What Das macht Schule does

Das macht Schule is a Hamburg-based German non-profit organization, online since 2007, that supports practical sustainability and project-based learning in German schools. It is structured as a dual-entity non-profit: Das macht Schule Förderverein e.V. (founded 2006, VR 19144) and Das macht Schule gemeinnützige GmbH (founded 2008, HRB 107741). The organization serves two customer segments — German schools and teachers (primary, free-of-charge users) and corporate sponsors/donors (secondary, revenue-providing). All school services are provided at no charge.

The organization operates two interconnected web platforms. The primary platform at das-macht-schule.net hosts free downloadable project templates (Projektvorlagen), documented project examples, a blog, a newsletter, and registration for two recurring school competitions: the Elektro-Cup (e-waste collection) and the Textil-Cup (used-textiles collection). A second platform at pc-spende.de matches donated used IT hardware from companies directly to schools; an associated PC-Siegel recognition program rewards donor companies. Supporting tools include a free project certificate template (Projektzeugnis) and a phone hotline for teacher consultation. The technology stack is standard web-based rather than AI-driven, and no proprietary ML, API, or SDK layer is disclosed.

The business model is entirely donation- and grant-funded. All offerings for schools are free; the organization generates no revenue from school services. Funding flows from individual donors, companies donating used hardware or cash, and foundations, with major named funders in 2024 being Heinz Trox-Stiftung and Zurich Kinder- und Jugendstiftung. Distribution is direct-to-consumer through organic search, content marketing, newsletter, social media, teacher word-of-mouth, and education conferences. The operating team is small (approximately 8 full-time personnel in March 2026, with the firmographic count of 18 reflecting broader inclusion of volunteers, interns, FSJ/Bundesfreiwilligendienst placements, and pro-bono support); governance is concentrated in founder Bernd Gebert (Ashoka Fellow), Dörte Gebert, and Leo Martin.

Name

Das macht Schule

Legal name

Das macht Schule gemeinnützige GmbH

Website

https://das-macht-schule.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Das macht Schule is a Hamburg-based German non-profit, online since 2007, that provides German schools with free project templates, sustainability competitions (Elektro-Cup, Textil-Cup), and a donated-IT hardware matching platform, funded entirely through donations and foundation grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Educational Services (Non-profit)

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710)

akta.pro primary industry

Special Education, Disability Support & Inclusive Education Nonprofits (BPAGADAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Instructional Equipment & Classroom Tools (Whiteboards, Lab Kits, Manipulatives) (EDAEAIAB), Donation, Resale & Textile Recycling Coordination (HSAFABAI)

Keywords

• Sustainable education projects
• School project templates
• E-waste school competitions
• IT hardware donations
• Education nonprofit programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Hamburg

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donations and Grants: The organization is non-profit and exclusively oriented toward societal impact. All school offerings are free. Funded entirely through donations and foundation grants from individuals, companies, and foundations. No revenue is generated from school services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Das macht Schule provides German schools and teachers with free downloadable project templates for practical sustainability and life-skills projects, school competitions (Elektro-Cup for e-waste, Textil-Cup for textiles), and a hardware donation matching platform (PC-Spende) that connects companies donating used IT equipment with schools. All offerings are provided at no cost to schools, with the organization funded entirely through donations and foundation grants.

Product overview

Das macht Schule is a non-profit organization operating two interconnected platforms: a project-based learning facilitation service offering downloadable project templates, school competitions (Elektro-Cup for e-waste, Textil-Cup for textiles), and an IT hardware donation platform (PC-Spende) that matches used computers from companies directly to schools. All offerings for schools are completely free, funded through donations and foundations. The organization also provides consulting support, project management tools, and educational content through its blog and newsletter.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Elektro-Cup: School competition for collecting e-waste with environmental education components
• Textil-Cup
• PC-Spende
• Projektvorlagen

Products and services

• Projektvorlagen (Project Templates) Downloadable project templates for German schools covering topics such as sustainability, environment, classroom renovation, and practical life skills. Templates include step-by-step guides, checklists, and materials that teachers can use to implement hands-on projects in their classes.
• Elektro-Cup (E-Waste Cup) School competition for collecting electronic waste (e-waste), combining environmental education with practical engagement in waste recycling and sustainability. Schools compete to collect e-waste with on-site events and prizes.
• Textil-Cup School competition for collecting used textiles, combining environmental education with practical engagement in textile recycling. Schools compete to collect textiles with prizes and recognition.
• PC-Spende (IT Hardware Donation Platform) Platform matching donated used hardware (PCs, laptops, monitors, servers, tablets, printers) from companies directly to schools at no cost. Companies specify available equipment; schools self-select the items they need and arrange pickup themselves.
• Gratis IT (Free Hardware Program) Free used hardware donation program where schools can select and pick up computers, monitors, and other IT equipment from companies, facilitated by Das macht Schule.
• PC-Siegel (Donor Recognition Seal) Recognition seal awarded to companies demonstrating exemplary commitment in hardware donations or financial support, helping companies showcase their engagement in digital education and sustainability.

Quantifiable outcome

• E-waste reduction through hardware donation: doubling hardware lifespan halves environmental impact
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• AshokacoreOthers · 1 January 2007Founder Bernd Gebert is an Ashoka Fellow. Ashoka is the global network of leading social entrepreneurs.
• Bundesverband innovativer Bildungsprogramme (BIB)minorOthersFounding member of the German Federal Association of Innovative Education Programs.
• Bundesverband Deutscher StiftungenminorOthersMember of the German Association of Foundations.
• Netzwerk Stiftungen und BildungminorOthersMember of the Network of Foundations and Education.
• Social Entrepreneurship Netzwerk Deutschland (SEND)minorOthersMember of the Social Entrepreneurship Network Germany.
• FAIRwertungminorOthersMember of the FAIRwertung association.
• Initiative Transparente ZivilgesellschaftminorOthersMember of the Initiative for Transparent Civil Society, voluntarily committed to transparency standards.
• Coaching InitiativeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCooperation with the Coaching Initiative for school development support. Professional coaches from business accompany schools in their development and transformation.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Naturfreundejugend Deutschlands: Youth arm of the NaturFreunde movement running practical sustainability and outdoor education projects in schools. Directly comparable non-profit peer with similar project-based pedagogy, BNE alignment, and schools/teachers as primary audience.
• AfB gGmbH: European non-profit IT refurbisher that already partners with Das macht Schule on certified data deletion. Directly comparable in the IT-donation value chain: similar mission of routing used IT to social beneficiaries, including schools, and competing for the same corporate IT donors.
• Naturschutzjugend (NAJU): German youth environmental education organization within the NABU family. Comparable: delivers environmental education project formats to schools and youth groups, aligned with BNE themes, and is a member of the same Social-Entrepreneurship-Netzwerk SEND.
• Teach First Deutschland: German non-profit placing high-graduate participants in schools to support educational equity. Same vertical (education non-profit), same target audience (schools), same funding model (foundation grants + corporate sponsors), making it a directly comparable mission-driven peer.
• Stiftung Bildung: German education foundation that funds and promotes extracurricular learning projects at schools. Directly comparable: serves the same primary beneficiary (schools), pursues project-based learning, and is funded through donations and endowments.
• Digitale Bildung für Alle e.V. German non-profit matching donated/refurbished IT hardware to schools. Directly comparable to Das macht Schule's PC-Spende initiative — same donor-to-school hardware mediation model, same beneficiary segment, and competing for the same pool of corporate IT donations.

Broad incumbents

• Bund für Umwelt und Naturschutz Deutschland (BUND): Large established German environmental NGO with deep education programming in schools. Comparable on mission (sustainability education) and donor/foundation ecosystem, but operates as a much broader incumbent with policy, advocacy, and mass-member dimensions Das macht Schule does not have.

Others

• betterplace.org: Germany's largest online donation platform for non-profits. Adjacent ecosystem participant: enables individual donations to organizations like Das macht Schule but does not itself deliver school programming or hardware donations.
• Haus des Stiftens: German non-profit providing technology, infrastructure, and grant administration services to other non-profits. Adjacent enabler: supports organizations like Das macht Schule with shared IT tooling, fundraising software, and donor analytics rather than delivering school-facing programs.
• Ashoka Germany: German arm of the global social-entrepreneurship network that already recognizes Das macht Schule's founder as a Fellow. Adjacent ecosystem participant: not a direct competitor but a network and funding gatekeeper that influences Das macht Schule's positioning and access to partners.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/TVDasmachtSchule
• Facebookfacebook.com/DasmachtSchule
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/das-macht-schule

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Das macht Schule