Youth Researches

What Youth Researches does

Stiftung Jugend forscht e. V. (operating as "Jugend forscht" / Youth Researches) is a Hamburg-based nonprofit foundation founded in 1965/1966 that runs Germany's most prominent youth science competition. The program targets students from 4th grade through age 21 and is structured as a three-tier nationwide competition: more than 120 regional competitions feed into state-level contests, the winners of which advance to the federal Bundesfinale. Participants submit self-directed research projects across seven subject areas covering mathematics/computer science, biology, chemistry, earth and space sciences, physics, technology, and the working world (Arbeitswelt). Participation is free for students; winners receive cash and material prizes, with documented long-term outcomes showing nine of ten successful participants later pursue MINT (mathematics, informatics, natural sciences, technology) studies or careers.

The foundation is governed by a Vorstand (executive board, currently Dr. Jessica Bönsch and Dr. Jennifer Plath) and a Kuratorium (supervisory board) chaired by the Federal Minister for Education; the Federal President of Germany serves as patron (Schirmherr). Operating support comes from a broad public-private partnership network that includes the Federal Ministry of Education, the Standing Conference of Education Ministers (KMK), the Federation of German Industries (BDI), the German Trade Union Confederation (DGB), the Association of German Engineers (VDI), the German Federal Environmental Foundation (DBU), MNU, Gruner + Jahr, and stern magazine as a founding media partner. Individual corporates such as Schaeffler have hosted recent federal finals.

Supporting infrastructure extends beyond the annual competition cycle and includes a Projektdatenbank (Project Database) and Virtuelle Ausstellung (Virtual Exhibition) that archive and surface participant work, an Alumni Network with career development events (PerspektivForen, PerspektivTag), the Jugend forscht Akademie for mentor and educator qualification, and a Kampagne Schülerforschungszentren (Student Research Centers Campaign) to expand physical research infrastructure across Germany. Revenue is not disclosed; the foundation is financed through its multi-stakeholder public-private partnership model rather than commercial pricing. The organization holds itself out as GDPR-compliant and has no proprietary technology platform or AI/ML capabilities.

Name

Youth Researches

Legal name

Stiftung Jugend forscht e. V.

Website

https://jugend-forscht.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1966

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Stiftung Jugend forscht e. V. operates Germany's most prominent youth science competition, engaging students from 4th grade through age 21 in MINT research projects across seven subject areas via a three-tier regional-state-federal structure with free participation.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth STEM Competition Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Research & Science Fair Competitions (Science Fairs, Research Symposiums) (EDAMAGAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Advanced STEM & Competition Coaching (MathCounts/AMC/AIME/USAMO, Science Olympiad, Physics/Chem Olympiads) (EDANAKAF), After-School, Tutoring & Academic Enrichment Nonprofits (BPAGADAC)

Keywords

• Youth science competition
• STEM talent development
• MINT research competition
• Youth research programs
• Student science contests

Headquarters

HQ city

Hamburg

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Stiftung Jugend forscht e. V. organizes Germany's leading annual youth science competition in MINT subjects (mathematics, informatics, natural sciences, technology) for students from 4th grade through age 21. The foundation runs a three-tier structure of regional, state, and federal competitions across seven subject areas, supplemented by an online Project Database, a Virtual Exhibition, an Alumni Network for career development, and the Jugend forscht Akademie for mentor qualification. Participation is free for students, with prize money and material awards for winners.

Product overview

Stiftung Jugend forscht e. V. operates Germany's most well-known youth science competition with a three-tiered competition structure (Regional, State, and Federal levels). The core offering consists of two age-based divisions: Jugend forscht for ages 15-21 and Jugend forscht junior for grades 4-14. Participants submit research projects across seven subject areas (MINT subjects). Supporting infrastructure includes a Project Database and Virtual Exhibition for showcasing projects, an Alumni Network for career development, and the Jugend forscht Akademie for mentor qualification. The organization also runs a Campaign for Student Research Centers to expand research infrastructure nationwide.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Jugend forscht (15-21 years) Main youth science competition for participants aged 15 to 21 years, in which students research and present projects across MINT subjects (Mathematics, Informatics, Natural Sciences, Technology) and compete at regional, state, and federal levels.
• Jugend forscht junior (4th grade-14 years)
• Three Competition Levels (Regional, State, Federal) Three-tiered competition structure: Regional competitions (Regionalwettbewerbe) feed into State competitions (Landeswettbewerbe), with winners advancing to the Federal final (Bundesfinale).

Quantifiable outcome

• 9 out of 10 successful participants later study a MINT field

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

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• Bundesministerium für Bildung, Familie, Senioren, Frauen und Jugend (Federal Ministry of Education)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal Ministry serves as the Supervisory Board Chair and provides governmental support for the competition. The minister oversees the Kuratorium (supervisory board) of the foundation.
• Bundespräsident (Federal President)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Federal President serves as patron (Schirmherr) of the competition, providing highest-level political support and visibility.
• stern (Magazine)majorStrategic or Co-development Partnerstern magazine is a founding partner and media supporter, providing press coverage and visibility for the competition.
• Ständige Konferenz der Kultusminister der Länder (KMK)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education of the Länder provides educational policy support and coordination across German states.
• Bundesverband der Deutschen Industrie e. V. (BDI)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederation of German Industries provides industry support and sponsorship for the youth competition.
• Gruner + Jahr Deutschland GmbHmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPublishing house Gruner + Jahr, a founding partner, supports media coverage and publication of competition results.
• Deutscher Gewerkschaftsbund (DGB)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGerman Trade Union Confederation supports the competition as part of workforce development and education initiatives.
• VDI e. V. (Association of German Engineers)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAssociation of German Engineers provides technical expertise and engineering-focused support for the competition.
• Deutsche Bundesstiftung Umwelt (DBU)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGerman Federal Environmental Foundation supports environmental and sustainability-related research projects within the competition.
• Deutscher Verein zur Förderung des mathematischen und naturwissenschaftlichen Unterrichts e. V. (MNU)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAssociation for the promotion of mathematics and science education provides educational expertise and teaching support.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• International Physics Olympiad (IPhO): Premier international physics competition for secondary students. Comparable as a tiered physics talent identification pathway that German Jugend forscht physics winners feed into, with similar subject-area specialization.
• Conrad Challenge: US-based annual youth STEM innovation competition with multi-stage format and category structure. Compares to Jugend forscht's project-based model targeting 13-18 year olds solving real-world STEM problems with sponsor backing.
• Science Olympiad (US): US national STEM competition covering biology, chemistry, physics, earth science, engineering and computation. Comparable in being a multi-event, multi-subject K-12 STEM talent competition with regional/state/national structure.
• Mathematik-Olympiaden e.V. (Bundeswettbewerb Mathematik): Germany's national mathematics olympiad. Same country and same tiered regional/state/federal structure, targeting overlapping MINT youth talent, and similarly anchored to federal education ministry support.
• Society for Science (Regeneron ISEF): Largest US-based international youth science and engineering fair. Most direct functional peer to Jugend forscht: student-led STEM research projects, multi-tier national-to-international structure, free participation, and university/industry partnership model.
• FIRST Robotics Competition: Global youth STEM competition focused on robotics and engineering design with tiered regional/national/international structure and major corporate sponsorship. Comparable scale and partnership model to Jugend forscht's technology subject area.
• European Union Science Olympiad (EUSO): Pan-European team-based STEM competition for secondary students. Comparable in targeting top young European STEM researchers, with national selection pathways that overlap with Jugend forscht alumni.
• National Science Bowl (US DOE): US Department of Energy-sponsored national STEM academic competition with regional/national structure and federal government backing. Mirrors Jugend forscht's federal sponsorship model and multi-tier format.
• Junior Science and Humanities Symposium (JSHS): US DoD-sponsored regional and national STEM research symposium for high schoolers presenting original research. Closely mirrors Jugend forscht's project presentation model across multiple science disciplines.

Broad incumbents

• SkillsUSA STEM Championships: US national career and technical education organization running STEM-related student competitions and skill events. Broader CTE scope than Jugend forscht but comparable in scale, federal-corporate partnership base, and youth skills development mission.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/Jugendforschtvideo
• Facebookfacebook.com/Jugend.Forscht
• LinkedInde.linkedin.com/company/stiftung-jugend-forscht-e-v-
• Instagraminstagram.com/jugendforscht

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Youth Researches