BioSkop

What BioSkop does

BioSkop e.V. – Forum zur Beobachtung der Biowissenschaften und ihrer Technologien is a German non-profit association (eingetragener Verein) headquartered in Essen, founded in 1997/1998, that operates as an independent observatory and critical publisher on biosciences, bioethics, and health policy. Its core offerings are the quarterly journal BIOSKOP (published since 1998, 114+ issues), the quarterly newsletter Behindertenpolitik (since June 2000, 104+ issues), thematic dossiers, brochures and conference documentation, a speaker referral service (ReferentInnen-Vermittlung), and advocacy tools including a transparency calendar tracking pharmaceutical sponsorship of medical training and a public stakeholder directory ("Wer will was?"). Editorial coverage spans transplantation medicine, reproductive medicine, euthanasia and assisted suicide, prenatal diagnostics, end-of-life care planning, digitalization in healthcare, Big Data projects such as the Nationale Kohorte, and pharmaceutical industry influence on medical practice. BioSkop does not develop software, APIs, or AI systems; its technical footprint consists of a website, an X/Twitter account (@newsBioskop), and PDF downloads of its publications.

The business model is donation- and subscription-driven under German charitable (gemeinnützig) status, with tax-deductible donation receipts issued to supporters and no disclosed commercial revenue, advertising, or institutional grants. Go-to-market is direct-to-individual: print and digital subscriptions, free PDF access for awareness, and event-based engagement (lectures, conferences, joint advocacy campaigns) in cooperation with a stable coalition of German civil society partners including Hospizvereinigung OMEGA, Gen-ethisches Netzwerk (GeN), Arbeitskreis Frauengesundheit (AKF), Netzwerk gegen Selektion durch Pränataldiagnostik, and MEZIS. The organization serves three horizontal persona segments — citizens interested in bioethics and health policy, civil society organizations and activists, and journalists/researchers — without named enterprise or institutional paying customers. Operations are run by a small named team: Managing Director and editor Erika Feyerabend, responsible editor Klaus-Peter Görlitzer, board members Susanne Ebner, Katja Schütze, and Karin Michel, plus a webmaster, with no disclosed headcount, funding events, or revenue figures.

Name

BioSkop

Legal name

BioSkop e.V. – Forum zur Beobachtung der Biowissenschaften und ihrer Technologien

Website

https://bioskop-forum.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

BioSkop is a German non-profit association founded in 1997/1998 in Essen that publishes the BIOSKOP journal, the Behindertenpolitik newsletter, dossiers, and advocacy tools providing independent critical analysis of bioethics, biotechnology, and health policy for citizens, civil society groups, journalists, and researchers, funded through donations and subscriptions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Essen

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

BioSkop e.V. is a German non-profit association that produces independent critical analysis of biosciences, bioethics, and health policy. Its core offering is the BIOSKOP journal (published since 1998), complemented by the Behindertenpolitik newsletter (since 2000), thematic dossiers, brochures and flyers, conference documentation, a speaker referral service for events, and a transparency calendar tracking pharmaceutical sponsorship of medical education in Germany.

Product overview

BioSkop is a non-profit advocacy organization (Forum zur Beobachtung der Biowissenschaften und ihrer Technologien e.V.) focused on critical observation and analysis of life sciences, biotechnology, and health policy. The organization operates primarily as a publication house and public education platform rather than a technology product company. Its core offerings include: the BIOSKOP journal (published since 1998, covering topics such as bioethics, transplantation medicine, prenatal diagnostics, reproduction medicine, euthanasia, and digital health), the newsletter Behindertenpolitik (covering disability policy since 2000), thematic dossiers on specific issues, educational brochures and flyers, a speaker referral service for lectures and events, and advocacy tools such as a transparency calendar tracking pharmaceutical sponsorship of medical education. The organization does not develop or offer software products, APIs, or AI-powered technology solutions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• BIOSKOP: The primary journal/magazine published by BioSkop e.V., covering bioethical and biopolitical topics
• newsletter Behindertenpolitik

Products and services

• BIOSKOP (Zeitschrift) The primary journal of BioSkop, published since 1998, covering bioethics, life sciences, health policy, transplantation medicine, prenatal diagnostics, reproduction medicine, euthanasia, and digitalization in healthcare. Offers independent research, critical analyses, and practical guidance on bio-political developments for citizens, civil society, journalists, and researchers.
• newsletter Behindertenpolitik A supplementary newsletter published since June 2000 covering disability policy topics from the perspective of those affected, accompanying the main BIOSKOP journal. Has published 104+ issues.
• Broschüren, Flyer und Dokumente Printed educational materials including brochures on topics such as organ donation, patient directives, reproductive medicine critique, pharmaceutical sponsorship, and care planning. Also includes position papers and conference documentation.
• BioSkop-Dossiers In-depth thematic dossiers covering specific topics such as organ donation and the objection system, care planning for the final phase of life, non-beneficial research (fremdnützige Forschung), and the German Foundation for Organ Transplantation (DSO).
• ReferentInnen-Vermittlung BioSkop provides knowledgeable speakers on topics including organ transplantation, reproductive medicine, prenatal diagnostics, bioethics, human research, and health policies for events, lectures, and discussions.
• Transparenz-Kalender An exclusive transparency calendar tracking medical training events and continuing education sponsored by pharmaceutical companies, documenting funding flows in medical education.
• Wer-will-was? (Verzeichnis) A directory listing influential experts and politicians whose activities BioSkop observes and reports on, organized by year, covering bio-political developments and key stakeholders.

Segments3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Hospizvereinigung OMEGAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing partnership with joint statements on suicide assistance legislation (December 2022), campaigns on hospice care and end-of-life planning, and shared advocacy against assisted suicide legislation.
• Gen-ethisches Netzwerk (GeN)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-organized events including the presentation of the critical statement on reproductive medicine 'Wunschkinder durch globalisierte Ausbeutung?' (January 2020) and ongoing collaboration on reproductive rights and bioethics.
• Arbeitskreis Frauengesundheit (AKF)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegular collaboration on events addressing women's health, reproductive medicine, and biopolitical topics. Joint organization of 'Biopolitischer Stammtisch' discussions.
• Netzwerk gegen Selektion durch PränataldiagnostikminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCollaboration on advocacy against prenatal genetic testing expansion and Kassenzulassung (coverage by public health insurance) of NIPT tests.
• MEZIS (Mein Essen ich selbst)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerCollaboration on issues of physician independence and pharmaceutical industry influence on medical practice.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• GeneWatch UK: UK-based non-profit monitoring genetic technologies, bioprospecting, and biosciences policy. Comparable as an independent advocacy organization with a similar watchdog and policy-analysis mandate in biosciences.
• Arbeitskreis Frauengesundheit (AKF): German expert network on women's health that regularly collaborates with BioSkop on reproductive medicine, biopolitics, and women's health events. Comparable as a peer civil society organization in adjacent bioethics territory.
• Netzwerk gegen Selektion durch Pränataldiagnostik: German advocacy network opposing the expansion and public funding of prenatal genetic testing. Directly comparable as a partner organization of BioSkop working on bioethics and disability rights in the same niche.
• MEZIS (Mein Essen zahl' ich selbst): German initiative of physicians advocating for independence from pharmaceutical industry influence. Comparable as a peer advocacy organization collaborating with BioSkop on transparency in medical education and pharma sponsorship.
• Gen-ethisches Netzwerk (GeN): Berlin-based non-profit association coordinating critical civil society work on genetic engineering, reproductive medicine, and bioethics in Germany. Directly comparable as a peer advocacy organization collaborating with BioSkop on reproductive rights and bioethics campaigns.
• Center for Genetics and Society: US-based non-profit advocacy organization focused on the social, ethical, and equity implications of human genetic and reproductive technologies. Comparable as a peer civil society advocacy organization covering bioethics, reproductive medicine, and biotech policy critique.
• Hospizvereinigung OMEGA: German hospice and palliative care advocacy organization with long-standing partnership with BioSkop. Comparable as a civil society non-profit working on end-of-life policy, assisted suicide legislation, and patient autonomy.

Broad incumbents

• Nuffield Council on Bioethics: UK-based independent bioethics body producing influential reports on biomedical ethics. Comparable as an established independent organization publishing critical analysis on biosciences and health policy, though with broader institutional backing than BioSkop.
• Deutscher Ethikrat: Germany's official independent Ethics Council advising the Bundestag and federal government on bioethical, medical, and technology ethics. Comparable as a major voice on the same bioethics topics BioSkop addresses, though operating as a formal government-adjacent institution rather than a grassroots advocacy group.

Emerging players

• Gentechnik-freie Regionen: German network of GMO-free regions advocating against genetic engineering in agriculture and food. Comparable as a peer grassroots advocacy organization with overlap in critical observation of bioscience applications, though focused on agricultural rather than medical biotechnology.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/newsBioskop
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bioskop

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 BioSkop