What Heidi Klum does

Heidi Klum GmbH & Co. KG i. L. (in liquidation) is a personal-brand and television-production entity headquartered in Odenthal, Germany, whose principal asset is Germany's Next Topmodel (GNTM), a reality-TV modeling competition produced since 2006 and currently airing its 21st season on ProSieben and Joyn as of February 2026. The business serves aspiring fashion models (its casting pool) and German-speaking mass audiences (its viewership), with downstream beneficiaries being brand partners such as Harper's Bazaar, L'Oréal Paris, and model agency One Eins Fab, which provide prizes and post-show career pipelines for winners.

The revenue model is anchored in a long-running broadcast partnership with ProSieben (with Joyn handling streaming), supplemented by sponsorship integrations from L'Oréal Paris and Harper's Bazaar, and a small direct-to-consumer merchandise extension (autograph cards sold via the corporate website). The underlying technology footprint is minimal and consumer-facing only: a marketing website with Google Analytics, cookie-based tracking, and Facebook/Google remarketing tags — there is no disclosed proprietary platform, production technology stack, or data asset.

The legal entity is currently in liquidation, with Günther Klum listed as liquidator on the company imprint, and no headcount, revenue, or funding disclosures are available. Format evolution has nonetheless continued: Season 19 (Feb 2024) opened to male contestants, Season 20 (Feb 2025) was a jubilee edition with dual winners, and Season 21 (Feb 2026) relocated its finale to Los Angeles — indicating that operational production continues even as the corporate vehicle winds down.

Name

Heidi Klum

Legal name

Heidi Klum GmbH & Co. KG i. L.

Website

https://heidiklum.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Heidi Klum GmbH & Co. KG i. L. is a German personal-brand entity producing Germany's Next Topmodel for ProSieben/Joyn and serving aspiring models, brand partners (L'Oréal, Harper's Bazaar), and German-speaking TV audiences; currently in liquidation.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Television Entertainment / Reality TV Production

NAICS

Agents and Managers for Artists, Athletes, Entertainers, and Other Public Figures (7114)

akta.pro primary industry

Celebrity & Influencer Talent Booking (HSACAHAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Brand Ambassadors, Models & Promotional Talent Staffing (HSACAHAJ)

Keywords

• Reality television production
• Modeling competition show
• Personal brand management
• Casting and talent search
• Entertainment content production

Headquarters

HQ city

Odenthal

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Others

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Heidi Klum produces and hosts Germany's Next Topmodel (GNTM), an annual reality television modeling competition produced in partnership with ProSieben. The show provides aspiring models with a career-launch platform through open castings, professional photo shoots, catwalk challenges, and fashion industry exposure, awarding winners cash prizes, magazine covers, and brand campaigns. The business also sells branded merchandise (autograph cards) and channels alumni into the One Eins Fab modeling agency.

Product overview

Heidi Klum operates primarily as a personal brand centered around Germany's Next Topmodel (GNTM), a reality TV modeling competition show produced with ProSieben broadcaster. The core product is the annual television season, with new seasons (Staffel 19, 20, 21) representing the main recurring product releases. The show provides aspiring models a platform through open castings, photo shoots, and catwalk challenges, now open to all genders and body types. Additional offerings include merchandise (autograph cards) and post-show career placement services through the One Eins Fab agency. Each season represents a distinct product launch with its own premiere date, contestants, and prizes.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Germany's Next Topmodel (GNTM) Reality television modeling competition produced in partnership with ProSieben, providing a career-launch platform for aspiring models through open castings, professional photo shoots, catwalk challenges, and travel to various filming locations while meeting fashion industry personalities. Open to models of all genders and body types, age 18+.
• GNTM Model Placement (One Eins Fab Agency) Post-show career placement service for GNTM participants who sign with One Eins Fab modeling agency after their participation in the competition. Former contestants have progressed to professional modeling careers through this agency partnership.

Quantifiable outcome

• 20+ successful seasons since 2006
• +3 more outcomes

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.

• ProSiebencoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 13 February 2025ProSieben is the primary broadcast partner for Germany's Next Topmodel, airing weekly episodes and the live season finale. The partnership has continued for over 20 seasons since the show's inception in 2006, making it one of ProSieben's flagship entertainment programs.
• JoyncoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 13 February 2025Joyn serves as the streaming platform partner for GNTM, providing parallel live broadcast and on-demand streaming alongside the ProSieben television broadcast. This partnership expands the show's reach to digital-first viewers.
• Harper's BazaarflagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 13 February 2025Harper's Bazaar Germany provides magazine cover features for GNTM winners. Starting from Season 19, both the male and female winners receive their own cover on Harper's Bazaar Germany, providing significant media exposure for the winning models.
• L'Oréal ParisflagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 13 February 2025L'Oréal Paris provides campaign opportunities for GNTM winners. The partnership gives winning models professional campaign experience with a major international beauty brand, creating a direct career pathway for competition winners.
• DJ TiestoStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2024DJ Tiesto collaborated with Heidi Klum to create a new cover song 'Sunglasses at Night' to mark the start of GNTM Season 19 in 2024. This musical collaboration served as a promotional element for the show's premiere.
• One Eins FabcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2006One Eins Fab is a model agency that contracts GNTM alumni after their participation in the show. Many former contestants have gone on to successful modeling careers through this agency partnership, creating a direct career pathway for show participants.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Wilhelmina Models: Public-traded model and talent management agency representing fashion models, talent, and influencers. Comparable in business model to the model-talent management arm underlying Heidi Klum's GNTM ecosystem.
• Elite Model Management: Global model management agency with a long-standing reputation for discovering and developing fashion talent, including through competition formats. Directly comparable to the model-talent management and competition-discovery aspect of GNTM / Agentur Heidi Klum.
• Ford Models: Historic model management agency with a large global roster and a track record of launching modeling careers. Comparable to the 'Agentur Heidi Klum' model representation business and the career-launching positioning of GNTM.
• IMG Models: One of the world's leading model management agencies, representing a global roster of fashion and commercial talent. Comparable to Heidi Klum's 'Agentur Heidi Klum' model agency business and the talent-management dimension of the GNTM franchise.

Others

• ProSiebenSat.1 Media: Parent company of ProSieben and Joyn, the core broadcast and streaming partners for GNTM. Comparable as the major German private broadcaster ecosystem that distributes Heidi Klum's flagship show, and an indirect stakeholder in its commercial success.

Broad incumbents

• Banijay Group: Largest independent global content producer, holding the international Top Model franchise rights and producing many reality competition formats. Comparable as a global reality-TV production incumbent operating in the same content category as GNTM.
• Fremantle: Major international content producer and distributor behind formats such as Idol, Got Talent, and X Factor. Comparable as a broad reality/entertainment TV production incumbent in the same competitive space as GNTM.
• Creative Artists Agency (CAA): Premier global talent and entertainment agency representing actors, models, athletes, and media personalities. Comparable in talent-representation business model to the 'Agentur Heidi Klum' management layer underlying the GNTM career pipeline.

Regional players

• RTL Deutschland: Largest private broadcaster group in Germany and the principal domestic competitor to ProSieben. Comparable as a regional TV market participant competing for the same German entertainment audiences and advertising budgets that support GNTM.
• America's Next Top Model (Tyra Banks / Banijay): The U.S. (and originally international) installment of the Top Model franchise, the same format family as Germany's Next Topmodel. Highly comparable in format, audience proposition, and model-discovery mechanism, but operates in a different geography and a distinct brand identity (Tyra Banks vs. Heidi Klum).

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat2 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/heidi-klum

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Heidi Klum