to-date legal information across all legal areas and specialized information through publishing partnerships to DGRV member cooperatives.
• meinestadt.departnerOthersmeinestadt.de provides online recruitment services in regional environments to DGRV member cooperatives.
• WellCardpartnerOthersWellCard provides spa and hotel vouchers for wellness offerings to DGRV member cooperatives.
• Profession FitpartnerOthersProfession Fit provides fitness and wellness services for employees and corporate health management to DGRV member cooperatives.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• International Cooperative Alliance (ICA): Global non-governmental organization uniting cooperatives worldwide with over 300 member organizations across 100+ countries. Broader incumbent peer that operates one level above national apex bodies like DGRV, setting global cooperative principles and representing the cooperative movement at the United Nations and international institutions.

Others

• Deutscher Städte- und Gemeindebund (DStGB): German association of cities and municipalities that jointly publishes with DGRV on cooperative heating networks (Wärmegenossenschaften, DStGB-Dokumentation 178). Adjacent municipal-federation counterpart, not a competitor, but a recurring co-publication partner in the cooperative energy transition narrative.
• Bundesverband Erneuerbare Energie (BEE): German umbrella federation of the renewable energy industry across all technologies (wind, solar, biomass, geothermal, hydropower). Comparable to DGRV's energy cooperative advocacy as a cross-technology renewable energy federation, but representing industry actors rather than citizen-owned cooperatives.

Direct peers

• Cooperatives UK: UK national apex body for cooperatives, providing representation, member services, and policy advocacy across consumer, worker, housing, and agricultural co-ops. Closest structural analogue to DGRV outside Germany: a national cooperative federation aggregating demand for member services and shaping cooperative law and policy.
• Coop FR (Fédération Nationale des Coopératives): French national federation representing the diversity of French cooperative enterprises and providing representation, advisory, and member services. Structural peer to DGRV as a multi-sector national cooperative apex organization operating in a major European market with comparable policy-advocacy mandate.
• Confcooperative: Italian national confederation of cooperatives across sectors (agriculture, credit, housing, social, production), representing the majority of Italian cooperative enterprises to institutions and providing member services. Direct structural peer to DGRV as a multi-sector cooperative apex federation in a major European economy.
• Bürgerwerke: German energy cooperative service company that supplies electricity from citizen-owned renewable plants to its member cooperatives. Directly comparable to DGRV's member Energiegenossenschaften and partner in the Energy Sharing Coalition, operating the commercial layer of the cooperative renewable energy ecosystem DGRV represents.
• Bündnis Bürgerenergie (BBEn): German alliance of energy cooperatives and citizen-energy actors that, like DGRV, advocates for member-owned renewable energy projects and joint policy positions (e.g., co-publishing with DGRV on the citizen participation law for wind/solar parks). Operates as a specialized energy-cooperative federation with overlapping membership and joint advocacy campaigns.
• NCBA CLUSA (National Cooperative Business Association): US national cooperative business association representing cooperative enterprises across sectors and running international cooperative development programs (including USAID-funded work). Comparable to DGRV in combining a national domestic advocacy mandate with an international cooperative development program, though operating in a different legal/political context.

Regional players

• GdW (Bundesverband deutscher Wohnungs- und Immobilienunternehmen): German federal association of housing and real estate companies, including housing cooperatives (Wohnungsgenossenschaften) that are a core DGRV member segment. Adjacent apex federation representing the same German institutional landscape on a sector-specific basis, with overlapping policy interests and member base.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/dgrv-ev
• Xx.com/_genossenschaft

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 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 DGRV