Deutscher Bundesverband Coaching e.V.

What Deutscher Bundesverband Coaching e.V. does

Deutscher Bundesverband Coaching e.V. (DBVC) is a registered German professional association (eingetragener Verein, non-profit) founded on January 10, 2004, in Frankfurt am Main, operating as the leading body for Business Coaching in the German-speaking region (DACH). The association implements a 'Four-Pillar Concept' that integrates all market-relevant stakeholders: practicing coaches, coaching training providers, scientific experts, and corporate coaching procurement. Its underlying 'technology' is non-software in nature — consisting of a member database, an online continuing education submission system, and a website with coach finder functionality — rather than a technology platform.

DBVC's core offerings include multi-tier certification programs (Associate Coach, Professional Coach, Senior Coach, Internal Coach, Company Expert, Scientific Expert, Associate Researcher, Training Provider), the Coaching Compendium 'Coaching als Profession' published since 2007, the Bewerbertage (Applicant Days) regional admission process, and the recurring DBVC Coaching Congress and Salon events. The association serves over 800 members across the DACH region, supported by 10 regional groups and 5 specialist committees.

DBVC generates revenue primarily through recurring annual membership fees across nine membership tiers, one-time certification fees for training providers (€3,000 for new certification, €2,000 for existing institutional providers), re-certification fees, and event participation revenue. The continuing education framework requires 120 hours of professional development across at least 3 of 13 predefined categories within three years. The association is led by co-chairs Thomas Hoefling and Simone Mählmann, with Dr. Michael Hoffschroer as Managing Director, and operates a 56-person office in Osnabrück.

Name

Deutscher Bundesverband Coaching e.V.

Legal name

Deutscher Bundesverband Coaching e.V.

Website

https://dbvc.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Deutscher Bundesverband Coaching e.V. (DBVC) is a German professional association founded in 2004 that certifies and represents over 800 business coaches, training providers, scientists, and corporate coaching experts across the DACH region.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Frankfurt am Main

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: DBVC generates revenue through annual membership fees from its over 800 members across nine membership categories (Associate Coach, Professional Coach, Senior Coach, Institutional Coaches Provider, Company Expert, Internal Coach, Scientific Expert, Associate Researcher, and Training Provider).
2. Certification Fees: One-time certification fees for training providers: 3,000€ for Coaching Training Provider certification, reduced to 2,000€ for existing Institutional Coaches Provider certified members. Re-certification after significant changes costs 1,500€ (or 1,000€ for prior institutional provider members).
3. Event Participation: Revenue generated from event attendance including the DBVC Salon and DBVC Coaching Congress.
4. Training Provider Certification: Revenue from certification of coaching training programs that meet DBVC quality standards.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

DBVC is a registered professional association (e.V.) that operates the leading German coaching membership and certification system for business coaches, coaching training providers, academic experts and corporate coaching buyers. It sells individual and institutional memberships, formal coach certification (Associate through Master Coach plus Internal Coach), certification of training providers, and runs events such as the annual DBVC Coaching Congress and DBVC Salons. It also administers a Code of Ethics and the Sachverständigenrat (SVR) for ethical review of complaints.

Product overview

Deutscher Bundesverband Coaching e.V. (DBVC) is a professional association for business coaching, not a software product company. The organization offers a portfolio of certification programs, quality standards, events, and member services. The core offerings include the DBVC Coaching-Kompendium (quality standards compendium), DBVC Zertifizierung (multi-tier certification for coaches), Coaching-Weiterbildungsanbieter certification (for training providers), DBVC Bewerbertage (admission events), DBVC Coaching-Kongress (industry congress), DBVC Fortbildungsleitlinie (continuing education requirements), DBVC Buddy-Programm (onboarding), ThinkTank Future of Coaching (research initiative), DBVC Qualitätskonferenz (quality conferences), and DBVC Sachverständigenrat (expert committee for ethical issues). The association connects over 800 experts across four pillars: coaches, training providers, scientists, and corporate experts.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 800 members certified across nine membership categories
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• International Organization for Business Coaching e.V. (IOBC)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerIOBC serves as the English-speaking umbrella organization and international cooperation partner of the DBVC. The IOBC shares the same values and standards as the DBVC, with these standards documented in the English version of the Coaching Compendium and accessible on the IOBC homepage. The DBVC is the initiator and founding association of IOBC.
• CAI GmbHcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCAI GmbH (Coaching Service International) is listed as a cooperation partner of the DBVC. The company is managed by DBVC staff member Maja Niedermeier as Managing Director.
• Coaching MagazinminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCoaching Magazin is listed among DBVC cooperation partners, representing media collaboration for professional visibility.
• Rauen GroupminorGTM or Marketing PartnerRauen Group is listed as a DBVC cooperation partner, supporting the association's professional network and visibility.
• isb campusminorGTM or Marketing Partnerisb campus is listed as a DBVC cooperation partner, representing educational institution collaboration.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• International Coaching Federation (ICF): The largest global professional association for coaches, issuing individual credentials and chapter-based membership. Directly comparable to DBVC in function (coaching credentialing, ethics, continuing education) but operates globally rather than DACH-only.
• European Mentoring and Coaching Council (EMCC): European-level coaching and mentoring professional body with individual accreditation pathways and quality standards. Closely mirrors DBVC's quality-seal and continuing-education model in the same European geography.
• Deutscher Verband für Coaching und Training (dvct): Another major German coaching and training professional association operating in the same DACH market. Directly competes for coach members and enterprise recognition alongside DBVC.
• DGfC Deutsche Gesellschaft für Coaching: German scientific coaching society with overlapping research and practitioner communities. Comparable to DBVC's scientific pillar and competes for academic and research-oriented members.

Emerging players

• International Organization for Business Coaching (IOBC): Founded by DBVC as the English-speaking umbrella organization sharing the same standards; operates as an adjacent credentialing body rather than a strict competitor.
• QRC – Qualitätsring Coaching und Beratung: German quality-seal initiative for coaches and consultants. Comparable in its focus on certification and quality standards but operates as a smaller seal rather than a full membership association.

Broad incumbents

• Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD): Large established HR and people-development professional body in the UK that includes coaching within a much broader portfolio. Relevant as an incumbent showing what a scaled professional membership organization looks like.

Regional players

• BDP Berufsverband Deutscher Psychologinnen und Psychologen: German professional association for psychologists, an adjacent credentialing body with overlap on coaching-adjacent services (organizational psychology, executive development) in the same DACH market.
• Association of Coaching (AoC): UK-headquartered professional coaching body offering similar credentialing and events. Comparable in mission and standards framework but serves a different primary geography than DBVC's DACH focus.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/dbvc-ev

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Deutscher Bundesverband Coaching e.V.