SAE Institute Berlin

What SAE Institute Berlin does

SAE Institute Berlin is a private creative media education institution located in the Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg district of Berlin, operating as a campus of the global SAE Institute network under the legal entity SAE Institute GmbH. Established in 1988 and occupying a 2,000 m² two-floor facility (Cuvryspeicher, Cuvrystr. 4) near Schlesisches Tor, the campus houses seven fully equipped mixing rooms, four recording rooms, a greenscreen studio with camera crane, dolly and steadicam, open computer workstations, and bright classrooms. The institution delivers professional training programs across 12 disciplines including audio engineering, animation and visual effects, film production, game art and development, music production and sound design, software engineering, content creation and online marketing, design, event engineering, music business, and voice acting. Programs are offered at multiple credential levels: short-form Professional Certificates (8-week intensives), Diplomas, Bachelor's degrees (awarded by the University of Hertfordshire since January 2022, previously by Middlesex University), and Master's degrees (including MA Professional Media Creation awarded by Folkwang Universität der Künste). The facility's technical infrastructure is anchored by professional-grade equipment including a 48-channel Neve 88RS mixing console, a 48-channel Neve Custom 75, a 48-channel Avid S6 controller with 5.1 Dolby Surround, and an Audient ASP 4816.

The institution operates a sales-led go-to-market motion targeting aspiring creative professionals (the primary segment), graduate-level students, and corporate training clients. Prospective students engage through a multi-channel funnel including website content, Instagram, open campus events, individual campus tours, virtual tours, and the 'Life After SAE' podcast, ultimately converting via counselor-led consultations and direct enrollment. Revenue is generated primarily through tuition and course fees structured as recurring subscription payments with installment plans; corporate training and publicly funded professional development (Geförderte Weiterbildung under SGB III certification) represent secondary streams. Specific pricing is not publicly disclosed. The Berlin campus is part of a broader SAE footprint of 10 German locations and a global network spanning more than 20 countries, enabling cross-campus mobility and international student recruitment.

Name

SAE Institute Berlin

Legal name

SAE Institute GmbH

Website

https://berlin.sae.edu

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

SAE Institute Berlin is a private creative media education campus offering certificates, diplomas, and degrees across 12 disciplines including audio, film, games, and software engineering, serving aspiring creative professionals with professional-grade studio infrastructure and university-awarded credentials.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Creative Media Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Educational Services (611), All Other Schools and Instruction (61169)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Arts, Humanities & Creative Research Universities (EDAHABAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

Professional & Executive Short Courses (Non-Degree, International) (EDAIAIAH)

Keywords

• Creative media education
• Audio engineering training
• Film production courses
• Game development programs
• Music production education

Headquarters

HQ city

Berlin

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Course Fees: Revenue generated from tuition fees for professional certificates, diploma programs, bachelor's degrees, and master's programs. Programs are offered at various price points with payment plans available. The institution also offers corporate training and publicly funded professional development courses.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

SAE Institute Berlin is a private creative media education institution that delivers professional training, Professional Certificates, Diploma programs, Bachelor's degrees (awarded by the University of Hertfordshire), and Master's degrees (awarded by the University of Hertfordshire and Folkwang Universität der Künste) across 12 disciplines including Audio Engineering, Film Production, Game Development, Music Production, Animation & VFX, and Software Engineering. Instruction is delivered on a 2,000 m² Berlin campus featuring seven mixing rooms, four recording rooms, a greenscreen studio, and collaborative workspaces using industry-grade equipment (Neve consoles, Avid S6, Dolby Surround). Students pay tuition with available payment plans, supplemented by corporate training and publicly funded professional development courses.

Product overview

SAE Institute Berlin is an educational institution offering a comprehensive portfolio of professional training programs, certificates, and degree programs in the creative media industries. The institution provides professional certificates in areas such as Animation & Visual Effects, Audio Engineering, Film Production, Game Development, Music Production, and Software Engineering. It also offers Bachelor and Master degree programs in partnership with the University of Hertfordshire and Folkwang Universität der Künste. The Berlin campus features extensive studio infrastructure including professional recording studios, film suites with greenscreen and camera equipment, and collaborative workspace areas for hands-on practical training. The institution positions itself as a bridge between creative passion and professional careers in the media industry.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Animation & Visual Effects Professional training program covering visual effects (VFX) and 3D animation techniques for film and media production.
• Audio Engineering Professional training in audio engineering covering studio recording, mixing, and mastering techniques.
• Content Creation & Online Marketing Professional training in digital content creation and online marketing strategies for media professionals.
• Design Professional design training covering visual communication and design principles for creative industries.
• Event Engineering Professional training in event technology, stage technique, and live event production.
• Film Production Professional training in film production from pre-production through post-production and distribution.
• Game Art & 3D Animation Professional training in game art creation and 3D animation for video game development.
• Game Development Professional training in games programming and software development for video game creation.
• Music Business Professional training in music industry business practices, artist management, and music marketing.
• Music Production & Sound Design Professional training in music production and sound design for studio and live applications.
• Software Engineering Professional training in software engineering and programming for digital product development.
• Voice Acting Professional training in voice acting and vocal performance for media production.
• Electronic Music Production Certificate 8-week intensive course in electronic music production covering the transition from demo to professional release, including technical precision and industry workflow. Delivered in partnership with DJ Lion.
• Hip Hop & RnB Producer Certificate Professional certificate program covering music production techniques in Hip Hop and RnB genres, including DAW production, vocal recording, mixing and mastering.
• Music Video Production Certificate 8-week course designed by music video producer Hinrich Pflug covering all aspects of music video production, including access to film suites and professional campus supervision.
• Bachelor Degree Programs Bachelor degree programs awarded by the University of Hertfordshire, covering various media and creative industry disciplines.
• Master Degree Programs Master degree programs including MA/MSc Professional Practice (awarded by University of Hertfordshire) and MA Professional Media Creation (awarded by Folkwang Universität der Künste).

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• University of HertfordshirecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSAE Institute Berlin offers bachelor's degree programs where degrees are awarded by and quality assured by the University of Hertfordshire. Starting from January 2022, degree programs are developed, delivered, and assessed by SAE Institute and awarded by the University of Hertfordshire.
• Folkwang Universität der KünstecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSAE Institute Berlin offers the MA Professional Media Creation degree program awarded by Folkwang Universität der Künste, providing a master's level option with partnership from a renowned German arts university.
• Middlesex University (historical)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHistorical partnership with Middlesex University for students enrolled in degree programs prior to January 1st, 2022. Programs were developed, delivered, and assessed by SAE Institute and awarded by Middlesex University.
• DJ LionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with DJ Lion for the Electronic Music Production course at SAE Institute Berlin, providing proprietary mentorship and industry workflow expertise for the 8-week intensive program.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• BIMM University Berlin: BIMM University Berlin is the most direct competitor—a UK-origin creative arts higher education institution operating a Berlin campus offering degrees and diplomas in music performance, music production, songwriting, and creative media. It targets the same aspiring creative professional segment in Berlin's Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg creative district.
• Full Sail University: Full Sail University is a US-based for-profit institution offering bachelor's degrees in film, audio, game design, animation, and music production with industry-grade studio facilities. It is a global direct peer within the SAE global network and the closest international analog for SAE's hands-on studio-based education model.
• Media Design Hochschule (MD.H): Media Design Hochschule is a German private university of applied sciences offering bachelor's and master's degrees in design, film, animation, game design, and media production. It directly competes for the same German students seeking state-recognized creative media degrees outside the public university system.
• Point Blank Music School: Point Blank Music School is a London-headquartered specialist music production and audio engineering school with global campuses (including Berlin), offering Ableton- and Ableton-certified training. It competes directly for the electronic music production and DJ/producer segment that SAE Berlin targets.
• dBs Music Berlin: dBs Music operates a Berlin campus providing professional diplomas and degrees in music production, sound engineering, and audio. It is a direct competitor for the music production and audio engineering student cohort that SAE Berlin targets.

Broad incumbents

• Hochschule für Musik Hanns Eisler Berlin: Hanns Eisler is a public Berlin university offering conservatory-level music degrees. It competes with SAE's music production and audio engineering programs at the higher end of the credential spectrum, particularly for German/EU students who qualify for public subsidized tuition.
• BIMM Institute (UK parent network): BIMM Institute is the broader UK creative education network operating the Berlin campus above as well as music-focused colleges across the UK and Ireland. It is comparable as a multi-campus global creative education network peer to SAE's global structure, sharing the same multi-country, multi-discipline operating model.
• SRH Hochschule Heidelberg: SRH Hochschule is one of Germany's largest private universities of applied sciences with a broader portfolio including engineering, business, and design programs. It is a broader German private higher education competitor that competes for the same career-changer and professional development student base seeking recognized German degrees.
• IU International University of Applied Sciences: IU International University is Germany's largest private university, offering accredited bachelor's and master's degrees across hundreds of programs including media/communication, often at lower price points via distance learning. It represents a broader incumbent threat to SAE's higher-priced campus-based creative media degrees.

Emerging players

• Catalyst Institute of Creative Arts and Technology Berlin: Catalyst Institute is a newer Berlin-based specialist creative technology school offering intensive bootcamp-style programs in sound design, music production, and creative tech. It competes with SAE's short-form certificate offering at potentially lower price points.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/sae.institute.berlin
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sae-institute-berlin

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 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 SAE Institute Berlin