What Kooperationen does

Kooperationen, founded in 1922 and headquartered at Reventlowsgade 14 in Copenhagen, is Denmark's cooperative employers' and interest organization serving approximately 135–150 member companies. Its membership base spans cooperatives across construction, retail, production, and services; NGOs and civil society organizations (e.g., Oxfam Danmark, Caritas Danmark, Klimabevægelsen i Danmark); social economy enterprises (e.g., Diversity Works, Grantoftegård, Huset Venture); and cooperative construction firms (e.g., Christiansen og Essenbæk, TBS, A/S Boligbeton). Core services include individualized HR legal advisory (Personalejura), construction law (Byggejura), cooperative-specific collective agreements (Overenskomster), cooperative legal/banking/accounting aid, professional development courses, an online member portal (Medlemsportal), and a scholarship fund (Stjernens Studiefond). The organization also runs sub-brands including Demokrati Lab (incubator for democratic entrepreneurship), Udviklingsforeningen (cooperative construction development association), Foreningen Socialøkonomi Danmark, NGOarbejdsmiljø.dk (workplace health platform for NGOs), and the recently established Center for Medarbejdereje (Center for Employee Ownership). The secretariat has approximately 12 staff and the broader ecosystem employs 26 people.

Kooperationen generates revenue primarily through tiered annual membership fees calculated as a percentage of each member's AM-bidragsgrundlag (wage base): Full Membership at 0.462% (minimum ~18,100 DKK in 2026, rising to 18,625 DKK from 2027) provides collective agreement coverage, HR legal advisory, and full member benefits; Interest Membership at 0.235% (minimum ~6,275 DKK in 2026, rising to 6,475 DKK from 2027) provides access to networks, courses, and the general assembly; and Micro Membership at 1,590 DKK/year for very small organizations (phasing out from 2027 and replaced by an introductory 6,475 DKK/year tier for new companies under 3M DKK revenue). Tiered discounts of 10%–65% apply as fee bases increase. Distribution is direct-membership with services delivered via the secretariat, online member portal, local councils (Fællesråd), and in-person events including the annual Årsmøde. Marketing relies on newsletters, a content-rich website (kooperationen.dk), social media, courses/webinars, and high-profile event participation (Folkemødet on Bornholm, DHL Stafetten).

The business is a member-owned democratic organization independent of political parties and external investors, governed by a board elected at the annual general meeting. Recent strategic emphasis has been on growth initiatives — geographic expansion of its entrepreneurship program into Aarhus and Aalborg (2026), establishment of the Center for Medarbejdereje (2026), and simplification of the fee structure effective 2027 — funded in part by external grants from Fonden for Entreprenørskab, Helsingørfonden, Velliv Foreningen, and EU programs. It is internationally affiliated with the International Cooperative Alliance (ICA) and has participated in EU-funded cooperative projects (CoopStarter, Saving Jobs!).

Name

Kooperationen

Legal name

Kooperationen

Website

https://kooperationen.dk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1922

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Kooperationen is Denmark's cooperative employers' and interest organization, serving approximately 135 member companies including cooperatives, NGOs, and social economy enterprises with HR legal advisory, collective agreements, courses, and networking since 1922.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Copenhagen

HQ country

Denmark

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Membership fees: Kooperationen generates revenue primarily through membership fees calculated as a percentage of the AM-bidragsgrundlag (wage base). The organization offers three membership tiers: Full membership (0.462% of wage base, min 18,625 kr/year from 2027), Interest membership (0.235%, min 6,475 kr/year from 2027), and Micro membership (1,590 kr/year for companies under 1 million kr revenue). Discounts are available for larger fee bases.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Kooperationen is Denmark's cooperative employers' and interest organization, providing tiered membership to ~135 cooperative enterprises, NGOs, and social economy organizations. Its core offering includes individual HR legal advisory, construction law advisory, collective agreement coverage, professional development courses, access to a member portal, and networking through local councils and annual meetings. Membership is priced as a percentage of the wage base (AM-bidragsgrundlag), with simplified two-tier pricing planned from 2027.

Product overview

Kooperationen is Denmark's cooperative employers' and interest organization serving approximately 135 member companies. The organization offers a tiered membership structure consisting of Full Membership, Interest Membership, and Micro Membership, with a simplified two-category system launching in 2027 (Rådgivning og overenskomst and Interesse og netværk). Core services include personalized HR law and construction law advisory, collective bargaining agreements covering construction, plumbing, industry and wood sectors, and professional development courses. The organization operates specialized initiatives including Demokrati Lab for entrepreneurship support, Center for Medarbejdereje for employee ownership succession (established 2026), and Udviklingsforeningen for cooperative construction company development. Additional services encompass cooperative legal aid, banking aid, accounting assistance, a member portal with resources, NGOarbejdsmiljø.dk for workplace health, Stjernens Studiefond scholarship fund, and Foreningen Socialøkonomi Danmark network. The organization hosts annual meetings and provides newsletters to support the cooperative business community across Denmark.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Demokrati Lab: Kooperationen's incubator and startup initiative for democratic entrepreneurship
• Center for Medarbejdereje
• NGOarbejdsmiljoe.dk
• Kooperativ Retshjælp
• Kooperativ Bankhjælp
• Kooperativ Regnskabshjælp

Products and services

• Full Membership (Fuldt medlemskab) Annual membership giving cooperative companies coverage under Kooperationen's main agreement, collective agreements, and cooperation agreement, including individual HR legal advice, HR consulting, tools, and full member benefits. Priced as a percentage of the wage base (AM-bidragsgrundlag).
• Interest Membership (Interessemedlemskab) Annual membership for companies sharing Kooperationen's values that do not require individual advisory services. Provides access to local councils, annual meeting, general assembly, networks, courses, and webinars. Priced as a percentage of the wage base.
• Micro Membership (Mikromedlemskab) Annual flat-rate membership for very small companies or associations (revenue under 1 million kr/year), including startup meetings, courses, webinars, and access to cooperative legal aid. Phasing out as a separate category from 2027.
• Medlemsportal (Member Portal) Password-protected online portal providing member companies with on-demand access to collective agreements, wage rates, employment contract templates, and legal resources.
• Personalejura (HR Law Advisory) Legal advisory service for member companies covering employment law, contracts, collective agreements, dismissal, and GDPR compliance.
• Byggejura (Construction Law Advisory) Legal advisory service for cooperative construction companies covering building regulations and construction-specific legal matters.
• Kurser (Courses) Educational course programme for members, including HR Law for Practitioners and Board Course for NGOs, covering employment law, governance, and professional development.
• Overenskomster (Collective Agreements) Collective agreements negotiated with trade organizations covering construction, plumbing, industry, and wood sectors, made available to member companies.
• Kooperativ Retshjælp (Cooperative Legal Aid) Legal assistance service for cooperative legal matters, provided as part of Kooperationen's membership packages.
• Kooperativ Bankhjælp (Cooperative Banking Aid) Banking-related advisory service for cooperative financial matters, provided to member companies.
• Kooperativ Regnskabshjælp (Cooperative Accounting Aid) Accounting advisory service for cooperative financial management and bookkeeping, provided to member companies.
• Demokrati Lab Kooperationen's entrepreneurship initiative promoting democratic entrepreneurship, offering startup ecosystems, networking events, and consulting for cooperative startups.
• Center for Medarbejdereje (Center for Employee Ownership) Center established in 2026 with Tænketanken Demokratisk Erhverv to promote and develop employee ownership and succession of companies to employees through cooperative ownership.
• Udviklingsforeningen (Development Association) Association for cooperative construction companies providing funds for education, professional development, trade development, vocational training, and apprentice tours.
• NGOarbejdsmiljø.dk Platform for workplace health and safety in Danish NGOs and civil society organizations, providing tools and courses for psychosocial work environment.
• Stjernens Studiefond (Stjernens Study Fund) Scholarship fund established in 1948 (administered by Kooperationen since 1973) supporting young people in education with interest-free loans for completing studies.
• Foreningen Socialøkonomi Danmark (Social Economy Denmark Association) Network and association for social economy member companies within Kooperationen, holding network meetings 3-4 times per year.

Named customers18 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

20 partnerships are on record, tiered major, core and minor.

• Fonden for EntreprenørskabmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Funding partnership for expanded entrepreneur outreach to educational institutions in Aarhus and Aalborg. Kooperationen is collaborating with Fonden for Entreprenørskab to promote cooperative and purpose-driven entrepreneurship among students at VIA University College, AAU, and UCN.
• Cooperatives EuropecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEuropean partner in CoopStarter project to spread knowledge of cooperative business model among young people. CoopStarter was funded by Grundtvig Lifelong Learning Programme.
• Legacoop LiguriaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerItalian partner in CoopStarter project.
• Confcooperative/Irecoop Emilia-RomagnaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerItalian partner in CoopStarter project.
• Cooperative College, UKminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUK partner in CoopStarter project.
• Kapa Network (Greece)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGreek partner in CoopStarter project.
• AEGEEminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEuropean youth organization partner in CoopStarter project.
• PromojeunesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFrench youth organization partner in CoopStarter project.
• CJDESminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerYouth organization partner in CoopStarter project.
• YECNminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerYouth organization partner in CoopStarter project.
• ICA (International Cooperative Alliance)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal organization representing over 1 billion members of cooperatives worldwide, founded in 1895. Kooperationen aligns with ICA's cooperative principles.
• Middelgrundens VindmøllelaugminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-organizer of Forsyningskonference on democratic ownership in the energy sector.
• Danske VandværkerminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-organizer of Forsyningskonference on democratic ownership in water supply.
• Dansk FjernvarmeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-organizer of Forsyningskonference on democratic ownership in district heating.
• Tænketanken Demokratisk ErhvervcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Kooperativ Inkubator project 'Fra akademiker til iværksætter' and established Center for Medarbejdereje.
• Danske Studerendes AndelsselskabminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Kooperativ Inkubator project.
• Dansk MagisterforeningminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Kooperativ Inkubator project.
• Magistrenes A-kasseminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Kooperativ Inkubator project.
• Arbejdsmiljø NGO/CSO partnersmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerKooperationen collaborates with IngerFair (work environment advisor) and Velliv Foreningen on work environment in Danish NGOs and CSOs. All interested parties can use materials and courses from NGOarbejdsmiljø.dk platform.
• Foreningen Socialøkonomi DanmarkcoreOthersA network and association for social economic member companies in Kooperationen. Kooperationen's secretariat serves the association. Holds network meetings 3-4 times a year, mainly online.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Others

• Fagbevægelsens Hovedorganisation (FH): Danish Trade Union Confederation counterparty in collective bargaining. Not a direct peer (worker side vs. employer side) but materially comparable as the labor-market counterpart to Kooperationen on collective agreements across Danish industries.

Direct peers

• Dansk Erhverv: Danish Chamber of Commerce offering business services, HR/legal advisory, and policy advocacy across Danish enterprises. Closely mirrors Kooperationen's membership-association model for delivering advisory and collective bargaining services, but spans all retail/service industry segments instead of cooperatives only.
• Coompanion (Sweden): Sweden's cooperative development center (medlemsorganisation) advising cooperative enterprises on formation, governance, and operations. Direct functional peer to Kooperationen in supporting the cooperative economy with advisory and development services, with similar membership-based revenue model.
• Dansk Arbejdsgiverforening (DA): Denmark's main employers' confederation representing companies across industries for collective bargaining and HR/legal advisory. Direct structural peer to Kooperationen in employer representation, though DA serves broader Danish industries rather than only cooperatives, NGOs, and social economy.
• Dansk Industri (DI): Denmark's largest employers' and industry association, providing HR advisory, collective bargaining, courses, and political advocacy for member companies. Comparable to Kooperationen in employer-association operating model, though serving a much broader industry membership base than the cooperative niche.

Broad incumbents

• CICOPA: International federation of industrial and service cooperatives, sector branch of ICA. Provides advocacy and representation for cooperatives in production, services, and platform economy — directly relevant niche for Kooperationen's social economy and platform-cooperative members like Prik Nu.
• Cooperatives Europe: European-level federation representing 40+ national cooperative bodies including Kooperationen itself. Operates one level above in the cooperative ecosystem with policy and advocacy coordination across EU member states.

Regional players

• Confcooperative: Italy's largest cooperative federation representing production, service, and social cooperatives with advisory and policy advocacy. Already a CoopStarter project peer, serving as a regional mirror of Kooperationen's cooperative-employer representation role.
• Co-operatives UK: UK's national cooperative trade body offering advisory, advocacy, and membership services to cooperatives across sectors. Functions analogously to Kooperationen within the UK cooperative ecosystem, though larger in scale and with consumer-facing cooperative ownership.
• Legacoop: Italian cooperative federation coordinating member cooperatives across industrial, service, and agricultural sectors. Comparable to Kooperationen as a federated cooperative-sector body, though operating at significantly larger national scale in Italy.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/Kooperationen
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kooperationen
• Instagraminstagram.com/kooperationen.dk/?hl=da

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 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 Kooperationen