DASL - Deutsche Akademie für Städtebau und Landesplanung e. V.

Name

DASL - Deutsche Akademie für Städtebau und Landesplanung e. V.

Legal name

Deutsche Akademie für Städtebau und Landesplanung (DASL) e. V.

Website

https://dasl.de

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

DASL is Germany's leading independent professional academy for urban and regional planning, operating as a non-profit registered association (e.V.) that serves planners, architects, municipal officials, and academics through awards, conferences, publications, and policy advocacy.

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, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership fees: DASL operates as a membership-based professional academy (e.V. / registered association). Annual membership fees from planners, architects, municipal officials, and related professionals constitute a core revenue stream.
2. Event and publication revenue: The academy generates revenue through annual conference fees, scientific colloquium participation, and sales of publications such as STADT DENKEN and STADT BAEN series. Publications are sold through the Wasmuth & Zohlen Verlag.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

DASL is a registered non-profit professional academy (e.V.) that advances urban and regional planning in Germany through member services, awards, publications, conferences, and policy advocacy. Its flagship offering is the Deutscher Städtebaupreis, an annual €25,000 urban planning prize sponsored by Wüstenrot Stiftung, complemented by the STADT DENKEN and STADT BAUEN publication series, the annual Jahrestagung conference, scientific colloquia, the Hochschultag, and policy declarations such as the Berliner Erklärung and Basler Thesen.

Product overview

DASL - Deutsche Akademie für Städtebau und Landesplanung is a professional academy and non-profit organization focused on urban development and spatial planning in Germany. The organization operates as an information and networking platform rather than a technology product company. Its offerings include the Deutscher Städtebaupreis, an annual award program recognizing outstanding urban development projects; two publication series (STADT DENKEN and STADT BAUEN) documenting urban planning practices; annual conferences (Jahrestagung) and scientific colloquia; the Hochschultag for higher education in urban development; and a blog platform covering topics such as transformation, circular planning, public space, and regional development. DASL also publishes policy documents including the Berliner Erklärung and Basler Thesen advocating for sustainable urban development practices.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Deutscher Städtebaupreis: Prestigious German urban planning prize awarded since 1980, sponsored by Wüstenrot Stiftung with prize money of 25,000 EUR. Includes main prize for realized projects and special prize for innovative strategies.
• STADT DENKEN
• STADT BAUEN
• DASL Jahrestagung
• Wissenschaftliches Kolloquium
• Hochschultag der Nationalen Stadtentwicklungspolitik
• Cornelius-Gurlitt-Denkmünze
• Halstenberg-Preis
• Berliner Erklärung
• Basler Thesen

Products and services

• Deutscher Städtebaupreis A prestigious German urban development prize awarded annually since 1980, recognizing outstanding urban planning projects that demonstrate sustainability, innovation, and quality in urban design. Includes both a main prize (Städtebaupreis) and a themed special prize (Sonderpreis) addressing current pressing issues in urban development, with a total prize fund of €25,000 funded by Wüstenrot Stiftung.
• DASL Jahrestagung (Annual Conference) Annual flagship conference bringing together urban planning professionals, researchers, and policymakers to discuss current topics in urban development and spatial planning, featuring presentations, workshops, and networking opportunities. The 2026 edition will be held September 25–27, 2026 in Nürnberg under the theme 'Menschen und Räume in Bewegung'.
• Wissenschaftliches Kolloquium (Scientific Colloquium) Annual scientific colloquium providing a platform for academic exchange and research presentations on urban development and spatial planning topics. The 2026 colloquium took place March 26–27 in Leipzig under the title 'Die Verschiebung der Koordinaten'.
• Hochschultag der Nationalen Stadtentwicklungspolitik Annual higher education day focused on urban development policy, bringing together academics, practitioners, and civil society to discuss how teaching and research can shape societal transformation in cities and regions. The 9th edition is referenced in the source materials.
• STADT DENKEN Publication Series Publication series by DASL offering multi-faceted perspectives on urban and rural spaces, focusing on innovative district development and sustainable urban planning with presentation of concrete projects and dialogue formats. The 10th edition (Jubiläumsband 'STADT DENKEN 10') was presented on July 3, 2026 in Ludwigshafen.
• STADT BAUEN Publication Series Documentation publication series of the Deutscher Städtebaupreis, featuring award-winning projects, expert presentations, and discussions on urban development topics and societal change. Sales priced at €20 plus shipping for the 40-year commemorative volume.
• DASL Blog Online knowledge platform featuring blog posts on various urban development topics including transformation, community-oriented planning, human-nature balance, conversion culture, soil policy, public space, circular planning and construction, and regional development. Articles are authored by regional groups and expert contributors.
• Berliner Erklärung A formal policy declaration by DASL calling for political momentum, self-commitment, and cooperation to shape sustainable and livable places, advocating for transformative change in urban development.
• Basler Thesen A policy statement calling on universities to take an active role in sustainable urban and regional development, promoting closer linking of teaching and research with practice and transdisciplinary approaches.

Quantifiable outcome

• 85 innovative urban planning projects submitted across Germany for the DSP 2025 award cycle
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers5 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

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Bundesstiftung Baukultur: The federal foundation for building culture in Germany pursues a closely related mission of promoting quality in the built environment through reports, awards, and events. It overlaps directly with DASL on building culture discourse and BauGB policy advocacy.
• American Planning Association (APA): APA is the largest US professional planning organization, combining membership, an annual conference, awards program, publications, and federal policy advocacy — a structural analog to DASL at much larger scale.
• Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI): The UK's chartered body for town planners operates a directly comparable model combining membership, accreditation, awards, policy advocacy, and publications. It serves as the closest international functional equivalent to DASL.
• SRL – Vereinigung für Stadt-, Regional- und Landesplanung: SRL is the German professional association for urban, regional, and spatial planners with overlapping membership of planners, architects, and municipal officials. It competes with DASL for member mindshare and previously administered the Deutscher Städtebaupreis between 2000 and 2004, making it the closest functional peer.

Broad incumbents

• Bund Deutscher Architekten (BDA): BDA is the leading German federation of architects and a much larger professional body. While architecturally focused, it engages on overlapping urban planning, building culture, and policy topics that intersect with DASL's remit.
• Bundesinstitut für Bau-, Stadt- und Raumforschung (BBSR): The federal research institute for building, urban, and spatial research produces policy-relevant studies and data on German urban development. It operates at a much larger scale as a government entity but shares DASL's evidence-based advocacy orientation.
• Deutsches Institut für Urbanistik (Difu): Difu is the German institute for urban affairs serving municipalities with research, training, and consulting on urban policy. It overlaps substantively with DASL on municipal-level engagement and applied urban research.
• Urban Land Institute (ULI): ULI is a global, member-driven research and education organization focused on land use and real estate development. Its urban planning thought leadership, awards programs, and conferences make it a broader international analog to DASL's mission.

Regional players

• Architektenkammer Berlin: The Berlin Chamber of Architects is a state-level professional chamber regulating the architectural profession and providing continuing education. While architecturally focused, it competes for member engagement and CPD programming in DASL's home market.

Others

• Wasmuth & Zohlen Verlag: Wasmuth & Zohlen is DASL's publication distribution partner for the STADT DENKEN and STADT BAUEN series. It is an enabling/ecosystem participant rather than a direct competitor but is central to DASL's content distribution economics.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/watch?v=0g1i8cxHHHg
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/deutsche-akademie-f%C3%BCr-staedtebau-und-landesplanung-e-v

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about DASL - Deutsche Akademie für Städtebau und Landesplanung e. V.