Kleemannschulen

What Kleemannschulen does

Kleemannschulen is a state-recognized private business school headquartered in Kiel, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, operating as Kleemannschulen GmbH, a gemeinnützige (non-profit) limited liability company. Founded in 1931 and brought into the Wirtschaftsakademie Schleswig-Holstein corporate group in August 2019, the institution now offers eight distinct educational programs under two campus locations in Kiel's Wik district (Flintkampsredder 11 and Hans-Detlev-Prien-Straße 10). Its portfolio spans Kieler Wirtschaftsgymnasium (Abitur), Berufsoberschule (BOS), Berufsfachschule I (Mittlerer Schulabschluss), Berufsfachschule III in Business and Social Pedagogy (Fachhochschulreife plus state-certified assistant qualifications), Fachoberschule in full-time and part-time formats, Fachschule für Betriebswirtschaft (certified Betriebswirt), and - as of September 2025 - Schleswig-Holstein's first private Berufsschule for retail apprenticeships.

The school's revenue model combines monthly tuition (€149-€315 depending on program) charged directly to students and their families with public funding flows derived from its staatlich anerkannte Ersatzschule status under the Schleswig-Holstein Schulgesetz. The Berufsschule line is funded separately by Ausbildungsbetriebe (employers) under the dual education system, with famila-Nordost/Bartels-Langness as the launch anchor. Distribution is direct-to-consumer via the school secretariat, info evenings, open days, and career-orientation events, supplemented by social media channels (Facebook, Instagram, YouTube) and the Kleemanntalk student podcast. The institution holds a formal credit-recognition agreement (since December 2019) with Duale Hochschule Schleswig-Holstein (DHSH) enabling Fachschule graduates to complete a Bachelor of Arts in approximately 21 months.

Technology infrastructure is conventional rather than differentiated: IServ serves as the central digital learning and communication platform for assignments, messaging, and video conferencing, with expanded Wi-Fi and service laptops for teaching staff. The school operates as a sub-scale institution with approximately 21 permanent teachers and ~15 freelance lecturers serving around 220 students (2022), under dual leadership of Schulleiter & Geschäftsführer Lutz Bentien alongside Schulleiterin Katharina Scharbow, with Geschäftsführer Torben Erhorn. The IHK zu Kiel (President Knud Hansen since October 2022) holds the Schirmherrschaft (patronage).

Name

Kleemannschulen

Legal name

Kleemannschulen GmbH

Website

https://kleemannschulen.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1931

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Kleemannschulen is a state-recognized private business school in Kiel, Germany, operating since 1931 under the Wirtschaftsakademie Schleswig-Holstein group. It offers eight vocational and commercial education programs - from Mittlerer Schulabschluss through Abitur and certified Betriebswirt - serving approximately 220 students via two Kiel campuses.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Vocational Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (611110), Technical and Trade Schools (6115), Apprenticeship Training (611513)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

International/Global Curriculum Schools (IB, Cambridge, etc.) (EDAJABAG)

Keywords

• Vocational education services
• Commercial education programs
• Business school training
• Vocational secondary education
• Dual apprenticeship training

Headquarters

HQ city

Kiel

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Tuition and School Fees: Kleemannschulen generates revenue primarily through monthly tuition fees charged to students across its various school programs. These fees vary by program: BFS I at €170/month, BFS III at €230/month (Economics) or €195/month (Social Pedagogy), FOS at €149/month, BOS at €255/month, and FS at €315/month (full-time) or €230/month (part-time). Berufsschule tuition is covered by Ausbildungsbetriebe, making it free for trainees.
2. Government Funding and Non-Profit Status: As a state-recognized private school (staatlich anerkannte Ersatzschule) operated by a non-profit GmbH (gemeinnützige GmbH), Kleemannschulen receives public funding and operates under the regulatory oversight of the Ministry for Education, Science and Culture of Schleswig-Holstein.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Kleemannschulen is a state-recognized private educational institution in Kiel, Germany that delivers commercial and vocational education across eight school types under one roof. The school offers programs leading to the Mittlerer Schulabschluss, Fachhochschulreife, Abitur, and state-certified business qualifications (Kaufmännische/r Assistent/in, Sozialpädagogische/r Assistent/-in, Betriebswirt/in), plus a Berufsschule for retail dual-apprenticeship training. Students progress through interconnected pathways that can lead to a Bachelor of Arts at DHSH in approximately 21 months.

Product overview

Kleemannschulen is a private, state-recognized business school network in Kiel, Germany, operating under the Wirtschaftsakademie Schleswig-Holstein. The institution offers a comprehensive portfolio of eight distinct educational programs spanning secondary education through advanced professional training. The programs include Kieler Wirtschaftsgymnasium (KWG) leading to Abitur, Berufsoberschule (BOS) for university entrance, Berufsfachschule III in Business and Social Pedagagogics for assistant qualifications plus Fachhochschulreife, Berufsfachschule I for intermediate secondary certificate, Fachoberschule (FOS) in full-time and part-time formats, Fachschule für Betriebswirtschaft providing state-certified business administrator qualifications with multiple specializations, Berufsschule for retail vocational training, and the Kleemanntalk student podcast project. The programs are designed as interconnected pathways enabling students to progress from secondary education through professional qualifications to university degrees.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Kieler Wirtschaftsgymnasium (KWG) Three-year vocational gymnasium leading to the general university entrance qualification (Abitur) with a focus on business economics. Designed for students seeking an academic path with a commercial specialization.
• Berufsoberschule (BOS) One-year upper secondary program for individuals with completed vocational training, leading to fachgebundene Hochschulreife (subject-restricted university entrance) or Allgemeine Hochschulreife (full Abitur) with additional foreign language study.
• Berufsfachschule III - Wirtschaft (BFS III) Two-year program offering Fachhochschulreife combined with state-certified qualification as 'Kaufmännische/r Assistent/in' (Commercial Assistant) with specializations in Foreign Languages or Information Processing.
• Berufsfachschule III - Sozialpädagogik (SPA) Two-year program offering Fachhochschulreife combined with state-certified qualification as 'Sozialpädagogische/r Assistent/-in', qualifying graduates to work with children aged 0-14 in childcare settings. Launching August 2026.
• Berufsfachschule I (BFS I) Two-year program leading to Mittlerer Schulabschluss (intermediate secondary certificate) with practical business competencies and internship components.
• Fachoberschule (FOS) Two-year program (full-time or part-time formats) providing Fachhochschulreife (university of applied sciences entrance qualification) with business competencies.
• Fachschule für Betriebswirtschaft Advanced professional school for business administration, offering state-certified 'Betriebswirt/in' qualification with specializations in Controlling, Personnel Management, or Marketing. Available full-time (2 years) or part-time (3 years). Includes additional certifications (IHK Ausbilder, IHK Projekt-Manager, Fachhochschulreife) and pathway to Bachelor of Arts at DHSH.
• Berufsschule für Einzelhandel Vocational school for the dual-apprenticeship system, offering theoretical instruction for Verkäufer/in (2-year) and Kauffrau/Kaufmann im Einzelhandel (3-year) retail training programs, in partnership with Ausbildungsbetriebe. Launched September 2025.

Quantifiable outcome

• Graduates receive state-recognized qualifications ranging from Mittlerer Schulabschluss to Abitur and certified business economist credentials
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• famila-Nordost / Bartels-Langness (Bela)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 September 2026Bartels-Langness (Bela), operating the famila supermarket chain, is the launch partner for the first private Berufsschule (vocational school) in Schleswig-Holstein at Kleemannschulen. Auszubildende from Bela/famila receive theoretical training at Kleemannschulen as part of their dual retail apprenticeship. The company helped co-design the curriculum and provides ongoing input on training needs.
• Duale Hochschule Schleswig-Holstein (DHSH)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 December 2019The DHSH is the dual university of applied sciences located in Kiel. Kleemannschulen students who complete the Staatlich geprüfte/r Betriebswirt/in qualification at the Fachschule can transfer credits toward a Bachelor of Arts degree at DHSH, completing the degree in approximately 21 months. The Anrechnungsordnung (credit recognition agreement) was formalized in December 2019.
• Wirtschaftsakademie Schleswig-Holstein (WAK-SH)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 August 2019Since August 2019, Kleemannschulen belongs to the corporate group (Unternehmensverbund) of the Wirtschaftsakademie Schleswig-Holstein (WAK-SH). This merger brought together the existing Kleemannschule with the Kieler Wirtschaftsgymnasium (KWG) and the Fachschule für Betriebswirtschaft (FS), previously operated by WAK-SH, under a unified brand. The partnership provides closer ties to companies in Schleswig-Holstein and enables access to the Duale Hochschule Schleswig-Holstein (DHSH) for integrated bachelor's degree pathways.
• IHK zu Kiel (Chamber of Industry and Commerce)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe IHK zu Kiel serves as patron (Schirmherr) of Kleemannschulen. IHK President Knud Hansen assumed the patronage in October 2022, succeeding Klaus-Hinrich Vater. The IHK connection provides access to Ausbildungsbotschafter (apprentice ambassadors) for career orientation events and strengthens ties with Kieler businesses.
• SEEd (Social Entrepreneurship Education) – Campus Business Box e.V. / Wissenschaftszentrum KielminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSEEd is a network of schools promoting social entrepreneurship education. Kleemannschulen joined the SEEd school network in August 2020. The program delivers workshops and teaching materials on social business development and sustainability to students from grade 8 onward.
• Plan International (sponsored Bolivian llama project)minorOthersThe KWG class of the Kleemannschulen partnered with Plan International to sponsor a llama and the training of youth in Bolivia as a class project, coordinated through the Spanish language class. This is a charitable community engagement rather than a commercial partnership.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• DEKRA Akademie: Vocational training and certification provider with nationwide presence in Germany. Comparable to Kleemannschulen in offering vocational qualifications, continuing education, and state-recognized certifications.
• Eckert Schulen: Largest private vocational school chain in Germany, offering Berufsfachschule, Fachschule, and other vocational programs across multiple campuses. Directly comparable to Kleemannschulen in offering state-recognized vocational qualifications with similar Fachhochschulreife and bachelor's pathways.
• F+U Unternehmensgruppe: German vocational education and training provider with Fachschule, Berufsfachschule, and other programs. Comparable to Kleemannschulen in offering state-recognized qualifications and bachelor's degree pathways through its affiliated institutions.
• DAA (Deutsche Angestellten-Akademie): Nationwide vocational education provider in Germany with locations across all Bundesländer. Comparable to Kleemannschulen in offering vocational training, educational support services, and continuing education.
• bfz (Berufliche Fortbildungszentren der Bayerischen Wirtschaft): Major vocational training and continuing education provider in Germany, operating numerous bfz locations. Comparable to Kleemannschulen in offering vocational qualifications, dual-system training programs, and employer-aligned upskilling.
• bfw (Bildungswerk der Bayerischen Wirtschaft): Vocational training provider affiliated with Bavarian employers, offering retraining, further education, and integration programs. Comparable to Kleemannschulen in delivering employer-aligned vocational training and workforce development.
• TÜV Rheinland Akademie: Vocational training and certification provider affiliated with TÜV Rheinland. Comparable to Kleemannschulen in offering state-recognized qualifications, certification preparation, and continuing education programs.

Others

• Handwerkskammer Bildungszentren: Chamber of Crafts-affiliated vocational training centers across Germany. Adjacent to Kleemannschulen in offering vocational education, though operated by public-law chambers (Kammern) rather than private entities like Kleemannschulen.
• Wirtschaftsakademie Schleswig-Holstein: Parent organization of Kleemannschulen since August 2019. Not a peer in the traditional sense but a related entity operating vocational education in Schleswig-Holstein that provides integrated student pathways and strategic support.

Broad incumbents

• SRH Holding: Large private education holding company operating universities, vocational schools, and online education across Germany. Broader scope than Kleemannschulen but operates in the same educational space with private state-recognized institutions and integrated degree pathways.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@kleemannschulen
• Facebookfacebook.com/Kleemannschulen
• Instagraminstagram.com/kleemannschulen
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kleemannschulen

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 Kleemannschulen