f-bb

What f-bb does

f-bb (Forschungsinstitut Betriebliche Bildung) is a nonprofit research institute founded in 1977 and headquartered in Nürnberg, Germany, operating as a gemeinnützige GmbH within the bbw-Unternehmensgruppe corporate group. The institute conducts applied research on vocational education, continuing education, and workforce development, developing evidence-based concepts for occupational training, professional development, and labor market integration across six thematic areas: skilled labor markets, vocational education in transition, digitalization and work, inclusion and vocational rehabilitation, migration and the world of work, and transitions between education and employment. Its portfolio of applied outputs includes Excel-based strategic HR planning tools (PYTHIA, SIBYL Automotive), card-based workshop methodologies (ChangeCruiser, EcoBattle), and printed materials (EcoSphere), alongside the quarterly InfoForum newsletter and a library of more than 1,128 publications.

The institute serves primarily German federal and state government ministries (BMBF, BMWK, BMAS, BMBFSFJ, regional ministries), the Bundesagentur für Arbeit, the European Social Fund, industry associations (BDA, vbw, bayme vbm, IG Metall), chambers (IHK), and enterprises across manufacturing, automotive, crafts, healthcare, and plastics sectors, with named project partners including Audi, BMW, Brose, Siemens, BIBB, and several Länder governments. Its go-to-market is sales-led via competitive bidding for publicly funded research contracts and commissioned work from long-term institutional relationships. Revenue derives almost exclusively from professional services — government research contracts, EU-funded programs, and commissioned evaluations — with no commercial product pricing disclosed. The institute operates five offices (Nürnberg, Berlin, Potsdam, Magdeburg, Chemnitz) and is led by Managing Director Dr. Iris Pfeiffer.

Name

f-bb

Legal name

Forschungsinstitut Betriebliche Bildung (f-bb) gemeinnützige GmbH

Website

https://f-bb.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1977

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

f-bb is a nonprofit German research institute conducting applied research on vocational education, workforce transformation, and labor market integration, serving federal ministries, industry associations, and enterprises via publicly funded research contracts and practitioner tools.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Vocational Education Research

NAICS

Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (54172), Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (541720), Scientific Research and Development Services (5417), Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services (5416)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Management Research Institutes & Doctoral (PhD/DBA) Programs (EDAHAHAO)

akta.pro secondary industries

Research Administration & Grants Management Support (Pre/Post-Award, Compliance) (EDAEALAO), Behavioral Health & Counseling (Social Work, Psychology, Substance Use CE) (EDAAALAD), Research Administration & Compliance (Sponsored Programs, IRB/REB) (EDADAKAH)

Keywords

• Vocational education research
• Workforce development research
• Continuing education consulting
• Labor market research
• HR planning tools

Headquarters

HQ city

Nürnberg

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Government-Funded Research Contracts: Primary revenue stream from commissioned research projects funded by German federal ministries (BMBF, BMWK, BMAS, BMBFSFJ), state governments, the European Social Fund (ESF/ESF+), and federal agencies such as the Bundesagentur für Arbeit. Projects are competitively bid or directly commissioned.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

f-bb is a non-profit research institute that conducts applied research, develops concepts, and delivers consulting and proprietary tools for vocational education, continuing training, and workforce integration. Its offerings include commissioned research for government ministries, evidence-based training models, HR and competency planning instruments (PYTHIA, SIBYL), change management methodologies (ChangeCruiser), sustainability education tools (EcoBattle, EcoSphere), and advisory services such as INQA-Coaching and bea-Brandenburg.

Product overview

f-bb (Forschungsinstitut Betriebliche Bildung) is a non-profit research institute that develops innovative concepts for vocational education and training. The organization's offerings consist of proprietary tools and advisory services rather than a unified software platform. Key tools include PYTHIA (strategic HR planning Excel tool for SMEs), SIBYL Automotive (competency forecasting instrument), ChangeCruiser (card-based change management methodology), and EcoBattle/EcoSphere (sustainability education tools for vocational training). Advisory services encompass INQA-Coaching for digital transformation, bea-Brandenburg for integration management, and various workshops on personnel and competency planning. The organization also publishes the InfoForum newsletter and operates a blog with research findings and press releases. The portfolio spans digital tools, physical/card-based methodologies, consulting services, publications, and training/workshop offerings, all focused on vocational education, labor market integration, inclusion, and transformation in the world of work.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• ChangeCruiser ChangeCruiser is an interactive card-based methodology tool that makes central challenges of organizational change visible and supports exchange between managers and teams. Used for change management processes in organizations and delivered via workshops for managers and HR professionals.
• PYTHIA Strategic HR Planning Tool PYTHIA is a Microsoft Excel-based strategic HR planning tool designed to support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in strategic personnel planning. It helps analyze the current situation and describe future staffing needs to identify deviations and associated action requirements.
• SIBYL Automotive Competency Planning Tool SIBYL Automotive is an Excel-based competency planning instrument that helps SMEs collaboratively forecast future competency needs with managers. It can be used independently for competency planning or as a preparatory step for comprehensive strategic HR planning in combination with PYTHIA Automotive.
• EcoBattle Sustainability Card Game EcoBattle is a card game for vocational training where apprentices describe concepts from the areas of ecology, economics, and social issues without naming them directly. Teams compete to generate discussion, perspective shifts, and collective negotiation of meaning, designed to promote systemic thinking about sustainability in professional action.
• EcoSphere Sustainability Poster EcoSphere is a detailed illustrated poster for workplace settings that serves as a permanent visual prompt in training workshops, social or seminar rooms, designed to stimulate informal conversations about sustainability contexts and make connections tangible in everyday professional life.
• INQA-Coaching INQA-Coaching provides coaching services to support SMEs in shaping digital transformation in their operations, delivered through INQA (Initiative Neue Qualität der Arbeit) advisory offices.
• bea-Brandenburg (Betriebliche Begleitagentur) bea-Brandenburg is a practical advisory service for Brandenburg companies covering all aspects of employment and qualification of people with refugee and migration backgrounds, including initial and referral counseling on funding opportunities, language support in the workplace, and assistance with occupational safety topics or intercultural training for employees.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 1,128 publications and research reports produced and publicly available
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

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

• Bundesinstitut für Berufsbildung (BIBB)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal Institute for Vocational Education and Training is a key research partner in dual training, credentialing, and vocational education policy research. Collaborates on studies and evaluation projects.
• Vereinigung der Bayerischen Wirtschaft e.V. (vbw)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBavarian Employers' Association collaborates on industry-specific research including automotive transformation projects and vocational education initiatives.
• IG MetallmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor trade union partners in social partnership research, transformation projects (automotive industry), and workplace democracy and health initiatives.
• Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel (CAU)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConsortium partner in the PRAQ nursing education project, providing academic research expertise alongside f-bb's applied research capabilities.
• Bayern InnovativmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBavarian innovation agency collaborates on transformation network activities, technology transfer, and industry networking events.
• Europäische Akademie für Frauen in Politik und Wirtschaft Berlin e.V. (EAF)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartners in 'Demokratie, Gleichstellung und Vielfalt im Betrieb' project on democracy and diversity in the workplace.
• Bundesarbeitskreis Arbeit und Leben e.V.minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAdult education organization partnering with f-bb in the 'Regiestelle Wandel der Arbeit' (Change of Work steering office).
• SKZ | Das KunststoffzentrumminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPlastics industry training center partners with f-bb in 'WBMplusK' project for continuing education mentoring in the plastics industry.
• Bayerische Metall- und Elektroindustrie (bayme vbm)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBavarian metal and electrical industry employers' associations collaborate on transformation research and workforce qualification projects.
• IHK NürnbergminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerChamber of Commerce and Industry in Nuremberg partners on vocational training research and regional workforce development initiatives.
• MA&T OrganisationsentwicklungminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConsulting organization partners with f-bb in the 'Beratungsnetzwerk Queraufstieg' study dropout counseling network project.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Bertelsmann Stiftung: Large private foundation running education, labor market, and integration research programs. Comparable: funds and publishes studies on VET, school-to-work transitions, and migration integration - adjacent funding source and frequent co-research partner for ministries.
• Bundesinstitut für Berufsbildung (BIBB): Germany's federal institute for VET research and policy advisory. Directly comparable: BIBB is the principal government VET research body and a named core partner of f-bb, working on overlapping research topics (dual training, credentialing, vocational education policy).
• Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung (IAB): Federal research institute of the Bundesagentur für Arbeit, conducting labor market and occupational research. Comparable: researches labor market integration, qualification needs, and workforce transitions - directly overlapping with f-bb's core competencies, and IAB is a major funder/partner of f-bb's work.

Direct peers

• Fraunhofer IAO: Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Engineering, focused on work organization, digitalization, and transformation research. Directly comparable: applies social-science methods to workplace/learning research, competes for similar German federal ministry tenders, and serves overlapping SME and policy customers.
• Prognos AG: European research and consulting firm covering education, labor market, and structural change. Directly comparable: a named partner of f-bb and active competitor in the same German and EU policy research tender market, particularly on skills shortage and transformation topics.
• Institut der deutschen Wirtschaft (IW Köln) / IW Consult: Economic research institute and consultancy focused on labor market, education, and vocational training policy. Directly comparable: produces applied social-science research for German ministries, employer associations, and chambers on workforce qualification - serving the same buyer set.

Regional players

• ifo Institut: Munich-based economic research institute with labor market and education policy coverage. Comparable: provides policy-relevant research and forecasting on labor markets and skills, competing for similar federal and Bavarian state research contracts.
• Deutsches Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung (DIW Berlin): Berlin-based economic research institute covering labor markets, education, and social policy. Comparable: produces applied research for German federal ministries on workforce qualification and labor market policy, often as part of multi-institute consortia alongside f-bb.
• ZEW – Leibniz-Zentrum für Europäische Wirtschaftsforschung: German economic research institute with strong labor markets, education economics, and innovation research programs. Comparable: applies economic and social-science methods to workforce and education policy questions and competes for similar German and EU-level research grants.

Emerging players

• Deloitte Human Capital (Germany): Global consultancy with significant German workforce transformation and learning advisory practices. Comparable: competes for SME workforce transformation and INQA-adjacent advisory mandates, and increasingly co-bids on publicly-funded transformation programs where f-bb also participates.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/f-bb
• Xx.com/fbb_de

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 f-bb