Michael Succow Foundation

What Michael Succow Foundation does

The Michael Succow Stiftung zum Schutz der Natur is a German non-profit foundation (Stiftung des bürgerlichen Rechts) established in 1999 in Greifswald, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, by Prof. Dr. Michael Succow, a biologist and recipient of the Right Livelihood Award (Alternative Nobel Prize). The foundation's core mission is nature conservation with particular emphasis on peatland protection, climate action, and the establishment and management of UNESCO Biosphere Reserves and World Heritage sites. It operates practical land management across protected areas in the Vorpommern region of Germany (Karrendorfer Wiesen, Mannhagener Moor, Binsenberg, Lanken, Halbinsel Melow, Bolzer See, Insel Koos, Bollwintal) and runs international project portfolios spanning the Baltic States, Ukraine, the Caucasus, Central Asia, East Africa, and Southeast Asia. The foundation is also a registered interest representative under the German Lobby Register Act, engaging with the Bundestag and federal ministries on natural climate protection policy.

The foundation's products and services are primarily educational, informational, and programmatic rather than commercial. Key products include the Echt:Natur GPS-enabled mobile application for exploring protected nature areas, the Mooratlas publication on peatland climate protection, the 544-page book 'Deutschlands Moore,' the 'Moor:Fiction' vision publication, the Moorkoffer 2 environmental education toolkit, and documentary film 'Wie geht Natur?!'. Programs include the Succownauten youth program, Marion Dönhoff and Eva-Kleinn Fellowships, CrossCulture Programme, and volunteer services (Bundesfreiwilligendienst, Freiwilliges Ökologisches Jahr). Underlying technology is standard non-profit infrastructure: CiviCRM for donor/contact management, Matomo for web analytics, FundraisingBox for donation processing, and the Echt:Natur mobile app.

Revenue comes from four streams: individual donations and charitable contributions via direct bank transfer, SEPA direct debit, PayPal, and credit card; recurring sponsorship programs (Moorschutz-Patenschaft, Welterbe-Patenschaft, Wildnis ohne Grenzen); project grants from the European Climate Initiative (EUKI), UNESCO, German Federal Environment Ministry (BMUV), and International Climate Initiative (IKI); and lobbying/policy engagement. The go-to-market approach is community-led, relying on multi-channel outreach through the website, newsletter, social media (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube, Bluesky), public events, publications, and direct project partnerships. Customer segments include nature conservation organizations and government agencies (peatland restoration and biosphere reserve development), private supporters and donors, and research/educational institutions. Leadership transitioned in 2021 from founder Michael Succow to his daughter Kathrin Succow as Board Chair, with Jan Peters serving as Managing Director (Geschäftsführer).

Name

Michael Succow Foundation

Legal name

Michael Succow Stiftung zum Schutz der Natur, gemeinnützige rechtsfähige Stiftung des bürgerlichen Rechts

Website

https://succow-stiftung.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Michael Succow Foundation is a German non-profit nature conservation organization founded in 1999, focused on peatland protection, climate action, and UNESCO Biosphere Reserve development across Germany, the Baltic States, Ukraine, Caucasus, Central Asia, and East Africa.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Environmental Conservation Services

NAICS

Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312), Support Activities for Forestry (11531)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Biodiversity & Habitat Conservation (BPAGAGAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Climate Change Mitigation & Adaptation (BPAGAGAF), Nature, Biodiversity & Ecosystem Conservation (BPADALAE), Environmental & Climate Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAM)

Keywords

• Peatland restoration
• Nature conservation
• Climate protection
• Biosphere reserves
• Environmental education

Headquarters

HQ city

Greifswald

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: Individual donations from private supporters, one-time and recurring contributions. Accepts donations via direct bank transfer, SEPA direct debit, PayPal, and credit card through FundraisingBox.
2. Sponsorship Programs (Patenschaften): Moorschutz-Patenschaft (peatland protection sponsorship), Welterbe-Patenschaft (World Heritage sponsorship), and Wildnis ohne Grenzen campaigns allow supporters to sponsor specific projects with recurring or one-time payments.
3. Project Funding and Grants: International funding from European climate initiatives (EUKI), UNESCO programs, German government ministries, and foundations such as the German Federal Environment Ministry and International Climate Initiative (IKI).
4. Lobbying and Policy Engagement: Registered interest representative under the Lobby Register Act (LobbyRG), engaging with German Bundestag, federal government, and ministries for policy influence related to nature conservation.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels11 records

Core offering

The Michael Succow Foundation is a non-profit organization that implements nature conservation, peatland rewetting, and climate protection projects in Germany, the Baltic States, Ukraine, the Caucasus, Central Asia, and East Africa. It supports the establishment of UNESCO Biosphere Reserves and World Heritage sites, manages protected areas in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, and runs educational programs including the Echt:Natur mobile app, Mooratlas publication, and Succownauten youth program.

Product overview

The Michael Succow Foundation operates as a non-profit nature conservation organization without a unified software platform product. Its offerings consist primarily of educational and informational products including the Echt:Natur mobile application for nature exploration, the Mooratlas publication on peatland climate protection, and various book publications on German peatlands and conservation topics. The foundation also produces documentary films, manages a newsletter, and facilitates donation and patronage programs for peatland protection and wilderness conservation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Echt:Natur App A GPS-enabled mobile application that provides overview and detail maps of protected nature areas, site descriptions, excursion tips, audiobook passages, illustrated facts about habitats, animal and plant species, quiz questions, games, and photo album features for users interested in nature exploration and environmental education.
• Mooratlas A publication providing data and facts about peatlands as climate protectors, presenting information on wet climate protection and moor conservation for general readers, policymakers, and educators.
• Deutschlands Moore – Ihr Schicksal in unserer Kulturlandschaft (book) A comprehensive book about German peatlands and their fate in cultural landscapes, authored by Michael Succow and Lebrecht Jeschke, designed for readers, educators, and conservation practitioners.
• Film: Wie geht Natur?! (documentary) A documentary film produced by the foundation covering nature conservation and peatland protection topics, distributed via YouTube and used for educational outreach.
• Moorschutz-Patenschaft (Peatland Protection Sponsorship) Recurring sponsorship program that allows individual supporters to fund specific peatland protection and rewetting projects in Germany, with payments processed through the website donation portal.
• Welterbe-Patenschaft (World Heritage Sponsorship) Recurring sponsorship program allowing supporters to fund the foundation's work on UNESCO World Heritage identification, nomination, and protected-area management in Germany and internationally.
• Succownauten Youth Program An educational and engagement program for young people focused on nature conservation, peatland protection, and environmental leadership, including moor experiences and events for children.

Quantifiable outcome

• Supported inscription of Cold Winter Deserts of Turan on UNESCO World Heritage List (2023)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• PRIMAKLIMAcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 August 2023Partnership for forest protection in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and Brandenburg, combining Succow Foundation's conservation expertise with PRIMAKLIMA's forest protection programs.
• Michael Otto / toMOORow InitiativeflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 August 2021Entrepreneur Michael Otto and Michael Succow co-founded the toMOORow initiative for peatland climate protection, targeting business sector engagement and funding for rewetting projects.
• Greifswald Moor Centrum (GMC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerClose collaboration with the Greifswald Moor Centrum on peatland research, policy, and public communication. Jointly published the Mooratlas and organize conferences on peatland protection.
• Universität GreifswaldcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing academic partnership with University of Greifswald's landscape ecology department, hosting researchers, students, and collaborating on conservation projects.
• UNESCOcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupport for UNESCO Biosphere Reserve establishment and World Heritage nominations globally, including first Georgian biosphere reserves, Central Asian deserts, and Hyrcanian Forests.
• European Climate Initiative (EUKI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFunding and partnership for Baltic peatland carbon sequestration projects, including collaboration with Baltic peatland farmers on rewetting approaches.
• International Climate Initiative (IKI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGerman Federal Ministry for Environment funding for international climate and biodiversity projects including Ukrainian biosphere reserves support.
• German Federal Ministry for Environment (BMUV)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in National Peatland Protection Strategy and Aktionsprogramm Natürlicher Klimaschutz (ANK), contributing to policy development and implementation.
• Turkmenistan NGO 'Mert'minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMemorandum of Understanding signed for conservation cooperation in Turkmenistan, part of Central Asian desert and biodiversity initiatives.
• Right Livelihood FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerConnection through founder Michael Succow's Right Livelihood Award; joint activities celebrating foundation anniversaries and promoting conservation awareness.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• EuroNatur Foundation: European nature conservation foundation working transnationally on protected areas, biodiversity, and habitat connectivity. Directly comparable in scope, foundation structure, and European geographic reach.
• Wetlands International: Global nonprofit dedicated to wetland conservation and restoration. Highly comparable focus on peatland/wetland rewetting, international project implementation, and engagement with international policy bodies.
• BUND (Bund für Umwelt und Naturschutz Deutschland): Major German environmental NGO working on biodiversity, climate, and protected areas. Direct peer in German conservation policy, membership fundraising, and habitat protection advocacy.
• NABU (Naturschutzbund Deutschland): Germany's largest nature and environmental conservation association. Directly comparable as a domestic nonprofit operating protected area management, public policy advocacy, and donor-funded conservation programs; active in many of the same policy venues.
• Heinz Sielmann Stiftung: German nature conservation foundation with similar family-foundation legacy model, dedicated landholdings, and biodiversity education programs. Closely comparable in structure, scale, and donor-funded operating model.

Others

• IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature): International body convening conservation standards, protected area designations, and policy frameworks. Comparable through overlapping work on biosphere reserve and World Heritage processes that Succow supports.
• Michael Otto Stiftung (toMOORow partner): Funder of the toMOORow peatland initiative. Adjacent ecosystem participant rather than direct competitor — comparable as a corporate-aligned environmental foundation but operating different programmatic priorities.

Broad incumbents

• The Nature Conservancy (Germany/Europe): Global conservation nonprofit with active European programs in habitat protection and climate. Overlaps with Succow on peatland and forest work but operates at much larger scale with a broader portfolio.
• WWF Germany (World Wide Fund for Nature): Large established environmental NGO operating across conservation, climate, and policy in Germany and globally. Overlaps with Succow's habitat protection and climate work but at vastly greater scale and broader portfolio.

Emerging players

• Greifswald Moor Centrum: Specialized peatland research and policy center with close operational ties to Succow Foundation (joint Mooratlas publications, conferences). Comparable niche focus on peatland science and rewetting at a smaller programmatic scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/succow_stiftung
• Facebookfacebook.com/SuccowStiftung
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/michael-succow-stiftung

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Michael Succow Foundation