HeurekaNet - Freies Institut für Bildung, Forschung und Innovation e.V.

What HeurekaNet - Freies Institut für Bildung, Forschung und Innovation e.V. does

HeurekaNet - Freies Institut für Bildung, Forschung und Innovation e.V. is a Münster-based nonprofit research and development association founded in 2000, operating across six thematic areas: lifelong learning, children/youth, gender and diversity, future of work/digitalization, health and care, and civic engagement. Its primary outputs are methodologies, competence frameworks, training toolkits, and applied research findings rather than commercial software products—most notably the Virtueller Instrumentenkoffer (a 100+ entry database of competency-validation instruments covering seven European countries) and adapted frameworks such as DELTA AT WORK (McKinsey's DELTA model applied to vocational education) and the Youth Work Mobile 2.0 competence framework developed with Saxion University of Applied Sciences. The institute holds official recognition as a state-approved free youth welfare provider under § 75 SGB VIII and tax-exempt charitable status under §§ 51 ff. AO.

HeurekaNet operates as a project-based applied research intermediary rather than a product company. Its core "technology" is methodological—validated instruments for identifying, assessing, and recognizing informally acquired competencies; forum-theater and arts-based youth engagement methodologies; and digital education formats including AR-based inclusive learning (InkluVision) and e-learning/m-learning modules. Digital outputs include project web portals (yowomo2, delta-at-work.eu, competences.info), OER materials, podcasts, video case studies, and self-assessment toolkits such as REMOTEMO's 30-tool remote-work mental-health toolkit.

The institute's business model is entirely grant-funded and nonprofit. Revenue streams consist exclusively of public project grants from the European Union (primarily Erasmus+), the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (BMAS), the State of North Rhine-Westphalia, municipalities, rural districts, and select private foundations. Operations rely heavily on volunteer honorary assistance, student traineeships, and a lean core team of 1-10 scientific, artistic, and administrative staff. Go-to-market is consortium-driven—HeurekaNet assembles project partnerships with schools, adult education centers (VHS), welfare organizations (Caritas), vocational colleges (Berufskolleg), universities, and corporate partners (e.g., Sparkasse Westmünsterland) to compete for grant funding. Knowledge transfer occurs through free publications, conferences, workshops, webinars, and open web portals rather than commercial sales.

Name

HeurekaNet - Freies Institut für Bildung, Forschung und Innovation e.V.

Legal name

HeurekaNet - Freies Institut für Bildung, Forschung und Innovation e.V.

Website

https://heurekanet.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

HeurekaNet is a Münster-based nonprofit research institute founded in 2000, conducting publicly funded applied research in lifelong learning, youth welfare, gender/diversity, digitalization, and health/care across European project consortia.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Münster, NRW

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Public Project Funding and Grants: HeurekaNet is entirely funded through public project grants and funding. Major sources include the European Union (Erasmus+ programs), the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), the German Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (BMAS), the State of North Rhine-Westphalia, municipalities and rural districts, and private foundations. The institute describes itself as nonprofit and reliant on voluntary honorary assistance, student traineeships, and occasional publicly funded project staff.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

HeurekaNet is a nonprofit applied research and development institute that conducts analysis, research, evaluation, and method and instrument development. Its work is delivered through practice-oriented projects and professional continuing education addressing lifelong learning, youth welfare, digitalization, gender and diversity, health and care, and civic engagement.

Product overview

HeurekaNet operates as an educational research institute, not a software product company. Its offering consists of research projects, educational programs, and training services focused on lifelong learning, youth development, gender/diversity, digitalization, health/care, and civic engagement. Key projects include InkluVision (AR-based inclusive education), Voices against Silence (anti-bullying theater), You:Power (youth empowerment through arts), DELTA AT WORK (future skills platform), and ESA-Mentorship (work-care reconciliation). These are EU/BMBF-funded projects with deliverables including publications, OER materials, and training programs rather than commercial software products. The institute also maintains knowledge resources like the Virtual Instrument Toolkit database and provides continuing education programs for professionals.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Continuing Education Programs (Fortbildungen) Professional development courses for practitioners in social work, disability services, youth work, and counseling, covering mediatization and digitalization, video counseling, and digital youth work.

Quantifiable outcome

• Managed projects up to approximately 1 million euros in cost volume
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability4 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

31 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Akademie Klausenhof, HamminkelncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Akademie Klausenhof serves as the lead applicant and project partner in the InkluVision project (2026) focused on inclusive media education using Augmented Reality. The academy is also a key cooperation partner in the Fit für ChatGPT & Co project, with HeurekaNet contributing analysis, conception, and evaluation while the academy manages training delivery.
• Inklusives Lunchcafé Europa, BocholtcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026The inclusive lunch café serves as a practice laboratory (Praxis-Labor) for the InkluVision project, where participants co-creatively develop AR-based communication scenarios, such as an interactive guide in simple language for the café.
• Büngern-Technik (Werkstatt für Menschen mit Behinderungen, Caritasverband Bocholt)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026A workshop for people with disabilities affiliated with Caritas Bocholt, participating as a practice partner in the InkluVision project focused on AR-based inclusive media education and vocational integration.
• Theodor-Heuss-Gymnasium, RecklinghausencoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2025One of two main schools participating in the Voices against Silence anti-bullying project. Approximately 30 youth participants aged 13-17 from the school collaborate on creative outputs (theater, songs, films) addressing bullying and empathy.
• Käthe-Kollwitz-Gesamtschule, RecklinghausencoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2025Participating school in the Voices against Silence project. Youth from this school, alongside Theodor-Heuss-Gymnasium, work on theatrical scenes, poetry, films, and songs to address bullying and its consequences.
• Regionale Schulberatungsstelle des Kreises RecklinghausenminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2025The regional school counseling center of Recklinghausen district is a cooperation partner in the Voices against Silence anti-bullying project, contributing counseling and advisory expertise.
• Altstadtschmiede RecklinghausenminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2025Cultural venue and cooperation partner in the Voices against Silence project, contributing artistic and cultural expertise to the youth anti-bullying project.
• Zentrum für Interkulturelle Bildung Berchum (ZIBB), HagencoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2025Cooperation partner in the You:Power project, which addresses racism, democracy, and identity with youth aged 15-21 in Hagen. ZIBB contributes intercultural education expertise and networks.
• East-West-East-Germany e.V.coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2025Cultural organization and project partner in You:Power and Inner Power projects, contributing artistic and intercultural expertise to youth empowerment and anti-racism work.
• Theater Hagen / Lutz-TheaterminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2025Theater Hagen and its Lutz-Theater provide theatrical expertise and performance venues for youth projects including You:Power, enabling public performances and artistic development.
• Käthe-Kollwitz-Berufskolleg, HagencoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2025Vocational school serving as cooperation partner in You:Power and Inner Power projects. Inner Power sessions are held in the school's facilities and involve students as participants.
• LWL-Bildungszentrum Jugendhof VlothominorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2025LWL Youth Training Center Vlotho partnered with HeurekaNet on the 2018 specialist conference 'Children and Youth in the Net' on professional work with children and youth in the smartphone and social media era.
• Sparkasse WestmünsterlandcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2023Regional savings bank and participating company in the first mentoring group of the EsA-Mentorship project, contributing to the development of models for reconciling work and caregiving in the Westmünsterland region.
• Caritas-Verband für das Dekanat Borken e.V.coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2023Caritas welfare association for the Borken deanery and participant in the EsA-Mentorship project, one of the first companies working on reconciling employment and caregiving responsibilities.
• VHS RheinecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Adult education center as project lead and cooperation partner in the 'Digitale Teilhabe für Menschen mit Behinderung' project, which developed and delivered vocational training for professionals working with people with disabilities.
• Caritasverband Rheine e.V.minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Social welfare organization and project partner in the digital participation project for people with disabilities, providing the practical care context for training delivery.
• CeBeeF Kreis Steinfurt e.V.minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Center for equal opportunities for people with disabilities in Steinfurt district, participating as a project partner in the digital participation training project.
• I AND F Education and Development Limited (Ireland)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2022Irish education and development organization and project partner in DELTA AT WORK, an Erasmus+ project on future skills in vocational training, involving partners from Germany, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, and Spain.
• Baltijos Edukaciniu Technologiju Institutas (BETI, Lithuania)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2022Baltic Education Technology Institute, Lithuania, as partner in DELTA AT WORK Erasmus+ project, contributing to the development of materials on future skills for vocational education across six European countries.
• Institute of Economics of the Latvian Academy of Sciences (Latvia)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2022Academic partner in the DELTA AT WORK project from Latvia, contributing research expertise on future skills and vocational training modernization.
• INDEPCIE SCA (Spain)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2022Spanish partner in DELTA AT WORK Erasmus+ project, contributing to the development of future skills frameworks for vocational training across Europe.
• Stowarzyszenie ARID (Poland)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2022Polish partner in the DELTA AT WORK project, contributing to the cross-national development of vocational training materials and future skills frameworks.
• Landes-Gewerbeförderungsstelle des nordrhein-westfälischen Handwerks e.V. (LGH)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2022NRW Chamber of Crafts' training institute and project partner in DEValAT, the Erasmus+ project on validation practice networking between Germany and Austria.
• BILL-Institut für BildungsentwicklungcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2022Institute for educational development and project partner in DEValAT, contributing expertise on validation of non-formal and informal learning in the German-speaking context.
• BFI Salzburg BildungsGmbH (Austria)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2022Austrian adult education provider and project partner in DEValAT, contributing to the cross-border exchange of validation practices between Germany and Austria.
• Österreichisches Institut für Berufsbildungsforschung (ÖIBF)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2022Austrian Institute for Vocational Education Research and partner in DEValAT, contributing research-based expertise on validation and competency recognition.
• Neotalentway (Spain)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 December 2021Spanish partner in the REMOTEMO Erasmus+ project, contributing to the development of social and emotional skills training for remote workers across five European countries.
• EDUFORMA SRL (Italy)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 December 2021Italian education provider and project partner in REMOTEMO, contributing to the development of training materials addressing mental health effects of remote working.
• Scientific Association for the Promotion of Lifelong Learning / EEDIVE (Greece)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 December 2021Greek partner in REMOTEMO and host of the intensive tool training event in Trikala, Greece. Contributed to the development of OER for remote work support.
• Wyższa Szkoła Ekonomii i Innowacji w Lublinie (Poland)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 December 2021Polish university partner in REMOTEMO, contributing to the development of the remote work social-emotional skills training program.
• Saxion University of Applied Sciences (Netherlands)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 December 2020Dutch university and key partner in the Youth Work Mobile 2.0 project, jointly developing a competence framework for youth work in the digital age, including training scenarios and competency descriptions published in multiple languages.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Institut für Sozialforschung und Sozialwirtschaft (iso): Saarbrücken-based nonprofit research and consulting institute working on social, education, and labor market research with public funding. Highly comparable organizational model (nonprofit, project-based, applied research) and overlapping thematic focus on lifelong learning, youth, and care sectors.
• Arbeitsgemeinschaft für Kinder- und Jugendhilfe (AGJ): German umbrella organization for youth welfare with recognized association status. Comparable to HeurekaNet's §75 SGB VIII positioning and focus on children/youth policy, youth work methodology, and intergenerational engagement projects.

Broad incumbents

• Deutsches Jugendinstitut (DJI): Germany's leading social science research institute for children, youth, families, and youth welfare. Directly comparable to HeurekaNet's youth welfare and applied research model, but operates at much larger scale with federal/mandate funding.
• Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung (IAB): Research institute of the German Federal Employment Agency conducting labor market and vocational training research. Comparable to HeurekaNet's vocational training, future skills, and care-sector workforce projects, but with larger scale and statutory mandate.
• European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training (Cedefop): EU agency for vocational education and training development, supporting evidence-based VET policy across member states. Comparable to HeurekaNet's European-level vocational training and competency validation work, operating at EU agency scale.
• Bundesinstitut für Berufsbildung (BIBB): Federal German institute for vocational education and training research. Closely comparable to HeurekaNet's vocational training, competency validation, and future-skills projects (e.g., DELTA AT WORK), but with statutory federal mandate and significantly larger resources.
• Bertelsmann Stiftung – Programme Bildung & NextGeneration: Major German private foundation running large-scale education and lifelong learning research programs. Comparable in thematic focus on competency recognition, future skills, and educational reform, but operates at foundation scale with significantly larger resources.
• Deutsches Institut für Erwachsenenbildung (DIE): Leibniz Institute for Adult Education Research. Comparable to HeurekaNet's lifelong learning, adult education, and competency recognition work, operating as a more established and federally funded research institute in the same thematic space.
• IQB – Institut zur Qualitätsentwicklung im Bildungswesen: Berlin-based institute for educational quality development. Comparable to HeurekaNet's work on competency assessment and validation instruments, but operating at national level with mandate from the KMK.

Regional players

• Deutsches Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung (DIW): German economic research institute with adjacent work on labor market, education economics, and care workforce topics. Comparable in the applied social science research model and use of public funding, though broader in scope.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/heurekanet---freies-institut-f-r-bildung-forschung-und-innovation-e-v-

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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