Kompass Frankfurt

What Kompass Frankfurt does

Kompass Frankfurt (legal name: Kompass – Zentrum für Existenzgründungen Frankfurt am Main gGmbH) is a non-profit startup support center founded in 2000 in Frankfurt am Main, Germany, and headquartered at the Frankfurter Gründerzentrum on Hanauer Landstraße. Its core function is to provide free consulting, business plan support, and workshops to aspiring founders, active startup founders, and small businesses, with particular emphasis on founders with migrant backgrounds, female entrepreneurs, and gaming entrepreneurs. Since inception, the organization has advised over 26,000 founders and companies and supported more than 6,000 founders on their path to self-employment.

The organization's product surface spans several distinct offerings: the #gemeinsamdeins community platform built on Hivebrite technology; the Games HUB FFM program for video game and gamification entrepreneurs; the She STARTS trilateral international program with Krakow and Lviv partners; the Business Ideas for Development (BID) program operated with GIZ; individual coaching and business plan support services; co-working spaces through the Frankfurt Founders Center; and a podcast series (Startup Takeoff). Notable technical components are limited, as the organization is service-oriented rather than technology-oriented; the only proprietary digital asset is the Hivebrite community platform.

The business model is non-profit, funded primarily through grants and sponsorships rather than direct service fees. Core funding comes from the JPMorgan Chase Foundation (for #gemeinsamdeins), GIZ (for BID), and municipal sources including the Frankfurt Labor Market Program and Wirtschaftsförderung Frankfurt GmbH. Paid consulting is available only for self-paying clients under specific honorarium terms; the overwhelming majority of services are delivered free of charge. The go-to-market approach is community-led and event-driven, with the website, social media channels (Instagram, YouTube, Facebook), a MailPoet-powered newsletter, and the Hivebrite community serving as the primary engagement channels. Marketing has also extended into diaspora outreach (Ukrainian, Indian, Georgian, Argentinian, Ecuadorian, Colombian communities), suggesting a deliberate strategy of segmenting by founder background.

Name

Kompass Frankfurt

Legal name

Kompass – Zentrum für Existenzgründungen Frankfurt am Main gGmbH

Website

https://kompassfrankfurt.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Kompass Frankfurt is a non-profit startup support center founded in 2000 in Frankfurt am Main, providing free consulting, workshops, and community programs to 26,000+ founders, with specialization in migrant, female, and gaming entrepreneurs, funded by municipal grants and foundation sponsors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Startup and Entrepreneurship Support Services

NAICS

Civic and Social Organizations (813410), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742), Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

International & Local Implementing NGOs (HLAJAKAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

International Grantmaking & Development Foundations (BPAGAKAH)

Keywords

• Startup consulting services
• Entrepreneurship support programs
• Business plan coaching
• Founder community platform
• Small business advisory

Headquarters

HQ city

Frankfurt am Main

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Consulting Services (Free): Free consulting services and workshops for founders, startups and entrepreneurs, financed through sponsors and various program carriers. The organization operates on a program logic enabling cost-free client services.
2. Sponsored Programs: Various programs like #gemeinsamdeins (JPMorgan Chase Foundation), Business Ideas for Development (GIZ), and others provide funded support to target audiences.
3. Paid Consulting (Self-Payers): For self-paying clients, Kompass offers paid consulting with agreed honorarium due immediately upon service delivery. The AGB outlines terms for paid advisory services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Kompass Frankfurt is a non-profit startup support center that provides free or sponsor-financed consulting, coaching, workshops, and community programs for aspiring founders, startups, and established small businesses in Frankfurt am Main. Its core offerings include business plan development, coaching on digitalization, financing and sustainability, a Hivebrite-based founder community (#gemeinsamdeins), specialized programs for female, migrant, international, and gaming entrepreneurs, and co-working space at the Frankfurter Gründungszentrum. All services are largely free for clients, financed through grants and sponsorships from foundations (JPMorgan Chase Foundation), public-sector programs (City of Frankfurt, GIZ), and other institutional partners.

Product overview

Kompass Frankfurt operates as a startup and entrepreneurship support center offering a comprehensive ecosystem of services including coaching, workshops, community platforms, and specialized programs. The core offerings include #gemeinsamdeins (a Hivebrite-based community platform), Business Plan Support, general Consulting & Coaching, and Workshops & Events. Specialized programs include the Games HUB FFM for gaming entrepreneurs, She STARTS for female founders, and Start up Now for free startup coaching. The organization also facilitates award programs (Female Founders Award, International Founders Award, Frankfurter Gründerpreis) and publishes the Startup Takeoff podcast. Workspace services are provided through the Frankfurt Founders Center. All services are free or subsidized through public funding programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• #gemeinsamdeins: A community platform for thinkers, learners, and makers connecting founders and entrepreneurs in Frankfurt with a focus on digitalization, financial management, business growth, resilience, and sustainability.
• GamesHub

Products and services

• #gemeinsamdeins Community Platform Digital community platform on Hivebrite for founders, entrepreneurs, and makers in Frankfurt, enabling networking, knowledge sharing, peer support, and access to events and programs. Funded by the JPMorgan Chase Foundation as part of the #gemeinsamdeins program supporting small, migrant-led, and women-owned businesses to grow and thrive.
• Business Plan Support Guided consulting service that supports aspiring founders in creating their own individual business plan and prepares the step-by-step implementation. Targeted at new founders in Frankfurt and the Rhine-Main region.
• Coaching & Consulting Tailored one-on-one consulting services for founders and entrepreneurs covering business development, digitalization, financial management, resilience, and sustainability. Delivered free via sponsor financing or on a paid honorarium basis for self-paying clients.
• Workshops & Events Free workshop events covering financing, business plans, marketing, digitalization, and related topics, plus networking events and roundtables for founders and aspiring entrepreneurs in Frankfurt and the Rhine-Main region.
• Games HUB FFM Specialized support program for entrepreneurs with ideas in video games or gamification, helping them develop viable business models and expand their networks. Located at the Frankfurt Founders Center and delivered in partnership with game Hessen and Games Hub Hessen.
• She STARTS Trilateral international program bringing together female entrepreneurs from Krakow, Lviv, and Frankfurt, including workshops, mentorship, business model development, and cross-border networking, with program modules hosted in each partner city.
• Start up Now Free customized start-up coaching program offering personalized support and the initial onboarding path for new founders, accessible via the 'Starte Jetzt' (Start Now) button and contact form on the Kompass Frankfurt website.
• Co-Working & Offices at Frankfurter Gründungszentrum Flexible workspace solutions including temporary offices, shared office spaces, and individual desks at founder-friendly rates, located within the Frankfurter Gründungszentrum (Frankfurt Founders Center) where Kompass Frankfurt is headquartered.
• Business Ideas for Development (BID) Program supporting diaspora entrepreneurs with up to €7,000 in funding and nine months of individual coaching, market research, and business plan optimization. An initiative of the GIZ MEG program implemented with Kompass Frankfurt.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 26,000 founders and companies advised since 2000
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Wirtschaftsförderung Frankfurt GmbHcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEconomic development agency of the City of Frankfurt, co-organizing events like the Newcomers Festival and supporting female founders through community programs.
• Amt für multikulturelle Angelegenheiten (AmkA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOffice for Multicultural Affairs of Frankfurt, co-organizing the 'Work and Career' Information Fair with over 20 counseling centers.
• FRAP-AgenturminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-organizer of the 'Work and Career' Information Fair in Frankfurt.
• Walter-Kolb-StiftungminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-organizer of the 'Work and Career' Information Fair in Frankfurt.
• Referat für Internationale Angelegenheiten der Stadt Frankfurt am MaincoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCity department for international affairs, partnering on programs like She STARTS (Krakow-Lviv-Frankfurt) and supporting international founders.
• Frankfurter Gründungszentrum (FGZ)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFrankfurt Founders Center where Kompass is headquartered and provides co-working spaces and offices for startups at favorable conditions.
• Games Hub HessencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGaming industry hub at Frankfurt and Darmstadt locations, supporting game studios, founders and creatives in Hesse with affordable office spaces, infrastructure, and networking.
• Kraków International Relations OfficeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the She STARTS trilateral project, organizing program modules in Krakow.
• Lviv municipal youth centerminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUkrainian partner in the She STARTS trilateral project connecting Krakow, Lviv and Frankfurt.
• Frankfurt Welcome & Information CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocation partner for the 'Work and Career' Information Fair.
• Argentinian Consulate in FrankfurtminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCentral point of contact for Argentinian founders and startups looking to expand to Germany, providing targeted support through collaboration with Kompass.
• Startup Sustainable | International Career Service Rhein-MainminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProject partner for the 'Startup Takeoff' podcast series targeting international founders.
• game HessenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHesse game industry association, supporting gaming initiatives and programs in the region.
• Newcomers Network GermanyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork organization creating bridges between newcomers, city institutions and local communities, co-organizing the annual Newcomers Festival.
• Kraków Technology ParkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTechnology park in Krakow hosting She STARTS program activities including workshops with Women in Tech Role Models.
• FabLab MałopolskaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFabrication laboratory in Krakow providing laser and 3D printing facilities for She STARTS program participants.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Munich Startup / Münchner EXIST: Munich's city-level startup support center providing free coaching, events, and community to founders, structurally identical to Kompass Frankfurt but operating in Bavaria. Head-to-head comparable on services and target audience.
• Berlin Partner für Wirtschaft und Technologie: Berlin's municipal economic development agency with a dedicated startup and founder support unit. Plays the same city-level ecosystem role as Kompass Frankfurt for the Brandenburg-Berlin region.
• Impact Hub Berlin / Munich: Global network of entrepreneur support hubs combining coworking, coaching, and program-driven founder services. Closest direct functional peer: offers paid and sponsored programs, community platforms, and an ecosystem play identical to Kompass's #gemeinsamdeins model.
• RKW Hessen: Hessian SME consulting organization providing free coaching, workshops, and innovation support to founders and existing businesses. Directly comparable on consulting services delivery, sector focus, and target audience overlap.
• Ashoka Germany: German arm of Ashoka, the global social entrepreneurship support foundation. Comparable on the grantmaking-plus-coaching model for impact-oriented founders, although focus is social entrepreneurship rather than general startup support.

Regional players

• Hessen Trade & Invest (HTAI): Hesse's state economic development agency providing startup financing programs, internationalization support, and SME consulting. Kompass Frankfurt refers clients to HTAI programs (e.g., HessenFonds) and shares the same target segment.
• FrankfurtRheinMain GmbH: Regional marketing and economic development organization for the Frankfurt Rhine-Main metropolitan area. Overlaps with Kompass Frankfurt on regional founder outreach and international location marketing.

Broad incumbents

• KfW Bankengruppe: German federal development bank funding SME, microfinance, and entrepreneurship programs globally. Provides the macro-level financing infrastructure (e.g., via GIZ) that Kompass Frankfurt administers at the local level.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@kompassfrankfurt2682
• Facebookfacebook.com/KompassFrankfurt
• Instagraminstagram.com/gemeinsamdeins
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kompass-frankfurt

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 Kompass Frankfurt