Kompetenznetzwerk Umweltwirtschaft.NRW

What Kompetenznetzwerk Umweltwirtschaft.NRW does

Kompetenznetzwerk Umweltwirtschaft.NRW (KNUW) is a state-commissioned competence network for the environmental economy in North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW), Germany. It operates as a knowledge-brokering and coordination hub that connects companies, research institutions, universities, associations, economic development agencies, and policymakers across eight sub-markets of the environmental economy: resource and energy efficiency, eco-friendly mobility, renewable energy generation and storage, water and wastewater management, waste and raw materials management, sustainable building, environmental consulting/services, and climate/environmental protection technologies. KNUW is commissioned and funded by the NRW Ministry for Environment, Nature Protection and Transport (MUNV), with co-engagement from MWIKE, and since the beginning of 2026 has been managed by a consortium led by PricewaterhouseCoopers GmbH Wirtschaftsprüfungsgesellschaft (PwC) together with CP/COMPARTNER (communications) and Arqum (environmental management).

The portfolio comprises twelve core offerings: (1) regional network management delivered through five territory-assigned managers covering Köln/Bonn & Südwestfalen, Bergisches Städtedreieck/Düsseldorf/Niederrhein, Ostwestfalen-Lippe & Münsterland, and Metropole Ruhr/Aachen/Rheinisches Revier; (2) the annual SUMMIT Umweltwirtschaft.NRW flagship conference (~300 attendees at the 9th edition in 2025, 10th edition scheduled for November 2026); (3) the Green Spotlight and Think Green Act Smart webinar series covering topics such as ISO 14001/EMAS, EnEfG/EDL-G, ESRS/VSME, and energy management; (4) the Schaufenster innovation showcase; (5) the Green Economy Papers research publication series (e.g., Paper #4 on circular economy employment and gross value added); (6) organization of the NRW joint exhibition stand at major trade fairs (IFAT Munich, Hannover Messe); (7) the Umweltwirtschaftspreis.NRW award competition (60,000 EUR prize money with NRW.BANK); (8) the Grüne Gründungen.NRW green startup funding program (~50 million EUR deployed since 2023); (9) funding advisory on EFRE/JTF and state programs; (10) the recurring newsletter; (11) the LinkedIn channel; and (12) direct 1:1 consultations via Microsoft Bookings.

The business model is fully publicly funded and non-commercial: KNUW does not sell products or services, and all offerings — webinars, events, advisory support, publications, networking — are provided free of charge to participants. Revenue flows from MUNV commissioning to the PwC-led consortium; there is no commercial pricing, no equity, no investors, and no external shareholders. Customer segments are diversified across SMEs, large enterprises (e.g., thyssenkrupp MillServices & Systems, SANHA, Schraeder), research institutions (RWTH Aachen), government ministries, and green startups, but none are revenue-paying customers — they are beneficiaries of the publicly funded mandate. Headcount is approximately six dedicated personnel plus embedded consortium staff.

Name

Kompetenznetzwerk Umweltwirtschaft.NRW

Legal name

PricewaterhouseCoopers GmbH Wirtschaftsprüfungsgesellschaft

Website

https://knuw.nrw

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Kompetenznetzwerk Umweltwirtschaft.NRW is a publicly-funded state network connecting companies, research institutions, and policymakers across North Rhine-Westphalia's eight environmental economy sub-markets, providing events, research publications, trade fair coordination, and funding advisory free of charge.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Environmental Economy Network Coordination Services

NAICS

Business Associations (813910), Environmental Consulting Services (54162)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Circular Economy & Resource Efficiency (BPADALAM)

akta.pro secondary industry

Climate Change Mitigation & Adaptation (BPAGAGAF)

Keywords

• Environmental economy network
• Sustainability cluster management
• Green technology coordination
• Circular economy advisory
• Public funding consulting

Headquarters

HQ city

Düsseldorf

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Government Commissioning / Public Funding: KNUW is commissioned and funded by the Ministry for Environment, Nature Protection and Transport of North Rhine-Westphalia (MUNV). It does not sell products or services commercially. All offerings including webinars, events, advisory services, and publications are free of charge for participants.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

KNUW is a government-commissioned competence network that connects companies, research institutions, associations, universities, economic development agencies, and policymakers across North Rhine-Westphalia's environmental economy. It bundles cross-industry competencies across eight sub-markets (resource and energy efficiency, eco-friendly mobility, renewable energy, water and wastewater, waste and raw materials, sustainable building, environmental services, and climate protection technologies), runs flagship events and trade fair presences, publishes research, and provides funding advisory and B2B matchmaking — all free of charge to participants.

Product overview

Kompetenznetzwerk Umweltwirtschaft.NRW (KNUW) is a competence network and coordination hub for the environmental economy in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is not a traditional product company but rather provides a portfolio of network services including: the core KNUW network management connecting companies, research institutions, and government; the annual SUMMIT Umweltwirtschaft.NRW flagship conference; the Green Spotlight webinar series; the Schaufenster innovation showcase; Green Economy Papers publications; organization of joint exhibition stands at trade fairs; the Umweltwirtschaftspreis.NRW award competition; funding advisory services; and a newsletter. These offerings work together to bundle cross-industry competencies, drive exchange between business, politics, and science, and position NRW as a leading provider of innovative environmental technologies.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• KNUW Netzwerkmanagement (Network Management Service) Core networking service connecting companies, research institutions, associations, universities, economic development agencies, and policymakers across North Rhine-Westphalia to strengthen exchange and drive innovation in the environmental economy. Provided free of charge to all participants.
• SUMMIT Umweltwirtschaft.NRW (Annual Flagship Conference) Annual flagship conference bringing together approximately 300 actors from business, politics, and science to discuss sustainable transformation of value chains, featuring keynotes, panel discussions, innovation pitches, the Umweltwirtschaftspreis.NRW award ceremony, and networking opportunities. Free to attend.
• Green Spotlight: Umweltwirtschaft kompakt (Webinar Series) Recurring webinar series offering companies regular, compact insights into current topics, trends, and challenges of the environmental economy, providing practical knowledge and exchange opportunities with industry experts. Free online access.
• Schaufenster (Innovation Showcase) A digital showcase presenting pioneers and innovations from the KNUW network, featuring diverse innovations and companies from North Rhine-Westphalia in the environmental sector.
• Green Economy Papers (Research Publications) Research publications analyzing the economic significance of the circular economy for North Rhine-Westphalia, systematically examining employment and gross value added along central R-strategies (e.g., Green Economy Paper #4). Available as free downloads.
• NRW-Gemeinschaftsstand (Joint NRW Exhibition Stand) Organization of joint NRW exhibition stands at major international trade shows (IFAT Munich, Hannover Messe), providing companies a central platform to showcase technologies and innovation capabilities. Co-organized with MUNV, MWIKE, NRW.Global Business, and Circular.NRW.
• Umweltwirtschaftspreis.NRW (Environmental Economy Award) Annual award competition recognizing companies from NRW that effectively combine climate and environmental protection with economic success. Total prize money of 60,000 EUR distributed across three winners. Award ceremony held at the annual SUMMIT.
• Förderberatung (Funding Advisory Service) Advisory services on funding programs including Zirkuläre Produktion, Ressource.NRW, ZukunftUmweltwirtschaft.NRW, and Grüne Gründungen.NRW, connecting companies with EU and state funding opportunities. Free of charge.
• KNUW Newsletter (Email Newsletter) Regular email newsletter providing updates on developments in the environmental economy, sharing news, projects, and events from the network. Managed via the CleverReach platform and available free via website subscription.

Named customers22 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

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and supporting.

• Ministerium für Umwelt, Naturschutz und Verkehr des Landes Nordrhein-Westfalen (MUNV)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026MUNV is the commissioning ministry that funds and oversees KNUW. It sets the strategic direction for the environmental economy in NRW. KNUW serves as the operational implementation arm of the NRW Environmental Economy Strategy. The ministry's minister (Oliver Krischer) and state secretary (Viktor Haase) actively participate in KNUW events, including opening the NRW stand at IFAT 2026 and the SUMMIT.
• Ministerium für Wirtschaft, Industrie, Klimaschutz und Energie des Landes Nordrhein-Westfalen (MWIKE)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMWIKE co-organizes the NRW Gemeinschaftsstand at major trade fairs (e.g., IFAT with MUNV and NRW.Global Business) and participates in KNUW events and policy dialogues. Ministerin Mona Neubaur (MWIKE) visits KNUW events including Hannover Messe and SUMMIT.
• PricewaterhouseCoopers GmbH Wirtschaftsprüfungsgesellschaft (PwC)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPwC is the lead managing entity of the KNUW consortium. PwC Germany (Frankfurt) is the data controller under GDPR for the KNUW website. The PwC team includes Nicolas Deutsch (overall project responsibility), Evamaria Lutz (deputy project lead), Gloria Funke (project lead & network management lead), Mareike Forster (Innovation & Competitiveness lead), and several other team members embedded in the KNUW management.
• CP/COMPARTNER Agentur für Kommunikation GmbHcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerCP/COMPARTNER is a communications agency within the KNUW consortium, responsible for public relations, communications, and event organization. Michael Fuchs (Deputy Head of Communications) and other team members represent this partner in the KNUW management team.
• Arqum Gesellschaft für Arbeitssicherheits-, Qualitäts- und Umweltmanagement mit beschränkter HaftungcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerArqum is a consulting firm specializing in occupational safety, quality, and environmental management within the KNUW consortium. It contributes deep domain expertise in environmental management and provides team members including Anja Lang (Innovation & Competitiveness) and Thomas Nienhaus in the KNUW management structure.
• NRW.Global BusinessmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNRW.Global Business co-organized the NRW Gemeinschaftsstand at IFAT 2026 together with MUNV and MWIKE. It provides international trade and investment facilitation services for NRW companies and was instrumental in organizing the NRW networking evening at the trade fair.
• Circular.NRWmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCircular.NRW was represented at the NRW Gemeinschaftsstand at IFAT 2026 alongside KNUW. It is a related initiative within the NRW environmental economy ecosystem focused on circular economy topics.
• ApexBrasilmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerKNUW organized a joint panel with ApexBrasil and Bcome.global at Hannover Messe 2026 (Brazil as partner country), featuring Brazilian and NRW companies and facilitating 1:1 matchmakings between NRW startups and Brazilian enterprises.
• Bcome.globalsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerBcome.global co-organized the Brazil-NRW startup panel at Hannover Messe 2026 with KNUW and ApexBrasil, facilitating cross-border networking and business matching.
• Greentech.RuhrsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerGreentech.Ruhr co-hosted the 'Cool bleiben: Hitzeschutz als neue Planungsdimension' event with KNUW and multiple NRW partners (Öko-Zentrum, Stadt Dortmund, IHK Dortmund), focusing on climate-adapted buildings and heat protection.
• DECHEMA (Gesellschaft für Chemische Technik und Biotechnologie e.V.)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDECHEMA co-organized the BMFTR KuRT (Kunststoffrecyclingtechnologien) transfer event with the German Federal Ministry for Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR). KNUW contributed an impulse presentation on NRW initiatives for circular economy funding. The event focused on transferring research results from the BMFTR funding measure on resource-efficient circular economy and plastic recycling technologies.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• IÖW – Institut für ökologische Wirtschaftsforschung: Berlin-based research institute for ecological economy — comparable as a knowledge producer on circular economy economics, overlapping with KNUW's Green Economy Papers on R-strategies and value-added analysis.
• NRW.Global Business: NRW state trade and investment promotion agency — co-organizes the NRW joint stand at IFAT 2026 with KNUW and MUNV. Overlaps on international visibility for NRW companies and cross-border B2B matchmaking.
• DECHEMA: German Society for Chemical Technology and Biotechnology — strategic partner of KNUW on BMFTR KuRT plastic recycling events; comparable as a thematic industry association overlapping on circular-economy and industrial transformation programming.

Direct peers

• Bayern Innovativ: Bavarian state innovation network coordinating technology and sustainability clusters — operates a near-identical model to KNUW (public-mandate SME coordination, regional managers, event-driven programming) in another large German state.
• Circular.NRW: NRW state-funded initiative focused specifically on circular economy — co-exhibits with KNUW at IFAT 2026 and overlaps directly with KNUW's resource efficiency, waste/raw materials, and circular-economy sub-markets. Most directly comparable peer in mission and funding model.
• Greentech.Ruhr: Regional greentech network covering the Ruhr area within NRW — co-hosts events with KNUW (e.g., 'Cool bleiben: Hitzeschutz als neue Planungsdimension') and competes for overlapping SME audiences and project mandates in NRW.
• Umwelttechnik BW: State-level network for environmental technology in Baden-Württemberg — operates as the closest structural twin to KNUW in a different Bundesland, with the same public-mandate, SME-coordination model and trade fair presence.

Broad incumbents

• Verein Deutscher Ingenieure (VDI): Germany's largest technical/scientific association — overlaps with KNUW's environmental and energy sub-markets via VDI divisions on energy/environment, but operates as a broad nationwide incumbent rather than a state-level SME coordination hub.
• Bundesverband Erneuerbare Energien (BEE): German renewable energy industry association — comparable as a sectoral industry association serving renewable energy / energy storage actors overlapping with one of KNUW's 8 sub-markets, but national in scope rather than NRW-specific.
• Rat für Nachhaltige Entwicklung: German federal sustainability council advising the federal government — comparable as a coordination/advisory body in the sustainability space, but national in scope and policy-advisory rather than SME-network oriented.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kompetenznetzwerk-umweltwirtschaft-nrw

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 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 Kompetenznetzwerk Umweltwirtschaft.NRW