Plattform
Plattform e.V. is a non-profit think tank and project organization based in Erfurt, Germany, founded in 2008, that develops and implements transferable model projects in empowerment, vacancy activation, inclusion, entrepreneurship, and urban-regional development for youth, migrants, people with disabilities, and rural communities in Eastern Germany.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2008
- HeadquartersErfurt, Germany
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Plattform does
Plattform e.V. is a registered non-profit association (eingetragener Verein) headquartered in Erfurt, Thuringia, Germany, founded in 2008. It operates as a think tank and project implementation organization developing transferable model projects in seven defined fields of action: empowerment, vacancy activation, media culture, collaboration, participation, inclusion, and entrepreneurship, with cross-cutting urban and regional development. The organization targets three primary segments: youth and young adults, socially excluded groups such as people with disabilities and migrants, and rural communities in Eastern Germany (Thuringia, Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt), alongside local governments as institutional partners and cultural workers as a secondary segment.
The organization's offerings span direct service programs (Stadtteilzentrum am Herrenberg community center since 2014, Spawnpoint digital media competence center since 2020, Werkhaus Inklusion inclusive entrepreneurship hub), scaling networks (Kulturhanse founding labs in six Eastern German cities, Kulturhanse-Transfer 2024-2027), advocacy structures (LeerGut-Agenten, Ständige Kulturvertretung), cultural events (Kurzfilmwanderung, KoCOLORes), and European research collaborations (TASK4ISI, EYERP, Welcoming Spaces, Peripher, Taskforcome). Underlying infrastructure is non-technological: physical community spaces at Salinenstraße 34 in Erfurt, a self-run co-working and maker venue, and a WordPress-based website with social media channels. No software platform, AI/ML components, or proprietary technology stack is referenced; the organization's intellectual capital sits in its methodology, network, and 17-year track record.
Plattform e.V. generates no commercial revenue. Its funding mix is dominated by public grants from European programs (ESF/ESF+, Erasmus+, Horizon 2020, Interreg Central Europe), German federal ministries (BMWK, BMFSFJ, BMI, ExWoSt), the state of Thuringia, the city of Erfurt, and private foundations (Drosos, Beisheim, Bartels, Kinnings, Fonds Neue Länder), supplemented by tax-deductible donations and membership fees. Project participation is free for beneficiaries; some programs offer subsidized qualification consulting (e.g., UP.Kompass funding up to €4,500 per self-employed). The organization reaches beneficiaries through community-led engagement, events, conferences, publications, and teaching, rather than commercial go-to-market.
Plattform firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Plattform
- Legal name
- Plattform e.V.
- Website
- https://deine-plattform.info
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2008
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Plattform e.V. is a non-profit think tank and project organization based in Erfurt, Germany, founded in 2008, that develops and implements transferable model projects in empowerment, vacancy activation, inclusion, entrepreneurship, and urban-regional development for youth, migrants, people with disabilities, and rural communities in Eastern Germany.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Plattform industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Non-profit Community Development Services
- NAICS
- Individual and Family Services (6241), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133), Human Rights Organizations (813311), Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (54172)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Governance, Democracy & Rule of Law (BPAGABAI)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Infrastructure, Housing & Community Development (BPAGABAL), Humanitarian-Development-Peace Nexus & Resilience Programming (BPADAEAK)
Keywords
Where Plattform is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Erfurt
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Plattform business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others
Revenue model
- Public Funding and Grants: Majority of project financing comes from public funding programs including EU funds (ESF, Erasmus+, Interreg, Horizon 2020), German federal ministries (BMWK, BMFSFJ, BMI), state governments, and municipalities. Projects like Kulturhanse, UP Kompass, and various youth empowerment programs are funded through these channels.
- Donations and Private Contributions: Organization accepts donations to support ongoing projects and activities. Donations are tax-deductible and the organization issues donation receipts.
- Membership Fees: The association has members who pay annual fees as per the association's statutes (§6 Mitgliedsbeiträge).
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels8 records
Plattform product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Plattform e.V. is a non-profit think tank and project organization that develops and implements sustainable solutions for societal challenges such as urban vacancy, rural depopulation, youth unemployment, and social exclusion. It operates a portfolio of community empowerment programs, inclusive entrepreneurship laboratories, civic participation initiatives, and European research projects, primarily across East Germany.
Product overview
Plattform e.V. is a non-profit think tank and project organization founded in 2008 in Erfurt, Germany, focused on developing and implementing sustainable solutions for societal challenges. Rather than a single unified product, the organization operates a diverse portfolio of programs, projects, and initiatives organized around seven core fields of action: Empowerment, Vacancy Revitalization, Media Culture, Collaboration, Participation, Inclusion, and Entrepreneurship/City-Regional Development. The offerings range from direct service programs (like the Stadtteilzentrum am Herrenberg community center, Kulturhanse startup laboratories, and Werkhaus Inklusion inclusive entrepreneurship hub) to advocacy networks (LeerGut-Agenten, Ständige Kulturvertretung), cultural events (Kurzfilmwanderung, KoCOLORes festival), and European research collaborations (TASK4ISI, EYERP, Peripher). Key flagship initiatives include Kulturhanse (scaling founding laboratories across East Germany), UP.Kompass (qualification funding for solo self-employed), and Spawnpoint (digital media competence center). The portfolio spans from youth empowerment and urban development to rural innovation and inclusive entrepreneurship, all unified by principles of participation, inclusion, and sustainable community building.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Kulturhanse A network of startup laboratories scaling cultural entrepreneurship in East Germany (Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, Thuringia) to create economic prospects for people in rural areas.
- Kulturhanse-Transfer A program supporting common good enterprises in rural East Germany through formats like Open Innovation Challenges, Social Hackathons, Business Model Workshops, Mentoring, and Peer Communities.
- UP.Kompass Qualification counseling and funding service for solo self-employed persons in Germany, offering up to 4,500 EUR (90%) for professional development through the ESF-funded KOMPASS program.
- Werkhaus Inklusion Inclusive entrepreneurship program creating spaces for people to develop agency over their own ideas, actions, and economic lives, focused on youth with disabilities, migrants, and those lacking family support.
- Spawnpoint – Institut für Spiel- und Medienkultur Digital media competence center for Thuringia offering educational programs in Gaming, Coding, and Making for professionals from education, social work, and career guidance, including an accessible maker space.
- Stadtteilzentrum am Herrenberg (STZ) Self-organized neighborhood center offering community gardening, neighborhood café, children's dance, theater performances, and other free activities organized by residents.
- Saline 34 Collaborative vacancy activation project housing a public storefront, screen printing workshop, photo lab, and various cultural initiatives and young enterprises.
- LeerGut-Agenten Thuringian lobby for community-oriented building culture supporting initiators in developing vacant buildings from idea to project, acting as a network of experts and local contacts.
- Peripher Research project examining dignity as a social innovation framework for peripheral regions, identifying undignified funding instruments and developing better alternatives with decision-makers.
- TASK4ISI International research project on inclusive entrepreneurship and inclusive founding laboratories, focusing on underrepresented groups including women, migrants, and people with disabilities in Central Europe.
- Ankerpunkte Ost Program strengthening democratic civil society in rural East Germany by supporting six organizations in Saxony and Thuringia to become sustainable anchor points for civic engagement.
- Welcoming Spaces EU research project connecting rural development approaches with inclusion, building networks of actors in integration, inclusion, quarter management, and startup consulting to foster perspective-rich development of rural areas.
- KoCOLORes Non-commercial, publicly accessible family and cultural festival held in Erfurt's Brühler Garten, combining various cultural offerings with musical accompaniment for all ages.
- Kurzfilmwanderung Alternative city walk where free walls serve as projection surfaces for short films, with audiences walking between locations to experience cinema in public urban spaces.
- Digital@YouthWork International project providing young people with necessary digital competencies for the future labor market through training modules in non-formal youth work settings, supported by Erasmus+.
- Werft34 Holistic program combining vacancy revitalization with startup laboratory development, helping cultural initiatives develop business models, networks, and entrepreneurial competencies.
Quantifiable outcome
- 75 micro-projects funded with over €50,000 in 5 years through Ladebalken
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Plattform
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Plattform technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Plattform partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- IBA Thüringen (Internationale Bauausstellung Thüringen)coreIBA Thüringen is a strategic partner for Plattform e.V.'s building culture and vacancy activation initiatives. They support the LeerGut-Agenten project and the WIR Labor project as part of Thuringia's international building exhibition program aimed at innovative urban and rural development.
- Forschungskollektiv Peripherie und Zentrum (FPZ) der Fachhochschule ErfurtcoreAcademic research partner in the Peripher project which examines how dignity can be enabled in peripheral locations in Eastern Germany, working with decision-makers from politics and administration.
- RKW KompetenzzentrumcoreCompetence center advising and supporting the UP Thüringen project which creates a shared ecosystem for founding, co-working, and networking across Coworking Spaces in Thuringia.
- Culture Goes Europe e.V.coreLocal Erfurt partner for Taskforcome project, building the Social Impulse Hub at Saline 34 to support social entrepreneurship for migrants and the broader community.
- Landesverband Nachhaltiges Sachsen e.V. (LVNS)coreCooperation partner in Ankerpunkte Ost project, working together to strengthen democratic civil society in rural areas of Saxony and Thuringia.
- Zukunftsfähiges Thüringen e.V. (ZTH)coreCooperation partner in Ankerpunkte Ost project supporting the development of local anchor points for civil engagement in rural Thuringia.
- Netzwerk ImmovielienminorNetwork partner for sharing experiences and best practices in vacancy activation and community-based property development across Germany.
- FairShares AssociationminorInternational network partner promoting cooperative and fair business models, aligning with Plattform's social entrepreneurship approach.
- Social Entrepreneur Netzwerk Deutschland (SEND)minorGerman national network for social entrepreneurs, providing platform for exchange and advocacy for social enterprise interests.
- Agentur für Arbeit (Federal Employment Agency)coreGovernment employment agency partner for Youth Company project, supporting integration of unemployed youth with completed vocational training into the labor market.
- Landeshauptstadt Erfurt - KulturdirektioncoreErfurt's cultural directorate partnering on the cultural year theme 'Barrieren brechen – Kultur entfachen' (Breaking Barriers – Igniting Culture) to promote inclusive cultural work.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Plattform competitors and assessment
Company assessmentOthers
- Haus des Stiftens: Infrastructure provider offering shared services (IT, insurance, knowledge) to German non-profits. Comparable as a non-profit ecosystem enabler rather than direct competitor; potential partner for Plattform's operational backbone.
Broad incumbents
- Deutsche Kinder- und Jugendstiftung (DKJS): Major German foundation for youth empowerment and participation. Comparable to Plattform's Ladebalken, Youth Company, and Empowerment programs, though DKJS operates at much larger scale and across all German federal states.
- betterplace.org: Germany's largest online donation platform for social-purpose projects. Adjacent to Plattform's donation-funded programs (Plattform accepts tax-deductible donations), though betterplace operates as enabling infrastructure rather than direct community-development implementer.
- Stiftung Neue Verantwortung: Berlin-based think tank developing policy models on civic and digital issues. Comparable to Plattform's positioning as a transferable-model think tank, though SNV focuses on national-level technology and policy rather than regional community development.
- Ashoka Deutschland: Global leader in supporting social entrepreneurs, with established German operations. Overlaps with Plattform's inclusive-entrepreneurship programs (Werkhaus Inklusion, TASK4ISI) but operates at significantly larger scale with global brand recognition.
Direct peers
- Stiftung Bürgermut: German civil-society foundation focused on participation, democracy, and social innovation with strong East Germany focus. Directly comparable to Plattform's Ankerpunkte Ost and civic-society strengthening work, both supporting grassroots civil-society organizations in shrinking regions.
- Bundesvereinigung Soziokultureller Zentren e.V. National umbrella for Germany's sociocultural centers, including socioculture and community-space operators. Directly comparable to Plattform's Saline34, Stadtteilzentrum am Herrenberg, and Ständige Kulturvertretung, all focused on community cultural infrastructure.
- Social Entrepreneur Netzwerk Deutschland (SEND) e.V. Germany's national network for social entrepreneurs, providing exchange, advocacy, and visibility for social enterprises. Directly comparable to Plattform's Werkhaus Inklusion, TASK4ISI, and Kulturhanse-Transfer programs targeting the same social-entrepreneurship audience, and already named as a Plattform network partner.
- PHINEO gAG: Impact-oriented non-profit that analyzes and certifies German social-purpose organizations. Comparable to Plattform in size and East German operating geography, with overlapping funder ecosystem (Drosos, Beisheim) and similar methodology of building transferable models in the civic-society space.
Emerging players
- Mehr Demokratie e.V. German association advocating for direct democratic participation and citizens' initiatives. Overlaps with Plattform's Partizipation and Ankerpunkte Ost civic-engagement focus, though Mehr Demokratie focuses on procedural/ballot reform rather than community-level development.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Plattform social profiles
Digital presencePlattform financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Plattform leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles10 records
Plattform funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Plattform M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Plattform
What does Plattform do?
Plattform e.V. is a non-profit think tank and project organization that develops and implements sustainable solutions for societal challenges such as urban vacancy, rural depopulation, youth unemployment, and social exclusion. It operates a portfolio of community empowerment programs, inclusive entrepreneurship laboratories, civic participation initiatives, and European research projects, primarily across East Germany.
Is Plattform a public or private company?
Plattform is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Plattform founded?
Plattform was founded in 2008. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Plattform based?
Plattform is headquartered in Erfurt, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does Plattform make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Public Funding and Grants are the primary driver. The others are donations and Private Contributions and membership Fees.
Who are Plattform's main competitors?
Haus des Stiftens is listed as an others. Broad incumbents are Deutsche Kinder- und Jugendstiftung (DKJS), betterplace.org, Stiftung Neue Verantwortung and Ashoka Deutschland. Direct peers are Stiftung Bürgermut, Bundesvereinigung Soziokultureller Zentren e.V., Social Entrepreneur Netzwerk Deutschland (SEND) e.V. and PHINEO gAG. Mehr Demokratie e.V. is listed as an emerging player.
Does Plattform have an API?
No public API is recorded for Plattform.
What industry is Plattform in?
Plattform's product category is Non-profit Community Development Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGABAI, Governance, Democracy & Rule of Law, with a secondary code of BPAGABAL, Infrastructure, Housing & Community Development. Its NAICS code is 6241 and its SIC code is 8300.