What Beacon Foundation does

Stiftung Leuchtfeuer is a German charitable foundation (gemeinnützige Stiftung zur Förderung von Bildung, Ausbildung, Erziehung und Rehabilitation), registered in Cologne and founded in 2001 by Peer Salström-Leyh. It operates as a freier Träger der Jugendhilfe under the SGB VIII framework, delivering individual-pedagogical (Individualpädagogik) services for children, adolescents, and families across nine domestic locations and through an international network of partner foundations in Norway, Sweden, Estonia, and Lithuania. Its core model is the Leuchtfeuerfamilie — a qualified pedagogical professional who integrates a young person into their own household for long-term 1:1 care — complemented by residential groups, travel and time-out projects, circus projects, outpatient supported living, day groups, and the specialized Netz|Werk competence center for families affected by parental mental illness.

The foundation's portfolio is delivered through a group structure comprising four wholly-owned subsidiaries: Leuchtfeuer Heimspiel gGmbH (Rheinland/Ruhr, founded 2015), NEXT Leuchtfeuer gGmbH (gender-specific stationary services for FLINTA* youth, founded 2024), AHOI Leuchtfeuer gGmbH (outpatient and semi-stationary services in Cologne/Bonn, launched September 2025), and RUHEPOL Sicherheit (security services for the welfare sector, 2025). Total headcount is approximately 400 permanent staff plus a large freelance cohort, including the Leuchtfeuerfamilie pedagogical professionals who serve as foster-family providers.

The business model is fee-for-service commissioning by German Youth Welfare Offices (Jugendämter) and municipalities under SGB VIII, with project-based or placement-based pricing rather than subscription or volume contracts. Specific fee schedules are not publicly disclosed. The foundation holds governance through a two-person Vorstand (Dr. Gerd Hoor, Jan Kruse), an eight-member Stiftungsrat, and a 40+ member Kuratorium. There is no parent company, no private equity or venture capital involvement, and no international revenue model beyond cross-border foundation coordination; growth is funded through organic commissioning expansion, subsidiary spin-outs, and geographic entry into new German federal states (Baden-Württemberg in 2025, Northern Germany office expansion in 2025).

Name

Beacon Foundation

Legal name

Gemeinnützige Stiftung zur Förderung von Bildung, Ausbildung, Erziehung und Rehabilitation

Website

https://stiftung-leuchtfeuer.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Stiftung Leuchtfeuer is a German non-profit foundation operating as a freier Träger der Jugendhilfe since 2001, delivering individual-pedagogical foster-family, residential, outpatient, and mental-health family support services to children, youth, and families across nine German locations, funded via Jugendamt and municipal commissioning under SGB VIII.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Welfare Services

NAICS

Individual and Family Services (6241), Child and Youth Services (624110), Other Individual and Family Services (624190)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Health Services (8000)

akta.pro primary industry

Youth Housing, Foster Care & Wraparound Support (Education-Linked) Nonprofits (BPAGADAO)

akta.pro secondary industries

Family & Parenting Support Services (BPAGAEAC), Mental Health & Crisis Support Services (BPAGACAD), Maternal, Child & Family Health Organizations (BPAGACAF)

Keywords

• Youth welfare services
• Residential youth care
• Individual pedagogy
• Foster family placement
• Family mental health support

Headquarters

HQ city

Köln

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices9 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Youth Welfare Services (Kinder- und Jugendhilfe): Publicly funded services commissioned by youth welfare offices and municipalities. Services include stationäre Hilfen (residential care), teilstationäre Hilfen (day care), and ambulante Hilfen (outpatient support), all funded under SGB VIII legal frameworks.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Stiftung Leuchtfeuer (Beacon Foundation) is a German non-profit foundation that operates as an independent provider of youth welfare services (freier Träger der Jugendhilfe). It places qualified pedagogical professionals as foster families (Leuchtfeuerfamilien) who take children and youth into their own households for long-term, individualized 1:1 care. The foundation complements this core model with residential groups, travel/time-out projects, circus projects, day groups, flexible outpatient assistance, supported living, and a specialized competence center (Netz|Werk) for families affected by parental mental illness, all delivered through nine locations across Germany.

Product overview

Stiftung Leuchtfeuer is a charitable foundation (gGmbH structure) offering a comprehensive portfolio of individual pedagogical services for children, youth, and families throughout Germany. The organization operates as a unified platform of interconnected services rather than a single product, centered on the core 'Leuchtfeuerfamilien' (beacon family) model where foster families provide individualized 1:1 care. Around this core, the foundation offers complementary services including circus projects, travel/time-out projects, integrative living groups, outpatient supported living (BeWo), flexible outpatient assistance, day groups, and the specialized Netz|Werk competence center for families affected by parental mental illness. The foundation has expanded into a group structure with three main subsidiaries: Leuchtfeuer Heimspiel gGmbH (youth services in Rheinland/Ruhrgebiet), AHOI Leuchtfeuer gGmbH (outpatient services in Cologne/Bonn), and NEXT Leuchtfeuer gGmbH (gender-specific stationary services in Cologne). The foundation operates at nine locations across Germany and serves as a reliable partner for youth welfare offices, providing highly qualified professionals and customized offers for children, youth, and families in special life situations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Leuchtfeuerfamilien (SPLG): Individual pedagogical foster families (Sozialpädagogische Lebensgemeinschaften) providing 1:1 care for children and youth
• Netz|Werk
• F.i.Z. – Familie im Zentrum
• Leuchtfeuer-Gruppe

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• AFET – Bundesverband für Erziehungshilfe e.V.minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Cooperation partner for the November 2025 online conference on 'Seelische Familiengesundheit' - a cross-association event.
• Bundesarbeitsgemeinschaft Kinder psychisch erkrankter Eltern (BAG KipE)minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Cooperation partner for the November 2025 online conference on psychological family health.
• Dachverband Gemeindepsychiatrie (DVGP) e.V.minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Cooperation partner for the November 2025 online conference on psychological family health.
• Deutsche Gesellschaft für Systemische Therapie (DGSF) e.V.minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Cooperation partner for the November 2025 online conference on psychological family health.
• Deutscher Paritätischer Wohlfahrtsverband – Gesamtverband e.V.minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Cooperation partner for the November 2025 online conference on psychological family health.
• Seelenerbe e.V.minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Cooperation partner for the November 2025 online conference on psychological family health.
• NACOA Deutschland – Interessenvertretung für Kinder aus Suchtfamilien e.V.minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Cooperation partner for the November 2025 online conference on psychological family health.
• Nationales Zentrum Frühe Hilfen (NZFH)minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Cooperation partner for the November 2025 online conference on psychological family health.
• Paritätischer WohlfahrtsverbandcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024German welfare association providing professional backing, transparency and social responsibility for the Freiburg location in Baden-Württemberg.
• Bundesverband Individual- und Erlebnispädagogik e.V. (be e.V.)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Leading professional association representing the diversity of individual pedagogy, experiential pedagogy and its members. Foundation is a member and regular participant in specialist group meetings. Hosted the association's expert group meeting in October 2023.
• Paritätischer Wohlfahrtsverband Bayern - Bezirksverband UnterfrankencoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Regional branch of the German welfare association for the Würzburg location, providing organizational backing and network access.
• Dachverband Gemeindepsychiatrie e.V.coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019The Netz|Werk department is a member of this association. The foundation's Abteilungsleiterin Dagmar Wiegel serves as Vorständin (board member) of the association. The foundation hosted the association's board meeting in February 2025.
• F.i.Z. - Familie im ZentrumcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Family center developed as cooperation between City of Köln (Bezirksjugendamt Ehrenfeld), association wir für pänz e.V., and Stiftung Leuchtfeuer. Provides low-threshold support offers for families in Bocklemünd/Mengenich neighborhood.
• Stiftelsen Fyrlykta (Norway)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2001Independent foundation in Norway bearing the Leuchtfeuer name in the country's language, part of the founder's European vision for the individual pedagogy concept.
• Stiftelsen Fyrljuset (Sweden)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2001Independent foundation in Sweden bearing the Leuchtfeuer name in the country's language, part of the international network of individual pedagogy organizations.
• SA Tuletorn Fond (Estonia)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2001Independent foundation in Estonia bearing the Leuchtfeuer name in the country's language. Stiftung Leuchtfeuer coordinates two Leuchtfeuerfamilien in Estonia from their Naumburg location.
• Žiburio labdaros ir paramos fondas (Lithuania)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2001Independent foundation in Lithuania bearing the Leuchtfeuer name in the country's language, extending the European network of individual pedagogy organizations.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Caritas Deutschland: Germany's largest Catholic welfare confederation and freier Träger of Jugendhilfe, offering a full spectrum of child, youth and family services nationwide. Comparable as a major SGB VIII service provider that competes for the same Jugendamt contracts.
• AWO Bundesverband e.V. Major German welfare association with nationwide child, youth and family service offerings. Comparable to Stiftung Leuchtfeuer as a freier Träger of Jugendhilfe serving at-risk children and families under SGB VIII.
• SOS Children's Villages International: Global parent of SOS-Kinderdorf, operating foster-family/village models for at-risk children across 130+ countries. Comparable to the international dimension of Stiftung Leuchtfeuer's European Leuchtfeuer-partner network in Norway, Sweden, Estonia and Lithuania.
• Diakonie Deutschland: The social welfare arm of the Protestant church in Germany, operating extensive child and youth welfare services through regional member organizations. Comparable as a broad incumbent freier Träger competing for the same public-sector youth welfare contracts.
• Internationaler Bund (IB) e.V. Large German freier Träger of Jugendhilfe, education and integration services with nationwide residential, outpatient and family-support offerings. Comparable as a multi-site, multi-service public-sector contractor in the same SGB VIII ecosystem.

Direct peers

• SOS-Kinderdorf e.V. Germany's most recognized foster-family and children's-village organization, operating residential and family-based youth welfare services nationwide under SGB VIII. Directly comparable to Stiftung Leuchtfeuer on business model (freier Träger, foster-family placements, publicly commissioned) and target population (at-risk children and youth).
• Deutscher Kinderschutzbund Bundesverband e.V. National child welfare and protection organization providing counseling, family support and advocacy for at-risk children. Comparable to Stiftung Leuchtfeuer in serving vulnerable children/families and engaging Jugendämter as commissioning bodies.
• Pestalozzi-Kinder- und Jugenddorf Wahlwies e.V. Long-established Kinderdorf offering residential, family-based and individualized support for children and youth with complex needs. Highly comparable to Stiftung Leuchtfeuer's Leuchtfeuerfamilien model and individualized pedagogy approach.

Regional players

• Stiftelsen Fyrlykta (Norway): Independent Norwegian foundation explicitly bearing the Leuchtfeuer name and implementing the same individual-pedagogy concept for youth in Norway. Comparable as a sister-organization partner in the European Leuchtfeuer network.

Others

• Bundesverband Individual- und Erlebnispädagogik e.V. Leading German professional association for individual and experiential pedagogy, of which Stiftung Leuchtfeuer is a member. Comparable as a sector association and ecosystem connector rather than a direct service competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 records

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Beacon Foundation