HanseBelt e.V.

What HanseBelt e.V. does

HanseBelt e.V. is a registered non-profit association (eingetragener Verein) founded in 2008 and headquartered at the IHK zu Lübeck in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. It operates as a regional business network and economic development organization serving the Hansebelt corridor between Hamburg and Copenhagen, with a membership of over 160 companies spanning logistics, pharmaceuticals, medical technology, food production, banking, and education. Its functional remit is regional employer branding, talent attraction, and cross-border business development, anchored around the forthcoming Fehmarnbelt tunnel (opening 2029).

The association's product portfolio comprises the Praktikum Hansebelt online internship matching portal (operated jointly with five regional economic development agencies), the HanseCast podcast featuring regional entrepreneurs, recurring networking and policy events (Arbeitskonferenz, Summer Lunch, Belt-Cup), and an AI-supported social media marketing service. Technology infrastructure is light: a corporate website, a collaborative internship database, a podcast distribution footprint on Spotify and Apple Podcasts, and social media channels. The underlying matching system is described as structured and strengths-based but is not characterized as proprietary AI/ML.

The business model rests on three revenue streams: (1) tiered annual membership dues ranging from €500 (startups) to €3,000 (enterprises with 500+ employees), (2) event participation fees (€49 for non-member conference attendees), and (3) public-sector co-financing, with 55% of the Regionalmanagement funded by the Schleswig-Holstein Ministry of Interior and a Regionalbudget of €300,000 per year for 2024-2027. Governance is provided by a six-member board led by Chairman Arndt Schanze (Geschäftsführer of Ex-Rohr GmbH) and Managing Director Maik Becker, supported by a 6-person operational staff. The association does not sell products in the traditional commercial sense; it operates a membership-based platform for regional economic development.

Name

HanseBelt e.V.

Legal name

HanseBelt e.V.

Website

https://hansebelt.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

HanseBelt e.V. is a non-profit regional business network association founded in 2008 in Lübeck, Germany, serving 160+ member companies in the Hansebelt corridor between Hamburg and Copenhagen. It delivers membership services, networking events, an internship matching portal, and regional employer branding, funded by tiered membership dues, event fees, and Schleswig-Holstein state co-financing.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Lübeck

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: The primary revenue stream consists of annual membership fees structured by company size. New businesses (founded less than 2 years) pay €500 annually, companies with 1-50 employees pay €1,000, 51-200 employees pay €1,500, 201-500 employees pay €2,000, and companies with 500+ employees pay €3,000 per year.
2. Event Revenue: Revenue generated from participation fees for events such as the HanseBelt Arbeitskonferenz. Non-members are charged €49.00 for conference attendance, while member pricing is preferential.
3. Regional Management Funding: The Regionalmanagement im Hansebelt is co-financed at 55% by the Ministry of Interior, Municipal Affairs, Housing and Sport of the State of Schleswig-Holstein. This supports regional economic development projects.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

HanseBelt e.V. is a registered non-profit business network association that unites more than 160 member companies from the Hansebelt region between Hamburg and Copenhagen, providing tiered annual membership subscriptions, regional networking events, employer branding and talent attraction programs including the Praktikum Hansebelt internship matching portal, regional economic development coordination with five Kreise and Lübeck authorities, and content such as the HanseCast podcast and AI-supported digital marketing campaigns promoting the region as a business and living destination.

Product overview

HanseBelt e.V. is a regional business network association (Unternehmensnetzwerk) that serves as an economic development organization rather than a traditional product company. The organization offers a portfolio of services including the HanseCast podcast, the Praktikum Hansebelt internship matching platform, regional marketing campaigns (including AI-supported social media marketing), and organizes networking events such as the annual HanseBelt Summer Lunch and HanseBelt Arbeitskonferenz. These offerings work together to strengthen the region's economic development, facilitate talent matching between companies and young professionals, and promote the Hansebelt region as an attractive business and living location.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• HanseCast: A podcast series by HanseBelt e.V. featuring interviews with inspiring personalities, innovative entrepreneurs, and creative minds in the Hansebelt region, presented by Julius Bülow.

Products and services

• HanseBelt e.V. Membership Annual membership subscription offering companies access to a network of 160+ regional enterprises, employer branding programs, joint marketing initiatives, networking events, regional visibility campaigns, cross-border business development support, and influence on regional economic policy. Five tiers based on company size: newly founded businesses (<2 years) €500/year, 1-50 employees €1,000/year, 51-200 employees €1,500/year, 201-500 employees €2,000/year, 500+ employees €3,000/year.
• Praktikum Hansebelt Self-service online portal that enables regional companies to post internship offers at no charge and matches them with school and university students seeking practical experience. Uses a structured, data-based matching system with a strengths-based communication approach to connect employers with interns across the Hansebelt region.
• HanseBelt Arbeitskonferenz Annual conference that addresses labor market themes and brings together regional employers, HR leaders, and policymakers. Open to non-members at €49 per attendance, the conference is a paid service offering industry insights on talent retention, modern work culture, and workforce challenges for the Hansebelt region's service and commercial sectors.
• HanseBelt Summer Lunch Annual summer networking event co-hosted with IHK-Fokus Wirtschaft that combines business lunch programming with expert dialogue on leadership themes, providing member companies and partners with mid-year networking opportunities in the Hansebelt region.
• HanseCast Podcast Branded podcast series featuring interviews with inspiring personalities, innovative entrepreneurs, and creative minds from the Hansebelt region, designed to showcase regional stories and strengthen the association's brand as the 'happiness region' (Glücksregion) between Hamburg and Copenhagen.

Quantifiable outcome

• 3 out of 4 residents consider themselves happy - nationwide top ranking
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers20 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major, secondary and minor.

• IHK zu Lübeck (Industry and Commerce Chamber Lübeck)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe IHK zu Lübeck serves as the lead (Federführung) organization for the Regionalmanagement im Hansebelt and provides office space for HanseBelt e.V. The partnership involves coordination of regional economic development, joint event organization, and strategic alignment of business support services.
• Entwicklungsgesellschaft Ostholstein mbH (EGOH)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEGOH is a key economic development partner for the Hansebelt region, jointly operating the Praktikum Hansebelt internship portal and participating in regional development projects.
• Wirtschaftsförderungsgesellschaft im Kreis Herzogtum Lauenburg mbH (WFL)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEconomic development agency for Herzogtum Lauenburg district, collaborating on the Praktikum Hansebelt internship platform and regional workforce initiatives.
• Wirtschaftsförderung Lübeck mbH (Wifö HL)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEconomic development agency for Lübeck, partnering on the Praktikum Hansebelt portal and regional talent attraction initiatives.
• Wirtschafts- und Aufbaugesellschaft Stormarn mbH (WAS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEconomic development agency for Stormarn district, collaborating on the Praktikum Hansebelt internship platform and regional workforce programs.
• Wirtschaftsentwicklungsgesellschaft des Kreises Segeberg mbH (WKS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEconomic development agency for Segeberg district, leading the TP3 project for systematic matching of companies and interns on the Praktikum Hansebelt platform.
• Fehmarnbelt Business CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partner supporting cross-border business development between Germany and Denmark, aligned with the Fehmarnbelt tunnel infrastructure project.
• Femern A/SmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe company behind the Fehmarnbelt tunnel project - the largest infrastructure project in Northern Europe. HanseBelt e.V. conducts site visits and collaborates on regional preparation for the tunnel's 2029 opening.
• Femern Belt DevelopmentmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDevelopment partner for the Fehmarnbelt region, working on regional positioning and preparation for cross-border connectivity.
• Handelskammer Hamburg (Hamburg Chamber of Commerce)secondaryChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSupporting the regional business network and providing business support services to Hansebelt members.
• IHK zu SchwerinsecondaryChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorChamber of commerce partner supporting the regional network extending towards Mecklenburg-Schwerin.
• Deutsch-Dänische Handelskammer (German-Danish Chamber of Commerce)secondaryChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSupporting cross-border business development and Danish connections for the Hansebelt network.
• VfB LübeckminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFormer jersey sponsor partner (2019-2024) that provided significant brand visibility. The partnership achieved nationwide exposure including presence in FIFA 21 video game.
• Marketing Club Lübeck e.V.minorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner for joint site visits and marketing activities, including the Fehmarnbelt tunnel construction site visit.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Berlin Partner für Wirtschaft und Technologie: Berlin's official business and technology promotion agency. Comparable regional economic development organization operating with public-private hybrid funding, member engagement, employer branding campaigns, and talent attraction programs across a larger metropolitan area with broader industry scope.
• IHK Schleswig-Holstein: Umbrella chamber for all IHKs in Schleswig-Holstein, including IHK zu Lübeck. Provides statutory member services, advocacy, and business support with regional overlap; competes for the same member attention, engagement budget, and political influence in regional economic policy.

Direct peers

• Hamburg Invest: Hamburg's investment promotion agency providing business location marketing, investor support, and regional economic positioning. Directly comparable function focused on a neighboring geography with similar target audience of corporates considering regional investment and cross-border opportunities.
• IHK zu Lübeck: The regional Chamber of Commerce that hosts HanseBelt e.V.'s headquarters and serves as Federführung (lead) for Regionalmanagement. Offers overlapping member services including networking, advocacy, and business support to the same regional business base, making it the most direct functional peer and primary cooperator.
• Wirtschaftsförderung Sachsen GmbH: Saxony's regional economic development corporation operating a comparable member-network model with public funding, employer branding, talent attraction, and cluster management initiatives. Similar mission scope (regional economic competitiveness) executed in a different German state with comparable governance structure.
• Metropolregion Hamburg: Regional development association for the Hamburg metropolitan region, of which Hansebelt is part. Operates a near-identical network-driven model with public co-funding, cross-border positioning, and member engagement programs targeting regional economic competitiveness across a broader footprint.
• Femern Belt Development: Danish-side development organization for the Fehmarnbelt region and HanseBelt e.V.'s cross-border counterpart and core partner. Operates a near-identical model focused on positioning the cross-border region for businesses ahead of the 2029 tunnel opening, with mirror-image employer branding and member engagement programs.
• Deutsch-Dänische Handelskammer: German-Danish Chamber of Commerce and a listed HanseBelt e.V. channel partner. Provides cross-border business services, networking, and advocacy to members operating between Germany and Denmark - directly overlapping with HanseBelt's Scandinavia bridge value proposition and competing for similar cross-border-focused SMB members.
• ClusterAgentur Baden-Württemberg: Cluster management organization coordinating industry networks and regional economic development programs in Baden-Württemberg. Operates a comparable networked model with public funding, member-driven programming, and cross-cluster collaboration; relevant benchmark for cluster management and member engagement best practices.

Regional players

• Region Sønderjylland-Schleswig: Danish-German cross-border regional partnership organization focused on economic, cultural, and labor market integration. Operates a similar network-driven model with public funding from both countries, serving as a complementary cross-border counterpart in the Fehmarnbelt corridor.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCvNl_eOReb8s0uqbcMdN3dQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/hansebeltregion
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hansebelt-verein
• Instagraminstagram.com/hansebelt

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 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 HanseBelt e.V.