ibw - Institut für Bildungsforschung der Wirtschaft

What ibw - Institut für Bildungsforschung der Wirtschaft does

ibw - Institut für Bildungsforschung der Wirtschaft is an Austrian non-profit research institute founded in 1975 and headquartered in Vienna, specialising in research and development at the intersection of education, business, and qualifications. It operates a portfolio of digital platforms and services supporting Austria's dual vocational education and training system: lap.at (learning materials for apprentices preparing for the Lehrabschlussprüfung), Qualität Lehre (a documentation and quality platform for company-based training), bic.at (career information and vocational orientation), AWS (teaching materials for business and economics education), Recruiting-Tools (apprentice selection support), the LAP-Clearingstelle (quality assurance of apprenticeship examinations), and the NQR-Servicestelle (Austria's National Qualifications Framework service office). The institute also coordinates Austria's participation in AustrianSkills, EuroSkills, and WorldSkills vocational competitions and operates the Staatspreis "Fit for Future" award programme for outstanding apprenticeship companies.

The institute is funded primarily through project-based public contracts with Austrian federal ministries (BMB, BMWET, BMSPK), the Austrian Public Employment Service (AMS), the Austrian Economic Chambers (WKO), European funds (ESF, EU Commission), and international partners including Cedefop, GIZ, BIBB (Germany), and EHB (Switzerland). It employs approximately 40 staff plus freelancers and contractors, with distribution handled through its own digital platforms, direct institutional delivery to government partners, and a web shop for research publications priced in euros on a pay-as-you-go basis. ibw holds no commercial sales motion in the traditional sense and derives no significant revenue from end-user platform usage; its products function as public goods within the Austrian vocational training ecosystem.

Name

ibw - Institut für Bildungsforschung der Wirtschaft

Legal name

ibw - Institut für Bildungsforschung der Wirtschaft

Website

https://ibw.at

Company type

Private

Founded year

1975

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

ibw is an Austrian non-profit research institute founded in 1975 that conducts research and operates digital platforms supporting vocational education, apprenticeship examination quality assurance, career orientation, and the National Qualifications Framework, primarily funded by Austrian federal ministries, AMS, and WKO.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Vienna

HQ country

Austria

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Publicly funded research projects: ibw operates as a research institute securing project funding from Austrian federal ministries (BMB, BMWET, BMSPK), the Austrian Public Employment Service (AMS), European funds (ESF), and international organisations (EU Commission, Cedefop, GIZ). Projects are won through competitive tenders and direct institutional engagement. Revenue is project-based and recurring as ibw maintains long-term relationships with funding bodies.
2. Publication sales: Research reports and studies are sold via the ibw web shop. Prices are listed in euros as net prices; ibw's services are VAT-exempt (USt-befreit). Shipping of paid research reports is free of charge.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

ibw is an Austrian non-profit research institute that conducts applied research, policy analysis, and development services at the intersection of education, economy, and qualifications. It operates national digital platforms (lap.at, Qualität Lehre, bic.at, AWS) and official service centres (LAP-Clearingstelle, NQR-Servicestelle) supporting vocational training, apprenticeship examination quality, career guidance, and skills competitions, and sells research publications via its web shop.

Product overview

ibw - Institut für Bildungsforschung der Wirtschaft is an Austrian research institute for business education research. Rather than a single unified software product, it offers a portfolio of complementary platforms, services, and programs focused on vocational education and training. The core offerings include: lap.at for apprenticeship exam preparation materials, Qualität Lehre as a quality platform for dual vocational education, bic.at for career information, AWS for school-based business education materials, Recruiting-Tools for personnel selection, and NQR-Servicestelle for qualifications framework services. These are supplemented by the LAP-Clearingstelle for exam quality assurance, Gütesiegel certification for insurance training, and participation in AustrianSkills/EuroSkills/WorldSkills competitions. The institute also conducts research and publishes studies across areas including dual vocational training, lifelong learning, and international vocational education comparison.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ExpressoBildung: Podcast providing short and stimulating discussions about vocational education in Austria
• ibw.aktuell
• Qualität Lehre
• lap.at
• bic.at
• Recruiting-Tools
• AWS (Arbeitsgemeinschaft Wirtschaft und Schule)

Products and services

• lap.at
• Qualität Lehre
• Recruiting-Tools (auswahlhilfe.at)
• Ausbildungsleitfäden und Ausbildungsdokumentation
• bic.at
• AWS - Arbeitsgemeinschaft Wirtschaft und Schule
• NQR-Servicestelle
• LAP-Clearingstelle
• Gütesiegel für Weiterbildungen im Versicherungsbereich
• AustrianSkills / EuroSkills / WorldSkills Coordination
• Forschung und Entwicklung (Research and Development Services)
• Staatspreis "Fit for Future" - Beste Lehrbetriebe

Quantifiable outcome

• ibw produces studies, analyses, and policy recommendations used by Austrian ministries and the AMS to shape vocational training policy
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 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

Feature7 records

Partnerships

24 partnerships are on record, tiered core, moderate and minor.

• Bundesministerium für Bildung (BMB)coreOthersAustrian Federal Ministry for Education – one of ibw's primary institutional funding and commissioning bodies for vocational education research and development projects.
• Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft, Energie und Tourismus (BMWET)coreOthersAustrian Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs – commissions and funds research on vocational training, labour market qualification needs, and economic aspects of education.
• Arbeitsmarktservice Österreich (AMS)coreOthersAustrian Public Employment Service – collaborates with ibw on labour market research, qualification needs analyses, and evaluations of labour market policy programmes.
• Wirtschaftskammern Österreichs (WKO)coreOthersAustrian Economic Chambers – a key partner representing Austrian businesses and trades; ibw works with WKO on apprenticeship development, skills competitions, and training quality initiatives.
• Bundesinstitut für Berufsbildung (BIBB), DeutschlandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGermany's Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training – primary international research partner for comparative studies on dual vocational education systems (Germany, Austria, Switzerland). Co-publishes the 'Indikatoren zur dualen Berufsbildung' annual comparison.
• Eidgenössisches Hochschulinstitut für Berufsbildung (EHB), SchweizcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSwiss Federal Institute for Vocational Education, Training and Management – international partner for comparative research on vocational education across the D-A-CH region.
• European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training (Cedefop)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEU agency for vocational training development; ibw participates through Cedefop ReferNet Austria, contributing to European-level vocational education research and knowledge-sharing.
• Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbHmoderateStrategic or Co-development PartnerGerman development cooperation agency; collaborates with ibw on international vocational training development projects, knowledge transfer, and capacity building.
• Europäische Kommission / EACEAmoderateOthersEuropean Commission / Executive Agency for Education, Audiovisuals and Culture; funds Erasmus+ and other vocational education projects in which ibw participates.
• Europäischer Sozialfonds (ESF)moderateOthersEuropean Social Fund; co-funds vocational training and labour market projects implemented by ibw in Austria.
• Zentralverband des Deutschen Handwerks (ZDH), DeutschlandmoderateStrategic or Co-development PartnerGerman Central Association of Crafts; collaborates on international vocational training exchange, benchmarking, and best-practice sharing in the skilled trades.
• Deutscher Industrie- und Handelskammertag (DIHK), DeutschlandmoderateStrategic or Co-development PartnerGerman Association of Chambers of Commerce and Industry; international partner for dual training research and comparative analysis.
• Donau-Universität KremsminorOthersDanube University Krems – Austrian university of continuing education; collaboration in research and professional development in the field of vocational education.
• Fachhochschule St. PöltenminorOthersUniversity of Applied Sciences St. Pölten; collaboration on research projects and academic exchange in vocational education and training.
• FHWien – Studiengänge der WKWminorOthersUniversity of Applied Sciences of the Vienna Chamber of Commerce; academic partnership for research and education in business and economics.
• Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung (IAB), DeutschlandmoderateStrategic or Co-development PartnerGerman Institute for Employment Research; international comparative research partner for labour market and qualification studies.
• Institut für höhere Studien (IHS)moderateStrategic or Co-development PartnerInstitute for Advanced Studies (Vienna) – major Austrian economics and social sciences research institute; partner in research projects on education and labour market policy.
• Wirtschaftsförderungsinstitut der Wirtschaftskammer Österreich (WIFI Österreich)minorOthersWIFI (Wirtschaftsförderungsinstitut) of the Austrian Economic Chambers; collaboration on continuing education and vocational training development.
• Berufsförderungsinstitut Wien (bfi Wien)minorOthersVienna Vocational Training Institute; collaboration on vocational education programmes and initiatives in Vienna.
• Industriellenvereinigung (IV)moderateOthersFederation of Austrian Industry; represents large industrial employers; collaborates with ibw on vocational training policy, skilled workforce research, and industry-specific apprenticeship development.
• OeAD – Österreichische Austauschdienst-GmbH, Nationalagentur Erasmus+ BildungmoderateOthersAustrian Agency for Education and Internationalisation; implements Erasmus+ vocational education projects in which ibw participates.
• JOANNEUM RESEARCH Forschungsgesellschaft mbHminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAustrian applied research company; collaborates with ibw on interdisciplinary research projects in education and labour market analysis.
• Swisscontact – Swiss Foundation for Technical CooperationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSwiss development organisation focused on vocational training; collaborates with ibw on international development projects in vocational education.
• 3s Unternehmensberatung GmbHminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAustrian management consultancy specialising in education and labour market topics; collaborates with ibw on research and consulting projects.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Cedefop (European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training): EU agency for VET policy and research. ibw participates via Cedefop ReferNet Austria; they operate at different layers (EU agency vs. national institute) but address the same VET knowledge domain.
• JOANNEUM RESEARCH: Austrian applied-research company. Listed minor partner of ibw; competes in applied education and labour-market research tenders with a broader interdisciplinary portfolio.
• IHS (Institut für Höhere Studien): Vienna-based institute for advanced studies in economics and social sciences. Listed partner of ibw; a broader Austrian research institute that competes for and collaborates on education/labour-market policy projects.
• WIFO (Österreichisches Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung): Austria's leading macroeconomic research institute. Overlaps with ibw on labour-market and qualification-need forecasting commissioned by ministries and AMS.

Direct peers

• BIBB (Bundesinstitut für Berufsbildung): Germany's federal institute for vocational education and training. ibw's closest international counterpart — same mandate, same dual-VET research remit — and named core partner for the D-A-CH 'Indikatoren zur dualen Berufsbildung' comparison.
• IAB (Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung): Germany's institute for employment research. Comparable role in labour-market and qualification research; ibw's listed international partner for comparative qualification studies.
• 3s Unternehmensberatung GmbH: Austrian consultancy specialising in education and labour-market policy. Listed as a minor partner of ibw; competes directly with ibw on Austrian and EU-funded VET research and evaluation tenders.
• EHB / SFUVET (Eidgenössisches Hochschulinstitut für Berufsbildung): Switzerland's federal university for vocational education and training. Functions as ibw's Swiss counterpart and co-publisher of the D-A-CH dual-VET indicator study; comparable mandate scope and policy-research role.

Others

• bfi Wien (Berufsförderungsinstitut Wien): Vienna's vocational training institute. Listed minor partner; delivers vocational courses and labour-market programmes, complementing ibw's research and quality-assurance role rather than competing in research.
• WIFI Österreich (Wirtschaftsförderungsinstitut): Continuing-education arm of the Austrian Economic Chambers. Listed minor partner; delivers actual vocational training rather than research, so it sits in ibw's ecosystem as a training provider/executor rather than a research competitor.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeopen.spotify.com/show/5bzxCP1GOSE4OYUSLQp5a2
• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ibw-institut-f-r-bildungsforschung-der-wirtschaft

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about ibw - Institut für Bildungsforschung der Wirtschaft