Dobeq

What Dobeq does

Dobeq (Dortmunder Bildungs-, Entwicklungs- und Qualifizierungsgesellschaft mbH) is a Dortmund-based non-profit limited liability company (GmbH) founded in 1998 as the Bildungs-trägertochter (educational subsidiary) of Arbeiterwohlfahrt (AWO) Unterbezirk Dortmund. The company delivers publicly funded labor market integration, vocational training, and employment support services to long-term unemployed individuals, students at transition points, young parents seeking part-time training, people with psychological impairments, and elderly or care-needy households in the Westfälisches Ruhrgebiet region of North Rhine-Westphalia.

Its service portfolio spans three core lines: (1) employment and qualification programs including TEP part-time vocational training, AGH (Arbeitsgelegenheiten) work placements, SUSE social support matching, LaLiDo cargo bike delivery, AGH Kulturhelfer cultural assistance, AGH Pilot creative workshops, and Übergangslotsen school-to-work transition counseling; (2) fee-based commercial services including Radstation bicycle parking and rentals at Dortmund Hauptbahnhof, FastWieNeu.Bikes refurbished bicycle sales, Veranstaltungstechnik event technology, and EDV Qualifizierungen IT training through Microsoft Imagine Academy; and (3) school programs covering primary, secondary, Berufskolleg, and integration-of-migrants offerings. Operations are delivered across seven physical locations in Dortmund.

Dobeq generates revenue primarily through publicly funded contracts and grants from Jobcenter Dortmund, Agentur für Arbeit, Land Nordrhein-Westfalen (MAGS), the European Social Fund (ESF), and Stadt Dortmund, supplemented by fee income from bicycle, event technology, and IT services. The organization holds AZAV, ISO 9001:2015, and AWO-Qualitätskriterien certifications and is governed under the charitable mission of its AWO parent, with no external equity funding or M&A activity on record.

Name

Dobeq

Legal name

Dortmunder Bildungs-, Entwicklungs- und Qualifizierungsgesellschaft mbH

Website

https://dobeq.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Dobeq is a non-profit AWO Dortmund subsidiary providing publicly funded vocational training, labor market integration, and social employment programs for long-term unemployed individuals, youth at transition points, and care-needy households in Dortmund, Germany.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Vocational training and labor market integration services

NAICS

Employment Services (5613), Educational Support Services (61171), Computer Training (611420)

SIC

Services-Employment Agencies (7361), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Career Transition, Re-entry & Employability Support (Mid-career, Returnships) (EDAAAKAN)

akta.pro secondary industries

Job Placement, Matching & Career Navigation Services (EDAAAOAL), Job Readiness Training & Soft Skills Development (EDAKANAD), Vocational Evaluation & Career Assessment (Transition-Age) (EDAKANAC), Workforce & Career Transition Noncredit Programs (EDAAAEAC)

Keywords

• Vocational training services
• Employment integration programs
• Labor market integration
• Social welfare services
• Career transition support

Headquarters

HQ city

Dortmund

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Publicly funded training and employment programs: Dobeq generates revenue through government-funded programs including vocational training, employment integration, and career preparation services. Funding comes from Jobcenter Dortmund, Land Nordrhein-Westfalen, European Union (ESF), and other public institutions.
2. Fee-based services: Services such as bicycle sales, repairs, rentals, event technology support, and IT training generate revenue from private customers and organizations.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Dobeq is a non-profit Bildungs- und Qualifizierungsträger that delivers publicly funded vocational training, employment integration programs, and social-support services primarily in and around Dortmund. Its portfolio combines workforce reintegration programs (AGH placements, TEP part-time vocational training, SUSE pre-care support service, LaLiDo cargo bike delivery, AGH Kulturhelfer, AGH Pilot creative workshop) with practical community-facing services such as bicycle repair and sales (Radstation, FastWieNeu.Bikes), event technology support, IT certification training (Microsoft Imagine Academy), and school-to-work transition counseling at vocational colleges. Revenue is largely sourced from Jobcenter Dortmund, Land Nordrhein-Westfalen, the European Social Fund, and select fee-based commercial services.

Product overview

Dobeq operates as a non-profit educational and qualification provider (Bildungsträger) and subsidiary of Arbeiterwohlfahrt Dortmund. The organization offers a portfolio of social services including: (1) Bicycle services through Radstation am Hauptbahnhof and FastWieNeu.Bikes for parking, rental, repairs and second-hand sales; (2) Event technology services for stage construction, lighting, sound and venue rental; (3) IT training and certification through Microsoft Imagine Academy; (4) Employment integration programs including AGH (Arbeitsgelegenheiten) work experience placements, SUSE social support service, LaLiDo cargo bike delivery, AGH Kulturhelfer cultural assistance, and AGH Pilot creative workshop; (5) Vocational training support through TEP part-time training program; (6) School-to-work transition counseling at vocational schools. These offerings are designed to integrate long-term unemployed individuals into the labor market while providing community services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• FastWieNeu.Bikes: Secondhand bicycle sales and rental service operating from bicycle workshop and Radstation at Dortmund Hauptbahnhof. Offers repaired and certified pre-owned bikes and e-bikes.
• SUSE - SozialerUnterstützungsSErvice

Products and services

• FastWieNeu.Bikes Refurbished and certified second-hand bicycle sales, repairs, spare parts, and free consultation at the FastWieNeu.Bikes workshop on Uhlandstraße 142, Dortmund. Bicycles are professionally inspected to meet safety standards; the service also accepts donated bikes. Aimed at private customers and small businesses seeking affordable, sustainable urban transportation and is part of Dobeq's employment-integration program for long-term unemployed participants.
• Radstation am Hauptbahnhof / Fahrradprojekte Bicycle station at Dortmund's main train station (Königswall 15) providing 24/7 guarded bicycle parking, (e-)bike rental, repairs, and sales of refurbished bicycles. Includes 10 charging stations for e-bikes and forms an integrated part of Dobeq's employment-integration program for long-term unemployed individuals.
• Veranstaltungstechnik (Event Technology) Event technology services for local non-profit, charitable, and social organizations in Dortmund, providing stage construction, lighting and sound for concerts, theater, and conferences; event planning support; signage, seating, fencing, moderation materials; audio recordings; video documentation; plus rental of the Kulturwerkstatt Lindenhorst venue on Lindenhorster Str. 38, Dortmund.
• EDV-Qualifizierungen (IT Qualifications) IT training and certification programs delivered at the Bildungszentrum Gneisenaustraße (Gneisenaustr. 1, 44147 Dortmund). Offers Microsoft Office courses, business-related IT training, Microsoft Imagine Academy programs, and Microsoft Office Specialist certification testing in partnership with Certnet. Targeted at job seekers, employees, and companies needing IT qualifications.
• SUSE — SozialerUnterstützungsSErvice Pre-care assistance service matching long-term unemployed Bürgergeld recipients with elderly or care-needy Dortmund households requiring help with shopping, accompaniment, doctor visits, and household tasks. Provides day structure for unemployed participants while supporting elderly residents to remain independent. Co-funded by Stadt Dortmund - Sozialamt and operated as an AGH employment project.
• TEP — Teilzeitberufsausbildung Part-time vocational training support program (TEP — Teilzeitberufsausbildung: Einstieg begleiten, Perspektiven öffnen) helping young parents with children under 14 or those caring for relatives to enter vocational training. Provides coaching, apprenticeship placement, childcare organization, and accompaniment during the first 6-8 months of training. Operates in the Westphalian Ruhr area in partnership with IN VIA Unna e.V. and Kolping-Bildungszentren Westfalen (Hamm), funded by Land NRW/MAGS and the European Social Fund (ESF).
• LaLiDo — LastenradLieferserviceDortmund Cargo bike delivery service operating since October 2020 in Dortmund, using electric cargo bikes to deliver food for the Dortmunder Tafel e.V. food bank. Employs citizens receiving citizen's income support (Bürgergeld) as AGH participants, providing work experience, day structure, and integration into the labor market.
• AGH Kulturhelfer Dortmund Cultural assistant program providing long-term unemployed individuals with work experience in event support while offering local charitable organizations technical and organizational assistance for events, theater, and music activities in Dortmund.
• AGH Pilot / Kreativwerkstatt AGH Pilot creative workshop (Kreativwerkstatt) on Körnebachstr. 50-52, Dortmund, offering up to 20 participant places for people with psychological impairments. Combines social-pedagogical support with creative techniques including painting, woodworking, and sewing, with flexible hours (5-30 per week) and individual scheduling.
• Übergangslotsinnen und -lotsen an Berufskollegs School-to-work transition counselors (Übergangslotsinnen und -lotsen) deployed at vocational colleges (Berufskollegs) such as the Paul-Ehrlich-Berufskolleg in Dortmund. They advise and support students transitioning from vocational school to apprenticeships, reducing time spent in the transition sector and increasing direct transitions into vocational training. Implemented in partnership with the Landes-Gewerbeförderungsstelle des nordrhein-westfälischen Handwerks e.V. (LGH).

Quantifiable outcome

• Successful completion of vocational training by single mother in part-time program
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles7 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

22 partnerships are on record, tiered core, secondary and minor.

• Arbeiterwohlfahrt (AWO) DortmundcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDobeq is the non-profit subsidiary (Bildungsträgertochter) of Arbeiterwohlfahrt in Dortmund, part of the AWO organization which provides social services across Germany.
• Jobcenter DortmundcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary institutional partner providing referrals of long-term unemployed individuals for Dobeq's employment programs and training services.
• Stadt Dortmund - SozialamtcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCity social office co-funding the SUSE social support service project.
• Land Nordrhein-Westfalen (MAGS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState government providing financial support for TEP part-time vocational training program and other employment initiatives.
• Kolping-Bildungszentren WestfalensecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional education partner for TEP program in Hamm area, providing part-time vocational training support.
• IN VIA Unna e.V.secondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional partner for TEP program in Unna area, providing part-time vocational training support.
• Stadt DortmundsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerCity partnership for bicycle projects including Radstation operations and FastWieNeu.Bikes program.
• ADFC DortmundminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGerman Cyclists' Association local chapter, partner for bicycle projects.
• Dortmunder Tafel e.V.secondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerLaLiDo cargo bike delivery service conducts courier runs for the Dortmund food bank organization.
• Jobcenter Dortmund - Regiestellen AGHcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAGH program management and oversight for employment opportunities.
• Beratungsstelle ArbeitminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAWO employment counseling service partner for SUSE project referrals.
• Seniorenwohnstätten und Tagespflegeeinrichtungen der AWO UB DortmundminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAWO senior housing and day care facilities cooperating with SUSE project.
• Seniorenbüros DortmundminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDortmund senior offices network cooperating with SUSE project.
• Notrufzentrale der Feuerwehr DortmundminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFire department emergency center cooperating with SUSE project for referrals.
• GrünBau gGmbHminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization for AGH Pilot creative workshop program.
• CJD NRW NordminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization for AGH Pilot creative workshop program.
• Diakonie DortmundminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProtestant church social welfare organization partner for AGH Pilot.
• Landes-Gewerbeförderungsstelle des nordrhein-westfälischen Handwerks e.V. (LGH)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerState trade promotion institution partnering for transition mentor program at Berufskollegs.
• Agentur für Arbeit DortmundsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerEmployment agency partnering for vocational training and placement programs.
• Regionalagentur Westfälisches RuhrgebietminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional agency for Westphalian Ruhr area cooperating on employment initiatives.
• Wirtschaftsförderung DortmundminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDortmund economic development agency partnering for training programs.
• PlanB Event GmbHminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEvent technology partner for planning and execution of events.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• AWO (Arbeiterwohlfahrt) — other regional Bildungsträger: As Dobeq's parent network, other AWO-affiliated Bildungsträger across Germany (e.g., AWO Bezirk Westliches Westfalen) run essentially the same model of publicly funded vocational training and Beschäftigungsprojekte — the most structurally comparable operator class to Dobeq.
• TÜV Rheinland Akademie / DEKRA Akademie: Large commercial training academies offering publicly funded retraining, IT certifications, and labor-market integration programs — broader incumbents that overlap with Dobeq's qualification and integration offerings at much greater scale.
• bbw (Berufsbildungswerk) providers: Group of welfare-affiliated vocational training providers (e.g., bbw Südhessen, bbw Berlin-Brandenburg) operating AZAV-certified training and Beschäftigungsprojekte at larger scale, competing for similar publicly funded employment programs.

Direct peers

• Kolping-Bildungswerke: Non-profit Bildungsträger of the Kolping association running vocational preparation, training, and Beschäftigungsprojekte across Germany — directly comparable to Dobeq as a publicly funded, AZAV-certified competitor already active in the Westfälisches Ruhrgebiet region.
• Diakonie Dortmund: Protestant welfare-affiliated education and integration provider listed as a Dobeq AGH Pilot partner, operating parallel publicly funded Beschäftigungsprojekte, vocational preparation, and youth social work programs in Dortmund.
• Caritas Bildung: Welfare-association-affiliated education and labor-market integration provider running vocational preparation, AGH, and employment projects nationwide — competes with Dobeq for the same Jobcenter and ESF-funded participant populations in NRW and beyond.
• GrünBau gGmbH: Dortmund-based non-profit providing Beschäftigungsprojekte and labor-market integration for disadvantaged groups — named as a Dobeq AGH Pilot partner and a close local competitor for Jobcenter Dortmund training allocations.
• IN VIA Unna e.V. Catholic welfare-affiliated non-profit providing vocational training and TEP part-time apprenticeship support in the same NRW region — named directly as a Dobeq program partner and a direct competitor for the same Jobcenter and ESF funding pools.
• CJD NRW Nord: Christliches Jugenddorfwerk Deutschland is a national non-profit education and labor-market integration provider; the NRW Nord regional chapter is a Dobeq AGH Pilot partner and directly competes for publicly funded training contracts in the same geography.

Emerging players

• WBS Training AG: Privately operated AZAV-certified Bildungsträger running publicly funded retraining, qualification, and Microsoft/IT certifications across Germany — comparable to Dobeq's EDV Qualifizierungen line but with a larger, more commercial operating footprint.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookde-de.facebook.com/dobeq
• Instagraminstagram.com/dobeq_gmbh
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/dobeq-gmbh-dortmunder-bildungs--entwicklungs--und-qualifizierungsgesellschaft

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 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 Dobeq