K & L Verlag

What K & L Verlag does

K & L Verlag GmbH & Co. KG is a German educational publisher headquartered in Detmold, Germany, founded in 1996. The company produces interactive coloring and activity workbooks for children aged 4-11 covering traffic safety, fire safety, first aid, and health education, supplemented by the Kim & Luis mobile app (iOS and Android) which uses image recognition to scan book pages and unlock 3D figures, educational videos, learning games, and digital progress tracking. K & L operates a unique social sponsoring business model in which local businesses and organizations fund the production of educational books in exchange for acknowledgment, and the books are then distributed free to children through a network of channel partners including traffic safety organizations (Kreisverkehrswachten), fire departments (Feuerwehren), rescue services (Johanniter-Unfall-Hilfe), and health offices (Gesundheitsämter). Additional revenue is generated through direct sales of educational materials to municipalities, fire departments, and schools. The company employs 120-130 staff across 5 German locations (Detmold, Chemnitz, Delmenhorst, Karlsruhe, Melle) and reports having reached approximately 8 million children over 28+ years of operation. K & L is a privately held limited partnership (GmbH & Co. KG) with MK Beteiligungs GmbH as the personally liable general partner, managed by Daniel Bollweg and Friedrich Flöttmann, with no external institutional investment disclosed.

Name

K & L Verlag

Legal name

K & L Verlag GmbH & Co. KG

Website

https://kl-verlag.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

K & L Verlag is a German educational publisher producing interactive safety-education workbooks (traffic, fire, first aid, health) for children aged 4-11, distributed free through partner organizations and funded via a local-business social sponsoring model.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Children's Educational Publishing

NAICS

Book Publishers (51313), Software Publishers (5132)

SIC

Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731)

akta.pro primary industry

Children’s Activity & Workbook Publishing (MPAJAFAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Children’s Activity & Practice Books (Workbooks, Puzzles, Handwriting) (EDAGAIAE), Children’s Educational & Curriculum Publishing (MPAJAFAF)

Keywords

• Children's safety education
• Educational workbooks
• Traffic safety materials
• Fire safety education
• First aid training books

Headquarters

HQ city

Detmold

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Social Sponsoring: Local businesses and organizations sponsor the production of educational books. In return, they receive acknowledgment in the books. The sponsored books are then distributed free to children through partner organizations (traffic safety organizations, fire departments, schools). This creates a social impact model where companies fund child safety education.
2. Sales to Public Institutions: Direct sales of educational materials to municipalities, fire departments, traffic safety organizations, and schools for use in their educational programs.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

K & L Verlag develops and publishes interactive educational workbooks for children in kindergartens and elementary schools (ages 5–11) covering traffic safety, bicycle education, fire safety, first aid, and health education. The workbooks are complemented by the Kim & Luis mobile app, which uses QR code scanning to deliver 3D figures, educational videos, learning games, read-aloud functions, and digital progress tracking. The company distributes materials to children free of charge through a network of partner organizations (fire departments, traffic safety organizations, rescue services, health offices) and local business sponsors who fund production in exchange for acknowledgment in the books.

Product overview

K & L Verlag publishes a portfolio of interactive educational workbooks for children in kindergarten and elementary school (ages 5-11) focused on safety education: traffic safety (cycling and pedestrian), fire safety, first aid, and health/social development. The core product line consists of eight named workbook series (Kinder sicher im Straßenverkehr, Sicher mit Feuer & Flamme, Erste Hilfe für Kinder, Ersthelfer von Morgen, Tommy Trösterbär, Brandschutz kann jedes Kind, AGI findet Freunde, and Mit Sammy sicher im Straßenverkehr), all of which are supplemented by the Kim & Luis companion mobile app that provides digital AR-like content (3D figures, videos, games, read-aloud) via QR code scanning. The books are distributed free to children through local government sponsors, fire departments, traffic safety organizations, and rescue services across Germany. The company operates from 5 locations (Detmold headquarters, Chemnitz, Delmenhorst, Karlsruhe, Melle) with approximately 120-130 employees and has reached 8 million children since founding over 28 years ago.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Kim & Luis App: Mobile application enabling children to access 3D figures, learning games, educational videos, and digital learning progress controls by scanning book pages.
• Tommy Trösterbär
• AGI findet Freunde

Products and services

• Kinder sicher im Straßenverkehr (Radfahrausbildung) Interactive coloring and workbook for bicycle safety education targeting 3rd-6th grade elementary school students. Features 44 pages covering traffic rules, helmet safety, blind spots, turning correctly, and traffic signs, with QR codes linking to 3D figures, learning games, explanatory videos, and digital learning progress control via the Kim & Luis App. Character: Anton Ampel.
• Sicher mit Feuer & Flamme (Brandschutzerziehung) Interactive coloring and workbook for fire safety education developed in collaboration with fire departments. Features QR codes linking to 3D figures, explanatory videos, and digital learning progress control via the Kim & Luis App. Includes 'Kinderfinder' (children finder) stickers for windows/doors. Character: Feuerwehrauto Florian. Targeted at grades 3-6.
• Erste Hilfe für Kinder First aid education workbook for 3rd-4th grade students developed in collaboration with Hamburg Fire Department and Landesfeuerwehrschule Hamburg. Covers emergency calls, bandaging, burns, heatstroke, and shock. Features characters Waldi the dachshund, Mario, and Olivia.
• Ersthelfer von Morgen First aid education workbook for children ages 5-11 developed with Johanniter-Unfall-Hilfe. Features characters Jona and Joni, 3D figures, explanatory videos, digital learning progress control, read-aloud function, and a digital reward system accessible via the Kim & Luis App.
• Tommy Trösterbär 25cm plush comfort bear (CE certified, EN standard compliant) used by rescue services to help children cope with stress during medical emergencies. Serves as a comfort object, helps build trust, and allows medical staff to demonstrate procedures on the bear before treating children.
• Brandschutz kann jedes Kind Fire safety education workbook for kindergarten through 2nd grade featuring characters Mario and Olivia teaching children about fire dangers, responsible fire handling, emergency procedures, and how to call for help. Addresses the statistic that children are unintentional causes in 30% of house fires.
• AGI findet Freunde (Gesundheitserziehung) Health education and social development workbook targeting 2nd grade students. Addresses childhood obesity (15% overweight) and physical inactivity (84% exercise too little). Teaches healthy eating, cooking, and importance of movement through the character AGI the frog. Developed with local health offices and Deutscher Kinderschutzbund.
• Mit Sammy sicher im Straßenverkehr (Verkehrserziehung) New (2025) interactive coloring and read-aloud book for traffic education featuring Sammy the turtle. Targets kindergarten through 2nd grade. Includes 44 pages with digital content via Kim & Luis App (3D figures, games, videos, songs, read-aloud), an integrated craft template with cut-out figures, and a perforated street scene for role-play exercises.
• Kim & Luis App Companion mobile application (free, iOS and Android) that brings the educational workbooks to life. Children scan book pages with tablet or smartphone to access 3D figures, learning games, explanatory videos, read-aloud content, and collect stars in a digital reward system. Includes digital learning progress control showing whether tasks were solved correctly.

Quantifiable outcome

• 8 million children reached with safety education materials
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Johanniter-Unfall-Hilfe e.V.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing partnership with Johanniter-Unfall-Hilfe for first aid education materials. Johanniter distributes 'Ersthelfer von Morgen' books to kindergartens and schools, reaching thousands of children annually with first aid training content.
• Kreisverkehrswachten (Traffic Safety Organizations)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with local traffic safety organizations across Germany to distribute cycling and traffic safety books to elementary schools. Partners handle local sponsor acquisition and school distribution.
• Stadt- und Kreisfeuerwehrverbände (Fire Department Associations)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with fire departments and their associations across Germany to distribute fire safety education materials to schools and kindergartens. Fire departments often handle sponsor acquisition and distribution logistics.
• Deutscher Kinderschutzbund (German Child Protection Agency)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for health education materials ('AGI findet Freunde'). The organization helps distribute materials on healthy eating and exercise to preschool and elementary school children.
• Gesundheitsämter (Health Offices)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnership with local health offices for distribution of health education materials ('AGI findet Freunde') to children in kindergartens and schools.
• Landesfeuerwehrschule HamburgminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with Hamburg State Fire Academy for development of first aid educational content, ensuring materials meet current standards and guidelines.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Dudenverlag: Established German publisher of educational materials and reference works, including learning aids for school-age children. Comparable as a broader incumbent producing educational content for German students.
• Klett Verlag: Major German educational publishing group with textbooks, workbooks, and digital learning products across K-12. Comparable as an established incumbent in German educational publishing with overlapping workbook offerings.
• Cornelsen Verlag: One of Germany's largest educational publishers, producing textbooks, workbooks, and digital learning materials across K-12. Comparable as a broader incumbent serving the same German school market with overlapping curriculum-aligned content.
• Ravensburger: Major German publisher of children's books, games, and educational products. Comparable as an established incumbent producing learning and activity products for German children, with broader portfolio scale.
• Westermann Gruppe: Major German educational publisher (including Schroedel and Diesterweg) producing textbooks and learning materials for schools. Comparable as an established incumbent in the same German K-12 educational publishing market.

Direct peers

• Tessloff Verlag: German publisher of children's non-fiction books and learning materials, including the 'Was ist Was' brand. Comparable as a publisher of educational content for German children, including topics where safety and science education overlap.
• Hauschka Verlag: German publisher specializing in children's workbooks, learning materials, and practice books (Übungsmaterial). Closely comparable as a publisher of children's activity and learning workbooks targeting similar age groups and sold through educational channels.
• Mildenberger Verlag: German educational publisher focused on school materials, including workbooks and practice materials for elementary school grades. Directly comparable as a German publisher of classroom-grade educational workbooks serving the same K-2 to 4 customer base.

Peers

• Deutscher Verkehrssicherheitsrat (DVR): German national road safety council producing traffic safety education content and coordinating with the same traffic safety organization (Kreisverkehrswacht) partner network. Comparable as an adjacent ecosystem participant in the same traffic education distribution channel.

Others

• ADAC: Germany's largest automobile club, which produces traffic safety education materials for children (e.g., cycling programs). Comparable as an adjacent organization producing traffic safety content for German elementary school children through similar partner networks.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/k-&-l-verlag

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 K & L Verlag