FDS Gemeinnützige Stiftung
FDS Gemeinnützige Stiftung is a German non-profit foundation founded in 1971 that operates 18 student dormitories with approximately 3,080 fully furnished apartments across Germany under the Felixx student brand, serving university students, apprentices, and international students with affordable, all-inclusive rent.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1971
- HeadquartersErlangen, Germany
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What FDS Gemeinnützige Stiftung does
FDS Gemeinnützige Stiftung is a German non-profit foundation established in 1971 in Erlangen to address the shortage of affordable student housing. It operates 18 student dormitories containing approximately 3,080 fully furnished apartments across more than a dozen German university cities, including Berlin, Hamburg, Cologne, Frankfurt, Leipzig, Darmstadt, Freiburg, Essen, Mainz, Hildesheim, Paderborn, and Wolfenbüttel. The portfolio is unified under the Felixx student brand (formerly SMARTments student), with a separate subsidiary, Frankonia Vermögensverwaltung und Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH, handling property development and architecture.
The foundation generates revenue through rental income from student and apprentice apartments, with rents averaging around €470 per month on an all-inclusive basis (Pauschalmiete) and publicly subsidized units available at lower rates. Application and rental inquiries are handled through the Felixx student website, while on-site property managers and tutors deliver local services including key handover, maintenance, and community events. Approximately 30% of residents have an international background, and the foundation markets through social media, university postings, brochures, and word-of-mouth referrals.
The foundation is managed by Prof. Dr. Julius Schoeps and Engelbert Maus as Geschäftsführer, with STM Stiftungstreuhand & Management gGmbH acting as trustee. As a non-profit, FDS reinvests into the portfolio rather than distributing profit, and recent capacity additions include the Gabriel Riesser Haus (2023), Hedwig Klein Haus (2025), and the Samsonschule Wolfenbüttel (October 2025), the latter developed in partnership with Moses Mendelssohn Stiftung and funded in part by NBank.
FDS Gemeinnützige Stiftung firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- FDS Gemeinnützige Stiftung
- Legal name
- FDS gemeinnützige Stiftung
- Website
- https://fds-stiftung.de
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1971
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- FDS Gemeinnützige Stiftung is a German non-profit foundation founded in 1971 that operates 18 student dormitories with approximately 3,080 fully furnished apartments across Germany under the Felixx student brand, serving university students, apprentices, and international students with affordable, all-inclusive rent.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
FDS Gemeinnützige Stiftung industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Student Housing
- NAICS
- Rooming and Boarding Houses, Dormitories, and Workers' Camps (72131)
- SIC
- Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Student Residence Halls & Dormitory Management (On-/Near-Campus) (EDAIALAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- University Dorms & Affiliated Summer Housing (THAMAGAA), Student/Academic Serviced Residences (THAGAEAF)
Keywords
Where FDS Gemeinnützige Stiftung is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Erlangen
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices13 records
Markets served
FDS Gemeinnützige Stiftung business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Infrastructure, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Student Housing Rental: The foundation generates revenue through rental income from student apartments. As a non-profit foundation established in 1971, operations are conducted without profit-making intent. The foundation operates both publicly subsidized (gefördert) and privately financed student housing facilities.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Affordable student housing with all-inclusive rent |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels5 records
FDS Gemeinnützige Stiftung product offering
Product offeringCore offering
FDS Gemeinnützige Stiftung operates and rents fully furnished student apartments through its Felixx student brand across 18 dormitories with approximately 3,080 units in German university cities. The foundation provides all-inclusive rental contracts (6 or 12 month terms) covering utilities, internet, common rooms, on-site tutor support, and maintenance. Many apartments are publicly subsidized, allowing very favorable rent levels (from €390, averaging €470).
Product overview
FDS Gemeinnützige Stiftung operates a portfolio of student housing properties across Germany. The company's primary branded offering is Felixx student (formerly SMARTments student), which manages 18 student dormitories with approximately 3,080 apartments in cities including Berlin, Hamburg, Cologne, Frankfurt, Leipzig, Darmstadt, Freiburg, Essen, Mainz, Hildesheim, Paderborn, and Wolfenbüttel. Properties offer fully furnished apartments with utilities included, high-speed internet/WLAN, communal spaces, on-site tutors, and property managers. The company also maintains a secondary brand, SMARTments student, for certain properties.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Felixx student housing
Companies that use FDS Gemeinnützige Stiftung
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
FDS Gemeinnützige Stiftung technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
FDS Gemeinnützige Stiftung partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- STM Stiftungstreuhand & Management gGmbHcoreServes as the trustee (Treuhänder) for FDS Gemeinnützige Stiftung, providing foundation management and oversight services.
- Moses Mendelssohn StiftungcorePartners with FDS for the Samsonschule Wolfenbüttel project. Moses Mendelssohn Stiftung is responsible for developing the learning and memorial site aspect of the historic building, while FDS operates the student housing component.
- Frankonia Vermögensverwaltung und Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbHcoreSubsidiary of FDS Stiftung consisting of project developers with nationwide experience and architects based in Kassel. Handles development of new properties and complex existing property developments.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights6 records
FDS Gemeinnützige Stiftung competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Vonovia SE: Europe's largest residential landlord with a substantial German multifamily portfolio. Not focused on student housing, but its scale, financing capacity, and exposure to German rental regulation directly affect the broader market in which FDS operates and sources tenants.
- Unite Students plc: UK-listed owner and operator of purpose-built student accommodation. While UK-focused, it is the most visible publicly traded benchmark for student housing as an asset class, providing valuation and operating-model reference points relevant to FDS.
Direct peers
- Yugo (formerly CRM Students): International student housing operator with German assets and a built-in community/events model similar to Felixx student. Comparable in target segment (university students), furnished-apartment offering, and brand-led marketing approach.
- International Campus GmbH: One of the largest private operators of student and micro-apartment housing in Germany and Austria. Directly competes with FDS for student tenants in German university cities and offers a private-operator benchmark for student housing scale and pricing.
- BaseCamp Student GmbH: German-focused student housing operator developing purpose-built student accommodation in cities like Dortmund, Münster, and Jena. Directly competes for university students with fully furnished, community-oriented offerings, though on a commercial rather than non-profit basis.
- Studierendenwerke (e.g., Studierendenwerk Berlin, München, Hamburg): The official non-profit student services organizations across German university cities, operating publicly subsidized student dormitories and canteens. They are FDS's most direct comparables in mission (affordable student housing), regulatory structure (subsidy-dependent), and target customer.
Emerging players
- The Fizz Student Accommodation: Private German student housing brand with properties in cities including Freiburg, Darmstadt, and Bremen. Targets a similar university student demographic with fully furnished apartments and community events, offering a commercial-sector benchmark for Felixx's positioning.
Others
- Deutsche Studentenwerk (DSW): Umbrella association of Germany's 57 Studierendenwerke and the national political voice for student services and housing. Relevant as the sectoral counterpart to FDS's mission and a key policy interlocutor on student housing subsidies.
- Moses Mendelssohn Stiftung: Partner foundation that co-developed the Samsonschule Wolfenbüttel heritage project with FDS. Thematically aligned as another mission-driven German foundation, useful as a partnership and project-development peer rather than a direct competitor.
Market position
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
FDS Gemeinnützige Stiftung social profiles
Digital presenceFDS Gemeinnützige Stiftung financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
FDS Gemeinnützige Stiftung leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
FDS Gemeinnützige Stiftung subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
FDS Gemeinnützige Stiftung funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
FDS Gemeinnützige Stiftung 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 FDS Gemeinnützige Stiftung
What does FDS Gemeinnützige Stiftung do?
FDS Gemeinnützige Stiftung operates and rents fully furnished student apartments through its Felixx student brand across 18 dormitories with approximately 3,080 units in German university cities. The foundation provides all-inclusive rental contracts (6 or 12 month terms) covering utilities, internet, common rooms, on-site tutor support, and maintenance. Many apartments are publicly subsidized, allowing very favorable rent levels (from €390, averaging €470).
Is FDS Gemeinnützige Stiftung a public or private company?
FDS Gemeinnützige Stiftung is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was FDS Gemeinnützige Stiftung founded?
FDS Gemeinnützige Stiftung was founded in 1971. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is FDS Gemeinnützige Stiftung based?
FDS Gemeinnützige Stiftung is headquartered in Erlangen, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does FDS Gemeinnützige Stiftung make money?
One revenue line is on record: student Housing Rental.
Who are FDS Gemeinnützige Stiftung's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Vonovia SE and Unite Students plc. Direct peers are Yugo (formerly CRM Students), International Campus GmbH, BaseCamp Student GmbH and Studierendenwerke (e.g., Studierendenwerk Berlin, München, Hamburg). The Fizz Student Accommodation is listed as an emerging player. Others are Deutsche Studentenwerk (DSW) and Moses Mendelssohn Stiftung.
Does FDS Gemeinnützige Stiftung have an API?
No public API is recorded for FDS Gemeinnützige Stiftung.
What industry is FDS Gemeinnützige Stiftung in?
FDS Gemeinnützige Stiftung's product category is Student Housing. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAIALAB, Student Residence Halls & Dormitory Management (On-/Near-Campus), with a secondary code of THAMAGAA, University Dorms & Affiliated Summer Housing. Its NAICS code is 72131 and its SIC code is 7000.