Campus Schwarzwald
Campus Schwarzwald is a non-profit innovation and transfer center in Freudenstadt, Baden-Württemberg, bundling research, consulting, networking, and talent services for manufacturing Mittelstand in the Black Forest across eight competency fields.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded-
- HeadquartersFreudenstadt, Germany
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Campus Schwarzwald does
Campus Schwarzwald gGmbH is a non-profit application-oriented innovation and transfer center headquartered in Freudenstadt, Baden-Württemberg, that bundles research, consulting, networking, and talent services for small and medium-sized industrial companies (Mittelstand) in the Black Forest region. Its offering spans eight competency fields (robotics, industrial security, machine learning & AI, wireless technologies, sustainability, digital products & services, resilience & organization, and production/intralogistics) and is delivered through dedicated programs including Campus Partner membership, Smart Checks consulting, the Start-up Radar with NXTGN, the Digitale Sprechstunde on PKI/digital identities, NextGen Squad, ACTIVESTUDENT, and TalentPool, alongside recurring event series (Schwarzwandel, Zwillingsspitzen, KI konkret, Nachhaltigkeitsaustausch, PKI in Automatisierungstechnik). The company is structured as a private gGmbH (non-profit limited liability company) with 16 employees and no external parent; revenue is generated through recurring Campus Partner membership fees, project-based consulting (Smart Checks fixed at up to EUR 10,000 / 4–8 consultant days and larger multi-phase engagements), facility and laboratory rental of the ProductionLab and MakerLab, and discounted startup incubation (Open Space, idea/test labs, acceleration, prototyping). The physical platform includes an 800+ m² ProductionLab with HOMAG CNC woodworking, ARBURG injection molding, collaborative robots, a 5G Standalone campus network, LoRaWAN, and dedicated labs for Industrial Security, Digital Twin Simulation, IoT, Fischer-Kaizen, and Robotop; the MakerLab provides 3D printing and electronics prototyping. Its go-to-market is event-driven and relationship-led within a defined regional industrial network, supplemented by owned media (website, LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, newsletter) and co-organized programs with universities (KIT, Universität Stuttgart, Hochschule Reutlingen/Offenburg, ESILV, GUC, Nanyang Polytechnic), industry partners (HOMAG, ARBURG, Fischerwerke, J. Schmalz, VINCI Energies, ifm), and the chamber IHK Nordschwarzwald. Notable research activities include the BMFTR-funded Trustpoint project on open-source industrial PKI and digital identity management (with Keyfactor, achelos, OSADL, Belden) and H2BlackForest on regional hydrogen, which together provide technical differentiation beyond pure consulting.
Campus Schwarzwald firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Campus Schwarzwald
- Legal name
- Campus Schwarzwald gGmbH
- Website
- https://campus-schwarzwald.de
- Company type
- Private
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Campus Schwarzwald is a non-profit innovation and transfer center in Freudenstadt, Baden-Württemberg, bundling research, consulting, networking, and talent services for manufacturing Mittelstand in the Black Forest across eight competency fields.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Campus Schwarzwald industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Industrial Innovation Transfer Services
- NAICS
- Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services (5416), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (611310)
- SIC
- Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731), Services-Management Consulting Services (8742), Services-Engineering Services (8711), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Research Collaboration & Joint Labs (International Partnerships) (EDAIABAC)
Keywords
Where Campus Schwarzwald is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Freudenstadt
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Campus Schwarzwald business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Campus Partnership / Membership Fees: Companies join as 'Campus Partner' members to access the center's full portfolio of consulting, research, networking, and infrastructure services. Membership fees form the core recurring revenue base.
- Consulting Services (Beratung): Project-based consulting engagements for digital transformation, sustainability strategy, business model innovation, and organizational development. Includes structured advisory formats such as Smart Checks (fixed-price, 4–8 consultant days, up to €10,000) and larger multi-phase consulting projects.
- Facility and Laboratory Rental: Revenue from renting seminar/meeting rooms and laboratory spaces to member companies for workshops, events, and prototyping activities. The ProductionLab and MakerLab are available for use by partners and startups.
- Startup Incubation (Open Space Rental, Startup Development): Startups and founders access discounted open-space desks and receive startup development support (idea labs, test labs, scouting, acceleration, prototyping) through the center's startup programs.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Smart Check – Compact Standardized Advisory Format |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels7 records
Campus Schwarzwald product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Campus Schwarzwald operates a membership-based innovation and transfer center that delivers applied research, structured consulting, talent programs, and physical laboratory infrastructure to medium-sized industrial companies in the Black Forest region. Its core deliverables include collaborative research projects across eight competency fields, standardized consulting formats (Smart Checks up to €10,000), curated networking and startup scouting events, access to the 800+ m² ProductionLab and MakerLab, and federal/state-funded projects such as Trustpoint (industrial PKI) and H2BlackForest (hydrogen).
Product overview
Campus Schwarzwald operates as an application-oriented innovation and transfer center that bundles research, consulting, network, and recruiting offerings for medium-sized companies. The organization functions as a platform-plus-services model rather than a single product. The core offering spans eight competency fields (Robotik, Industrial Security, Machine Learning & KI, Funktechnologien, Nachhaltigkeit, Digitale Produkte & Dienstleistungen, Resilienz & Organisation, Produktion & Intralogistik) delivered through distinct service lines: Research (Forschungsprojekte, Technology Radar, Förderberatung), Consulting (Beratung, Smart Checks, Start-up Radar), Network & Knowledge (Netzwerkformate, Campus-Infrastruktur, Innovation Events), and Additional Services (Start-up Förderung, NextGen Squad). Physical infrastructure includes ProductionLab (800+ m² with CNC, robots, injection molding, 5G network, IoT-Lab) and MakerLab for prototyping. Regular event series include SCHWARZWANDEL, Zwillingsspitzen, KI konkret, and Nachhaltigkeitsaustausch. The organization also runs specialized programs like Managed Innovation Cycle, Digitale Sprechstunde (PKI/Industrial Security), ACTIVESTUDENT, and TalentPool. Research projects include Trustpoint (digital identity management) and H2BlackForest (hydrogen technologies).
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- ACTIVESTUDENT Program: Student program offered by Campus Schwarzwald
- TalentPool
- ProductionLab
- MakerLab
- NextGen Squad
- Smart Checks
- Start-up Radar
- Technology Radar + Technology Push
- Digitale Sprechstunde
- Managed Innovation Events
- Schwarzwandel
- Zwillingsspitzen
- KI konkret
- Managed Innovation Cycle
Products and services
- ProductionLab
Quantifiable outcome
- Smart Check format delivers a structured assessment with a prioritized roadmap within 4–8 consultant days at fixed cost (up to €10,000), enabling low-risk evaluation of new topics for SMEs
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Campus Schwarzwald
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments1 record
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Campus Schwarzwald technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability7 records
Feature4 records
Campus Schwarzwald partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
14 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- Nanyang Polytechnic (NYP)minorNYP from Singapore visited Campus Schwarzwald to explore sustainable solution approaches in German industry and identify potential future cooperation between Singapore and Germany. The visit was part of a Baden-Württemberg trip initiated by German foreign trade chambers (AHK).
- Hochschule ReutlingenminorNew cooperation launched in 2025 between Campus Schwarzwald and Hochschule Reutlingen, with an inaugural 'KI konkret' event as the first collaborative activity.
- IHK NordschwarzwaldminorIHK Nordschwarzwald (Chamber of Industry and Commerce) co-organizes the Nachhaltigkeitsaustausch (Sustainability Exchange) event series with Campus Schwarzwald, covering topics such as Product Carbon Footprint (PCF), CSRD, and EU Taxonomy.
- NXTGNcoreNXTGN is the co-organizer of the Start-up Radar format (held twice yearly), providing startup scouting and matching expertise. NXTGN also partnered with Campus Schwarzwald on the 'KI konkret' event series. NXTGN was selected for the federally funded 'Startup Factories' program, with Campus Schwarzwald participating in this lighthouse competition.
- Trustpoint ConsortiumcoreTrustpoint is a federally funded research project (Bundesministerium für Forschung, Technologie und Raumfahrt) developing an open-source stack for digital identity management in industrial environments. Campus Schwarzwald leads the Digitale Sprechstunde (Digital Consultation Hour) as part of this project. Partners include Keyfactor, achelos, ifm, OSADL, and academic institutions.
- Universität Stuttgart – Institut für Fördertechnik und Logistik (IFT)minorIFT (Institute for Materials Handling and Logistics) at Universität Stuttgart conducted a doctoral seminar at Campus Schwarzwald, focusing on automation & robotics and machine learning & AI. Discussions explored imitation learning with Vision-Language-Action (VLA) models and future activities in Embodied AI and Humanoids in logistics.
- German University in Cairo (GUC)minorPartnership in mechanical engineering, mechatronics, robotics, production technology, and artificial intelligence. The agreement was signed in October 2023 between Campus Schwarzwald, GUC, and other partners.
- ESILV – Ecole Supérieure D'ingénieurs Léonard De VincicoreESILV is a French engineering school and partner city institution. Campus Schwarzwald hosts ESILV students for research placements (e.g., Jathusan Satheeskumar working on AI-driven self-learning robots using Vision-Language-Action models). The partnership supports international student exchange and joint research between Freudenstadt and Courbevoie.
- HOMAG Group AGcoreHOMAG Group AG is an equipment partner for the ProductionLab, providing a CNC woodworking center with suction system. HOMAG also participates in Trustpoint workshops on certificate management in machines and attended the 'KI konkret' event as a partner.
- ARBURG GmbH + Co KGcoreARBURG GmbH + Co KG is an equipment partner for the ProductionLab, providing an ARBURG Allrounder 370E 600-100 injection molding machine for joint research and innovation projects.
- Fischerwerke GmbH & Co. KGcoreFischerwerke provides the Fischer-Kaizen Lab within the Campus Schwarzwald infrastructure, supporting lean manufacturing and process optimization research and training.
- J. Schmalz GmbHminorJ. Schmalz GmbH is a member company participating in Campus Schwarzwald events. CEO Dr. Kurt Schmalz was a keynote speaker at the Schwarzwandel event and contributed a Product Carbon Footprint use case to the Nachhaltigkeitsaustausch.
- Hochschule OffenburgminorHochschule Offenburg participates in PKI events at Campus Schwarzwald, contributing academic expertise on industrial digital identity and PKI topics.
- VINCI EnergiesminorVINCI Energies became a cooperation partner of Campus Schwarzwald effective January 1, 2023, representing a significant addition to the center's industry network.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Campus Schwarzwald competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Hahn-Schickard-Gesellschaft für angewandte Forschung e.V. Hahn-Schickard is a Baden-Württemberg-based non-profit applied research institute offering lab infrastructure, joint research projects, and technology transfer to regional SMEs — directly comparable in mission, geography, and member-facing service model.
- Steinbeis GmbH & Co. KG für Technologietransfer: Steinbeis operates a nationwide network of transfer centers connecting SMEs with applied research, structured similarly to Campus Schwarzwald with project-based consulting, research cooperation, and talent programs — and is the closest direct comparable in the German Mittelstand transfer market.
- SmartFactoryOWL: SmartFactoryOWL is a regional industry-academia transfer hub in Ostwestfalen-Lippe focused on digitalization and AI in mid-sized manufacturing, with comparable lab infrastructure, event programming, and Mittelstand member model.
- NXTGN (Next Generation Industry GmbH): NXTGN is a Heilbronn-based AI and startup ecosystem platform that co-organizes Campus Schwarzwald's Start-up Radar and KI konkret events — a direct peer in curating SME-startup connections and applied AI programming for the regional Mittelstand.
Emerging players
- Mittelstand-Digital Zentren: The federally funded Mittelstand-Digital Zentrum network provides free consulting, demonstrations, and experimentation spaces for SMEs on digitalization — overlapping with Campus Schwarzwald's SME digitalization advisory but funded at significantly larger scale and broader national reach.
- Cyber Valley GmbH: Cyber Valley is a Baden-Württemberg-based AI research consortium involving universities, industry partners, and startups — comparable in its AI/robotics research focus and regional industry-academia bridge role, though with stronger university anchoring.
Broad incumbents
- Fraunhofer IOSB (Institut für Optronik, Systemtechnik und Bildauswertung): Fraunhofer IOSB is a leading applied research institute for industrial automation, cyber-physical systems, and industrial security — a broad incumbent whose Industrial Security and OT-security work directly overlaps with Campus Schwarzwald's Trustpoint and PKI initiatives.
- Fraunhofer-Institut für Produktionstechnik und Automatisierung (IPA): Fraunhofer IPA is one of Germany's largest applied research institutes for production and automation, covering robotics, digital twins, and industrial AI — a broad incumbent whose competency fields overlap substantially with Campus Schwarzwald's eight areas but at national scale and significantly larger budget.
Others
- acatech – Deutsche Akademie der Technikwissenschaften: acatech is the German Academy of Science and Engineering, providing policy advice and networks between industry and academia — adjacent to Campus Schwarzwald's industry-academia bridging role but operating at national policy level rather than SME service delivery.
- IHK Nordschwarzwald: IHK Nordschwarzwald is the regional Chamber of Industry and Commerce and an active co-organizer of Campus Schwarzwald's Nachhaltigkeitsaustausch events — a regional ecosystem partner that also serves Mittelstand members with consulting, training, and compliance support.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Campus Schwarzwald social profiles
Digital presenceCampus Schwarzwald compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Campus Schwarzwald financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Campus Schwarzwald leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
Campus Schwarzwald funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Campus Schwarzwald M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Campus Schwarzwald
What does Campus Schwarzwald do?
Campus Schwarzwald operates a membership-based innovation and transfer center that delivers applied research, structured consulting, talent programs, and physical laboratory infrastructure to medium-sized industrial companies in the Black Forest region. Its core deliverables include collaborative research projects across eight competency fields, standardized consulting formats (Smart Checks up to €10,000), curated networking and startup scouting events, access to the 800+ m² ProductionLab and MakerLab, and federal/state-funded projects such as Trustpoint (industrial PKI) and H2BlackForest (hydrogen).
Is Campus Schwarzwald a public or private company?
Campus Schwarzwald is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Campus Schwarzwald founded?
Campus Schwarzwald was founded in -1. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Campus Schwarzwald based?
Campus Schwarzwald is headquartered in Freudenstadt, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does Campus Schwarzwald make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Campus Partnership / Membership Fees are the primary driver. The others are consulting Services (Beratung), facility and Laboratory Rental and startup Incubation (Open Space Rental, Startup Development).
Who are Campus Schwarzwald's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Hahn-Schickard-Gesellschaft für angewandte Forschung e.V., Steinbeis GmbH & Co. KG für Technologietransfer, SmartFactoryOWL and NXTGN (Next Generation Industry GmbH). Emerging players are Mittelstand-Digital Zentren and Cyber Valley GmbH. Broad incumbents are Fraunhofer IOSB (Institut für Optronik, Systemtechnik und Bildauswertung) and Fraunhofer-Institut für Produktionstechnik und Automatisierung (IPA). Others are acatech – Deutsche Akademie der Technikwissenschaften and IHK Nordschwarzwald.
Does Campus Schwarzwald have an API?
No public API is recorded for Campus Schwarzwald.
What industry is Campus Schwarzwald in?
Campus Schwarzwald's product category is Industrial Innovation Transfer Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAIABAC, Research Collaboration & Joint Labs (International Partnerships). Its NAICS code is 5416 and its SIC code is 8731.