Der Greif
Der Greif is a Munich-based, award-winning contemporary photography platform founded in 2008 that uses crowdsourcing to give emerging and established photographers worldwide visibility, publication opportunities, and network access through open calls, online exhibitions, and a print magazine.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2008
- HeadquartersMunich, Germany
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What Der Greif does
Der Greif is a contemporary photography organization founded in 2008 and headquartered in Munich, Germany, that operates a crowdsourced digital platform for visual artists, photographers, and image makers worldwide. The platform's core function is to provide accessible entry points into the art world for emerging and established photographers through themed open calls, online exhibitions (e.g., Pulse), artist features, collaborative editorial formats (Guest Room), portfolio reviews (Face-to-Face), and a supporting membership circle. It has published 18 issues to date, including Issue 18 'Tomorrow Is Today' guest-edited by Hank Willis Thomas, and distributes physical photobooks, zines, and limited edition prints through its online shop.
The underlying technology is a relatively standard digital publishing and e-commerce platform with online exhibition, submission, and shop capabilities; the submission workflow is powered by the third-party platform Picter. Der Greif operates with a small team of 1-10 employees and relies on a partner ecosystem that includes Alexander Tutsek-Stiftung (financial backing), Fondament (collaborative open calls), and Les Rencontres d'Arles (festival pipeline for alumni) to extend its reach and credibility.
The business model is diversified across three modest revenue streams: one-time print and publication sales through the Der Greif shop, recurring community/membership support via the Der Greif Circle and newsletter subscriptions, and transaction-based fees from open call submissions. Foundation support (notably Alexander Tutsek-Stiftung) supplements commercial revenue. The primary customer segment is individual photographers and lens-based artists seeking visibility, networking, and publication opportunities at a career stage they describe as underserved by traditional institutions. No revenue figures, funding rounds, or pricing details are publicly disclosed.
Der Greif firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Der Greif
- Legal name
- Der Greif
- Website
- https://dergreif.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2008
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Der Greif is a Munich-based, award-winning contemporary photography platform founded in 2008 that uses crowdsourcing to give emerging and established photographers worldwide visibility, publication opportunities, and network access through open calls, online exhibitions, and a print magazine.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where Der Greif is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Munich
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Markets served
Der Greif business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Print and Publication Sales: Sale of photobooks, zines, and print publications through the Der Greif shop, including limited edition works and community publications.
- Community and Membership: Newsletter subscriptions and community engagement programs that support the global photography network.
- Open Call Submissions: Artist submissions to themed open calls such as 'Quiet Hours – Nighttime and Grief' and collaborative open calls with partners like Fondament.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels5 records
Der Greif product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Der Greif is a contemporary photography platform and organization that uses crowdsourcing to provide accessible entry points for visual artists, photographers, and image makers worldwide. It offers online exhibitions (Pulse), editorial articles and artist features, themed open calls for submissions, portfolio reviews through the Face-to-Face program, and sells physical publications including photobooks, zines, and quarterly magazine issues through its online shop.
Product overview
Der Greif operates as a unified platform for contemporary photography with multiple interconnected offerings. The core platform provides visibility and community for emerging photographers through crowdsourced submissions. Key products include the Artist Feature and Guest Room formats for showcasing individual and collaborative work; Articles and Pulse for editorial and exhibition content; and the Shop for selling print products including photobooks and zines. Supporting modules include Open Calls for themed submissions, Face-to-Face for portfolio reviews, and Events for festival coverage. The Der Greif Circle represents the organization's membership/support structure.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Der Greif Shop
Quantifiable outcome
- 18 issues published to date with guest editors including acclaimed artists like Hank Willis Thomas
Companies that use Der Greif
Customer profileSegments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Der Greif technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Der Greif partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.
- FondamentflagshipFondament collaborated with Der Greif on the open call 'Ich seh' etwas, was du nicht siehst' ('I Spy with My Little Eye'), an initiative challenging perspectives on social life in Germany through photography. The project invites images showing Germany through the eyes of its diverse residents.
- Les Rencontres d'ArlesflagshipDer Greif alumni and emerging practices are featured at the 57th edition of Les Rencontres d'Arles (2026), one of the world's premier photography festivals, demonstrating the platform's role in showcasing emerging talent within the broader photography ecosystem.
- PictercorePicter is used as the submission platform for Der Greif open calls, enabling photographers worldwide to submit their work through a specialized photography submission system.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Der Greif competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- IMA Magazine: Japanese independent photography magazine publishing curated portfolios and thematic issues. Comparable as a niche independent photography publication focused on emerging and contemporary work.
- PHmuseum: Online photography platform offering open calls, grants, an online magazine, and a print annual. Highly comparable crowdsourced model serving emerging photographers with publication and exhibition opportunities.
- Foam Magazine: Amsterdam-based photography magazine and platform publishing quarterly issues and running Foam Talent program. Directly comparable to Der Greif as an independent photography publication combining curated print issues with emerging-talent discovery.
- LensCulture: Global online platform for contemporary photography featuring open calls, portfolio reviews, online exhibitions, and a discovery program. Closely mirrors Der Greif's crowdsourced discovery + editorial publishing model.
Emerging players
- EyeEm: Photography community and marketplace that has run open calls, exhibitions, and brand campaigns. Partial overlap with Der Greif's open-call and exhibition model, though historically more commercial/brand-driven.
Broad incumbents
- Behance: Adobe-owned creative portfolio platform used by photographers and visual artists to showcase work. Comparable as a global artist discovery and portfolio platform, though free and broader in scope beyond photography.
- Photo District News (PDN): Longstanding trade publication covering the professional photography industry with news, awards, and education. Adjacent incumbent serving a broader photography professional audience.
- 500px: Global photography community platform with licensing, portfolios, and editorial features. Comparable as a discovery platform for photographers but operates at significantly larger scale with a commercial licensing angle.
- British Journal of Photography: Long-running photography magazine and platform publishing editorial features, awards, and portfolio reviews. Comparable as a photography publication serving both emerging and established photographers.
- Aperture Magazine: Iconic New York-based photography publication and foundation producing a quarterly magazine, books, and exhibitions. Overlaps with Der Greif in print publishing and emerging-photographer support, but at much larger scale.
Market position
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Der Greif social profiles
Digital presenceDer Greif financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Der Greif leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Der Greif funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Der Greif 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 Der Greif
What does Der Greif do?
Der Greif is a contemporary photography platform and organization that uses crowdsourcing to provide accessible entry points for visual artists, photographers, and image makers worldwide. It offers online exhibitions (Pulse), editorial articles and artist features, themed open calls for submissions, portfolio reviews through the Face-to-Face program, and sells physical publications including photobooks, zines, and quarterly magazine issues through its online shop.
Is Der Greif a public or private company?
Der Greif is a private company. It is classified as unknown and is currently operating.
When was Der Greif founded?
Der Greif was founded in 2008. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Der Greif based?
Der Greif is headquartered in Munich, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does Der Greif make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Print and Publication Sales are the primary driver. The others are community and Membership and open Call Submissions.
Who are Der Greif's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are IMA Magazine, PHmuseum, Foam Magazine and LensCulture. EyeEm is listed as an emerging player. Broad incumbents are Behance, Photo District News (PDN), 500px, British Journal of Photography and Aperture Magazine.
Does Der Greif have an API?
No public API is recorded for Der Greif.