Nürtingen-Geislingen University of Applied Science

What Nürtingen-Geislingen University of Applied Science does

Hochschule für Wirtschaft und Umwelt Nürtingen-Geislingen (HfWU) is a public university of applied sciences (Fachhochschule) founded in 1949 and headquartered in Nürtingen, Baden-Württemberg, Germany, with a secondary campus in Geislingen. The institution is a Körperschaft des Öffentlichen Rechts (public law corporation) governed by the Ministry of Science, Research and the Arts of Baden-Württemberg and currently led by Rektor Prof. Dr. Andreas Frey. It serves approximately 5,118 students through 131 professors and 393 lecturers, supported by 342 administrative staff, with 866 total personnel.

HfWU operates four academic pillars — Economics, Environment, Design, and Therapies — delivered across Bachelor, Master, part-time, and MBA programmes, with revenue derived from state appropriations (Ministry of Science, Baden-Württemberg), regulated semester contributions, third-party research funding from federal ministries, the EU, industry partners, and foundations, and continuing education streams through the HfWU Akademie. The technology backbone comprises a TYPO3-based content management system hosted on climate-neutral German servers, integrated with multiple digital portals: Selma (student portal), HfWU-neo (learning management / campus management), HfWU-Start (career portal), Mobility Online (international exchange), and OPAC (library catalogue).

The institution differentiates through a sustainability-centred mission ('Bildung für Verantwortung'), seven domain-specialized applied research institutes coordinated through the Institutszentrum für Angewandte Forschung (IAF), a Zukunft.Gründen (ZuG) startup campus with Future.Box coworking space, and a network of 150+ international partner universities. Customer-facing distribution combines direct admissions via the HfWU website, school cooperation programmes (Girls'Day, Boys'Day, teacher workshops), annual Karrieretag career fairs, and Studium Generale public lectures. The university received top-field placement in the CHE University Ranking 2026 and 'top' ratings in three categories of the SZ Institut Weiterbildungs-Ranking 2026.

Name

Nürtingen-Geislingen University of Applied Science

Legal name

Hochschule für Wirtschaft und Umwelt Nürtingen-Geislingen

Website

https://hfwu.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1949

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

HfWU is a public German university of applied sciences serving 5,118 students across economics, environment, design, and therapies, funded primarily by the state of Baden-Württemberg with applied research, continuing education, and a startup campus ecosystem.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Nürtingen

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Study Fees: Public university tuition fees charged to students for various study programmes, including semester contributions. Tuition fees are regulated by German state law for public universities.
2. State Funding (Public Institution): As a public university (Körperschaft des Öffentlichen Rechts), HfWU receives core operational funding from the state of Baden-Württemberg through the Ministry of Science, Research and the Arts (Ministerium für Wissenschaft, Forschung und Kunst des Landes Baden-Württemberg).
3. Third-Party Research Funding: Research projects funded by external bodies including federal ministries, the European Union, industry partners, and foundations. The university conducts applied research through its institutes, attracting project-based funding.
4. Continuing Education and Professional Development: HfWU Academy offers part-time Bachelor, Master, and MBA programmes generating revenue from professional development participants. Additional revenue from executive education and specialized training programmes.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

HfWU delivers practice-oriented higher education across four locations (Nürtingen, Geislingen, Brauweiler, Böblingen), offering Bachelor and Master degree programs spanning Economics, Environment, Design, and Therapies, alongside cooperative doctorate options, continuing education through HfWU Akademie, applied research through 14 specialized institutes grouped into four research clusters (Critical Infrastructure, Digitalization, Sustainability, Health), and entrepreneurship programming through the Zukunft.Gründen Startup Campus.

Product overview

HfWU (Hochschule für Wirtschaft und Umwelt Nürtingen-Geislingen) is a German university of applied sciences organized around four academic pillars — Economics, Environment, Design, and Therapies — offering Bachelor, Master, and continuing education degree programs. Its portfolio consists of a core educational offering (degree programs via the Studienangebot portal and HfWU-neo LMS) complemented by applied research conducted through multiple institutes and the IAF research center, a startup ecosystem under the Zukunft.Gründen (ZuG) brand including the Future.Box coworking space, and professional development via the HfWU Akademie. Student-facing services include the Selma student portal and HfWU Start career portal. All academic and administrative operations are supported by the TYPO3-based web platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Zukunft.Gründen (ZuG): HfWU's startup campus and entrepreneurship initiative focused on sustainable development, featuring the Future.Box co-working space in Nürtingen.
• HfWU-neo
• Selma

Products and services

• Bachelor degree programs Practice-oriented Bachelor programs for prospective German and international students covering Economics (Business Administration, International Business, etc.), Environment (Agriculture, Landscape Architecture, Sustainability), Design, and Therapies (Therapeutic Sciences); taught across the Nürtingen, Geislingen, Brauweiler, and Böblingen campuses.
• Master degree programs Postgraduate Master programs aligned with the Economics, Environment, Design, and Therapies pillars, building on the Bachelor offerings and intended for graduates seeking deeper specialization.
• HfWU Akademie continuing education Tuition-based, part-time continuing education including Master's in Business Management and MBA in General Management, targeted at working professionals seeking university-accredited further qualifications.
• Forschung und Transfer (Applied Research and Transfer) Commissioned applied research and consultancy services delivered through 14 specialized institutes across the four research clusters, for companies, public bodies, and funded research programs.
• Cooperative doctorate (Promotion) Doctoral degree pathway operated in cooperation with partner universities, enabling applied research doctorates for graduates and professionals.
• Future.Box coworking space Physical coworking space at the Nürtingen campus for founders, early-stage startups, students, and freelance professionals, available alongside events and entrepreneurship programming.
• Zukunft.Gründen Startup Campus programs Entrepreneurship programming including start-up coaching, founder support, and connection to the Future.Box coworking infrastructure, targeted at student and external founders.

Quantifiable outcome

• 5,118 students enrolled across all programmes
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• 150+ Partner Universities WorldwidecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHfWU maintains partnerships with over 150 international universities enabling student exchange, joint research, and academic cooperation. The network covers multiple continents and supports both incoming and outgoing student mobility.
• The Länd (Stuttgart Innovation Region)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHfWU participates in 'Part of the Länd', a regional innovation initiative positioning the Stuttgart metropolitan region as a hub for creativity, technology, and sustainable development. The initiative connects universities, businesses, and public institutions in Baden-Württemberg.
• Ministerium für Wissenschaft, Forschung und Kunst des Landes Baden-WürttembergcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAs a public university, HfWU operates under the oversight and funding of the Ministry of Science, Research and the Arts of Baden-Württemberg. The ministry provides regulatory oversight, institutional accreditation, and core operational funding.
• GeBindE Research ConsortiumminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHfWU participates in the GeBindE (Gender and Biodiversity in Education) research project, contributing expertise in sustainability education and ecological research through its applied research institutes.
• Avela - Akademie für Vegetationsplanung und LandschaftsbauminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHfWU cooperates with the Akademie für Vegetationsplanung und Landschaftsbau (avela) for professional development and research in landscape planning and construction, hosting joint conferences and knowledge transfer events.
• Geislinger KonventionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHfWU is involved in the Geislinger Konvention, a regional cooperation initiative that supports networking and knowledge exchange between academia and local industry in the Geislingen area.
• HfWU An-Institute (Affiliated Research Institutes)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMultiple affiliated institutes (An-Institute) operate in close cooperation with HfWU, conducting applied research and providing industry-relevant expertise. These include institutes in agriculture, automotive, landscape, real estate, and technology domains.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Direct peers

• Hochschule Esslingen: Public University of Applied Sciences in Baden-Württemberg offering applied Bachelor and Master programs in engineering, business, and social sciences. Directly comparable as a regional Hochschule competing for the same domestic student pool in the Stuttgart metropolitan region.
• Hochschule Pforzheim (HS PF): Public Hochschule in Baden-Württemberg known for design, business, and engineering with a focus on creative industries. Comparable in size, public funding model, and the design/economics pillar structure that overlaps with HfWU.
• Hochschule Reutlingen (ESB Business School): Public University of Applied Sciences in Baden-Württemberg with strong business, design, and international programs. Closely comparable to HfWU in scale, public funding model, and program mix across economics and applied disciplines.
• Hochschule Heilbronn (HHN): Public University of Applied Sciences in northern Baden-Württemberg with programs in economics, engineering, and informatics. Comparable in scale, public funding, and applied sciences orientation to HfWU.
• Hochschule Konstanz (HTWG): Public University of Applied Sciences in Baden-Württemberg with applied programs in business, engineering, design, and architecture. Similar public-Hochschule model and applied research profile as HfWU.
• Hochschule Furtwangen (HFU): Public University of Applied Sciences in Baden-Württemberg with programs in engineering, business, computer science, and health. Comparable in size, public funding model, and multi-disciplinary applied focus.
• Hochschule Aalen: Public Hochschule in Baden-Württemberg with technical and business programs. Similar public-Hochschule profile with comparable student enrollment scale and applied research mission.

Emerging players

• SRH Hochschule Heidelberg: State-recognized private Hochschule in Baden-Württemberg offering applied programs in business, engineering, and therapeutic sciences. Compares to HfWU on program portfolio but differs in private ownership and tuition-driven revenue model.
• Hochschule für Forstwirtschaft Rottenburg: Public Baden-Württemberg Hochschule specializing in forestry, wood science, and sustainable resource management. Partial overlap with HfWU's Environment pillar and sustainability mission, though smaller in scale and more narrowly focused.

Regional players

• Hochschule der Medien Stuttgart (HdM): Public Hochschule in Stuttgart specializing in media, print, and information science. Comparable as a state-funded Baden-Württemberg Hochschule but with a narrower media-focused portfolio rather than HfWU's broader economics/environment/therapies mix.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/HfWUimFilm
• Facebookfacebook.com/hfwu-n
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/school/hfwu
• Instagraminstagram.com/hfwu.de
• Xx.com/hfwu_tweet

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

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 Nürtingen-Geislingen University of Applied Science