Verband deutscher Unternehmerinnen

What Verband deutscher Unternehmerinnen does

Verband deutscher Unternehmerinnen (VdU) is a non-profit registered association (eingetragener Verein) founded on 30 November 1954 in Cologne and headquartered since March 2000 in Berlin's Haus der Deutschen Wirtschaft. It operates as a cross-industry trade association representing the interests of approximately 1.2 million self-employed women in Germany through a network of roughly 1,800 paying entrepreneur members organized across 15 regional state associations (Landesverbände). Its core products are membership subscriptions, the she succeeds award (entering its 9th edition in November 2026 under the patronage of the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy), signature event formats including the annual Jahresversammlung, VdU Tea Time, and MINTsummit, the UNTERNEHMERIN quarterly magazine, the VdUinvest platform, and the mentoring program delivered via the affiliated Käte Ahlmann Stiftung (TWIN-TwoWomenWin).

The VdU's technology footprint is limited to a public website, a member portal, a dedicated events platform, and a digital membership application (Power Apps portal and PDF), with no proprietary AI, data, or platform infrastructure. Revenue is generated primarily through recurring annual membership fees (with discounted founder and successor tiers and a six-month free trial for prospects), supplemented by financial supporters (Deutsche Bank, Mercedes-Benz, Commerzbank, DAK-Gesundheit), event fees, and program-related funding; exact figures are not publicly disclosed. The association operates a lean professional staff of approximately 10-15 at its Berlin headquarters under Managing Director Evelyne de Gruyter and President Christina Puello, with a volunteer Bundesvorstand drawn from member entrepreneurs.

Go-to-market is event-driven and community-led: more than 300 events per year (regional business dinners, corporate visits, political dialogues, the Jahresversammlung) anchor acquisition and retention, while member referrals and the free trial convert prospects. Distribution flows through 15 state associations, the digital application path, and the events platform. Strategic positioning rests on 70+ years of brand history, institutional co-location with BDA, BDI, and DIHK, and political relationships reaching the EU Commission, the Bundestag, and the W20 (Women20) G20 engagement group.

Name

Verband deutscher Unternehmerinnen

Legal name

Verband der Unternehmerinnen in Deutschland e.V.

Website

https://vdu.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1954

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Verband deutscher Unternehmerinnen (VdU) is a German non-profit trade association founded in 1954 that represents approximately 1.2 million self-employed women through 1,800 entrepreneur members across 15 state associations, delivering advocacy, networking events, training, and the she succeeds award.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Berlin

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: The VdU generates revenue primarily through membership fees. The organization levies an admission/joining fee and annual membership contributions. Special discounted rates are available for founders (under 40, first year at admission fee only) and succession members (first calendar year at admission fee only).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Verband deutscher Unternehmerinnen (VdU) is Germany's oldest cross-industry trade association for women entrepreneurs, founded in 1954. It delivers membership-based services including political advocacy, regional and national networking events (300+ per year), qualification programs, mentorship through the Käte Ahlmann Stiftung, and recognition programs such as the she succeeds award. The association represents the interests of approximately 1.2 million self-employed women and serves over 1,800 entrepreneur members across 15 regional state associations.

Product overview

VdU operates as a multi-offering membership organization rather than a unified software platform. Its portfolio comprises membership services (with distinct tiers for founders, successors, and standard members), signature event formats (VdU Tea Time, MINTsummit, Jahresversammlung), the she succeeds award program, the UNTERNEHMERIN publication, the VdUinvest platform, and the Käte Ahlmann Stiftung mentoring program. These offerings are interconnected through the 15 regional Landesverbände chapters that deliver localized access to the association's national events and advocacy work.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Käte Ahlmann Stiftung: Foundation established by VdU members in 2001 to mentor young female entrepreneurs through the TWIN-TwoWomenWin concept.
• she succeeds award
• VdU-Barometer

Products and services

• Mitgliedschaft (Membership)

Quantifiable outcome

• 1.2 million self-employed women represented politically in Germany
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Berliner Erklärung (Berlin Declaration)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe VdU co-initiated the non-partisan 'Berliner Erklärung' (Berlin Declaration) coalition, which advocates for parity in all societal areas, equal pay, equal conditions in the workplace, gender equality as a guiding principle in all policy fields, and a life free of violence for all women.
• Käte Ahlmann StiftungcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounded by VdU members in 2001, the Käte Ahlmann Stiftung runs the TWIN-TwoWomenWin mentoring program for young female entrepreneurs. VdU members serve as mentors, sharing entrepreneurial know-how with early-stage women entrepreneurs.
• FCEM – Femmes Chefs d'Entreprises MondialescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe VdU has been active since its founding as part of the European and global FCEM network of women entrepreneurs. German association presidents have served as Vice Presidents of FCEM. The VdU hosted the FCEM World Congress in Berlin in September 2012 with over 600 entrepreneurs from 42 countries.
• PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe VdU cooperates with PwC to offer three-day seminars for supervisory board work, as part of a qualification program for women in supervisory and management bodies.
• Business Angels Deutschland (BAND)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerListed as a partner of the VdU, facilitating connections between female entrepreneurs and business angels.
• Charta der Vielfalt (Charter of Diversity)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe VdU is a signatory/partner of the Charta der Vielfalt, advocating for diversity management in companies.
• Equal Pay DayminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe VdU partners with the Equal Pay Day initiative to advocate for equal pay between men and women.
• Girls'DayminorGTM or Marketing PartnerThe VdU partners with the Girls'Day initiative to promote career orientation for girls and women in traditionally male-dominated fields.
• Komm mach MINTminorGTM or Marketing PartnerThe VdU partners with the Komm mach MINT initiative to promote MINT (STEM) careers among girls and women.
• Initiative KlischeefreiminorGTM or Marketing PartnerThe VdU partners with the Initiative Klischeefrei to combat gender stereotypes in career choice and vocational training.
• FidAR – Frauen in die AufsichtsräteminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe VdU partners with FidAR, which advocates for more women on supervisory boards in Germany.
• WeConnect InternationalminorGTM or Marketing PartnerWeConnect International supports women-owned businesses by connecting them with corporations and institutions. Listed as a VdU partner.
• Erfolgsfaktor FamilieminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe VdU partners with Erfolgsfaktor Familie, a federal initiative to promote family-friendly working conditions.
• W20 (Women20)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe VdU participates in the W20 (Women20) engagement group within the G20 process, advocating for women's economic empowerment at the international level.
• DAIHK (German Chamber of Commerce and Industry)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe VdU cooperates with DIHK (Deutsche Industrie- und Handelskammer), sharing office premises in the Haus der Deutschen Wirtschaft in Berlin.
• Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Energie (Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy)coreOthersThe she succeeds award operates under the patronage of the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy, indicating a close working relationship with the ministry on issues of business succession and female entrepreneurship.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Female Founders: German-based community and ecosystem for female entrepreneurs, particularly in tech and venture. Represents the digital-native, venture-oriented generation of women founders that VdU's traditional association model may struggle to attract.

Direct peers

• International Women's Forum (IWF): Global network of accomplished women leaders across sectors. Comparable to VdU in offering peer networking, leadership development, and policy engagement for senior women in business — operating at a similar value proposition but with broader geographic and leadership-level scope.
• WEConnect International: Global nonprofit connecting women-owned businesses with corporate and institutional buyers. Listed as an explicit VdU partner and serves an overlapping constituency of women entrepreneurs seeking market access and visibility.
• FCEM (Femmes Chefs d'Entreprises Mondiales): Global network of women entrepreneurs' associations spanning 120+ countries. VdU has been an active member since its founding, with German association presidents serving as FCEM Vice Presidents and VdU hosting the 2012 World Congress in Berlin — making FCEM the most directly comparable peer at the global level.
• FidAR – Frauen in die Aufsichtsräte: German advocacy organization focused on increasing women's representation on corporate supervisory boards. Listed as a VdU partner and addresses an overlapping target audience (senior female entrepreneurs and executives), with similar advocacy methodology.

Broad incumbents

• Bundesverband Deutsche Startups: Germany's leading startup association, representing the broader startup ecosystem (not gender-specific). Operates as a broader incumbent in adjacent political advocacy space, sharing institutional access and lobbying infrastructure that competes for the attention of German policymakers.
• DIHK – Deutsche Industrie- und Handelskammer: Germany's central organization for chambers of industry and commerce. VdU shares office premises in the Haus der Deutschen Wirtschaft with DIHK, which serves as a much larger umbrella institution representing all German businesses including (but not specialized for) women entrepreneurs.
• BDI – Bundesverband der Deutschen Industrie: Germany's main industry federation representing large industrial enterprises. Co-located in the Haus der Deutschen Wirtschaft with VdU, BDI operates as a much larger institutional incumbent with overlapping policy advocacy on economic framework conditions.
• BDA – Bundesvereinigung der Deutschen Arbeitgeberverbände: Confederation of German employers' associations. Co-located in the Haus der Deutschen Wirtschaft with VdU, BDA operates as a broad incumbent representing employer interests across sectors, with overlapping advocacy on labor market and economic policy.

Regional players

• National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO): US-based trade association for women business owners with comparable membership-driven advocacy and networking model. Operates in a different geography but shares the core proposition of representing and supporting female entrepreneurs through a national chapter structure.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/vdu_ev
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@vdumein
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/vdu-verband-deutscher-unternehmerinnen
• Instagraminstagram.com/vdu_deutschland

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 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 Verband deutscher Unternehmerinnen