GrünBau gGmbH
GrünBau gGmbH is a Dortmund-based non-profit social enterprise delivering publicly commissioned youth welfare, school-to-work transition, and labor market integration programs for long-term unemployed adults, at-risk youth, refugees, and people with disabilities in the Ruhr region.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1990
- HeadquartersDortmund, Germany
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What GrünBau gGmbH does
GrünBau gGmbH is a Dortmund-based non-profit social enterprise (gemeinnützige GmbH) founded in 1990 that delivers publicly commissioned employment, youth welfare, and education-to-work transition programs for disadvantaged populations. Wholly owned by the Stiftung Soziale Stadt foundation, the organization operates across three core service lines: youth welfare under the JAWoLL brand (residential and ambulatory erzieherische Hilfen, family work), school-based services / Übergang Schule–Beruf (including Jobwinner, DOCK 16, Jugend[Kultur]Werkstatt, NORDSTERNE, Train to Return), and labor market services such as the plan B Förderzentrum, BvB Pro, AGH measures, and the §16i SGB II Kooperative Beschäftigung consortium model. Approximately 154 participants are served annually through plan B Förderzentrum alone, with additional REHA (40 places), AGH Kreativwerkstatt (15 places), plan B aktiv (up to 28 participants), and ISB consortium (30 positions) capacity layered on top. The organization is AZAV-accredited since 2012 and a member of Der Paritätische NRW.
The underlying operating model combines holistic social-work counselling, vocational qualification, and on-the-job training in real-work environments — anchored in commercial/pedagogical facilities including Gärtnerei GrünFrau (urban horticulture/vocational training), Nansen (training restaurant at Heimathafen), the DigitalWerkstatt maker space, and community venues (GrünTreff, Nordtreff Arakasamen, Nachbarschaftstreff Hörde). No proprietary technology platform; the 'technology' is a social-pedagogical methodology combining assessment, qualification, coaching, and subsidized employment with measurable throughput targets.
Revenue is structurally bifurcated: (a) public-sector commissioning from Jobcenter Dortmund, the Bundesagentur für Arbeit, EU bodies (ESF Plus/REACT-EU), Land NRW, and municipalities under SGB II, SGB III, and SGB VIII frameworks — which is the dominant revenue stream — and (b) modest direct-to-consumer sales through the Gärtnerei GrünFrau retail nursery and Nansen restaurant, supplemented by (c) donations and named-fund fundraising (Notfallfonds, Care Leaver, Ladies First). Distribution is institutional: jobs/work are sold via public tenders and commissioner referrals rather than marketed to end beneficiaries. The affiliated GrünBau Inklusiv handles disability-inclusive employment and the Viertelwerk gGmbH subsidiary focuses on affordable-housing development, both under the same Stiftung Soziale Stadt umbrella.
GrünBau gGmbH firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- GrünBau gGmbH
- Legal name
- GrünBau gGmbH
- Website
- https://gruenbau-dortmund.de
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1990
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- GrünBau gGmbH is a Dortmund-based non-profit social enterprise delivering publicly commissioned youth welfare, school-to-work transition, and labor market integration programs for long-term unemployed adults, at-risk youth, refugees, and people with disabilities in the Ruhr region.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
GrünBau gGmbH industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Workforce Development and Youth Welfare Services
- NAICS
- Food Service Contractors (722310), Special Food Services (7223)
- SIC
- Services-Employment Agencies (7361)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Local & Regional Generalist Staffing Agencies (BPACACAH)
Keywords
Where GrünBau gGmbH is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Dortmund
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices3 records
Markets served
GrünBau gGmbH business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Others
Revenue model
- Publicly funded employment services: Core revenue comes from commissioned public employment programs funded by Jobcenter Dortmund, Bundesagentur für Arbeit, and related public bodies. These include activation measures, vocational training, job coaching, and placement services under SGB II and SGB III frameworks, as well as youth welfare services funded under SGB VIII.
- Social economy commercial activities: Direct retail revenue from sale of organically grown vegetables and herbs at Gärtnerei GrünFrau, and restaurant revenue from the Nansen training restaurant. These operate as commercial arms of the social enterprise, selling produce and food directly to local consumers.
- Donations and fundraising: GrünBau receives charitable donations through its dedicated fundraising program, including a named emergency fund (Notfallfonds) for young people in acute need. The organization also fundraises for specific projects such as Care Leaver support, Digitalwerkstatt, and Ladies First empowerment programs.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
GrünBau gGmbH product offering
Product offeringCore offering
GrünBau gGmbH is a non-profit limited liability company (gemeinnützige GmbH) headquartered in Dortmund, Germany, founded in 1990 and employing more than 200 people. The organization operates three core service divisions—Arbeitsmarktdienstleistungen (labor market integration services), Schulbezogene Angebote (school-based programs including JAWoLL), and Jugendhilfe (youth welfare)—commissioned primarily by German public agencies such as Jobcenter and the Bundesagentur für Arbeit, with co-financing from the EU/ESF Plus program. It also runs two social-enterprise operations, Gärtnerei GrünFrau (urban market garden) and the Nansen restaurant, which provide practical workplaces for program participants while selling produce and food directly to retail customers.
Product overview
GrünBau gGmbH operates as a multi-service social enterprise offering a comprehensive portfolio of interconnected programs organized across three main divisions: Youth Welfare (JAWoLL), School-Related Programs/School-to-Work Transition, and Labor Market Services. The organization functions as a platform of complementary services where participants often move between programs (e.g., youth from school programs into vocational training at plan B Förderzentrum, then into employment via labor market services). Key offerings include vocational training centers (plan B Förderzentrum, BvB Pro), the SÜDWÄRTS European mobility project, the GrünFrau urban gardening operation, the Nansen training restaurant, the DigitalWerkstatt maker space, and housing access initiatives. Cross-sectional services span debt counseling, cultural integration work, and refugee support that cut across all divisions. The organization is the sole shareholder of the non-profit housing company Viertelwerk gGmbH and operates community facilities including the Heimathafen community center.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- GrünFrau: A social horticulture and urban gardening initiative operating as a community-supported agriculture and garden project within GrünBau.
- JAWOLL
- plan B Förderzentrum
- Nansen
Products and services
- Arbeitsmarktdienstleistungen (Labor Market Services)
Quantifiable outcome
- 154 participants served annually at plan B Förderzentrum alone
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use GrünBau gGmbH
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
GrünBau gGmbH technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
GrünBau gGmbH partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core, strategic and major.
- Bundesagentur für Arbeit (Federal Employment Agency)coreFederal commissioning body providing funding and participant assignments for vocational training and employment integration programs under SGB III. Cooperates on measures including BvB Pro and referrals to GrünBau programs.
- ISB e.V. (Interessengemeinschaft sozialgewerblicher Beschäftigungsinitiativen)coreApplicant organization for the Kooperative Beschäftigung (KoBe) model project. ISB e.V. coordinates the consortium of five social employment organizations (including GrünBau, dobeq, Werkhof, CJD, Bildungsreis Handwerk) providing 30 integrated employment positions under §16i SGB II. GrünBau serves as one of the employer organizations within this structure.
- dobeq GmbHcoreCo-bidder in the plan B Aktiv program (bidding community for vocational activation of young people with psychosocial barriers) and member of the ISB KoBe consortium. Long-standing cooperative partner in joint program delivery.
- Werkhof Projekt gGmbHcoreCo-bidder in the plan B Förderzentrum and plan B Aktiv programs, and member of the ISB KoBe consortium. Long-term partner in the joint bidder community 'plan B' led by GrünBau.
- Stadtteil-Schule Dortmund e.V.coreCo-bidder in the plan B Förderzentrum program. Contributes educational expertise to the joint bidder community 'plan B' under GrünBau's lead.
- 3IN Social (Barcelona)strategicSpanish social employment organization hosting young participants from Barcelona as part of the EU initiative ALMA (Aim, Learn, Master, Achieve). In April 2026, GrünBau hosted a group of 3IN Social participants aged 19-29 for an 11-week vocational internship in Dortmund. Mutual exchange with reciprocal visits.
- Der Paritätische NRWcoreGrünBau is a member of Der Paritätische NRW, one of the largest welfare associations in Germany, providing professional support, quality standards, and representation of social welfare interests.
- Regionaler Einkauf Düsseldorf (REZ)majorRegional procurement office for federally funded employment measures, serving as a commissioning and quality assurance body for vocational training programs.
- Viertelwerk gGmbHmajorNon-profit housing company co-developed by Stiftung Soziale Stadt and supported by GrünBau, focused on creating affordable housing and opening housing access for people disadvantaged in the housing market.
- VivaWeststrategicHousing company with which GrünBau signed a cooperation agreement (2020) to facilitate housing access for target groups disadvantaged in the housing market, funded by the Ministry of Labour, Health and Social Affairs of North Rhine-Westphalia.
- UTC (Unternehmens-Transfer-Centrum) SpoletostrategicItalian partner organization in Spoleto, near Rome, hosting young German participants from the Südwärts mobility program for 2-month internships in Italy.
- GrünBau InklusivmajorSeparate affiliated organization within the corporate group focused on inclusive employment and services for people with disabilities, complementing GrünBau's mainstream programs.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
GrünBau gGmbH competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Internationaler Bund e.V. Large nationwide German non-profit delivering vocational training, youth welfare, migration and employment integration programs. Comparable in service breadth and target populations to GrünBau but at much larger national scale and federal presence.
- CJD Braunschweig (Christliches Jugenddorfwerk Deutschlands e.V.): One of Germany's largest Christian-affiliated non-profit social enterprises offering vocational orientation, youth welfare, education and employment integration services across multiple federal states. Overlaps with GrünBau on vocational training and disadvantaged-youth programming.
- Kolping-Bildungswerk Diözesanverband Paderborn e.V. Catholic vocational training and youth-employment organization with strong presence across NRW, delivering comparable vocational preparation, language courses and integration programs.
- AWO Bezirksverband Westliches Westfalen e.V. Local Arbeiterwohlfahrt chapter active in NRW youth welfare, family support and labor-market integration services, competing for the same SGB-funded commissioning pipeline.
- Caritasverband Dortmund e.V. Local chapter of Germany's largest Catholic welfare association, providing social counseling, integration, housing access and employment support in the same Dortmund catchment. Direct competition for Jobcenter referrals and ESF-commissioned programs.
- Diakonie Westfalen-Lippe: Regional branch of the Protestant welfare association covering NRW, operating youth welfare, refugee services, debt counseling and employment integration services that directly overlap with GrünBau's portfolio.
Emerging players
- DRK Landesverband Westfalen-Lippe e.V. Regional Red Cross chapter delivering youth welfare, refugee integration and social services across NRW with growing municipal commissioned-program activity that increasingly overlaps with GrünBau's integration and youth cohorts.
Direct peers
- Werkhof Projekt gGmbH: Dortmund-based social enterprise co-bidding with GrünBau in plan B Förderzentrum, plan B Aktiv and the ISB e.V. KoBe consortium. Operates training/work projects for long-term unemployed and disadvantaged adults under similar SGB II/III frameworks as GrünBau.
- dobeq GmbH: Dortmund-based gGmbH social enterprise operating as a co-bidder with GrünBau in the 'plan B' vocational activation consortium and a partner within ISB e.V. for Kooperative Beschäftigung under §16i SGB II. Closest comparable in terms of mission, regional footprint and target cohorts.
Regional players
- Bildungswerk der Nordrhein-Westfälischen Wirtschaft e.V. NRW employer-association-affiliated training provider delivering vocational activation, qualification and integration programs under SGB II/III commissions. Comparable commissioning model and target groups but employer-led rather than welfare-led.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
GrünBau gGmbH social profiles
Digital presenceGrünBau gGmbH compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
GrünBau gGmbH financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
GrünBau gGmbH leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
GrünBau gGmbH subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries2 records
GrünBau gGmbH funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
GrünBau gGmbH 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 GrünBau gGmbH
What does GrünBau gGmbH do?
GrünBau gGmbH is a non-profit limited liability company (gemeinnützige GmbH) headquartered in Dortmund, Germany, founded in 1990 and employing more than 200 people. The organization operates three core service divisions—Arbeitsmarktdienstleistungen (labor market integration services), Schulbezogene Angebote (school-based programs including JAWoLL), and Jugendhilfe (youth welfare)—commissioned primarily by German public agencies such as Jobcenter and the Bundesagentur für Arbeit, with co-financing from the EU/ESF Plus program. It also runs two social-enterprise operations, Gärtnerei GrünFrau (urban market garden) and the Nansen restaurant, which provide practical workplaces for program participants while selling produce and food directly to retail customers.
Is GrünBau gGmbH a public or private company?
GrünBau gGmbH is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was GrünBau gGmbH founded?
GrünBau gGmbH was founded in 1990. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is GrünBau gGmbH based?
GrünBau gGmbH is headquartered in Dortmund, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does GrünBau gGmbH make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Publicly funded employment services are the primary driver. The others are social economy commercial activities and donations and fundraising.
Who are GrünBau gGmbH's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Internationaler Bund e.V., CJD Braunschweig (Christliches Jugenddorfwerk Deutschlands e.V.), Kolping-Bildungswerk Diözesanverband Paderborn e.V., AWO Bezirksverband Westliches Westfalen e.V., Caritasverband Dortmund e.V. and Diakonie Westfalen-Lippe. DRK Landesverband Westfalen-Lippe e.V. is listed as an emerging player. Direct peers are Werkhof Projekt gGmbH and dobeq GmbH. Bildungswerk der Nordrhein-Westfälischen Wirtschaft e.V. is listed as a regional player.
Does GrünBau gGmbH have an API?
No public API is recorded for GrünBau gGmbH.
What industry is GrünBau gGmbH in?
GrünBau gGmbH's product category is Workforce Development and Youth Welfare Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPACACAH, Local & Regional Generalist Staffing Agencies. Its NAICS code is 722310 and its SIC code is 7361.