Ernst Schmidheiny Foundation

What Ernst Schmidheiny Foundation does

The Ernst Schmidheiny Stiftung (Ernst Schmidheiny Foundation) is a Swiss non-profit foundation established in 1968 to deliver economic education to youth in Switzerland. Its core offering consists of four web-based business simulations: WIWAG (a 5-year company-management simulation for upper-secondary schools and vocational education), EcoStartup (a sustainable-startup simulation), Ecoland (a sustainability-economics simulation for upper-secondary and tertiary institutions), and Eco4Schools (a WAH-subject simulation for lower-secondary students). Each program bundles simulation software with didactized teaching materials and course-leader guidelines, forming a structured Lehrkonzept (teaching concept) that aligns with Swiss curriculum standards (Lehrplan 21, MAR, KV-Reform), the UN Sustainable Development Goals, and OECD Future Skills.

The foundation operates a volunteer-led delivery model in which business professionals and teachers are trained at no cost as Spielleitende (game facilitators) and deployed into classrooms. Its academic anchor is the Institut für Wirtschaftspädagogik at the University of St.Gallen, which co-developed the simulations. In January 2020, operations were transferred to wirtschaftsbildung.ch, a non-profit association (gemeinnütziger Verein) under which the foundation's educational mission continues. The organization is headquartered at Seehofstrasse 6, Zürich, and serves schools across Switzerland and Liechtenstein with a small staff of 1–10 employees.

The revenue model is institutional rather than commercial: programs are delivered to schools at no direct cost, financed via donors (Förderer), grants, and partnership contributions. Distribution is purely institutional, going through schools, the multi-stakeholder 'Initiative Wirtschaft und Schule,' and event channels such as the annual symposium and the Prix SVC (Swiss Venture Club) Charity Partnership. No public pricing exists, and the customer base is concentrated exclusively in the Swiss and Liechtenstein education sector.

Name

Ernst Schmidheiny Foundation

Legal name

Ernst Schmidheiny Stiftung

Website

https://esst.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

1968

Operating status

Closed

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Ernst Schmidheiny Foundation is a Swiss non-profit foundation that delivers web-based business simulations (WIWAG, EcoStartup, Ecoland, Eco4Schools) to schools across Switzerland and Liechtenstein. Operations were transferred to wirtschaftsbildung.ch, a non-profit association, in January 2020.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Economic and Sustainability Education Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (61171), Professional and Management Development Training (611430)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Entrepreneurship Foundations & Startup Basics (EDAMAHAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Simulation, Scenario & Serious Games Design (EDAGAKAH), Education Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAK)

Keywords

• Economic education
• Business simulations
• Youth entrepreneurship
• Sustainability education
• School programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Zürich

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Non-profit educational funding model: The organization is constituted as a non-profit association (gemeinnütziger Verein) supported by funders (Förderer). It has continued the Ernst Schmidheiny Foundation's 50+ year history of economic education since January 2020. Revenue appears to be derived from institutional funding, grants, and partnerships rather than direct sales to end consumers. The website indicates it operates a support office and organizational structure, with volunteer spielleitende trained at no cost.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The foundation provides web-based business simulation programs (WIWAG, EcoStartup, Ecoland, Eco4Schools) combined with didactically designed teaching materials and course leader guides for economics and sustainability education in Swiss schools. Programs are offered at no direct cost to educational institutions and are facilitated in classrooms by trained volunteer game facilitators (Spielleitende) drawn from the business world and teaching profession.

Product overview

Ernst Schmidheiny Foundation (continued by wirtschaftsbildung.ch) offers a suite of web-based business simulation programs for Swiss schools. The portfolio consists of four interconnected programs: WIWAG is a comprehensive 5-year business management simulation for upper-secondary students; EcoStartup focuses on sustainable startup creation; Ecoland teaches economic-environmental balance; and Eco4Schools brings economics and sustainability to lower-secondary students. All programs include simulation software, course materials, and didactically designed teaching resources. They align with Swiss curriculum standards (Lehrplan 21, MAR, KV-Reform), UN Sustainable Development Goals, and OECD Future Skills framework.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• WIWAG (Wirtschaftswochen) A 5-year business management simulation where students steer a company through multiple fiscal years, targeted at upper-secondary schools (Sekundarstufe II) and vocational education programs (KV-Reform, MAR). Provides hands-on experience with entrepreneurial decision-making and business operations.
• EcoStartup A startup founding simulation where youth found and establish their own startup company, covering entrepreneurial decisions, sustainability, and innovation. Designed for upper-secondary schools and practice-oriented projects, addressing ecological, social, and economic challenges.
• Ecoland A sustainability simulation focused on harmonizing economic and societal sustainability, covering the interplay of economic prosperity, environmental responsibility, and social considerations. Targeted at upper-secondary schools and tertiary institutions.
• Eco4Schools An economics and sustainability education program for lower-secondary students (Sekundarstufe I) in the WAH (Wirtschaft, Arbeit, Haushalt) curriculum, making economic concepts and sustainable development accessible to younger students through simulation.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 50 years of continuous operation in economic education in Switzerland

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Swiss Venture Club (SVC)minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 November 2026wirtschaftsbildung.ch serves as a Charity Partner at the Prix SVC, attending the annual event to recruit coaches from the region, promote the Wirtschaftswochen program, and engage with the Swiss entrepreneurial and business community. The next Prix SVC is scheduled for November 24 in Zürich.
• Initiative Wirtschaft und SchulecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2026An ongoing multi-stakeholder initiative bringing together experts at the transition from school to professional life. The 2026 annual conference 'Wirtschaft und Schule' is centered on helping youth realize their potential and find optimal matches between young talents and organizations (the 'Nordstern' concept). This initiative is a central platform for the organization's mission.
• SBW Haus des LernensminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026SBW Haus des Lernens participated in the Green City Days project with wirtschaftsbildung.ch, hosting a project day on sustainable entrepreneurship using the EcoStartup simulation. This demonstrates an educational project partnership focused on hands-on sustainability education.
• Institut für Wirtschaftspädagogik, Universität St.GallencoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020The simulations and programs were co-developed with the Institute for Business Education at the University of St.Gallen and other simulation experts. This academic partnership ensures pedagogical rigor, alignment with current educational research, and integration with Swiss curriculum standards (Lehrplan 21, Sekundarstufe II reforms).

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Emerging players

• Smartsims: Develops business simulations for business schools and universities. Comparable in the business simulation category but with a narrower academic-customer focus.
• SimCEO: Online multiplayer business simulation used in K-12 and university settings. Emergent competitor in the same experiential business-simulation space, with similar experiential learning focus.

Regional players

• JUNIOR (Institut der deutschen Wirtschaft): German student company program where pupils run a real company for one school year. Comparable DACH-region youth entrepreneurship education program with similar hands-on simulation approach.
• Planpolitik: German provider of political and economics simulation games for schools (e.g., Townmaker, Politikmacher). Comparable in developing didactically designed simulation games for German-speaking secondary schools.

Direct peers

• NFTE (Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship): Non-profit delivering entrepreneurship education programs to secondary school students, often with experiential components. Closely mirrors the foundation's mission of practical economic literacy for youth.
• JA Worldwide: Global youth entrepreneurship education non-profit offering programs and simulations in schools. Directly comparable in mission (youth economic literacy) and delivery model (school-based, often volunteer-supported).
• BizWorld Foundation: Provides entrepreneurship education programs and simulations for elementary and middle school students. Comparable in targeting school-age learners with experiential business programs.

Broad incumbents

• Marketplace Simulations: Established provider of business management simulations used in higher education and corporate training. Comparable as a broader incumbent in the business simulation category, although focused on university/corporate rather than secondary schools.
• Knowledge Matters: Provider of business and marketing simulations for high schools and colleges. Comparable as a broader incumbent in school-targeted business simulations, with a wider US-centric footprint.
• Capsim: Long-standing business simulation and assessment platform widely used in business schools and corporate training. Comparable in delivering multi-year business management simulations, though mainly in higher education.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ernst-schmidheiny-stiftung

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

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