Vaterwelten

What Vaterwelten does

Vaterwelten e.V. is a German non-profit association (eingetragener Verein) headquartered in Münster, Germany, that operates a hybrid ecosystem for progressive fatherhood work, combining locally anchored programming at family education centers (Familienbildungsstätten) with the hejDAD! digital community platform (app.vaterwelten.de). The organization delivers evidence-based support across all family phases — from expectant fathers to fathers of teenagers and fathers of children with special needs — through workshops (e.g., 'Ich werde Papa! Und jetzt?'), Väterabende (bi-weekly discussion groups), father-baby courses, father-child breakfasts, nature retreats ('Der Wald ruft!'), and individual fatherhood counseling. It also serves family education professionals (Fachkräfte der Familienbildung) with training and materials, and reaches fathers with migration backgrounds through intercultural programming.

The core technology stack is built on WordPress with the hejDAD! platform serving as the digital community hub (user accounts, content, event registration, integrated shop), supported by LimeSurvey (multilingual survey infrastructure across 60+ languages), Matomo (privacy-friendly web analytics with opt-out), FundraisingBox (donation and membership processing for SEPA, card, PayPal), and Google Marketing Platform, LinkedIn Insights, and standard social plugins for acquisition. A digital magazine (vaterwelten.de/magazin) and podcast appearances support content marketing. The architecture is intentionally conventional rather than proprietary, prioritizing interoperability with the Familienbildungsstätten partner network.

Revenue derives from a mix of recurring streams (Fördermitgliedschaft supporting memberships and ordentliche Mitgliedschaft full memberships with voting rights), one-time donations processed via FundraisingBox, corporate partnership income — most prominently the May 2026 Gillette × dm-drogerie markt '1 Kauf = 1 Spende' campaign — workshop and seminar fees (registered through local partner family education centers), and digital product sales through the hejDAD! shop. Active operations are concentrated in three German cities (Münster, Krefeld, Kiel/Kronshagen) with public plans to expand across 80+ cities. No revenue figures are disclosed and the headcount is reported at 1–10 employees, indicating an early-stage non-profit operation.

Name

Vaterwelten

Legal name

Vaterwelten e.V.

Website

https://vaterwelten.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

2022

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Vaterwelten e.V. is a German non-profit that operates a hybrid ecosystem for progressive fatherhood, combining local in-person programs at family education centers with the hejDAD! digital community platform, serving fathers across all family phases, family education professionals, and fathers with migration backgrounds across Germany.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Family Education Services

NAICS

Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Other Individual and Family Services (62419)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Co-Parenting, Father Engagement & Caregiver Inclusion Programs (EDACALAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Family & Parenting Education (Family Literacy, Parenting Skills) (EDAAAFAF), Family & Parenting Support Services (BPAGAEAC)

Keywords

• Fatherhood support programs
• Family education services
• Parent education workshops
• Community-based parenting
• Men's health advocacy

Headquarters

HQ city

Krefeld

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees (Fördermitgliedschaft & Ordentliche Mitgliedschaft): Recurring membership fees from supporting members (Fördermitglieder) and full members (ordentliche Mitglieder). Supporting members contribute financially through regular payments, managed via FundraisingBox. Full members additionally have voting rights in the general assembly and can participate in project work and board elections.
2. Donations & Fundraising: One-time donations from supporters who want to contribute without a membership commitment. Donations are processed via FundraisingBox (SEPA, credit card, PayPal) and tax-deductible certificates are available. The Gillette campaign at dm-drogerie markt also generates donations through a '1 Kauf = 1 Spende' mechanism.
3. Corporate Partnerships: Revenue through strategic corporate partnerships (e.g., Gillette / Procter & Gamble) where companies co-invest in Vaterwelten's mission as part of corporate social responsibility and marketing campaigns. Partners gain social impact credentials, SDG contribution, and sustainability reporting material.
4. Educational Programs and Workshops: Fees from seminars, workshops, courses, and counseling services for fathers. Offerings include 'Ich werde Papa!' workshops, father-baby courses, fathers' evenings, and father-child breakfasts. Registration runs through local family education centers.
5. Digital Products (Courses, Vouchers, Tickets): Sales of digital content, event tickets, vouchers, and subscriptions through the hejDAD! shop platform. The AGB reference digital content delivery via download, streaming, email, or customer account. Payment processing via PayPal and Stripe.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Vaterwelten e.V. operates a hybrid ecosystem combining a digital community platform (hejDAD!) with in-person fatherhood programming delivered at local family education centers (Familienbildungsstätten) across Germany. Offerings include workshops for expectant fathers (Ich werde Papa!), father-baby courses, bi-weekly fathers' evenings, professional father-child breakfasts, individual counseling, and nature retreats — covering fatherhood across all family phases from pregnancy through adolescence. The organization also provides training and materials for family education professionals and builds regional infrastructure for scalable father services.

Product overview

Vaterwelten e.V. operates a hybrid ecosystem combining digital and local offerings for father support and professional development. The core digital platform is hejDAD!, a community platform providing peer support and exchange for conscious fatherhood. This is complemented by in-person programs including workshops (e.g., 'Ich werde Papa! Und jetzt?', Vater-Baby-Kurs), discussion groups (Väterabend), and father-child activities (Vater Kind Frühstück). The organization also provides counseling services for fathers and family education professionals, operates an online survey system for research, and publishes a digital magazine. Regional presence is anchored through local family education centers in Münster (headquarters), Krefeld, and Kiel.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• hejDAD!: Digital community platform for conscious fatherhood, providing digital access and exchange for fathers.

Products and services

• hejDAD! Digital Community Platform A digital community platform for conscious fatherhood (hejDAD!) accessible at app.vaterwelten.de, providing fathers with a peer community for exchange, accompaniment, and support in digital space. Includes user accounts, community functions, blog and podcast content, event registration, and an integrated shop for digital products and event tickets.
• Vater-Kind-Frühstück (Father-Child Breakfast) Monthly gathering where fathers with children aged 0-3 meet for a shared breakfast together, offered free of charge through local partner family education centers.
• Vater-Baby-Kurs (Father-Baby Course) A 10-session weekly Saturday course helping fathers intensify their connection with their babies and create lasting memories, delivered at local partner centers.
• Väterabend (Father's Evening) Bi-weekly professionally facilitated discussion group for men and fathers in a protected environment, hosted at local partner sites such as Kinderschutzbund Krefeld e.V. (Tuesdays at 7 PM).
• Ich werde Papa! Und jetzt? (I'm Becoming a Dad! And Now?) A two-day workshop providing expectant fathers with orientation, practical impulses, and a protected space for questions about fatherhood.
• Vaterschaftsberatung (Fatherhood Counseling) Professional counseling and support for fathers navigating fatherhood, and Beratung & Begleitung for family education professionals seeking guidance on father-inclusive programming.
• Der Wald ruft! / Väter der nächsten Generation Nature Retreat A multi-day nature retreat for fathers led by Gunter Beetz, combining outdoor experience with reflective work on masculine role expectations and authentic father identity.
• Fördermitgliedschaft & Ordentliche Mitgliedschaft (Membership) Recurring membership program with two tiers: Fördermitgliedschaft (supporting members contributing financially via FundraisingBox, with tax-deductible receipts) and Ordentliche Mitgliedschaft (full members with voting rights in the General Assembly, eligibility for board election, and participation in project work).

Quantifiable outcome

• Active locations in 3 cities with development underway in 80+ German cities
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.

• Gillette (Procter & Gamble)flagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 14 May 2026Strategic partnership launched in May 2026 with Gillette Germany and dm-drogerie markt. The campaign, titled 'Gemeinsam lernen, gemeinsam wachsen' (Learn together, grow together), operates on a '1 Kauf = 1 Spende' (1 purchase = 1 donation) mechanic: each purchase of selected Gillette products at dm donates to Vaterwelten e.V. The partnership aims to create new educational, exchange, and encounter offerings for fathers, particularly those of teenagers and young men, and to increase visibility for men's health and conscious fatherhood.
• Kinderschutzbund Krefeld e.V.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal anchor partner for the Krefeld Vaterwelten location. The Kinderschutzbund (Child Protection Association) provides physical spaces, on-site social workers, and local community connections. The Vaterwelten location at Krefeld is described as 'aktiv' (active) and hosts regular programs including fathers' evenings every two weeks on Tuesdays at 7 PM.
• Family Fit – Praxisklinik KronshagencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal anchor partner for the Kiel Vaterwelten location (currently under development/building phase). The family health clinic provides a healthcare-context anchor for father offerings in the Kiel region.
• Familienbildungsstätten (Family Education Centers) NetworkcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorA network of local family education centers across Germany serve as partner organizations for Vaterwelten locations. They provide physical spaces, professional social work staff, and local integration into city communities. This partner model enables Vaterwelten to expand to 80+ cities without owning physical infrastructure. No individual centers are named beyond Krefeld and Kronshagen/Kiel.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Deutscher Kinderschutzbund e.V. The Deutscher Kinderschutzbund is Germany's largest child protection and family support association, with local chapters providing counseling and family education services nationwide, including the Krefeld chapter that currently hosts one of Vaterwelten's locations. It is a broader incumbent in family welfare that overlaps with Vaterwelten's service space but is not specialized in father-specific work.

Others

• Promundo: Promundo is a global consortium working to promote gender equality and positive fatherhood through research, programs, and advocacy across multiple countries. While much larger and internationally focused, it shares Vaterwelten's emphasis on evidence-based father engagement and represents a global anchor for the category.
• pro familia Deutsche Gesellschaft für Familienplanung, Sexualpädagogik und Sexualberatung: pro familia is a well-established German nonprofit providing family planning, sex education, and parenting counseling services across local centers nationwide. Although its scope is broader than father-specific work, it operates in an adjacent family-services and education space with comparable nonprofit and center-based delivery models.
• Familylab International: Familylab International is a family-education organization founded in the tradition of family therapist Jesper Juul, providing courses, books, and parent-coaching programs across Europe. It is an adjacent family-education peer with comparable workshop and parent-coaching offerings but without Vaterwelten's father-specific positioning.

Emerging players

• National Fatherhood Initiative: National Fatherhood Initiative is a U.S.-based father engagement organization that develops curricula, training, and resources for fatherhood programs. It is an international counterpart working in the same father-specific services niche and provides a useful benchmark for program design and funding models.

Direct peers

• Väter e.V. Väter e.V. is a German father advocacy and support organization offering counseling, seminars, and community events for fathers across Germany. Like Vaterwelten, it operates as a national association focused specifically on father-focused family work, making it the closest comparable in the same niche.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/vaterwelten
• Instagraminstagram.com/vaterwelten

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 Vaterwelten