DeLSt GmbH - Deutsches eLearning Studieninstitut

What DeLSt GmbH - Deutsches eLearning Studieninstitut does

DeLSt GmbH - Deutsches eLearning Studieninstitut is a private German distance learning institute headquartered in Backnang, Baden-Württemberg, operating since 2010 with approximately 60 employees under the BCB Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH corporate group. The company delivers state-certified, online continuing education across twelve subject areas, with a core focus on IHK (Industrie- und Handelskammer) professional certifications including Wirtschaftsfachwirt, Handelsfachwirt, Industriefachwirt, and Betriebswirt, aligned with the German Qualifications Framework at Bachelor Professional (DQR Level 6) and Master Professional (DQR Level 7) tiers. Supporting products cover artificial intelligence, marketing, coaching, compliance, fitness and health management, and academic degree pathways in partnership with EHIP.

The technological foundation is the Online Campus, a learning management system originally provided by Collea GmbH and refreshed in March 2025 with the myFOCUS platform, offering 24/7 access to Web Based Trainings, live webinars, interactive learning materials, and online examinations supervised by Proctorio. Supporting integrations include EBSCO for academic library access, Eye-Able for accessibility, CleverReach for email marketing, Salesforce for CRM, and an AI-based support layer for handling student inquiries. Programs are ZFU-approved and AZAV-certified by DEKRA, enabling both direct-to-consumer enrollment and government-funded training through Bildungsgutschein education vouchers from the Federal Employment Agency.

The business model combines recurring subscription-style tuition (e.g., €2,565 or 18 monthly installments of €142.50 for the Wirtschaftsfachwirt program) with ancillary administrative fees for exam retakes, rescheduling, and certificate issuance. Course fees are VAT-exempt under § 4 Nr. 21 a) bb) UStG. Go-to-market is hybrid: self-serve online enrollment, phone/WhatsApp consultative sales, and a channel partnership with Agentur für Arbeit/Jobcenter for funded learners, supplemented by paid search, social media, and AWIN affiliate marketing. The company is represented by Jan Philipp Feldten and is regulated by the ZFU and IHK Stuttgart.

Name

DeLSt GmbH - Deutsches eLearning Studieninstitut

Legal name

DeLSt GmbH - Deutsches eLearning Studieninstitut

Website

https://delst.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

DeLSt GmbH is a German state-certified distance learning institute delivering IHK professional certifications and continuing education across 12 subject areas via its Online Campus platform, serving individual working professionals, career changers, and unemployed learners funded through government Bildungsgutschein vouchers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Continuing Education / Distance Learning

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), Educational Services (611), Business Schools and Computer and Management Training (6114)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Legal & Compliance (CLE, Paralegal CE) (EDAAALAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Health, Wellness & Lifestyle Noncredit Programs (EDAAAEAH)

Keywords

• Distance learning programs
• IHK certification preparation
• Professional continuing education
• Online learning platform
• Vocational training courses

Headquarters

HQ city

Backnang, Baden-Württemberg

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Distance Learning Course Fees: Primary revenue stream from tuition fees for online courses and continuing education programs. Courses offered include IHK certifications, business management, AI, marketing, coaching, compliance, health management, and equestrian sports. Pricing varies by program, with some courses offering installment payment plans (e.g., 18 monthly installments).
2. Examination and Administrative Fees: Additional revenue from exam retake fees (49.99 EUR per partial exam), second review/correction fees (75.00 EUR), rescheduling fees (15.00-75.00 EUR depending on timing), and certificate issuance fees.
3. Government-Funded Training (AZAV): Revenue from employment agency contracts covering 100% of training costs for eligible participants through Bildungsgutschein (education vouchers) from Bundesagentur für Arbeit and Jobcenter.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels13 records

Core offering

DeLSt is a state-certified (ZFU) and AZAV-accredited German distance learning institute that delivers professional continuing education programs through its Online Campus (myFOCUS) LMS. Its flagship offerings are IHK certification preparation courses (Wirtschaftsfachwirt, Handelsfachwirt, Industriefachwirt, Geprüfter Betriebswirt) aligned with DQR Levels 6-7, supplemented by 12 subject areas spanning business, AI, marketing, compliance, health management, and equestrian sports. Programs are funded by monthly tuition, exam fees, and government Bildungsgutschein vouchers for eligible unemployed learners.

Product overview

DeLSt GmbH operates as a distance learning institute (Fernlehrinstitut) offering a portfolio of professional certification programs and continuing education courses. The core product is the Online Campus, a proprietary learning management system that delivers course materials through digital content, live webinars, and Web Based Trainings (WBT). The company specializes in IHK (Chamber of Commerce) certification programs including Wirtschaftsfachwirt, Handelsfachwirt, Industriefachwirt, and Betriebswirt, which are aligned with the German Qualifications Framework (DQR) at Bachelor and Master levels. The product portfolio spans 12 educational areas including Business & Accounting, Artificial Intelligence, Marketing, Management, Compliance, and Fitness & Health Management. AZAV-certified programs enable funding through education vouchers (Bildungsgutschein) from the Federal Employment Agency. The company transitioned to a new learning platform called 'myFOCUS' in March 2025. Supporting services include educational counseling, funding eligibility checks, and online exam proctoring via Proctorio.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Wirtschaftsfachwirt (IHK) Certification Program

Quantifiable outcome

• IHK certification success with nationally standardized credentials equivalent to Bachelor/Master levels
• +2 more outcomes

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration9 records

AI capability2 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Academy of Sports (Akademie für Sport und Gesundheit)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducation partner providing complementary fitness and health management programs. Part of the BCB Group of companies that includes DeLSt, offering integrated educational services across multiple domains.
• EHIP - Europäische Hochschule für Innovation und PerspektivecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEuropean Higher Education Institution partner for academic degree programs. Provides pathway to higher education qualifications alongside DeLSt's professional certifications.
• DIHK-Bildungs-gGmbHcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOfficial education partner of the German Chamber of Industry and Commerce (DIH). Enables preparation for standardized IHK professional examinations.
• IHK Stuttgart (Industrie- und Handelskammer Stuttgart)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerChamber of Industry and Commerce providing examination administration and certification for professional qualifications including Wirtschaftsfachwirt, Handelsfachwirt, and Betriebswirt programs.
• Collea GmbHcoreTechnology or IntegrationTechnology provider for Online Campus learning management system and admin interface. German company with servers in Germany providing hosting and platform management for course delivery.
• ZFU - Staatliche Zentralstelle für FernunterrichtcoreOthersGovernment regulatory authority overseeing distance learning institutions in Germany. Supervisory body approving and monitoring DeLSt's educational programs for quality and compliance.
• DEKRAcoreOthersTesting and certification organization providing AZAV accreditation for DeLSt's programs, enabling acceptance of education vouchers (Bildungsgutschein) from employment agencies.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Eckert Schulen: Established German provider of vocational and professional continuing education, including distance learning and AZAV-certified retraining measures — overlapping directly with DeLSt in business, technical, and certification preparation offerings for career advancers and re-skillers.
• alfatraining: Germany-wide vocational training provider offering AZAV-certified courses in business, IT, management and continuing education funded via Bildungsgutschein — competes directly with DeLSt's AZAV-Maßnahmen portfolio for the same jobcenter-/employment-agency-funded learner segment.
• ILS – Institut für Lernsysteme: Germany's largest general Fernstudium provider, offering ZFU-approved distance learning courses including IHK-relevant professional certifications — the canonical direct competitor to DeLSt's core Wirtschaftsfachwirt/Handelsfachwirt portfolio, sharing the same funding pathways (Bildungsgutschein, Aufstiegs-BAföG) and target persona.
• SGD Studiengemeinschaft Darmstadt: Major German distance learning institute (part of Klett Group) with a broad catalog of Fernlehrgänge, IHK preparation courses and AZAV-certified retraining — competes head-to-head with DeLSt across virtually every subject area in the IHK portfolio and in funded retraining channels.
• Fernakademie für Erwachsenenbildung: Klett Group's adult continuing education Fernschule offering ZFU-approved professional courses including business, management and IHK-relevant qualifications — directly comparable in go-to-market (distance learning, AZAV funding), subject scope, and target learner to DeLSt.

Broad incumbents

• AKAD University: Private German Fernhochschule offering accredited Bachelor and Master programs primarily for working professionals — overlaps with DeLSt on the continuing education and career-advancement persona, but operates as a university rather than Fernschule, addressing a narrower academic-degree vertical.
• Hamburger Fern-Hochschule (HFH): Private German distance learning university offering state-recognized Bachelor and Master programs for working adults — broader incumbent in the adjacent higher-education/continuing-education category, sharing DeLSt's flexible distance-learning model for employed learners.
• Euro-FH: Private European Fernhochschule providing accredited distance Bachelor and Master degrees — overlaps with DeLSt on flexible distance delivery for career advancers and on the IHK/management subject area, but at the university rather than Fernschule level.
• SRH Fernhochschule – The Mobile University: State-recognized private Fernhochschule offering accredited distance degree programs and continuing education — broader competitor in the German distance-learning higher-education category serving the same working-professional audience.

Others

• Academy of Sports (Akademie für Sport und Gesundheit): Sister company to DeLSt within the BCB Beteiligungsgesellschaft group, focusing on fitness and health management distance learning — not a competitor but a closely adjacent BCB-affiliated provider that materially shapes DeLSt's cross-sell economics and group-level strategic positioning.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xxing.com/companies/delstgmbh-deutscheselearningstudieninstitut
• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/DeLStDeutscheseLearningStudieninstitut
• Facebookfacebook.com/DeutscheseLearningStudieninstitut
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/delst-gmbh
• Instagraminstagram.com/delst_elearning

Compliance8 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

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 DeLSt GmbH - Deutsches eLearning Studieninstitut