NWW

What NWW does

NWW (Nürnberger Wohn- und Werkstätten für Blinde und Sehbehinderte) is a German non-profit social enterprise headquartered in Nürnberg, Bavaria, that delivers an integrated continuum of residential, vocational, and rehabilitative services for blind and visually impaired adults, including those with multiple disabilities. The organization is structured under two legal entities — NWW Nürnberger Wohn- und Werkstätten für Blinde und Sehbehinderte gGmbH and NWW Soziale Dienste GmbH — and operates residential homes (Wohnen) in Nürnberg and Büchenbach, sheltered workshops (Werkstatt), rehabilitation facilities (Förderstätten), and in-house production units. Its "Low Vision Konzept" is a proprietary methodology for low vision care and support that underpins the service offering.

The operational portfolio spans three interconnected divisions. The Wohnen (Living) division provides individualized residential support with day-structure programs tailored to the severity of disability. The Arbeiten (Work) division encompasses sheltered workshop employment, vocational training, and production activities — including assistive devices for blind and visually impaired people (Hilfsmittel für Blinde & Sehbehinderte), creative and decorative items, and wood products — alongside commercial services such as laundry, packaging and assembly, secure document destruction, and office services. The Karriere (Career) division supports recruitment across jobs, internships, apprenticeships, federal volunteer service (Bundesfreiwilligendienst), and voluntary social year programs. Products are sold directly via an online shop, while services are delivered at the Nürnberg and Büchenbach facilities.

As a gemeinnützige GmbH (non-profit limited liability company), NWW's revenue model is primarily funded through the German social welfare system — social insurance, disability benefits, and governmental programs — supplemented by commercial service revenue from its B2B offerings (laundry, packaging, document destruction, office services) and direct-to-consumer product sales through the online shop. Pricing is not publicly disclosed. The company operates strictly within Bavaria, with no claimed global footprint. There is no parent company, no disclosed funding, no investor base, and no M&A activity on record.

Name

NWW

Legal name

NWW Nürnberger Wohn- und Werkstätten für Blinde und Sehbehinderte gGmbH

Website

https://nww-nuernberg.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1993

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

NWW is a German non-profit social enterprise based in Nürnberg, Bavaria, providing residential care, sheltered workshop employment, vocational rehabilitation, and assistive-device production for blind and visually impaired adults, primarily those with multiple disabilities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Disability Social Services

NAICS

Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (62412), Residential Intellectual and Developmental Disability Facilities (62321)

SIC

Services-Nursing & Personal Care Facilities (8050)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAGALAM

Disability Services & Assistive Solutions (Accessibility, Assistive Tech)

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Social Enterprises & Impact Organizations

SECONDARYHLADABAA

General Assisted Living Facilities

Healthcare & Life Sciences/Elder Care & Long-Term Care/Assisted Living Facilities

SECONDARYEDAEAIAM

Accessibility & Special Needs Equipment (Assistive Devices, Adaptive Furniture, Sensory Rooms)

Education/Education Facilities & Support Services/Education Supplies, Equipment & Furniture Procurement

Keywords

• Disability social services
• Vocational rehabilitation
• Residential care services
• Assistive devices production
• Sheltered workshop

Headquarters

HQ city

Newbury

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

NWW provides residential living services, sheltered workshop employment, and vocational rehabilitation programs for blind and visually impaired adults with multiple disabilities in the Nürnberg and Büchenbach area. The organization also produces and sells assistive devices for the visually impaired, handcrafted creative/decorative items, and wood products, while offering commercial services such as laundry, packaging and assembly, secure document destruction, and office services, all primarily through its own workshop operations and online shop.

Product overview

NWW (Nürnberger Wohn- und Werkstätten für Blinde und Sehbehinderte) is a social services organization providing a comprehensive portfolio of residential living, employment, and vocational services for blind and visually impaired adults with disabilities. The offering is structured as an integrated system of interconnected services rather than a single product: the Wohnen (living) services provide residential care across multiple facilities in Nürnberg and Büchenbach; the Arbeiten (work) division encompasses Förderstätten (rehabilitation facilities), Werkstatt (sheltered workshop), and commercial production operations including Hilfsmittel für Blinde & Sehbehinderte (assistive aids), Kreatives & Deko (creative products), and Holzprodukte (wood products); and the Dienstleistungen (services) division offers Wäscherei (laundry), Verpackung und Montage (packaging/assembly), Daten- und Aktenvernichtung (document destruction), and Büroservice (office services). An online Shop enables direct sales of manufactured products, while Karriere services facilitate employment and volunteer opportunities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Wohnen — Residential Living Services (Living Services)

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Diakonie Deutschland: Large national federation of Protestant social welfare organizations operating disability workshops, residential care, and social enterprises across Germany; broader portfolio but overlapping service categories including assistive device production and sheltered employment.
• Caritas Behindertenhilfe: National Catholic welfare association operating extensive disability residential facilities, sheltered workshops (Werkstätten), and integration services across Germany; comparable non-profit operating model to NWW though broader in scope.
• Evangelische Stiftung Volmarstein: Large Protestant foundation operating disability workshops, residential homes, and assistive device production (including the DEOS production line) for multiple disability groups across North Rhine-Westphalia; broader in scope but with a directly comparable assistive-device-plus-workshop model.

Direct peers

• Nikolauspflege: Stuttgart-based foundation providing residential care, schools, and vocational services specifically for blind and visually impaired individuals across multiple sites in Baden-Württemberg; the closest direct peer to NWW in mission and service mix within Germany.
• BBSB (Bayerischer Blinden- und Sehbehindertenbund): Bavarian state association for blind and visually impaired people providing self-help, counseling, and assistive services; operates in NWW's same geography and addresses the same beneficiary population through different delivery mechanisms (advocacy vs. residential care).
• Noris Inklusion gGmbH: Nuremberg-headquartered non-profit providing workshops and residential services for people with disabilities in the same metropolitan market as NWW, making it the most direct local competitor.
• Lebenshilfe Werkstätten / Bundesvereinigung Lebenshilfe: Germany's largest federation of disability service providers, operating workshops, residential facilities, and assistive programs nationwide; comparable operating model (gGmbH workshop + Wohnen) though focused on intellectual rather than visual disabilities.
• Berufsförderungswerk Würzburg (BFW): Rehabilitation center offering vocational training and employment services specifically for blind and visually impaired adults, operating a sheltered workshop and supported employment programs comparable to NWW's Werkstatt offering.

Regional players

• Von Berlichingen Stiftung: Bad Friedrichshall-based non-profit foundation supporting blind, visually impaired, and deafblind individuals through residential services, assistive devices, and education; comparable mission focus on visual impairment with comparable residential-plus-service model.
• AWO (Arbeiterwohlfahrt) Bezirksverband Ober-/Mittelfranken: Regional AWO chapter operating in the same Middle/Upper Franconia region as NWW with comparable disability residential and workshop services; competes for the same local referrals and social welfare contracts.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 NWW