German Association for Coaching and Training

What German Association for Coaching and Training does

DVCT (Deutscher Verband für Coaching und Training e.V.) is a German professional membership association and the largest such body for coaches and trainers in the German-speaking (DACH) region, with more than 2,000 members. Headquartered in Hamburg and organized as an eingetragener Verein (e.V.), it serves three member categories — individual coaches and trainers (Einzelmitglied), training institutes (Institut), and companies (Firma) — and its core functions are independent certification of practitioner competencies, publishing binding ethics guidelines and competency models, and running a calendar of regional forums, an annual Fachkongress, and the DVCT Coaching & Training Award (2024–2026 editions).

The business model is membership-driven and subscription-recurring, with three paid tiers plus certification fees and event/publication revenue (including the dvct Coaching- und Trainingsbuch yearbook). DVCT is not a technology platform; its "products" are professional standards, credentialing, networking events, and educational content distributed through its website, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, a Buzzsprout-hosted podcast, and a newsletter. Distribution is extended via a network of DVCT-accredited training institutes — Haufe Akademie, Münchner Akademie für Business Coaching, V.I.E.L, ICO Institut, IMK, COMENO, HR Akademie München, 2coach, and Stilbruch Coaching — that deliver certified programs in systemic business coaching, team coaching, change management, agile coaching, e-coaching, and business trainer certification.

DVCT is member-governed through annual general meetings under a written Satzung, with no external investors, parent company, or funding rounds disclosed. It is a member organization of Forum Werteorientierung in der Weiterbildung e.V. (FWW), whose "Qualität – Transparenz – Integrität" ethics seal and Berufskodex für die Weiterbildung extend an industry-level compliance framework to DVCT members. Recent service additions include an EU AI Act (EU KI-VO) readiness seminar, signaling regulatory awareness without indicating any proprietary AI capability.

Name

German Association for Coaching and Training

Legal name

Deutscher Verband für Coaching und Training e.V.

Website

https://dvct.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

DVCT is Germany's largest professional association for coaches and trainers, with 2,000+ members across the DACH region. It offers membership tiers, independent certification, ethics guidelines, six regional forums, and an annual congress serving individual practitioners, training institutes, and corporate HR.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Association Services for Coaching and Training

NAICS

Professional Organizations (81392), Professional and Management Development Training (611430), Professional and Management Development Training (61143)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Coaching, Feedback & Mentoring Skills (EDABAMAM)

Keywords

• Professional coaching certification
• Trainer accreditation services
• Coaching membership association
• Professional competency standards
• Continuing education network

Headquarters

HQ city

Hamburg

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: DVCT generates revenue through annual membership fees from individual coaches/trainers (Einzelmitglied), institutes (Institut), and companies (Firma). Membership provides access to certification, networking, ethics standards, and professional development resources.
2. Certification Fees: The association charges fees for certification processes that independently verify competencies and qualifications of coaching and training professionals.
3. Events and Publications: Revenue generated from the annual Fachkongress (professional congress), dvct Coaching & Training Award, regional forum events, and the dvct Coaching- und Trainingsbuch publication.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

DVCT operates a professional membership association that certifies and accredits coaches and trainers across the German-speaking region, offering individual, institute, and company membership tiers (Einzelmitglied, Institut, Firma). Its core deliverables include independent competency certification, binding ethics guidelines, competency models, six regional forums, an annual Fachkongress, the DVCT Coaching & Training Award, the annual Coaching- und Trainingsbuch yearbook, and member services such as legal consultation and the Mehrwertpartner value-added partner program. Revenue comes from annual membership fees, certification fees, and event/publication activities, with the organization serving as the central Fachverband for coaching and training professionals in the DACH market.

Product overview

DVCT (Deutscher Verband für Coaching und Training) is Germany's leading professional and specialist association for coaches and trainers in the German-speaking world, with over 2,000 members. The organization operates as a unified platform-plus-member-institute model, offering its own core membership and certification products alongside a network of accredited member institutes that deliver a diverse portfolio of training programs. DVCT's core offerings include membership and independent certification of coaching and training competencies, competency models and definitions, an annual congress, the Coaching & Training Award, the annual Coaching- und Trainingsbuch publication, regional forums, legal consultation, and a Mehrwertpartner (value-added partner) program. The member institute network — including 2coach, Haufe Akademie, HR Akademie München, V.I.E.L Coaching + Training, Münchner Akademie für Business Coaching, ICO Institut, IMK, COMENO, and Stilbruch Coaching — extends DVCT's reach through accredited training programs spanning systemic business coaching (SBC)®, team coaching, change management, agile coaching, e-coaching, transformation consulting, resilience coaching, leadership coaching, and business trainer certification, among others, all of which can lead to optional DVCT certification. Additionally, the Forum Werteorientierung in der Weiterbildung e.V. (FWW) sub-brand provides an ethical framework and quality seal for the continuing education market. The organization also facilitates an EU AI-Act readiness seminar for its members.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• DVCT Membership and Certification DVCT's core membership and independent certification service for coaches, trainers, and e-trainers in the German-speaking region, with three membership tiers: Einzelmitglied (individual professionals), Institut (training institutes and academies), and Firma (companies utilizing coaching and training services). Membership provides access to competency verification, ethics guidelines adherence, regional forum participation, legal consultation, the Mehrwertpartner program, and the option to pursue independent DVCT certification of practitioner competencies.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 2000 members representing the largest community of coaches and trainers in the German-speaking region

Named customers2 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

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Forum Werteorientierung in der Weiterbildung e.V. (FWW)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDVCT is a member organization of the Forum Werteorientierung in der Weiterbildung e.V. (FWW). This partnership establishes DVCT's commitment to responsible, values-based action in continuing education. Members using the FWW quality seal commit to adhering to the professional code of ethics (Berufskodex für die Weiterbildung) set by FWW, covering quality, transparency, and integrity standards.
• Haufe Akademie GmbH & Co. KGmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHaufe Akademie is a DVCT-accredited training institute offering DVCT-certified coaching education programs. The partnership provides access to professional coaching certification through Haufe's extensive training network.
• Münchner Akademie für Business CoachingmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMünchner Akademie für Business Coaching is a DVCT-accredited training institute offering systemische Business Coach (SBC) certification programs, including Business Coach, Team Coach, and eCoach training.
• V.I.E.L Coaching + TrainingmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorV.I.E.L is a DVCT-accredited training institute offering certified Business-Coach and Business-Trainer programs. Founded in 2002, it is a leading German provider of professional training and development.
• ICO Institut für Coaching & OrganisationsberatungmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorICO Institut is a DVCT member institute specializing in coaching, systemic consulting, change management, leadership, and personal development. It offers certified training programs and organizational consulting services.
• Institut für Mediative Kommunikation und Diversity-Kompetenz (IMK)majorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorIMK is a DVCT-accredited training institute for coaching and training. Part of the Internationalen Akademie Berlin für innovative Pädagogik, Psychologie und Ökonomie (INA), it offers certification programs in mediation, facilitation, coaching, and training.
• COMENO company consulting GmbHmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCOMENO is a DVCT-accredited training institute offering systemischer Business Coach certification programs, Agile Coach training, and leadership development workshops. It provides optional DVCT certification for graduates.
• HR Akademie MünchenmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHR Akademie München is a DVCT member institute offering systemische Business Coach training programs including Coaching MASTERS and Coaching ESSENTIALS, with optional DVCT certification.
• Europäischer Hochschulverbund (EHV)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEHV is a partner organization that handles organization and registration for IMK certification study programs across multiple German cities including Berlin, Hamburg, Frankfurt, Munich, Cologne, Stuttgart, Nuremberg.
• Sigmund Freud PrivatUniversität (SFU) BerlinminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSFU Berlin is an academic partner providing accreditation support for the IMK certification study program. The program is recognized as a supplementary module in SFU's Master program.
• Bundesverband Mediation e.V.minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIMK's mediators and mediation trainers are licensed through the Bundesverband Mediation e.V., establishing standards for certified mediators.
• Qualitätsring Coaching und Beratung e.V. (QRC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerICO Institut's Change Management & Organisationsberatung program is certified by QRC, and ICO is a member institute of DVCT.
• European Coaching Association (ECA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerICO Institut is a licensed and accredited teaching institute by ECA, with its Systemic Consultant & Coach certification meeting ECA continuing education guidelines.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• Haufe Akademie: Major German commercial training provider and DVCT-accredited institute offering coaching and HR training programs. Comparable in delivering certified coaching education that flows through DVCT's certification framework.
• V.I.E.L Coaching + Training: Established German training institute founded in 2002 and DVCT-accredited for Business Coach and Business Trainer certification programs. Comparable as a DVCT channel partner delivering certified coach training in Germany.

Direct peers

• International Coaching Federation (ICF): The largest global coaching professional association, offering credentials, ethics standards, and member services. ICF is a direct peer to DVCT in serving coaching professionals with membership and certification, but at a global rather than DACH scale.
• BDVT (Bundesverband der Verkaufs- und Vertriebstrainer): German professional association for sales and management trainers. Operates a membership and certification model in Germany similar to DVCT, though with a narrower sales training focus rather than DVCT's broader coaching and training scope.
• International Coach Federation Deutschland (ICF Deutschland): German chapter of the global ICF, providing local credentialing and events for German-speaking coaches. Direct competitor to DVCT in the DACH coaching professional market, with international credential backing.
• European Mentoring and Coaching Council (EMCC): European-level professional body for coaching and mentoring with accreditation, ethics, and certification programs. Directly comparable to DVCT in function, though operating at the European rather than DACH-German level.
• Qualitätsring Coaching und Beratung e.V. (QRC): German quality association that certifies coaching and consulting training programs. Comparable to DVCT as a quality and certification body serving the German coaching market, with overlap in member institutes such as ICO.

Regional players

• Bundesverband Mediation e.V. German national federation for mediation professionals, licensing mediators and mediators through DVCT partner institute IMK. Comparable in being a German registered association that certifies practitioners and sets professional standards.
• Association for Coaching (UK): UK-based professional membership body for coaches offering accreditation, events, and member services. Comparable in membership-association model to DVCT, but serving the UK market rather than DACH.

Broad incumbents

• Forum Werteorientierung in der Weiterbildung e.V. (FWW): German umbrella association for values-based continuing education that awards the 'Qualität – Transparenz – Integrität' quality seal. DVCT is itself a member organization of FWW, and the two share ethics-standards alignment in the German training market.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubebuzzsprout.com/1945806
• Facebookfacebook.com/dvct.de
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/34628486
• Instagraminstagram.com/dvct_e.v

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about German Association for Coaching and Training