AKBN

What AKBN does

AKBN e.V. (Arbeitskreis für Menschen mit und ohne Behinderung) is a German non-profit association founded in 1975 in Freiburg im Breisgau, originally as a student initiative from the Katholische Hochschulgemeinde. The organization advocates for self-determination and equal participation of people with disabilities and operates a wholly-owned charitable subsidiary, AKBN gGmbH (Assistenzgesellschaft), which delivers individualized at-home personal assistance services. These services include household tasks, personal hygiene support, and shopping accompaniment, designed to enable customers with disabilities to live independently rather than enter institutional care. Services are primarily financed through German statutory nursing insurance (Pflegekassen) and social welfare offices (Sozialämter), with all funds reinvested into the mission.

The organization employs approximately 177 staff members (7 full-time, 89 part-time, 81 minijob positions), all of whom receive training, while specialized nursing care is delegated to partner social stations. AKBN currently serves around 50 customers with individualized care packages. Beyond direct assistance, AKBN operates a weekly Open Meeting (Offener Treff) every Thursday at 8 PM, providing inclusive social and cultural programming open to people with and without disabilities. The go-to-market approach is community-led, relying on word-of-mouth referrals, local reputation built over 50 years, and earned media coverage in regional outlets such as Badische Zeitung.

The business model is that of a managed-services social care provider within the German public funding framework, with no private-pay pricing publicly disclosed. Pricing is determined by statutory funding mechanisms tied to individually assessed care needs. Operationally, AKBN is a single-geography organization with headquarters at Egonstr. 54, 79106 Freiburg, and no evidence of geographic expansion, technology product development, or external institutional investment. The leadership team comprises Geschäftsführerin Beate Freudenberger and Deputy Geschäftsführerin Ingeborg Lehmann, appointed by the association. Notable operational signals include staff shortages requiring management to step in personally and declining participation in the Thursday meetup, prompting efforts to attract younger volunteers.

Name

AKBN

Legal name

AKBN - gemeinnützige Assistenz-Gesellschaft mbH für Menschen mit Behinderung

Website

https://akbn.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1975

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Disability and Personal Assistance Services

NAICS

Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (62412)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAGACAG

Disability Services & Independent Living Support

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Health & Medical Nonprofits

SECONDARYBPAGALAM

Disability Services & Assistive Solutions (Accessibility, Assistive Tech)

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Social Enterprises & Impact Organizations

Keywords

• Disability assistance services
• Personal care services
• Home assistance services
• Inclusive community programs
• Non-profit care services

Headquarters

HQ city

Freiburg

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Personal Assistance Services Revenue: Core revenue from personal assistance services for people with disabilities, funded predominantly by statutory nursing insurance (Pflegekassen) and social welfare offices (Sozialämter). Services include household tasks, personal hygiene support, and shopping accompaniment. The organization operates as a non-profit with all funds reinvested into services.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

AKBN e.V. and its wholly-owned subsidiary AKBN gGmbH provide individualized personal assistance services for people with disabilities, delivered directly in customers' homes. Services include support with household tasks, personal hygiene (such as bathing/showering), shopping accompaniment, and other daily living activities, with funding predominantly from statutory nursing insurance (Pflegekassen) and social welfare offices (Sozialämter). The association also runs a weekly inclusive Open Meeting (Offener Treff) offering social, cultural, and community activities.

Product overview

AKBN e.V. is a non-profit disability rights organization that operates through two main entities: the association itself (AKBN e.V.) which advocates for self-determination and inclusion of people with disabilities, and its subsidiary company AKBN gGmbH which provides direct home assistance services. The organization also runs an 'Offener Treff' (Open Meeting) program offering weekly social gatherings for community building and leisure activities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• AKBN Assistenzgesellschaft: The charitable assistance company (gGmbH) that provides at-home individual support services for people with disabilities, including household tasks, personal care assistance, and daily accompaniment.

Products and services

• AKBN gGmbH Home Assistance Services (Assistenzgesellschaft) Non-profit home assistance company providing individualized in-person support services for people with disabilities, including household tasks, personal care (shower assistance), shopping accompaniment, and other daily living activities. Services are largely financed through statutory care insurance (Pflegekassen) and social welfare offices (Sozialämter) and are delivered by AKBN's trained staff in customers' own homes in Freiburg im Breisgau.
• Offener Treff (Open Meeting) Weekly open social gathering held every Thursday at 8 PM in AKBN's premises, offering inclusive leisure activities including conversations, debates, social actions, cooking, games, and cultural outings to museums, theater, and cinema. Open to everyone with and without disabilities.

Quantifiable outcome

• Serving 50 customers with disabilities enabling them to live independently at home

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• AKBN gGmbH (Assistenzgesellschaft)coreOthers · 1 January 1975AKBN e.V. is the shareholder/owner of AKBN gGmbH (Assistenzgesellschaft - Assistance Service Company). The non-profit company provides personalized home assistance services for people with disabilities, handling all care and support activities from household tasks to personal hygiene support. The association and company work closely together, with the gGmbH being the operational service delivery arm of the organization.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Broad incumbents

• Diakonie Baden: Protestant welfare association providing disability assistance, elder care, and social services across Baden-Württemberg. Comparable in mission (assistance and inclusion) and funding model (statutory insurance/welfare), but operates at significantly larger scale and broader service scope.
• Malteser Hilfsdienst Freiburg: Catholic aid organization with a strong presence in mobility assistance, household help, and personal assistance services across Germany. Overlaps with AKBN in errand/accompaniment services and care insurance-funded support.
• AWO Freiburg: Workers' welfare association providing social services including disability support and personal assistance in the Freiburg/Baden region. Same funding ecosystem (Pflegekassen, Sozialämter) and overlapping service categories.
• Caritas Freiburg: Regional arm of the German Catholic welfare association, offering a broad portfolio of social, disability, and elder care services in Freiburg and surrounding areas. Larger incumbent that overlaps with AKBN's personal-assistance and inclusion programming.
• DRK Kreisverband Freiburg: Local Red Cross chapter offering social, mobility, and care-related services including household help and accompaniment for people with disabilities and seniors. Competes for similar publicly funded personal-assistance contracts.

Emerging players

• Bundesverband behinderter Pflegekinder: Smaller, specialized advocacy/services organization focused on disabled care recipients in family-based settings; thematic peer for inclusion advocacy and individualized support models similar to AKBN's Assistenzgesellschaft.

Direct peers

• Lebenshilfe Freiburg: Local branch of Germany's largest disability advocacy and service network. Operates in the same geography as AKBN, providing personal assistance, housing, and family services for people with disabilities, and competes for the same Pflegekassen/Sozialämter-funded customers in Freiburg.

Regional players

• Sozialwerk Breisgau: Regional social services provider in the Breisgau area offering household help, personal assistance, and inclusion programs for people with disabilities. Comparable regional scope, funding sources, and service mix to AKBN.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 AKBN