ASEW
ASEW is a Cologne-based non-profit network serving approximately 400 German municipal utilities (Stadtwerke), providing knowledge-sharing platforms, regulatory guidance, a 150+ product catalog (StadtWerkZeug), workshops, consulting, and IoT provider matching to help members navigate the energy transition.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1989
- HeadquartersCologne, Germany
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What ASEW does
ASEW (Arbeitsgemeinschaft für sparsame Energie- und Wasserverwendung) is a Cologne-based non-profit member network serving approximately 400 German municipal utilities (Stadtwerke). Formally structured as a civil law partnership (GbR) with a separate commercial entity (ASEW Energie und Umwelt Service GmbH & Co. KG) for product sales, it operates under the umbrella of VKU (Verband kommunaler Unternehmen) and is led by Managing Director Daniela Wallikewitz alongside a steering committee chaired by André Dreißen of Stadtwerke Soest. Its function is to act as a knowledge-sharing, procurement, and regulatory-translation cooperative for the German municipal utility sector, helping members navigate energy transition, digitalization, and sustainability reporting requirements.
The core product is the "StadtWerkZeug" catalog, containing 150+ ready-to-use assets: contract templates (Vertragswerke), information packages (Info-Pakete) covering German energy regulations such as EnEfG and GEG 2024, NPV-based calculation tools for PV and heat pump proposals, customer-facing brochures, explanatory videos, lead-capture forms, and the online "ASEW.Rechnungserklärer" invoice explanation application. Supporting technology is conventional web infrastructure — a SharePoint-based member portal, an e-commerce storefront, and customer data management via the third-party open.INC platform. Complementary offerings include 94 annual events (workshops, webinars, experience exchanges), standing working groups (Arbeitskreise), individual consulting, the "Stadtwerke-Initiative Klimaschutz" climate protection initiative, and an IoT provider matching service.
Revenue is generated through a hybrid, non-profit model: recurring membership fees from ~400 Stadtwerke, fee-based training (€199 for members, €399 for non-members per event), product sales through the StadtWerkZeug shop (many products free for members, paid for non-members), and individual consulting. The go-to-market is member-driven and event-driven rather than sales-led. No external funding, private equity investment, or public listing is indicated.
ASEW firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- ASEW
- Legal name
- Arbeitsgemeinschaft für sparsame Energie- und Wasserverwendung (ASEW)
- Website
- https://asew.de
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1989
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- ASEW is a Cologne-based non-profit network serving approximately 400 German municipal utilities (Stadtwerke), providing knowledge-sharing platforms, regulatory guidance, a 150+ product catalog (StadtWerkZeug), workshops, consulting, and IoT provider matching to help members navigate the energy transition.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
ASEW industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Energy and Environmental Consulting Services
- NAICS
- Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services (5416)
- SIC
- Services-Membership Organizations (8600)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Compliance Obligations Management (Permits-to-Controls Mapping) (EUAHAIAK)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Environmental Aspects/Impacts Register & Legal Register Development (EUAHAIAD), Corporate & Voluntary Procurement Policy (PPAs, Green Tariffs, 24/7 CFE) (EUAMANAH)
Keywords
Where ASEW is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Cologne
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
ASEW business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Membership Fees: ASEW operates as a network of approximately 400 municipal utilities paying membership fees for access to knowledge sharing, consulting services, templates, tools, and the professional community.
- Product Sales (StadtWerkZeug): Sale of digital products including contract templates, calculation tools, info packages, brochures, and lead capture forms. Many products free for members, some with fees for non-members.
- Workshops and Training Services: Inhouse seminars, workshops, and training programs on topics like energy economics, de-escalation, project management, batteries, sustainability, and regulatory compliance. Priced per workshop with additional travel costs.
- Individual Consulting: Customized consulting services for municipal utilities on topics they face locally, delivered through experienced practitioners with market knowledge.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Annual | Free for members - standard brochures and info packages |
| Subscription | Per event | Fee-based workshops and training |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Fee-based for non-members |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
ASEW product offering
Product offeringCore offering
ASEW operates a member-driven network of approximately 400 German municipal utilities (Stadtwerke), delivering consulting, training, ready-made contract templates, calculation tools, information packages, customer brochures, and workshops that help municipal utilities navigate the energy transition, regulatory compliance, and climate protection. The portfolio is organized under the "StadtWerkZeug" shop and includes both free resources for members and fee-based services for non-members.
Product overview
ASEW operates as a municipal utility network (Stadtwerke-Netzwerk) offering a comprehensive portfolio of products and services for approximately 400 member municipal energy and water utilities in Germany. The offering is structured as a multi-category catalog called 'StadtWerkZeug' (CityWork Tool), which includes: Vertragswerke (contract templates for EV charging, energy supply, and other municipal utility services), Info-Pakete (information packages covering regulatory topics like the Energy Efficiency Act, Building Energy Act, biomethane products, and sustainability reporting standards), Kalkulations-Tools (PV and heat pump proposal calculation tools using net present value methodology), Broschüren (customer-facing brochures on energy topics including renewable heating solutions, efficient lighting, electromobility, home storage, and energy saving tips), ASEW-Erklärfilme (standardized explanatory videos for customer communication), Leaderfassungsbögen (lead capture forms), Online Applikationen (including the ASEW.Rechnungserklärer for bill explanations), and Veranstaltungen (workshops, in-house trainings, and event calendar featuring webinars, experience exchanges, and professional development courses). The portfolio is complemented by individual consulting services and working groups focused on energy topics.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- StadtWerkZeug: Product shop offering contract templates, information packages, calculation tools, explanatory films, brochures, and lead capture forms for municipal utilities
- ASEW-Umweltwoche
- Stadtwerke-Initiative Klimaschutz
Products and services
- Angebotskalkulationstool Photovoltaik (PV Calculation Tool) Calculation tool for quick and reproducible photovoltaic (PV) system proposals, using the net present value method to assess economic viability for residential and commercial customers. Sold to municipal utilities.
- Angebotskalkulationstool Wärmepumpe (Heat Pump Calculation Tool) Calculation tool for quick and reproducible heat pump proposals, comparing purchase, leasing, and contracting models for residential and non-residential buildings using the net present value method. Sold to municipal utilities.
- ASEW.Rechnungserklärer (Invoice Explainer Application) Online application allowing end customers to understand the composition of their energy bills and receive energy-saving tips. Customer data managed through service provider open.INC. Provided to municipal utilities for use with their customers.
- ASEW Workshops Short-format workshops (a few hours) providing overviews of key topics and products for municipal utilities, drawing on experience from working groups and member exchanges. Sold to municipal utility staff.
- ASEW Inhouse-Schulungen (In-house Training Programs) Customized in-house training programs available in-person or digital format, covering topics like energy industry basics, de-escalation, price communication, project management, batteries, sustainability, and regulatory compliance. Delivered to municipal utilities.
- Veranstaltungskalender (Event Calendar) Calendar of approximately 94 events including webinars, experience exchanges, provider pitches, legal updates, and regional meetings, providing professional development and networking for municipal utilities.
- Individual Consulting Services (Individuelle Beratung) Customized consulting services for municipal utilities on local energy topics, delivered by experienced practitioners with deep market knowledge. Targeted at member Stadtwerke.
- Contract Templates for Municipal Utilities (Vertragswerke) Ready-to-use contract templates covering topics such as EV charging electricity supply for single-family and multi-family buildings, with metered or flat-rate billing options. Sold to municipal utilities.
- Information Packages for Municipal Utilities (Info-Pakete) Information packages covering regulatory and operational topics including the Energy Efficiency Act (EnEfG), Building Energy Act (GEG), biomethane products, double materiality analysis, VSME sustainability standards, and HEMS rollout. Sold to municipal utilities.
- Customer-Facing Brochures (Broschüren) White-label customer brochures covering biomethane, the Building Energy Act, efficient lighting, electromobility, energy-saving tips, renewable energies, heating optimization, and indoor air quality. Sold to municipal utilities for customer communication.
- VS-Crashkurs Series (VSME Sustainability Crash Course) Four-part crash course series on VSME sustainability standards covering strategy (Teil 1), environmental KPIs (Teil 2), social and governance data points (Teil 3), and climate-related emissions and energy (Teil 4). Sold to municipal utilities for staff training.
Quantifiable outcome
- 150+ products available in the StadtWerkZeug shop for municipal utilities
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use ASEW
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
ASEW technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
ASEW partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Verband kommunaler Unternehmen (VKU)coreASEW operates within the VKU (Association of Municipal Companies), Germany's largest association of municipal utilities. This parent relationship provides regulatory influence, industry representation, and credibility within the German municipal utility sector.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
ASEW competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- BDEW (Bundesverband der Energie- und Wasserwirtschaft): Germany's largest energy and water industry association, covering utilities of all ownership types (not only municipal). Comparable as an industry-association peer providing policy, regulatory, and knowledge services to utility members.
- Deutsche Energie-Agentur (dena): Germany's energy agency, applying expertise in energy transition, efficiency, and renewables with consulting, studies, and program management. Comparable as a policy-adjacent energy advisory body serving similar stakeholders.
- Verbraucherzentrale Bundesverband: Federation of German consumer advice centers providing consumer-facing energy advice, brochures, and tools—comparable in mission (energy information dissemination) and consumer-communication template approach, though targeting end consumers rather than utilities.
- VKU (Verband kommunaler Unternehmen): Parent-association and broader trade body of German municipal utilities. Operates as the umbrella for ASEW and the wider Stadtwerke sector, providing policy advocacy, regulatory representation, and industry intelligence—comparable in mission but broader in scope.
Regional players
- Energy Cities: European network of cities and municipal energy stakeholders focused on the energy transition. Comparable as a peer network organization, but operating at EU level rather than national (German) scope.
- EA.NRW (EnergieAgentur NRW): Regional energy agency for North Rhine-Westphalia providing consulting, networking, and information services to municipal utilities and municipalities. Comparable in services but limited to one German federal state.
Emerging players
- EnergieZENTRUM: Consulting and project organization supporting municipal utilities and municipalities on energy transition projects. Comparable in target customer (Stadtwerke) and service offering (consulting, project support).
Direct peers
- AGFW (Der Effizienzverband für Wärme, Kälte und KWK): German efficiency association for district heating, cooling, and CHP, focused on municipal heat networks. Comparable as a sector-specific knowledge and member-network organization supporting utility operators with regulatory and operational guidance.
- DENEFF (Deutsche Unternehmensinitiative Energieeffizienz): Industry initiative advancing energy efficiency in Germany, providing policy advocacy, networking, and knowledge exchange for utilities, energy service companies, and efficiency providers. Comparable as a focused, network-based efficiency advocacy organization.
- co2online GmbH: Non-profit climate-protection advisory organization funded by the German government and utilities, providing energy-saving consulting, consumer communications, and efficiency campaigns to municipal utilities—highly comparable in mission and target audience.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks1 record
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
ASEW social profiles
Digital presenceASEW financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
ASEW leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles11 records
ASEW funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
ASEW 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 ASEW
What does ASEW do?
ASEW operates a member-driven network of approximately 400 German municipal utilities (Stadtwerke), delivering consulting, training, ready-made contract templates, calculation tools, information packages, customer brochures, and workshops that help municipal utilities navigate the energy transition, regulatory compliance, and climate protection. The portfolio is organized under the "StadtWerkZeug" shop and includes both free resources for members and fee-based services for non-members.
Is ASEW a public or private company?
ASEW is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was ASEW founded?
ASEW was founded in 1989. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is ASEW based?
ASEW is headquartered in Cologne, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does ASEW make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Membership Fees are the primary driver. The others are product Sales (StadtWerkZeug), workshops and Training Services and individual Consulting.
Who are ASEW's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are BDEW (Bundesverband der Energie- und Wasserwirtschaft), Deutsche Energie-Agentur (dena), Verbraucherzentrale Bundesverband and VKU (Verband kommunaler Unternehmen). Regional players are Energy Cities and EA.NRW (EnergieAgentur NRW). EnergieZENTRUM is listed as an emerging player. Direct peers are AGFW (Der Effizienzverband für Wärme, Kälte und KWK), DENEFF (Deutsche Unternehmensinitiative Energieeffizienz) and co2online GmbH.
Does ASEW have an API?
No public API is recorded for ASEW.
What industry is ASEW in?
ASEW's product category is Energy and Environmental Consulting Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EUAHAIAK, Compliance Obligations Management (Permits-to-Controls Mapping), with a secondary code of EUAHAIAD, Environmental Aspects/Impacts Register & Legal Register Development. Its NAICS code is 5416 and its SIC code is 8600.