Bund der Deutschen Landjugend

What Bund der Deutschen Landjugend does

Bund der Deutschen Landjugend e.V. (BDL), registered as an eingetragener Verein (VR 34731 B, Amtsgericht Berlin-Charlottenburg) and a recognized freier Träger der Jugendhilfe, is Germany's largest youth organization in rural areas, representing approximately 100,000 young people (roughly ages 14-27) through a federated structure of 18 Landesverbände subdivided into district, county, local groups, and youth clubs. The organization pursues advocacy, community engagement, and professional development across four stated thematic verticals—youth politics and education, agricultural policy, viticulture policy, and policy for rural areas—and serves sub-segments that include rural youth generally, Junglandwirt:innen (young farmers, about one-fifth of members working in green professions), and Jungwinzer:innen (young winemakers organized via the Bundesarbeitskreis Wein).

BDL's "products" are non-commercial programs and events rather than software or services: the biennial Berufswettbewerb professional competition (~10,000 participants since 1953), the Ernst-Engelbrecht-Greve-Preis (EUR 10,000 award co-sponsored with R+V Versicherung), the Deutsche LandjugendAkademie qualification modules, the Deutsche LandjugendTag national congress, Tag des offenen Hofes, Grüne Woche Berlin participation since 1957, the BDLspezial magazine (five issues over two years), position papers, and the recently integrated votesUP! GDPR-compliant digital voting tool. Its technology footprint is non-proprietary: a website platform hosted by PLATZDORSCH Softwareentwicklung and standard social media profiles on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and X—no APIs, no apps, no AI features.

The business model is a non-profit membership association funded through three channels: membership dues of the 18 Landesverbände, recurring federal grants via the Kinder- und Jugendplan des Bundes administered by BMFSFJ, and project-based funding from BMEL, the Landwirtschaftliche Rentenbank, and corporate partners. Revenue is not publicly disclosed. The federal office in Berlin is staffed by 13 full-time employees led by two Bundesvorsitzende (Marthe Vellguth, Lars Ruschmeyer) and Bundesgeschäftsführer Matthias Sammet; governance rests on the Bundesmitgliederversammlung (Bumi), Bundesausschuss (BA), and Bundesvorstand, with the Deutscher Bauernverband and Deutscher LandFrauenverband holding voting rights as extraordinary members despite BDL's 2015 legal independence from DBV.

Name

Bund der Deutschen Landjugend

Legal name

Bund der Deutschen Landjugend e.V.

Website

https://landjugend.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1949

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Bund der Deutschen Landjugend (BDL) is Germany's largest non-profit rural youth organization, representing about 100,000 members aged 14-27 through 18 state associations and delivering advocacy, events, training, and competitions for rural youth, young farmers, and young winemakers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Rural Youth Advocacy and Non-Formal Education Services

NAICS

Civic and Social Organizations (813410), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Arts, Sports & Recreation-Based Youth Development Nonprofits (BPAGADAJ)

Keywords

• Rural youth advocacy
• Youth association services
• Agricultural youth programs
• Rural community engagement
• Non-formal education programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Berlin

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Membership-based organization: BDL is a non-profit youth organization funded through membership fees of its 18 regional associations, public funding (Kinder- und Jugendplan des Bundes via BMFSFJ), and project-based funding from ministries (BMEL, BMFSFJ) and organizations like the Landwirtschaftliche Rentenbank.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Bund der Deutschen Landjugend (BDL) is Germany's largest rural youth organization, representing approximately 100,000 young people through 18 regional associations across all German states. The organization delivers non-formal education, professional competitions, advocacy, networking, and community engagement programs targeting young people aged 14-27 in rural areas, including specialized networks for young farmers (Junglandwirt:innen) and young winemakers. Programs are provided free to members and funded through membership fees, government grants, and project-based sponsorships.

Product overview

Bund der Deutschen Landjugend (BDL) is Germany's largest rural youth organization with approximately 100,000 members, operating as a non-profit association rather than a commercial product company. The organization's offerings center on its website platform as the primary digital hub, supplemented by specialized programs including the Junglandwirt:innen young farmers network, the biennial Berufswettbewerb (professional competition) since 1953, the Ernst-Engelbrecht-Greve-Preis award (10,000 euros), and the Deutsche LandjugendAkademie for professional development. BDL maintains an annual presence at the Grüne Woche in Berlin since 1957 and organizes the biennial Deutscher Landjugendtag. The votesUP! digital voting tool is available through a partnership for DSGVO-compliant online voting. Publications include the BDLspezial magazine and various position papers. The organization connects through social media on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and X (Twitter).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• BDL Website Platform The primary digital platform providing membership information, event participation, youth engagement programs, educational resources, publications, and advocacy content for young people in rural Germany. Serves as the central hub for all BDL activities and communications.
• Junglandwirt:innen (Young Farmers Network) A dedicated network and portal for young farmers and agricultural professionals within BDL, providing specialized information, networking opportunities, and resources for career development in agriculture.
• Berufswettbewerb (Professional Competition) The German youth championship in viticulture, agriculture, forestry, and home/animal husbandry, organized biennially since 1953, attracting approximately 10,000 participants nationwide.
• Ernst-Engelbrecht-Greve-Preis A prize awarded biennially by BDL and R+V Versicherung, worth 10,000 euros, recognizing innovative ideas and projects for rural development and youth engagement in rural areas.
• Deutsche LandjugendAkademie (DLA) A qualification and professional development concept for voluntary and full-time workers in BDL, offering thematically organized modules to strengthen competencies and provide practical tools for association-specific tasks.
• Grüne Woche (Green Week) Participation Annual presence at the International Green Week Berlin trade fair since 1957, featuring youth forums, young farmers' congress, cultural events, and the Landjugend ball, with a different state association hosting each year.
• BDLspezial Magazine The specialized magazine of the rural youth association, published five times over two years, each issue focusing on a specific theme, providing group work suggestions and highlighting youth policy topics.
• votesUP! Digital Voting Tool A DSGVO-compliant online voting and conference companion tool available through BDL's partnership with VotesUP!, enabling both anonymous and open voting as well as speech queue management for BDL events and meetings. Free for BDL subdivisions and state associations for events up to 200 participants.
• Tag des offenen Hofes (Open Farm Day) A biennial joint action by DBV, dlv, and BDL where farmers open their farms to show consumers modern agriculture, with BDL handling the national opening ceremony.
• Deutscher Landjugendtag (German Rural Youth Day) The biennial highlight of the rural youth summer, bringing together rural youth groups from across Germany to learn about the country and people, participate in working groups, and celebrate together.

Quantifiable outcome

• 75 years of continuous operation (since 1949)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Deutscher Bauernverband e.V. (DBV)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBDL is the independent youth organization of the DBV. The DBV has voting rights in Bumi (Bundesmitgliederversammlung) and BA (Bundesausschuss). BDL is represented in the DBV Präsidium, and delegates from state associations contribute BDL positions in DBV specialist committees.
• Deutscher LandFrauenverband e.V. (dlv)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBDL is the independent youth organization of the dlv. The dlv is an extraordinary member of BDL with voting rights in Bumi and BA. The BDL chair is represented in the dlv Präsidium, and delegates work in dlv specialist committees.
• Deutscher Weinbauverband e.V. (DWV)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBDL represents young winemakers in the DWV. The organization advocates for wine sector policy through the Bundesarbeitskreis Wein (AK Wein).
• Andreas-Hermes-Akademie (AHA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAHA is an extraordinary member of BDL. The AHA resulted from the merger of the Deutsche Landjugend-Akademie Fredeburg and the association Land-Bildung e.V. AHA specializes in continuing education for people in agriculture and rural areas.
• Deutscher Bundesjugendring (DBJR)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBDL is actively involved in the DBJR, the strong network of youth associations in Germany. BDL participates in the KJP Commission and in the board of the Stiftung 'Jugend macht Demokratie'.
• Conseil Européen des Jeunes Agriculteurs (CEJA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBDL is a member of CEJA, the European Council of Young Farmers. CEJA represents the political interests of approximately one million young farmers and advocates for the future of agriculture in Brussels. 33 organizations from many European countries participate.
• Rural Youth Europe (RYE)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRYE is the umbrella organization of European rural youth, founded in 1957. RYE includes 22 associations from 18 states, including BDL.
• Deutsch-Französisches Jugendwerk (DFJW/OFAJ)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDFJW (Office franco-allemand pour la Jeunesse) is an international organization supporting Franco-German cooperation, with offices in Berlin and Paris. BDL organizes bilingual language courses, interpreter training, and team leader education with DFJW support.
• Deutsch-Polnisches Jugendwerk (DPJW)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDPJW supports various exchange programs including memorial site visits, German-Polish encounters, language courses, and seminars organized by BDL.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Jeunes Agriculteurs: France's national union of young farmers, the closest French functional equivalent of BDL's Junglandwirt:innen network. Operates with a comparable mandate (young-farmer advocacy, training, generational renewal) in a different national context, making it a strong cross-border peer for benchmarking.
• National Federation of Young Farmers' Clubs: UK's leading rural youth organization with a long history of competitive events, training, and rural advocacy. Comparable programmatic structure (competitions, county-level federations, leadership development) to BDL, though operating under a different national policy regime.

Direct peers

• Deutscher LandFrauenverband: Germany's umbrella association for rural women with a federal structure analogous to BDL, focused on rural quality of life, agricultural policy, and education. Shares BDL's 18-state federal architecture, public funding model, and core partners (DBV), making it the most structurally comparable peer.
• Conseil Européen des Jeunes Agriculteurs (CEJA): European Council of Young Farmers, the EU-level umbrella for national young-farmer organizations including BDL. Closely comparable mission (youth representation in agricultural policy) at supranational scale.
• Naturschutzjugend im NABU (NAJU): Germany's largest nature-conservation youth organization, a fellow member of DBJR. Comparable federated youth-association structure, public funding base, and educational programming, but focused on environmental rather than rural/agricultural themes.
• Rural Youth Europe: European umbrella for rural youth associations founded in 1957, with BDL as a member. Operates as a peer federation with comparable youth engagement, exchange programs, and advocacy mandate across 18 European states.
• Bund der Deutschen Katholischen Jugend (BDKJ): One of Germany's largest denominational youth umbrella organizations and fellow DBJR member. Comparable scale, federal structure, public funding reliance, and youth advocacy mandate, with the key differentiator being religious affiliation vs. BDL's non-denominational rural identity.
• Andreas-Hermes-Akademie (AHA): Continuing-education academy for people in agriculture and rural areas, formed from the merger of BDL's historical Landjugend-Akademie Fredeburg and Land-Bildung e.V. An extraordinary member of BDL with a closely overlapping mission in rural-youth and agricultural professional development.

Broad incumbents

• Deutscher Bauernverband: Germany's central agricultural trade association, historically BDL's parent organization before BDL's 2015 independence. Operates in the same policy and funding ecosystem and shares overlapping institutional membership, making it a direct incumbent comparator for BDL's agricultural advocacy role.
• Deutscher Bundesjugendring (DBJR): Umbrella association of German youth organizations in which BDL is actively involved. Serves as a structural peer and coordination counterpart, channeling collective youth-policy advocacy and joint federal funding discussions.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/BDLandjugend
• YouTubeyoutube.com/BDLandjugend
• Facebookfacebook.com/BDLandjugend
• Instagraminstagram.com/BDLandjugend
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/der-bund-der-deutschen-landjugend

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Bund der Deutschen Landjugend