Rackow-Schulen

What Rackow-Schulen does

Rackow-Schulen is a state-recognized private secondary school and vocational training institution operating under the legal entity Rackow-Schulen Deutschland gGmbH. Founded in 1867, it is the oldest still-existing business and trade school in Germany, with campuses in Berlin (Charlottenburg) and Frankfurt am Main. The school serves students aged 15 and above, including those seeking to obtain the Mittlerer Schulabschluss (MSA), the Fachhochschulreife (Fachabitur) through Fachoberschule, the full Abitur via Berufsoberschule or FOS 13, and IHK-recognized vocational qualifications such as Büromanagement, Sozialassistenz, and Erzieher/-in (educator). A signature offering is the Doppelqualifizierung, which combines a vocational qualification with a higher education entrance credential concurrently, with program durations ranging from 1 to 3 years.

The school's core technology stack is a digital learning infrastructure centered on Microsoft Teams for virtual learning and collaboration, iPad-based instruction via dedicated iPad classes, hybrid tables for flexible learning arrangements, and digital whiteboards in all training rooms. A proprietary student portal hosts a Praktikums-App for internship requirement management, and student services include individual Schülercoaches (student coaches) supporting personal supervision. The school claims a guaranteed sub-1% teacher cancellation rate as a service quality differentiator.

The revenue model is direct-to-consumer tuition-based, with students or their families paying recurring fees for enrollment across the various programs. Distribution is primarily via direct enrollment through the school website, phone, email, and consultation appointments booked via Outlook 365, supplemented by organic social media presence on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram. The school reports 25 employees across its two locations and is privately held with no disclosed parent company or external institutional investors.

Name

Rackow-Schulen

Legal name

Rackow-Schulen Deutschland gGmbH

Website

https://berlin.rackow-schulen.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1867

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Rackow-Schulen is a state-recognized private school in Germany, founded in 1867, operating campuses in Berlin and Frankfurt to deliver secondary education credentials (MSA, Fachhochschulreife, Abitur) and IHK-certified vocational training programs to students aged 15 and above via a tuition-based direct enrollment model.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Private Secondary Education

NAICS

All Other Schools and Instruction (61169), Technical and Trade Schools (6115)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

International/Global Curriculum Schools (IB, Cambridge, etc.) (EDAJABAG)

Keywords

• Private secondary education
• Vocational training programs
• Abitur preparation
• Business school Germany
• Secondary school credentials

Headquarters

HQ city

Berlin

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Tuition Fees: As a private school, Rackow-Schulen generates revenue through tuition fees paid by students. The school offers various educational programs including MSA preparation, Fachoberschule (Fachabitur), Berufsoberschule (Abitur), and vocational training programs. Students pay for their education to obtain recognized German secondary education credentials and vocational qualifications.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Rackow-Schulen is a state-recognized private secondary school offering German educational credentials from Berufsbildungsreife (BBR/eBBR) and Mittlerer Schulabschluss (MSA) through Fachhochschulreife (Fachabitur) and full Abitur, plus vocational training programs (Büromanagement IHK, Sozialassistenz, and Erzieher/-in). It delivers instruction at campuses in Berlin and Frankfurt with modern digital infrastructure including iPad classes, digital whiteboards, hybrid learning tables, and Microsoft Teams integration.

Product overview

Rackow-Schulen operates as a private secondary school system offering a comprehensive portfolio of educational programs from basic vocational qualifications through full university entrance credentials. The school provides a unified platform of programs including BBR/eBBR, Mittlerer Schulabschluss (MSA), Fachhochschulreife (Fachabitur) through Fachoberschule (one and two-year formats), and Abitur through Berufsoberschule (BOS) and FOS 13. Vocational training programs include Büromanagement (IHK) combined with Fachhochschulreife, Sozialassistenz with MSA, and Fachschule für Sozialpädagogik (Erzieher/-in). Specializations span Wirtschaft und Verwaltung (Business Administration), Gesundheit und Soziales (Health and Social Services), and Gestaltung (Media Design). Programs are offered at locations in Berlin and Frankfurt.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Berufsbildungsreife (BBR und eBBR) Basic vocational qualification (Berufsbildungsreife) and extended BBR (eBBR) program providing foundational vocational training and secondary education credentials for students.
• Mittlerer Schulabschluss (MSA) Intermediate secondary school qualification (Realschulabschluss) available through standard programs or Integrierte Berufsausbildungsvorbereitung (IBA) within one year.
• Fachhochschulreife – FOS (Fachoberschule) University of Applied Sciences entrance qualification (Fachabitur) delivered via the Fachoberschule vocational upper secondary school, offered in one-year and two-year formats across Wirtschaft und Verwaltung, Gesundheit und Soziales, and Gestaltung tracks.
• Abitur (Allgemeine Hochschulreife) Full general university entrance qualification (Abitur/Hochschulreife) obtained through Berufsoberschule (BOS) or Fachoberschule 13 (FOS 13), qualifying students for study at all German universities.
• Ausbildung Büromanagement (IHK) Commercial office management vocational training (Kauffrau/Kaufmann für Büromanagement) certified by the IHK (Chamber of Industry and Commerce), combined with the Fachhochschulreife qualification.
• Ausbildung Sozialassistenz State-certified social assistant training (Sozialassistent/-in) that simultaneously provides the Mittlerer Schulabschluss (MSA) upon successful completion.
• Fachschule für Sozialpädagogik (Erzieher/-in) Three-year vocational school for social pedagogy (early childhood education) leading to the state-certified educator qualification (Erzieher/-in) delivered in part-time form.
• Berufsoberschule (BOS) Vocational upper secondary school offering one- or two-year programs in Economics or Social Studies that lead to the general university entrance qualification (Abitur).
• Integrierte Berufsausbildungsvorbereitung (IBA) One-year integrated vocational training preparation program enabling students to obtain the Mittleren Schulabschluss (MSA) while exploring vocational pathways.

Quantifiable outcome

• Under 1% teacher cancellation rate guaranteed

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature4 records

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Helbling (private schools): Helbling is a Berlin-based private school operator offering secondary education credentials including MSA and Abitur. Directly comparable to Rackow-Schulen in target market, geographic focus (Berlin), and credential offerings.
• Eckert Schools: Eckert Schools is a private German education provider offering secondary credentials (Mittlere Reife, Fachhochschulreife) and vocational training across multiple campuses. Very comparable to Rackow-Schulen's combined academic/vocational model and target audience of secondary and adult learners.
• Phorms Education: Phorms operates state-recognized private K-12 schools across multiple German cities including Berlin and Munich. Both organizations run tuition-based private schools serving German secondary credentials with a personal, small-class positioning, making Phorms the closest direct competitor in the German private school market.
• Euro-Schulen (DSP): Euro-Schulen operates private vocational schools throughout Germany with IHK-certified qualifications and general education tracks. Comparable to Rackow-Schulen in target audience (career-changers and secondary school graduates) and dual-qualification structure.

Emerging players

• bbw (Berufsbildungswerk): bbw is a German vocational education and training provider with programs across multiple states. Comparable to Rackow-Schulen in offering vocational qualifications (Büromanagement, Sozialassistenz) combined with school-based credentials for young adults and career changers.
• WBS Training: WBS Training is a German vocational education provider focused on retraining and upskilling. Comparable to Rackow-Schulen in serving adult learners seeking career advancement through certified qualifications, particularly in business and administrative fields.
• GFN (Gesellschaft zur Förderung der beruflichen Weiterbildung): GFN is a German vocational training and education provider with multiple campuses offering IHK-certified qualifications and retraining programs. Comparable to Rackow-Schulen's vocational training portfolio and adult learner focus.

Broad incumbents

• Ludwig Fresenius Schools: Ludwig Fresenius Schools operate private vocational and health-focused schools across Germany, including IHK-certified programs and Erzieher training. Comparable to Rackow-Schulen in offering dual-qualification pathways (vocational + higher education entrance) and state-recognized credentials.
• SRH (Stiftung Rehabilitation Heidelberg): SRH is a large German education and care operator with schools, vocational programs, and universities across Germany. Comparable to Rackow-Schulen in offering state-recognized credentials and vocational training, but at much greater scale and diversity.
• DEKRA Akademie: DEKRA Akademie is a large German vocational training and certification provider offering IHK-certified programs across many cities. Overlaps with Rackow-Schulen's Büromanagement IHK and Erzieher vocational offerings, though at much broader scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/RackowSchule
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/rackow-schulen-gmbh
• Instagraminstagram.com/rackowschule

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 Rackow-Schulen