Die Junge Akademie

What Die Junge Akademie does

Die Junge Akademie is a non-profit academic membership organization founded in 2000 as the first academy for outstanding young academics in Germany. It is jointly operated and funded by two parent institutions — the Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences and Humanities (BBAW) and the Deutsche Akademie der Naturforscher Leopoldina — and is registered as an eingetragener Verein (registered association) in Stendal, with its operational headquarters at Jägerstraße 22/23 in Berlin. The organization curates a community of approximately 50 outstanding early career researchers and artists from German-speaking countries (Germany, Austria, Switzerland) who are admitted through a competitive application process and serve five-year terms. Members participate in 14+ interdisciplinary research groups spanning topics such as Language, Artificial Intelligence, Sustainability, Science Policy, Visualisation, Utopias, Posthuman/More-than-Human, Engaged Science, and Money and Society.

The organization's offerings consist of publication programs (the Junge Akademie Magazine published twice yearly, illustrated annual calendars, and specialized books), award programs (the annual public Prize Question competition and the Best Research Environment Award co-organized with the Volkswagen Foundation), and event programming (Summer Academies, workshops, the Salon Sophie Charlotte public lecture series, the international KlimaLecture climate series, and the mobile Utopiemobil participatory architecture project). Distribution occurs through a multilingual website, six social media channels (LinkedIn, X, Instagram, Facebook, Bluesky, YouTube), a Sendinblue-managed newsletter with double opt-in, and partnerships with institutions including Futurium, Planetarium Hamburg, the Israel Young Academy, the Argentinian Young Academy, and the European National Young Academies (ENYA) network. There is no commercial product line, no proprietary technology platform, no mobile app, and no API surface; pricing is not applicable because membership is by selection rather than purchase.

The business model is institutional rather than commercial. Operating revenue is sourced from transfers by the two parent academies plus targeted co-funding from philanthropic partners such as the Volkswagen Foundation; no revenue, ARR, or financial statements are publicly disclosed. As of 2026, leadership transitions are in process: Mirjam Jenny took over as Managing Director on 4 March 2026, a new Board takes office 29 June 2026, and the organization is mourning the loss of former Chair Prof. Dr. Matthias Koenig, who passed away on 12 January 2026.

Name

Die Junge Akademie

Legal name

Die Junge Akademie

Website

https://diejungeakademie.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Die Junge Akademie is a German non-profit academy, founded in 2000, that curates approximately 50 outstanding early career researchers and artists from German-speaking countries for five-year interdisciplinary memberships. It is jointly funded by the Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences and Humanities and the Leopoldina.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Academic Membership and Scholarly Network Services

NAICS

Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813), Professional Organizations (813920), Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations (8139)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Miscellaneous Publishing (2741), Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731)

akta.pro primary industry

STEM, Digital Literacy & Maker Education Nonprofits (BPAGADAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

Humanities & Arts Scholarly Publishing (EDAGAFAE)

Keywords

• Academic membership programs
• Interdisciplinary research platforms
• Young academy networks
• Science policy advocacy
• Academic publication services

Headquarters

HQ city

Berlin

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Academy Operations: Die Junge Akademie is funded by its parent academies - the Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences and Humanities and the Deutsche Akademie der Naturforscher Leopoldina. The organization operates as a non-profit academic institution without a commercial revenue model.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Die Junge Akademie is a non-profit academic academy that selects and supports approximately 50 outstanding early career researchers and artists from German-speaking countries through five-year memberships. It delivers interdisciplinary research groups, publication programs (the Junge Akademie Magazine, annual calendars, and books), award competitions, and event programming such as Summer Academies, workshops, Salon Sophie Charlotte, and the KlimaLecture series. The organization is jointly funded and operated by the Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences and Humanities and the Deutsche Akademie der Naturforscher Leopoldina.

Product overview

Die Junge Akademie is an academy for outstanding young academics that functions as a scholarly network and interdisciplinary platform rather than a commercial product company. Its offerings consist of publication programs (Junge Akademie Magazine published twice yearly, annual academic calendars featuring international photography, and specialized books on topics like aesthetics and collecting), award competitions (the annual Prize Question open to public submissions, and the Best Research Environment Award in partnership with Volkswagen Foundation), event programming (Summer Academies, workshops, Salon Sophie Charlotte public events, and the KlimaLecture climate policy series), research group coordination across 14 interdisciplinary areas, and the mobile Utopiemobil participatory architecture project. The organization facilitates interdisciplinary dialogue between early career researchers and artists from German-speaking countries through these programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Junge Akademie Magazine (JAM)
• per.SPICE! – Relativität des Ästhetischen
• HUM – Die Kunst des Sammelns
• Annual Academic Calendars
• Prize Question Competition
• Best Research Environment Award
• Summer Academy
• Workshop Series Interdisciplinary workshops including 'The Language(s) of Academia', 'Proofing the Academy' on academic freedom, and 'Interdisciplinary Conversations on AI Fairness and Explainability'. Targeted at academic participants.
• Salon Sophie Charlotte Annual public event at the Berlin-Brandenburg Academy exploring themes such as 'Enlightenment 2.0' regarding AI and the Anthropocene, with interactive formats and member participation. Open to the public.
• KlimaLecture Series International lecture series on climate policy featuring collaborations with European young academies, addressing topics such as European climate policy, food systems, and tipping points. Open to the public.
• Utopiemobil Mobile architecture project bringing participatory design discussions to various locations, addressing topics like housing utopias and future living concepts. Open to public participants at various venues.

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Argentinian Young Academy (Academia Joven de Argentina)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 October 2025Joint workshop organization on threats to academic freedom, held in Buenos Aires.
• Israel Young AcademyminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 February 2025Joint organization of AcadeMIX 2.0 symposium on the future role of scientific research and academic cooperation in the 21st century, held in Berlin.
• European National Young Academies (ENYA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 May 2024Network of European young academies. Die Junge Akademie hosted the ENYA meeting in Berlin with representatives from 22 institutions. Collaborates on joint initiatives and knowledge exchange.
• Volkswagen FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint partnership for the 'Best Research Environment' award program. The Volkswagen Foundation provides prize money and co-organizes the award with Die Junge Akademie, recognizing exemplary research environments in academia.
• Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences and Humanities (BBAW)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of two parent academies that jointly govern and fund Die Junge Akademie. Provides institutional framework, office space, and co-organizes events such as Salon Sophie Charlotte.
• Deutsche Akademie der Naturforscher LeopoldinacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of two parent academies (National Academy of Sciences) that jointly govern and fund Die Junge Akademie. Collaborates on events including Leopoldina Lunchtalks and annual meetings.
• FuturiumminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCollaboration on public events including Open Lab Evenings exploring topics such as climate anxiety and future visions in science communication.
• Planetarium HamburgminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCollaborated on exhibition 'Infinity – Emptiness – Liveliness' presenting artistic, mathematical, and physical perspectives on boundlessness.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• Deutsche Akademie der Naturforscher Leopoldina: Germany's national academy of sciences and Die Junge Akademie's other parent institution. Comparable as a scholarly society/membership organization but for senior scientists; acts as institutional sponsor and co-organizer of programs.
• Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences and Humanities (BBAW): One of Die Junge Akademie's two parent academies; provides governance, funding, and physical premises. Comparable as a scholarly membership organization but for senior rather than early-career researchers, making it an institutional sponsor rather than a competitor.

Regional players

• Junge Akademie der Wissenschaften (various historical/regional entities): Conceptual analogue of regional or historically emerging young-academy structures across Europe. Listed as a regional peer placeholder; specific identifiable organizations may include Germany's historical precursors or sub-national young-academic networks.

Direct peers

• Young Academy of Scotland: Scotland's national young academy for early-career researchers, comparable to Die Junge Akademie in selection-based membership, interdisciplinary orientation, and convening role within ENYA.
• Junge Akademie Schweiz: Switzerland's national young academy for early-career researchers. Direct peer given overlapping DACH-region scope, ENYA membership, and parallel selection-based membership structure for outstanding young academics.
• Young Academy (Netherlands) / De Jonge Akademie: The Royal Netherlands Academy's young academy for outstanding early-career researchers and scholars. Direct peer under the ENYA umbrella with an analogous five-year membership model, interdisciplinary research groups, and policy-advocacy mission.
• Österreichische Junge Akademie (Austrian Young Academy): Austria's national young academy for outstanding early-career researchers, structurally analogous to Die Junge Akademie. Both operate under the same ENYA framework and serve German-speaking early-career scholars with interdisciplinary membership models.

Broad incumbents

• Global Young Academy: International young academy with a global mandate that convenes early-career researchers from around the world. Comparable in mission (interdisciplinary voice for early-career scientists) but operates at global rather than national/regional scope.
• ALLEA (All European Academies): Federation of European national academies that awarded a member of Die Junge Akademie the Madame de Staël Prize. Comparable as a pan-European scholarly membership/coordinating body but operates at the academy (not early-career) tier.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Junge_Akademie
• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/DieJungeAkademie1
• Facebookfacebook.com/diejungeakademie
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/die-junge-akademie
• Instagraminstagram.com/die_junge_akademie

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 Die Junge Akademie