DHBW Mannheim

What DHBW Mannheim does

DHBW Mannheim is a public dual university and one of 12 campuses in the Duale Hochschule Baden-Württemberg (DHBW) system, founded in 1974 as Germany's first dual university. It serves approximately 5,676 enrolled students across 50 study programs spanning three faculties: Technology (Technik), Business (Wirtschaft), and Health (Gesundheit). The institution's core operating model alternates theory phases on the Mannheim campus (Coblitzallee 1-9) with practical phases hosted by 1,867 dual partner companies, producing 1,604 graduates in 2025. As a tuition-free public-law corporation (Körperschaft des öffentlichen Rechts) under the Baden-Württemberg Ministry of Science, DHBW Mannheim is funded primarily through state appropriations and federal research grants, with no tuition charged to students and nominal semester fees only.

The underlying technology stack combines physical campus infrastructure with digital learning systems: a Moodle-based Learning Management System supporting 20+ languages, BigBlueButton video conferencing for online lectures, the Studgate Zimbra-based email and groupware platform, and bwSync&Share (Nextcloud-hosted) for cloud file storage. Applied research infrastructure includes specialized laboratories in Mannheim and Eppelheim, with active competence centers (DILARS, DTC, INDIS, ZEEB, ZMVT) and research clusters (AddLab, EDSC, ELCH). Notable recent research projects include GreenLab H2 (sustainable hydrogen production for campus energy needs, funded up to €100,000 by the Baden-Württemberg Ministry of Science) and PECVD_BipoCoat (advanced coatings for PEM electrolyzer bipolar plates, funded under the Federal Government's 8th Energy Research Program in partnership with Centrotherm international AG and EKPO Fuel Cell Technologies GmbH).

DHBW Mannheim's business model is structurally different from a commercial enterprise: revenue is derived from state appropriations, federal research grants, nominal student semester fees, and in-kind contributions from dual partner companies, rather than tuition or commercial fees. Go-to-market is event-driven, with annual October intake cycles supported by info events (Spotlight Sessions, CampusTag Online), career fairs (Sprungbrett, Heidelberger Ausbildungs- und Studientage), school outreach (DHBW4Teens), and the StudyUp digital matching platform. Customer segments are prospective undergraduate students seeking employment-linked study pathways and dual partner companies seeking talent pipelines and applied research collaboration. The institution is led by President Prof. Dr. Martina Klärle (DHBW system) and does not have private shareholders, venture capital, or external investors; oversight resides with the Baden-Württemberg Ministry of Science, Research and the Arts.

Name

DHBW Mannheim

Legal name

Duale Hochschule Baden-Württemberg

Website

https://dhbw-mannheim.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1974

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

DHBW Mannheim is Germany's first dual public university, part of the 12-campus DHBW system, serving 5,676 students across 50 study programs by alternating campus theory with practical phases at 1,867 partner companies, funded by the state of Baden-Württemberg.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education / Dual Study Programs

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Cooperative Education (Co-op) Technical Universities (EDAHAEAF)

Keywords

• Dual study programs
• Higher education
• Applied research
• Work-integrated learning
• University education

Headquarters

HQ city

Mannheim

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Tuition-free Public Higher Education (State-funded): As a public German university (Körperschaft des öffentlichen Rechts), DHBW Mannheim receives government funding from the state of Baden-Württemberg and federal programs. Students pay no tuition fees. Revenue is derived from public education subsidies and research grants.
2. Research Grants and Project Funding: Funded research through government programs including Baden-Württemberg's Ministry of Science, Research and Arts (up to €100,000 for GreenLab H2) and the Federal Government's 8th Energy Research Program (for PECVD_BipoCoat).
3. Dual Partner Cooperation Fees: Companies participating as dual partners support the dual study model by providing practical training positions; while no direct fees are charged to students, partner companies co-finance the model through their training and mentorship contributions.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

DHBW Mannheim is a public dual university offering tuition-free bachelor's and master's degree programs that integrate classroom-based academic theory at the Mannheim campus with practical work phases at one of 1,867 partner companies. The institution operates across three faculties (Technik, Wirtschaft, Gesundheit) and delivers approximately 50 study programs, supported by digital infrastructure including a Moodle LMS, BigBlueButton video conferencing, and the StudyUp student-company matching portal.

Product overview

DHBW Mannheim is a dual university (first in Germany) offering approximately 50 dual study programs combining theory at campus with practical phases at partner companies. The institution operates its own digital infrastructure including a Moodle-based Learning Management System (LMS), an event management platform for workshops and info sessions, video conferencing via BigBlueButton, cloud storage through bwSync&Share, and the StudyUp portal for student-company matching. Research initiatives include hydrogen technology projects GreenLab H2 and PECVD_BipoCoat focused on sustainable energy solutions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• 1604 graduates in 2025 across all study programs
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 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

Integration5 records

AI capability2 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Centrotherm international AGcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCentrotherm international AG is an industry partner in the PECVD_BipoCoat project, which develops innovative coatings for cost-effective metallic bipolar plates in PEM electrolyzers. The collaboration aims at industrial cost reduction in hydrogen production components.
• EKPO Fuel Cell Technologies GmbHcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEKPO Fuel Cell Technologies GmbH collaborates with DHBW Mannheim on the PECVD_BipoCoat project, contributing expertise in fuel cell technologies to the development of advanced coatings for hydrogen production components.
• Dual Partner Companies (1867 companies)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner1867 companies across Germany serve as dual training partners, hosting students for practical phases, co-designing curriculum, recruiting graduates, and collaborating on applied research. These companies span technology, business, and healthcare sectors.
• DHBW System (12 Study Locations)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDHBW Mannheim is part of the Duale Hochschule Baden-Württemberg system with 12 locations across the state. The system shares curricula, the Center for Advanced Studies (DHBW CAS) for master's programs, and the INDIS interdisciplinary program spanning multiple locations.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• DHBW Stuttgart: Sister campus and central hub of the Duale Hochschule Baden-Württemberg system. Operates the same dual study model with theory-practice alternation and partner company placements, making it the most directly comparable institution to DHBW Mannheim.
• University of Cincinnati (Co-op Education Pioneer): U.S. pioneer of cooperative education since 1906, alternating academic semesters with full-time paid work placements. Closest international analogue to DHBW's dual study model in terms of structural approach and employer integration.
• Duale Hochschule Baden-Württemberg (DHBW) - System: The 12-campus parent system of DHBW Mannheim. Operates the same dual study model across Germany and shares infrastructure like DHBW CAS for master's programs, making it the closest institutional comparator.
• University of Waterloo (Co-op Model): Canadian university globally recognized for its cooperative education program embedded across degree streams. Operationally and structurally analogous to DHBW Mannheim's dual study architecture.
• Northeastern University (Co-op Leader): U.S. research university famous for its 100+ year co-op program, embedding six-month full-time work experiences into degree pathways. Most operationally similar large-scale cooperative education institution globally.

Emerging players

• IU International University of Applied Sciences: Germany's largest private university, offering flexible and often online degree programs with strong employer alignment. Competes for working professionals and corporate training budgets that DHBW Mannheim's dual model also targets.

Broad incumbents

• Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT): Major public research university in Baden-Württemberg with substantially larger R&D scale. Competes for top faculty, federal research grants, and STEM talent in the same regional ecosystem.

Regional players

• Hochschule für Technik Stuttgart: Public Stuttgart-based University of Applied Sciences with strong industry integration in technical fields. Overlaps with DHBW Mannheim in engineering, business, and applied research programs.
• Hochschule Mannheim: Public University of Applied Sciences located in the same city as DHBW Mannheim. Offers applied bachelor and master programs with industry placements, serving as a direct regional competitor for German students.

Others

• Fraunhofer Society (Applied Research Network): Germany's leading applied research organization with extensive industry partnerships and dual-model adjacent research. Comparable in applied research output and industry integration, though not a degree-granting institution.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/dhbw.mannheim
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/state-university-baden-w-rttemberg-mannheim
• Instagraminstagram.com/mannheim.dhbw
• Xx.com/dhbw_mannheim

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about DHBW Mannheim