Loki Schmidt Foundation

What Loki Schmidt Foundation does

The Loki Schmidt Stiftung is a private, Hamburg-based German nonprofit foundation dedicated to nature conservation and environmental education. Named after the German naturalist Loki Schmidt, the foundation manages conservation land across 12 German states with over 50 project areas, and operates three nature information centers in Hamburg: Boberger Dünenhaus, Fischbeker Heidehaus, and NaturRaum HafenCity. The foundation delivers environmental education through more than 1,000 events annually, including guided tours, workshops, and nature groups, and serves an estimated 10,000 visitors per year at Fischbeker Heidehaus alone.

The foundation's core offerings span the Naturschutz-Akademie Hamburg (a continuing-education academy), the Akademie für Artenkenntnis (offering BANU-certified Bronze, Silver, and Gold certification courses in Feldbotanik/field botany, Fauna/zoology, and Funga/mycology), and a portfolio of youth and family programs including NaturForscher, NaturEntdecker, LOKI-Club, DünenDetektive, and HeideHelden. Notable long-running programs include the Blume des Jahres (Flower of the Year) campaign, which has designated an endangered plant species annually since 1980, and the Langer Tag der StadtNatur Hamburg flagship event featuring over 280 sub-events. The foundation holds the NUN-Zertifikat sustainability certification (2020), BANU membership, and the 2015 UN-Dekade Biologische Vielfalt award.

Revenue is generated through three primary streams: donations and charitable contributions (including a Freundeskreis/Friends Circle membership program and memorial gifts); fee-based environmental education programs for schools, kindergartens, and adult groups (€3–€5 per participant for basic programs, €165–€880 for academy courses, €120 for children's birthday parties); and merchandise sales (calendars, cards, seed mixtures, publications, tea, soap) via an online store. Distribution runs through direct program delivery to schools and kindergartens, the visitor centers, the Naturschutz-Akademie Hamburg (booked via pretix.eu), and online e-commerce. Government funding flows from the Hamburg environmental authority BUKEA, which also funds the in-progress Dünenforum expansion at Boberger Dünenhaus.

Name

Loki Schmidt Foundation

Legal name

Loki Schmidt Stiftung

Website

https://loki-schmidt-stiftung.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1979

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Loki Schmidt Stiftung is a Hamburg-based German nonprofit foundation that manages conservation land across 12 German states and delivers environmental education through three visitor centers, the Naturschutz-Akademie Hamburg, and over 1,000 annual events serving schools, families, and nature enthusiasts.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Environmental Education & Nature Conservation

NAICS

Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (712190)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)

akta.pro primary industry

Wildlife Sanctuaries, Conservation Parks & Reserves (Visitor Operations) (THAAAAAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Parks, Recreation & Protected Areas Administration (BPAIAMAH), Environmental Interpretation & Ranger-Led Education Programs (Visitor Education) (THAAAOAJ), Guided Wildlife Safaris & Game Drives (Sanctuary/Reserve-Based) (THAAAFAF)

Keywords

• Nature conservation
• Environmental education
• Species identification
• Habitat management
• Nature pedagogy

Headquarters

HQ city

Hamburg

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Donations and charitable contributions: Individual donations, corporate donations, and memorial gifts form a primary revenue stream. The foundation operates a Friends Circle (Freundeskreis) membership program and accepts time donations (volunteering).
2. Environmental education programs: Fee-based nature education programs for schools, kindergartens, and adult groups. Revenue from participation fees for workshops, courses, and guided tours.
3. Sales of merchandise and publications: Sale of calendars, cards, seed mixtures, brochures, tea, salt, soap and other products through the foundation's ordering system.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

The Loki Schmidt Stiftung operates nature conservation info centers and delivers certified environmental education programs. Core offerings include: nature info centers (Boberger Dünenhaus, Fischbeker Heidehaus, NaturRaum HafenCity) with exhibitions and guided tours; the Naturschutz-Akademie Hamburg providing BANU-certified species identification courses in Feldbotanik, Fauna, and Funga; year-round youth programs (NaturForscher, NaturEntdecker, LOKI-Club); and management of 50+ protected land areas across 12 German states.

Product overview

Loki Schmidt Foundation operates a network of nature conservation info centers (Boberger Dünenhaus, Fischbeker Heidehaus, NaturRaum HafenCity) offering environmental education and nature experiences. The Naturschutz-Akademie Hamburg provides professional continuing education through the Akademie für Artenkenntnis with courses in Feldbotanik (field botany), Fauna (zoology), and Funga (mycology), using BANU-standardized bronze/silver/gold certification levels. The foundation runs over 1000 annual events including nature tours, children's programs (NaturForscher, NaturEntdecker, LOKI-Club, DünenDetektive, HeideHelden), and special projects like Blume des Jahres and Langer Tag der StadtNatur. Foundation land holdings across 12 German states serve as protected habitats.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Boberger Dünenhaus Nature conservation information center located in Hamburg-Bergedorf offering environmental education, changing exhibitions, nature tours, and access to the Boberger Niederung nature reserve. Open Tuesday to Friday 9-13 Uhr and Sunday/holidays 11-17 Uhr.
• Fischbeker Heidehaus Nature conservation information center in Hamburg-Harburg serving approximately 10,000 visitors annually, offering exhibitions about the Fischbeker Heide landscape and cultural history with six theme tables and a film station. Operated by the foundation on behalf of Hamburg's environmental authority.
• NaturRaum HafenCity Exhibition space in Hamburg's HafenCity district offering free admission with interactive urban nature exhibits 'Between Elbe and Asphalt' where visitors explore urban nature through hands-on activities.
• Naturschutz-Akademie Hamburg Continuing education academy offering courses in species identification (Feldbotanik, Fauna, Funga), environmental education, and professional development for nature conservation workers. BANU-certified by the Federal Working Group of State-run Educational Institutions for Nature and Environmental Protection.
• Akademie für Artenkenntnis Species knowledge academy offering courses in field botany (Feldbotanik), fauna, and fungi (Funga) with bronze, silver, and gold level certifications following BANU standards, plus introductory taster courses.
• Weiterbildungen Naturpädagogik Continuing education programs in nature pedagogy for educators and kindergarten teachers, including the 'Naturpädagogik mit Hand und Herz' certificate course covering seasonal nature experiences for children.
• Nature Experience Programs Over 1,000 annual events including guided tours, discovery tours, Junior Ranger programs, DünenDetektive children groups, nature photography tours, canoe tours, workshops, and holiday programs for children and adults.
• NaturForscher/NaturEntdecker Programs Year-long nature education programs for kindergarten and school groups where children explore protected areas, learn about animals and plants, and earn certificates upon completion.
• LOKI-Club Youth club for ages 11-17 offering weekly meetings where young people discover, research, and actively protect nature in their neighborhood, developing future species experts.
• Blume des Jahres Annual project designating a 'Flower of the Year' to raise awareness for endangered plant species in Germany, with educational materials and calendar publications. Running since 1980.
• Langer Tag der StadtNatur Hamburg Annual major event with over 280 events focused on urban nature in Hamburg and the metropolitan region, featuring diverse programming around water ecosystems.
• Stiftungsland (Conservation Land) Conservation land holdings across 12 German states with over 50 project areas including meadows, forests, and moors designated as 'survival islands' (Überlebensinseln) for endangered plants and animals.
• Freundeskreis (Friends Circle) Membership Membership program for individual supporters of the foundation, providing benefits such as discounted program fees and direct engagement with the foundation's activities.

Named customers4 records

Segments4 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 and minor.

• altobacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for PikoPark project - 800m² of steppe biotopes created in an altoba residential complex courtyard in Altona-Nord. The foundation provided consultation for the design.
• UKE Hamburg (University Hospital Eppendorf)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBlood donation campaign 'Leben schenken, Moore retten' - goal of 20,000 blood donations in 2026 to raise funds for moor conservation.
• Kostja UllmannminorOthersSchirmherr (patron) of the 'Leben schenken, Moore retten' blood donation campaign.
• Botanischer Garten der Universität HamburgcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partnership for field botany courses. The Loki Schmidt Garden is located in the Botanical Garden of the University of Hamburg in Klein Flottbek.
• Deutsche Gesellschaft für Mykologie e.V. (DGfM)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for fungi (mushroom) education courses. DGfM PilzCoaches participate in advanced courses.
• Fledermausgruppe des NABU HamburgscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for bat education courses. Jointly organized courses for bat identification and conservation.
• BNUR (Bildungszentrum für Natur, Umwelt und ländliche Räume Schleswig-Holstein)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for field botany courses and Gold-level BANU certification. Cooperative organization for nature education in Schleswig-Holstein.
• Botanischer Verein zu Hamburg e.V.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for field botany courses. Local botanical society collaborating on species identification education.
• GEO magazinecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for 'GEO schafft Wildnis' project seeking land for wilderness conservation. Jointly searching for forest land to protect.
• BUKEA (Behörde für Umwelt, Klima, Energie und Agrarwirtschaft Hamburg)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerGovernment funding body for nature education courses. Financially supports field botany and fauna courses. Also funds Dünenforum construction.
• Various conservation associations, foundations, authorities and individualscoreOthersWorking with many associations, foundations, authorities, and individuals for land management and conservation of foundation properties.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Deutsche Wildtier Stiftung: German nature foundation dedicated to wild animals and their habitats. Comparable as a foundation managing conservation lands and running nature education/outreach, with a similar donor-funded, education-led model.
• NABU (Naturschutzbund Deutschland): Germany's largest nature and environmental conservation association. Directly comparable as a membership-based nature conservation organization with environmental education programs, protected land management, and youth/family engagement—though operating at a much larger national scale than the Loki Schmidt Foundation.
• Heinz Sielmann Stiftung: German private foundation focused on nature conservation and environmental education. Closely comparable as a namesake foundation operating protected lands, visitor centers, and educational programs—directly competing for donor mindshare in the German nature conservation space.
• BUND (Bund für Umwelt und Naturschutz Deutschland): Major German environmental and nature conservation organization. Comparable in mission (nature protection, education, citizen engagement) and donor/membership model, with similar advocacy and volunteer programs nationwide.
• Michael Succow Stiftung: German foundation focused on nature conservation, protected areas, and environmental education in Northern/Eastern Europe. Comparable in mission and operation of protected landscapes plus professional training programs.

Others

• Transparent Zivilgesellschaft / Transparency International Deutschland: Not a direct competitor but a governance/certification body whose 'Initiative Transparente Zivilgesellschaft' standard the Loki Schmidt Foundation voluntarily adopts. Relevant as an ecosystem participant reinforcing donor trust in German nonprofit foundations.

Regional players

• Hagenbeck Tierpark Hamburg: Hamburg-based zoo and nature experience operator. Comparable in operating a public-facing nature attraction in Hamburg with educational programming, though focused on animal exhibits versus wild habitats.
• Schutzstation Wattenmeer: German nonprofit operating nature information centers along the Wadden Sea coast. Highly comparable in operating model (visitor centers, guided tours, school programs, environmental education) but focused on a coastal region rather than Hamburg's inland habitats.
• Botanischer Garten Hamburg (Universität Hamburg): Hamburg's botanical garden, partner of the Loki Schmidt Foundation for field botany courses. Comparable as a public-facing nature/education site in Hamburg offering botanical species identification courses, exhibitions, and school programs.

Broad incumbents

• WWF Deutschland: Large global conservation organization with a major German operation. Operates broadly in nature conservation, education, and species protection—overlapping in mission but not specializing in the regional Hamburg/conservation-park niche the Loki Schmidt Foundation occupies.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xstiftungen.social/@LokiSchmidtStiftung
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC2FO64yKiX1NpCT22JZwCCA
• Facebookfacebook.com/LokiSchmidtStiftung
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/loki-schmidt-stiftung
• Instagraminstagram.com/loki.schmidt.stiftung/?hl=de

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Loki Schmidt Foundation