What Stiftung Drachensee does

Stiftung Drachensee is a German private foundation (Stiftung) headquartered in Kiel, Schleswig-Holstein, founded in 1969 and converted to its current foundation form in 2005. It is a social services provider for people with disabilities across the lifecycle, offering services in four core areas: work (640 recognized workshop places across five locations), living (residential homes, supported living, ambulatory care for ~200 residents and 400+ ambulatory clients), education (school accompaniment for ~500 students, family support services, and the Institute for Inclusive Education, which became a central institution of Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel in 2022), and leisure (sports groups, holiday programs, and the FREI.RAUM inclusive community space opened in July 2025). The foundation operates 10 workshop arms including carpentry, metalwork, textile printing, logistics, landscape maintenance, beekeeping, and arts & crafts, with the 'Wat moi' private label brand for handmade products.

The organization's revenue model is hybrid: the majority is funded through government-backed Eingliederungshilfe (integration assistance) social services payments, supplemented by commercial revenue from contract manufacturing for regional businesses, canteen operations (including at the Schleswig-Holstein Ministry of Social Affairs serving 100-120 daily meals and the Kimbiss kiosk at FHVD Altenholz), retail distribution of Wat moi products via partner shops in Kiel, Rendsburg, Eutin, Schleswig, and Itzehoe, and donations/grants from foundations such as Aktion Mensch (€1M for IIB2 program) and Christof-Husen-Stiftung (€30K for inclusive sailing project). Over 750 staff (TVöD-compensated for professionals) support over 1,000 beneficiaries. Go-to-market combines direct service delivery (social services), direct enterprise sales (contract manufacturing), and government contract acquisition (canteen operations).

The foundation is led by Vorständin Dorothe Ränike (since January 2025) and governed by a Stiftungsrat chaired by Christiane Hasenberg. It has two subsidiaries (BIK Berufliche Integration Kiel gGmbH, founded 1997, and IIB2 gemeinnützige GmbH, founded 2022) and a shared compliance partnership with FLEK Gruppe GmbH. Strategic direction since 2021 has emphasized portfolio refinement via divestitures (KTK GmbH, TransFair GmbH, Providemus GmbH) alongside investment in new inclusive community infrastructure (FREI.RAUM, IIB2, Kantinenbetriebe).

Name

Stiftung Drachensee

Legal name

Stiftung Drachensee - Arbeit und Wohnen für Menschen mit Behinderungen

Website

https://drachensee.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1969

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Stiftung Drachensee is a German nonprofit foundation founded in 1969 that provides employment, housing, education, and leisure services for over 1,000 people with disabilities across the Kiel region, operating 640 recognized workshop places and 10 workshop arms supplemented by commercial contract manufacturing and canteen operations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Disability Social Services

NAICS

Other Residential Care Facilities (6239), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Nursing & Personal Care Facilities (8050)

akta.pro primary industry

Disability Services & Independent Living Support (BPAGACAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

Accessibility, Accommodations & Assistive Services (EDALAFAN)

Keywords

• Disability social services
• Supported employment
• Residential care services
• Special needs education
• Workshop manufacturing

Headquarters

HQ city

Kiel

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices9 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Social Services Funding: Government-funded services through Eingliederungshilfe (integration assistance) for people with disabilities. Funded through social security systems for education, work, living, and leisure services.
2. Commercial Workshop Services: Contract manufacturing and services for regional businesses including: assembly, landscape maintenance, metalworking, woodworking, textile printing, logistics, and craft products.
3. Canteen Operations: Operating canteens for government institutions including the Ministry of Social Affairs Schleswig-Holstein, generating revenue through food service.
4. Donations and Grants: Support through donations and project grants from foundations like Aktion Mensch, Christof-Husen-Stiftung, and others for specific initiatives.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Stiftung Drachensee is a private nonprofit foundation that provides social, work, residential, educational, and leisure services for people with disabilities in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. It operates five integrated locations offering 640 recognized workshop places, residential homes, and educational programs serving more than 1,000 individuals, while also running commercial workshop operations including contract manufacturing, canteen/catering services, and an own-brand product line ("Wat moi") sold through its own shops and partner retailers.

Product overview

Stiftung Drachensee is a social services foundation that operates a portfolio of workshop-based products and services. The core offering consists of 10 workshop operations producing value-added products and services for the regional economy in Schleswig-Holstein. The product portfolio includes: Auftragsfertigung (contract manufacturing), Textildruck (textile printing with own brand 'Wat moi' for arts and crafts), Tischlerei (carpentry), Metall (metalwork), Landschaftspflege (landscape maintenance with plant sales), Kantinenbetriebe (canteen operations), Logistikhof (logistics), Imker-Service (beekeeping), Textilpflege (textile care), and Kunsthandwerk (arts and crafts). The foundation also operates FREI.RAUM, an inclusive leisure space, and runs canteen/catering services including 'Kimbiss' kiosk. Products are sold through retail locations in Kiel, Rendsburg, Eutin, Schleswig, and Itzehoe.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Wat moi: Wat moi means 'how beautiful' in Plattdeutsch (Low German). It is the own brand of Stiftung Drachensee for unique items and small series made from fabric, felt, and paper, created with attention to detail, creativity, and care in the Kunsthandwerk Drachensee workshop.

Products and services

• Recognized Workshops for People with Disabilities Vocational workshops providing work opportunities, training, and supported employment for people with disabilities across five integrated locations.
• Residential Homes and Living Services Supported residential and living arrangements providing housing and daily living assistance for people with disabilities.
• Education and Schooling Services Educational and schooling programs designed for people with disabilities, delivered as part of the foundation's integrated service portfolio.
• Leisure and Cultural Activities Leisure, cultural, and recreational programs supporting social participation and quality of life for people with disabilities.
• Contract Manufacturing and Workshop Services Commercial workshop and contract manufacturing services produced by workshop participants, offered to external business customers.
• Canteen and Catering Services On-site canteen and catering services operated through the workshop division.
• Wat moi Retail Products Own-brand consumer products ("Wat moi") manufactured in the workshops and sold through the foundation's own retail shops and partner retailers.

Quantifiable outcome

• 580 jobs provided for people with disabilities
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• FLEK Gruppe GmbHcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerShared internal reporting hotline (Hinweisgeberstelle) for whistleblower protection as required by law. The FLEK Gruppe provides the infrastructure for the internal reporting system.
• BIK Berufliche Integration Kiel gGmbHcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounded in 1997 in cooperation with Kieler Fenster, BIK supports professional integration of people with disabilities into the general labor market through the Fachdienst Betriebliche Integration.
• Landesverband Lebenshilfe Schleswig-Holstein e. V.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMember of the state association of Lebenshilfe, a leading German organization for people with intellectual disabilities and their families.
• Der Paritätische Wohlfahrtsverband Schleswig-HolsteincoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMember of the Paritätischer, one of the largest welfare associations in Germany, providing support with training and professional development for volunteers.
• Unternehmensverband Kiel e. V. (UV Kiel)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with business association for workplace integration and corporate engagement in inclusive employment.
• LAG Arbeit Bildung Teilhabe Schleswig-HolsteinminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerState working group for work, education, and participation in Schleswig-Holstein.
• InTus KielminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork for inclusive sports in Kiel, promoting sports participation for people with and without disabilities.
• Special Olympics DeutschlandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Special Olympics for inclusive sports. Athletes from Stiftung Drachensee have won multiple medals in Special Olympics competitions.
• EnableMe FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Ukraine humanitarian aid supporting people with disabilities. The foundation donated over 270,000€ and now supports EnableMe's work providing information in Easy Language to Ukrainian people with disabilities.
• Charta der VielfaltminorOthersCharter of diversity initiative signatory, promoting diversity and inclusion in the workplace.
• Sozialverband Deutschland (SoVD) Schleswig-HolsteinminorOthersPartnership with social association for advocacy and support of people with disabilities.
• Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel (CAU)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Institute for Inclusive Education (Institut für Inklusive Bildung) became a central institution of CAU in 2022. State funding of 800,000€ annually supports the institute's work in developing training programs for people with disabilities.
• IIB2 Beratung. Bildung. Arbeit. gemeinnützige GmbHcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounded in 2022 as a subsidiary, IIB2 runs the German Inclusion Center (DIZ) project, developing training programs for people with disabilities in areas like childcare, care work, and workplace coaching. Funded by Aktion Mensch with 1 million euros.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves16 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubevimeo.com/drachensee
• Instagraminstagram.com/drachensee

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Subsidiaries2 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 Stiftung Drachensee