BAG WfbM

What BAG WfbM does

BAG WfbM (Bundesarbeitsgemeinschaft Werkstätten für behinderte Menschen e.V.) is a German non-profit registered association (e.V.) founded on June 18, 1975 in Bonn and headquartered in Berlin since 2022. It is the federal working group and principal collective voice for workshops for people with disabilities in Germany, with approximately 700 main workshops as members operating around 3,000 workshop locations and serving roughly 300,000 people with disabilities across the Arbeits-, Berufsbildungs-, and Förderbereiche. The association is governed by a board chaired by Andrea Stratmann with three deputy chairs and led operationally by Managing Director Dr. Kerstin Adolf-Wright and Deputy Managing Director Konstantin Fischer; the staff of 56 is organized across managing directorate, administration, legal/economics/education/digitalization, and public relations/events.

The organization's commercial activity is a portfolio of advocacy services and member programs rather than a unified product. Core offerings include political advocacy and Stellungnahmen on disability employment legislation, the exzellent-Preise awards (consecutive annual program since 2007, 20th edition in 2026), flagship events (annual You can! Fachkongress in Leipzig from March 2026, quadrennial Werkstätten:Tag, biennial Berliner Gespräche, annual Deutsche Fußball-Meisterschaft der Werkstätten co-organized with DFB-Stiftung Sepp Herberger for 25 years), publications (Werkstatt:Dialog magazine and Jahresbericht at €11.00 per issue), an aggregated job portal, and innovation projects such as KI-Kompass Inklusiv (an AI-assisted assistive technology competence center running through 2027 with DFKI as scientific lead and BMAS funding via the Ausgleichsfonds), Gemeinsam Perspektiven schaffen (GPS) with the University of Cologne, and Schichtwechsel. Distribution is coordinated through 16 Landesarbeitsgemeinschaften covering all federal states and digital channels including a BITV 2.0-compliant website with Leichte Sprache content, plus Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram.

Revenue mechanics are typical of a German advocacy association: recurring voluntary membership dues from ~700 workshops (the primary revenue stream), project-based funding from federal ministries (notably BMAS), modest revenue from publication sales and event fees, and European networking activities. No revenue figures are publicly disclosed. Customer relationships are diffuse — the 'customers' are member organizations that are simultaneously the owners of the association, creating a hybrid dues-funded, project-funded, mission-driven structure rather than a transactional commercial model. The association does not offer a commercial software product per se and is not a technology vendor, though its KI-Kompass Inklusiv initiative gives it a quasi-product role in the AI-assisted assistive technology knowledge space.

Name

BAG WfbM

Legal name

Bundesarbeitsgemeinschaft Werkstätten für behinderte Menschen e. V.

Website

https://bagwfbm.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1975

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

BAG WfbM is the German federal working group (e.V.) of workshops for people with disabilities, representing approximately 700 member organizations operating around 3,000 locations and serving roughly 300,000 beneficiaries through advocacy, events, publications, and innovation projects.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Berlin

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: BAG WfbM is funded primarily through membership dues from its approximately 700 member organizations (workshops, day care facilities, inclusion companies, and other service providers for people with disabilities). Membership is voluntary.
2. Publication Sales: BAG WfbM sells publications including the annual report (Jahresbericht, free to €11.00) and the Werkstatt:Dialog magazine (€11.00 per issue). Publications are available as digital downloads or as physical printed brochures ordered through the website.
3. Project Funding: BAG WfbM receives project-based funding from government sources for initiatives such as KI-Kompass Inklusiv, which is funded by the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (BMAS) from the compensation fund for supraregional measures for the participation of severely disabled people in working life.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

BAG WfbM is a non-profit federal association that advocates for and supports approximately 700 member organizations (workshops, day-care facilities, inclusion companies, and other service providers for people with disabilities) operating around 3,000 locations across Germany. It sells memberships, publications (Werkstatt:Dialog magazine and Jahresbericht), and runs large-scale events (You can! Fachkongress, Berliner Gespräche, Werkstätten:Tag, Deutsche Fußball-Meisterschaft der Werkstätten) as well as projects such as KI-Kompass Inklusiv, Schichtwechsel, and GPS.

Product overview

BAG WfbM is a federal association (e.V.) representing workshops for people with disabilities in Germany. Rather than offering a unified software product, the organization provides a portfolio of advocacy services, member support programs, and event platforms. Key offerings include the advocacy and representation of member interests, award programs (exzellent-Preise), research and pilot projects (KI-Kompass Inklusiv, GPS, Schichtwechsel), publications (Werkstatt:Dialog magazine, annual reports), professional conferences (You can! Fachkongress, Berliner Gespräche, Werkstätten:Tag), a sports championship (Deutsche Fußball-Meisterschaft), and an online job portal and member area. The organization does not offer a commercial software product per se.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Schichtwechsel: Aktionstag (action day) where people with and without disabilities exchange workplaces for a day to gain insights into different work realities.
• You can! Fachkongress
• exzellent-Preise
• KI-Kompass Inklusiv
• Gemeinsam Perspektiven schaffen (GPS)
• Werkstätten:Tag
• Berliner Gespräche
• Deutsche Fußball-Meisterschaft der Werkstätten

Products and services

• BAG WfbM Membership Voluntary membership for German workshops for disabled people (Werkstätten), day-care facilities (Förderstätten), inclusion companies (Inklusionsbetriebe), and other disability service providers, providing political advocacy, networking, professional development, publications, project participation, and access to the Jobportal in exchange for annual membership dues.
• Werkstatt:Dialog Subscription magazine of BAG WfbM covering topics related to workshops for people with disabilities, inclusion in working life, and association activities, sold at €11.00 per issue (both current and back issues) with digital and print versions available through the website's shopping cart.
• Jahresbericht (Annual Report) Annual report of BAG WfbM summarizing the year's work, projects, events, and association developments, available as a free digital download and as an orderable printed brochure.
• You can! Fachkongress Annual professional congress for inclusion in working life held at Congress Center Leipzig, gathering experts, member organizations, projects, companies, and initiatives to discuss professional perspectives and the participation of people with disabilities in working life.
• Berliner Gespräche Biennial specialist conference held in Berlin for professional and managerial staff from workshops, day-care facilities, inclusion companies, and other service providers, focusing on current topics of participation of people with disabilities in working life (~160-200 participants per edition).
• Werkstätten:Tag Federal congress held every four years for workshops and other service providers for people with disabilities, described as the most significant exchange and networking platform for the German workshop system (~2,000 participants per edition).
• Deutsche Fußball-Meisterschaft der Werkstätten Annual German football championship for workshops for disabled people, organized by BAG WfbM with DFB-Stiftung Sepp Herberger and Deutscher Behindertensportverband, the largest national football tournament for workshops, preceded by regional state championships.
• Jobportal (Job Portal) Online job portal operated by BAG WfbM aggregating open professional and executive positions from member organizations to help them recruit staff in the disability services sector.

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability1 record

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.

• Werkstatträte Deutschland e.V.coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 March 2026BAG WfbM and Werkstatträte Deutschland co-delivered a political appeal to BMAS at the You can! Fachkongress 2026, calling for urgent reform of the workshop compensation (Entgelt) system. Both organizations share a common advocacy agenda for fair pay and improved working conditions for the approximately 300,000 workshop employees in Germany.
• Congress Center Leipzig / Leipziger MessecoreOthers · 11 March 2026Venue partner for the You can! Fachkongress. The Congress Center Leipzig hosted the first edition of the annual congress (March 2026) and is confirmed as the venue for subsequent editions (March 2027). The Leipziger Messe serves as co-host, providing the venue and logistical infrastructure for the congress.
• Deutsches Forschungszentrum für Künstliche Intelligenz (DFKI)coreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2023DFKI serves as the overall project lead for the KI-Kompass Inklusiv project, which BAG WfbM coordinates as a partner. DFKI is Germany's leading AI research institute and provides the technical and scientific foundation for the competency center on AI-assisted assistive technologies for people with disabilities in working life.
• Bundesministerium für Arbeit und Soziales (BMAS)coreOthers · 1 January 2023BMAS funds the KI-Kompass Inklusiv project through the Ausgleichsfonds (compensation fund) for supraregional measures for the participation of severely disabled people in working life. The project is part of the Digitalstrategie Deutschland.
• DFB-Stiftung Sepp HerbergerflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2000BAG WfbM co-organizes the Deutsche Fußball-Meisterschaft der Werkstätten für behinderte Menschen with the DFB-Stiftung Sepp Herberger. This partnership has been running for 25 years. The foundation supports inclusive football and joint activities between people with and without disabilities. The tournament is held annually at Sportschule Wedau in Duisburg.
• Deutscher Behindertensportverband e.V. (DBS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe German Disability Sports Association is a co-organizer of the Deutsche Fußball-Meisterschaft. The association supports all athletes with disabilities.
• Bundesverband Deutscher Berufsförderungswerke e.V. (BV BFW)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the KI-Kompass Inklusiv project, contributing expertise in vocational rehabilitation and professional development for people with disabilities.
• Bundesarbeitsgemeinschaft der Berufsbildungswerke e.V. (BAG BBW)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the KI-Kompass Inklusiv project, bringing expertise in vocational training center operations and inclusive education methodologies.
• Universität zu Köln (University of Cologne)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBAG WfbM collaborates with the University of Cologne on the 'Gemeinsam Perspektiven schaffen (GPS)' project, researching and working to improve access to education and employment for people with high support needs.
• Werkstatträte Deutschland e.V. (as co-organizer of shared advocacy)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerJoint political advocacy with Werkstatträte Deutschland on issues including fair compensation, workshop reform, and participation rights of workshop employees.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Caritas Deutschland: Germany's largest welfare confederation, operating numerous Werkstätten and disability services among broader social services. Comparable as a major provider-and-advocate in the same disability service space but with much broader social services portfolio.
• Bundesagentur für Arbeit – Rehabilitation / Eingliederung behinderter Menschen: Federal Employment Agency division administering disability employment programs and benefits. Comparable as the dominant federal funder and policy actor shaping the same Werkstätten and Eingliederungshilfe landscape in which BAG WfbM operates.
• Diakonie Deutschland: Protestant welfare confederation that operates disability workshops and services. Comparable as one of the major provider federations whose members run Werkstätten, sitting in the same political ecosystem as BAG WfbM but with a wider social-services mandate.

Emerging players

• Inclusion Europe: European association advocating for people with intellectual disabilities and their families. Comparable as a higher-level advocacy body addressing similar policy themes around employment, participation, and inclusion.
• European Association of Service Providers for Persons with Disabilities (EASPD): European-level umbrella for disability service providers. Comparable as the supranational counterpart to BAG WfbM's national role, with which BAG WfbM coordinates its European networking activities.

Direct peers

• Deutscher Behindertensportverband (DBS): National Disability Sports Federation of Germany. Directly comparable as a co-organizer of the Deutsche Fußball-Meisterschaft and a partner in BAG WfbM's inclusive sports programming, serving overlapping beneficiaries.
• Aktion Mensch: Germany's largest social lottery and inclusion funder, financing projects for people with disabilities. Comparable as a major national non-profit operating in the disability inclusion ecosystem with significant funding and project influence.
• Bundesverband Berufsförderungswerke (BV BFW): National federation of vocational rehabilitation centers. Comparable as a partner in the KI-Kompass Inklusiv project, addressing adjacent segments of disability employment and vocational training policy.
• Bundesvereinigung Lebenshilfe: German national federation for disability rights and inclusion. Comparable to BAG WfbM as a parallel umbrella representing people with intellectual disabilities and their service providers, with overlapping policy advocacy on Bundesteilhabegesetz and Eingliederungshilfe.
• Bundesarbeitsgemeinschaft Selbsthilfe von Menschen mit Behinderung und chronischer Erkrankung (BAG Selbsthilfe): Federal umbrella of disability and chronic illness self-help organizations. Comparable as a national Bundesarbeitsgemeinschaft structure representing member organizations and engaging in federal disability policy.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/bagwfbm
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bag-wfbm
• Instagraminstagram.com/bagwfbm

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles19 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 BAG WfbM