KTBL

What KTBL does

KTBL (Kuratorium für Technik und Bauwesen in der Landwirtschaft e.V.) is a German registered non-profit association founded in 1969 and headquartered in Darmstadt that serves as the federally-backed reference institution for standardized agricultural planning data in Germany. Its core product is a portfolio of free web applications (notably Arbeitsverfahren Pflanzenbau for machinery cost and labor time calculations, and the Standarddeckungsbeiträge online application covering 38 German regions), Excel-based calculation tools for specialized segments (Schnittgrün, Weihnachtsbaumanbau, Gemüse im geschützten Anbau), and recurring print and digital Datensammlung publications issued biennially. Underlying the portfolio is the Arbeitsprogramm Kalkulationsunterlagen (AP KU), a federally-funded research program established under a 1976 Bund-Länder administrative agreement that produces annually updated standardized planning data across all major agricultural sectors.

KTBL serves four primary user segments: agricultural business operators needing investment and cost planning data, professional agricultural consultants requiring standardized reference inputs, agricultural education institutions, and federal and state policy makers. The business model blends public funding (federal-state administrative agreement plus project-specific grants from BMLEH/FNR for initiatives such as THeKLa2 at ~1.23 million EUR and BIOKRAFT) with a freemium content and publication model — free web tools drive top-of-funnel reach while a mix of paid publications, multi-user e-book licenses for libraries and companies, and shop sales (with domestic, EU, and worldwide shipping) generate direct revenue. Distribution is primarily through ktbl.de and the KTBL online shop, with secondary distribution via the book trade.

KTBL's strategic posture is that of a stable, quasi-public reference body rather than a growth-stage commercial enterprise. Its position rests on regulatory status (Bund-Länder agreement), 50+ years of historical data depth, and an embedded role within the German agricultural policy ecosystem via partnerships with TFZ, Thünen-Institut, and DeFAF. Headcount is reported at 1–10 employees, and the organization does not pursue venture-style scaling.

Name

KTBL

Legal name

Kuratorium für Technik und Bauwesen in der Landwirtschaft e.V.

Website

https://ktbl.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1969

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

KTBL is a German non-profit association founded in 1969 that publishes standardized agricultural planning data, free web calculation tools, and reference publications for farmers, consultants, educators, and government policymakers across Germany.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Agricultural Planning Data and Farm Economics Research

SIC

Agricultural Services (700)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYAFACACAC

Farm Data Management & Decision Support Services (FMIS Setup, Data Integration, Analytics)

Agriculture & Food Production/Agricultural Services (Custom Farming, Agronomy, Veterinary)/Precision Agriculture Services (Remote Sensing, Variable Rate, Farm Data Services)

SECONDARYAFAGAMAH

Climate-Smart Farming & GHG Reduction (Emissions Accounting, Methane/N2O Reduction Practices)

Agriculture & Food Production/Crop Farming/Sustainable Farming Practices

Keywords

• Agricultural planning data
• Farm economics tools
• Agricultural data collections
• Machinery cost calculation
• Agricultural publications

Headquarters

HQ city

Darmstadt

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

KTBL develops and distributes standardized agricultural planning data and calculation tools for German agriculture. Its offerings include free web-based applications (e.g., Arbeitsverfahren Pflanzenbau), Excel-based calculation tools for specialized production segments (Schnittgrün, Gemüse im geschützten Anbau, Weihnachtsbaumanbau), and a comprehensive catalog of data collections, guidelines, and publications covering machinery costs, labor requirements, and operational economics across crop production, animal husbandry, horticulture, biogas, and renewable energy. The data is sourced through a federally-funded annual research program (Arbeitsprogramm Kalkulationsunterlagen) covering 38 German regions.

Product overview

KTBL (Kuratorium für Technik und Bauwesen in der Landwirtschaft e.V.) offers a portfolio of agricultural planning tools consisting of: (1) Free web applications including 'Arbeitsverfahren Pflanzenbau' for calculating machinery costs and labor time, and 'Standarddeckungsbeiträge' for regional coverage calculations across 38 German regions; (2) Excel-based calculation tools for specialized topics such as 'Schnittgrün' (cut greenery), 'Gemüse im geschützten Anbau' (vegetable cultivation), and 'Weihnachtsbaumanbau' (Christmas tree cultivation); (3) Comprehensive data collections (Datensammlungen) published in print and digital formats covering agricultural business planning, organic farming, fodder production, horticulture, biogas, and specialized topics like agroforestry with poplars; and (4) Guidelines and research publications on agricultural economics, technology, and sustainable farming practices. The offerings are complemented by the 'Arbeitsprogramm Kalkulationsunterlagen' (AP KU), an annual federally-funded research program that provides the methodological foundation for data collection and standardization.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Arbeitsverfahren Pflanzenbau (formerly Feldarbeitsrechner)

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• TFZ (Technologie- und Förderzentrum im Kompetenzzentrum für Nachwachsende Rohstoffe)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 May 2026KTBL collaborates with TFZ in the THeKLa2 joint project (greenhouse gas accounting and climate protection in agriculture). The project aims to harmonize existing accounting methods, identify barriers in practice, and evaluate concrete emission reduction measures. TFZ serves as the lead partner in this federally-funded initiative.
• Thünen-Institut (TI)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 May 2026KTBL partners with the Thünen-Institut in the THeKLa2 project to continue and expand the existing THeKLA network for greenhouse gas accounting in agriculture. Together, the three partners work on methodological foundations and knowledge transfer.
• DeFAF (Deutscher Fachverband für Agroforstwirtschaft e.V.)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025In cooperation with DeFAF, KTBL published a handbook on products, yields, and harvesting procedures in agroforestry systems. DeFAF collected new data on fruits, nuts, timber, and valuable wood as part of the KTBL working program 'Kalkulationsunterlagen'.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Farmers Edge: Digital agriculture platform providing field-level data analytics, agronomic recommendations, and farm management tools. Comparable to KTBL in delivering decision-support tools for farmers, though primarily a commercial SaaS with proprietary data rather than a public reference institution.
• AGCO Fuse: Smart farming platform from AGCO providing connected farming, data management, and decision support across mixed-fleet agricultural operations. Comparable to KTBL's farm data integration role, though equipment-vendor-tied and globally commercial.
• Trimble Agriculture: Precision agriculture software and hardware provider offering farm planning, field operations management, and economic analysis tools. Comparable to KTBL's Arbeitsverfahren Pflanzenbau and machinery cost calculation functions, though more commercially focused with hardware integration.
• CNH Industrial (AFS Connect): Agricultural equipment manufacturer's precision farming platform providing farm data management, agronomic insights, and equipment integration for Case IH and New Holland customers. Comparable to KTBL's farm data management function, though tied to commercial equipment sales channels.
• John Deere Operations Center: Farm data management platform integrated with John Deere equipment, providing field planning, machine data analytics, and agronomic decision support. Comparable to KTBL's farm data management and decision support role, though machine-data-driven rather than reference-data-driven.
• 365FarmNet: Farm management software platform (now part of CLAAS) that provides field planning, documentation, and operational decision support for European farmers. Comparable to KTBL in serving farm-level operational planning needs, though delivered as a commercial SaaS rather than public reference data.
• Bayer Crop Science (Climate FieldView): Digital agriculture platform offering field data collection, agronomic insights, and decision support tools to farmers globally. Comparable to KTBL in providing agricultural planning and calculation tools, though at commercial scale with proprietary data inputs and integrated input sales.

Others

• DLG (Deutsche Landwirtschafts-Gesellschaft): German agricultural society providing testing, certification, knowledge transfer, and standards for agriculture including machinery testing and operational benchmarks. Adjacent to KTBL's role in providing operational planning references, though more focused on standards/testing/knowledge transfer than standardized economic data.

Broad incumbents

• INRAE: French national research institute for agriculture, food, and environment, producing agricultural economic data and farm management references. Comparable to KTBL in role as national reference data producer with public funding, though operating at much larger scale with research rather than operational focus.
• Wageningen University & Research (WUR): Dutch agricultural research institution providing standardized data, economic models, and farm planning tools (e.g., KWIN, Bedrijfseconomie) for the Netherlands. KTBL's closest functional equivalent in another country—national agricultural reference data provider with public funding and standardized planning tools.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/KTBL_Service
• Facebookfacebook.com/KTBL.Darmstadt
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ktbl

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 KTBL