Per Mertesacker Stiftung

What Per Mertesacker Stiftung does

The Per Mertesacker Stiftung is a legally recognized charitable private foundation (rechtsfähige Stiftung privaten Rechts), founded in 2006 by former Arsenal and German national team footballer Per Mertesacker and headquartered at Schiffgraben 23, 30159 Hannover, Germany. The foundation's stated mission is the social integration of children in the Hannover region, with a particular focus on children from socially disadvantaged backgrounds, those with learning difficulties, and children with a migration background. Its flagship initiative, 'Sport als Chance' (Sport as Chance), combines three program pillars — competitive football, individual academic tutoring, and German language instruction — delivered under the motto 'Erst Deutsch, dann Dribbeln' (First German, then dribble) over a sustained 10-year support period per child.

Programs are delivered through direct partnerships with named schools (IGS Mühlenberg, IGS Roderbruch, Grundschule Osterberg, Oberschule Berenbostel) and local sports clubs (Garbsener SC, Hannover 96, TuS Vinnhorst, Polizei SV), supported by corporate partners including reifen.com, Volkswagen Nutzfahrzeuge, Westermann Gruppe, Erlebnis-Zoo Hannover, and the Lions Club Hannover-Leibniz. The foundation operates multiple project groups, including the corporate-branded 'reifen.com Grip Kids' and 'Volkswagen Nutzfahrzeuge Soccer Girls,' as well as additional offerings such as the Kinder-Patenschaft (€1/day child sponsorship) and the annual Mertes Sommercamp.

The foundation is funded entirely by donations and corporate sponsorships, with the organization stating that 100% of donations flow directly to project work. Notable fundraising events include the 2017 charity match (€100,000+ profit share), the 2018 Mertes Homecoming farewell match (€300,000 profit), and the 2019 reifen.com anniversary donation (€35,000+). Operations are led by a small paid core team of 11-50 supplemented primarily by volunteers and FSJ (Freiwilliges Soziales Jahr) participants, under the governance of the Mertesacker Family Office with Per Mertesacker as Founder and Chairman of the Board of Trustees and Timo Mertesacker as Chairman of the Executive Board.

Name

Per Mertesacker Stiftung

Legal name

Per Mertesacker Stiftung

Website

https://per-mertesacker-stiftung.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Per Mertesacker Stiftung is a Hannover-based charitable foundation founded in 2006 that uses football, language tutoring, and academic learning support to promote the social integration of disadvantaged children in the Hannover region over a sustained 10-year program.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth social integration services

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Sports and Recreation Instruction (611620)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYMPAKALAJ

Cause, Community & CSR-Linked Sports Partnerships (Foundations, Youth Programs)

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Sports (Leagues, Teams, Events, Venues)/Sports Sponsorship & Endorsements

SECONDARYMPAKAKAK

Sports Fundraising & Development Services (Foundations, NIL Collectives Support)

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Sports (Leagues, Teams, Events, Venues)/Sports Management & Promotion Services

Keywords

• Youth social integration
• Football education programs
• Language tutoring services
• Academic support programs
• Child sponsorship programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Hanover

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Sponsorships: The foundation operates entirely on donations and corporate sponsorships. Individual donations are sought through the website and direct appeals. Corporate partners provide both financial support and in-kind contributions (learning materials, venue access, equipment). The foundation states that 100% of donations go directly to project work.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Per Mertesacker Stiftung delivers the "Sport als Chance" (Sport as Chance) social integration program, which combines competitive team football, individualized academic tutoring, and German language instruction for socially disadvantaged children over a sustained 10-year period in the Hannover region. The foundation also operates a child sponsorship program (Kinder-Patenschaft) at €1 per day and an annual summer camp, all funded through donations and corporate sponsorships. Programs are delivered directly at schools and partner sports clubs, with 100% of donations claimed to flow into project work.

Product overview

Per Mertesacker Stiftung is a charitable foundation operating as a single, unified social integration program. The core offering is 'Sport als Chance' (Sport as Chance), which combines three pillars: competitive team football, individual academic tutoring, and language instruction. The foundation runs multiple project groups at various locations in the Hannover region, supporting children from socially disadvantaged backgrounds, those with learning difficulties, and children with immigrant backgrounds over a sustained 10-year period. Additional offerings include child sponsorship programs and seasonal summer camps.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Sport als Chance The foundation's flagship social integration program combining competitive team football with individualized academic tutoring and German language instruction for socially disadvantaged children, delivered over a sustained 10-year period across multiple project groups in the Hannover region.
• Kinder-Patenschaft (Child Sponsorship) Donation-based sponsorship program allowing individuals to support individual children at €1 per day (approximately €30/month or €365/year), providing sustained, face-to-face financial support for the foundation's social integration work in the Hannover region.
• Mertes Sommercamp Annual multi-day summer camp program for project children offering sports activities, environmental education, and team-building experiences, with past editions hosted at partner facilities such as CJD Elze.
• Volkswagen Nutzfahrzeuge Soccer Girls Girls' football project group sponsored by Volkswagen Nutzfahrzeuge, providing combined sports training, learning support, and language instruction for female participants under the broader Sport als Chance umbrella.
• reifen.com Grip Kids Football project group located in Hannover-Roderbruch in cooperation with IGS Roderbruch, sponsored by reifen.com and combining sports, learning support, and language instruction for approximately 20 children over a ten-year period.

Quantifiable outcome

• 150+ children currently in program across 6+ project locations
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Westermann Gruppe (Schulbuchverlag)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerLong-term partner providing learning materials and educational resources for project children. Regular visits to project groups and donation of school supplies.
• Schlütersche VerlagsgesellschaftminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPublishing partner providing support for foundation communications and publications.
• CJD ElzecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnnual training camp partner. Provides facilities including two halls, two soccer courts, and artificial turf for multi-day training programs.
• Hannover 96coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor sports partnership. Children attend matches as ball kids and spectators, visit stadium for events, and participate in Soccercourt activities. Foundation has held internal tournaments at Heinz von Heiden Arena.
• Erlebnis-Zoo HannovercoreGTM or Marketing PartnerLong-term partnership for educational zoo visits and events. Per Mertesacker accepted godparenthip for endangered Rothschild giraffes on behalf of the foundation.
• Sport als Chance e.V.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAssociated organization supporting the foundation's mission and projects.
• Leibniz-Universität Hannover (Sportwissenschaft)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partnership for sports science expertise and student involvement.
• Klinikum WahrendorffcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnnual co-organizer of Wahrendorff-Cup and Inklusionscup, events focused on inclusion of people with and without disabilities.
• TuS VinnhorstcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorProvides venue for Girls-Cup tournament. Active in supporting female youth football development.
• Polizei SV HannovercoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorProvides facilities for workshops including 'Helden:innen der Straße' police introduction project and tournament hosting.
• TSV Hannover-Burgdorf (Die Recken)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerHandball partnership allowing children to be ball kids at professional matches.
• Stiftung Fußball & Kultur Euro 2024minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in 'Guck mal, Europa!' project combining art, football, and European values education.
• aha (Abfall, Wasser, Hygiene)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerWaste management partner providing support for environmental education projects including Müllsammelrallye.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Direct peers

• Clemens-Fritz-Stiftung: Founded by former Werder Bremen footballer Clemens Fritz; directly comparable as an athlete-founded German foundation using sport to support children's education, and explicitly co-beneficiary of Per Mertesacker Stiftung's 2017 benefizspiel.
• Dietmar Hopp Stiftung: Major German foundation supporting youth, education, and sport — closely parallel to Per Mertesacker Stiftung in target beneficiaries and intervention model, but at significantly larger scale and broader geographic footprint.
• Philipp Lahm Stiftung: Foundation of former German national team captain Philipp Lahm; promotes education, sport, and integration for children and youth — closely aligned with Per Mertesacker Stiftung's integrated sport+education model.
• Boris Becker Stiftung: German athlete-founded foundation supporting disadvantaged children; comparable structure and beneficiary focus, though broader in geographic and programmatic scope.
• Lukas Podolski Stiftung: Athlete-founded German foundation supporting disadvantaged children, providing a directly comparable operating model and donor audience to Per Mertesacker Stiftung.
• Mesut Özil Stiftung: German-Turkish athlete-founded charity focused on children and education globally; comparable in using a footballer brand to drive fundraising for youth welfare, with a particular focus on integration similar to PMS.
• Toni Kroos Stiftung: Founded by German national team player Toni Kroos; supports children and youth through sport and education, making it a direct comparable in mission and donor demographic.

Broad incumbents

• DFL Stiftung: Official foundation of the German Football League (DFL); operates across Germany on sport-for-social-impact programs, making it a broader incumbent in the same thematic space as Per Mertesacker Stiftung.

Others

• Sport als Chance e.V. Directly associated/partner organization supporting the foundation's mission; an ecosystem participant rather than a competitor, sharing the same target programs and beneficiary cohorts.

Emerging players

• Robert Enke Stiftung: German athlete-founded foundation (named after late national team goalkeeper) addressing children's welfare; shares the athlete-foundation-for-children structure but focuses on mental health and family support rather than sport-based integration.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/PMStiftung
• Facebookfacebook.com/PerMertesackerStiftung
• Instagraminstagram.com/per.mertesacker.stiftung
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/per-mertesacker-stiftung

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Per Mertesacker Stiftung