Kreuzberger Kinderstiftung gAG

What Kreuzberger Kinderstiftung gAG does

Kreuzberger Kinderstiftung gAG is a Berlin-based, German-registered non-profit public company (gemeinnützige Aktiengesellschaft) established in 2004 by lawyer and entrepreneur Peter R. Ackermann to advance educational equity for children and youth from disadvantaged backgrounds. It is structured as a gAG with 87 non-transferable shareholders (who receive no financial return) and is legally affiliated with a parallel Stiftung bürgerlichen Rechts and a gemeinnützige Ausbildungsförderungsgesellschaft mbH. The foundation operates from a heritage-listed 1890 Prussian canal-director residence on the Landwehrkanal in Berlin-Kreuzberg, expanded in 2019-2020 with a timber-frame Neubau that adds office space and the rentable 'Tagen am Ufer' conference venue.

The core product surface is a portfolio of scholarship, project-funding, and engagement programs targeted at youth with low family or systemic support, especially 'Arbeiterkinder' and non-Gymnasium secondary students (95% of German exchange students come from Gymnasium). Scholarship programs include Erlebe die Welt! (~50 stipends/year at ~€5,000 each for a school year abroad), IKAROS (second-chance education, ~50 young adults/year at ~€300/month), Careleaver Weltweit (young adults leaving foster care), and Griechenland-Reisestipendien (with Schwarzkopf-Stiftung Junges Europa). Project funding flows through the Jugendrat, which independently allocates a €90,000 annual budget across ~40-50 youth-led projects at €500-5,000 each, plus a parallel stream for youth projects in Greece. Own programs (Spree-Bären canoe group, Hey Alter! Berlin computer donations, Gartenpiraten gardening, Kinderchor, Mentoring, Erstwahlhelfer*innen) and a 2,300 m² foundation garden used 150+ times/year round out the offering.

The business model is a donation-based non-profit: revenue comes almost exclusively from private donations (monthly 'Freund*innen', one-time gifts, major and corporate contributions) and shareholder in-kind support, supplemented by conference-room rental income from Tagen am Ufer. All programs are free to beneficiaries; go-to-market is community-led via word-of-mouth, alumni networks, the Jugendrat, social channels (Instagram with ~1,009 followers at observation), earned media, and partner schools (Integrierte Sekundarschulen, Realschulen, Gemeinschaftsschulen) plus exchange organisations (AFS, Experiment e.V., YFU, Open Door International, transfer e.V.). Six paid employees are supported by 65 active volunteers; cumulative outcomes since founding include 500+ funded projects and 800+ scholarships.

Name

Kreuzberger Kinderstiftung gAG

Legal name

Kreuzberger Kinderstiftung gemeinnützige AG

Website

https://kreuzberger-kinderstiftung.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Kreuzberger Kinderstiftung gAG is a Berlin-based non-profit public company (gemeinnützige AG) that provides scholarships, project funding, and youth-engagement programs — including study-abroad stipends, second-chance education, and youth-led project grants — to disadvantaged children and non-Gymnasium youth in Germany and Greece, funded almost entirely by private donations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Education Non-Profit Foundation

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Grantmaking and Giving Services (8132)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Education Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Social Justice & Human Rights Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAN), Private Pathway & Foundation Providers (EDAIAJAB), Foundation/NGO & Philanthropic Scholarships (EDAIAOAH), K–12 Support & School Improvement Nonprofits (BPAGADAB)

Keywords

• Educational equity programs
• Youth scholarship programs
• Study abroad scholarships
• Youth civic engagement
• Non-profit foundation

Headquarters

HQ city

Berlin

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Private Donations and Charitable Contributions: The foundation is funded almost exclusively through private donations and charitable contributions from individuals, foundations, and corporations. This includes regular monthly donations from 'Freund*innen' (friends), one-time donations, and major gifts.
2. Shareholder Contributions: The 87 shareholders of the non-profit AG contribute financially and through in-kind support, expertise, and volunteer work. Shareholders purchase shares that do not generate financial returns.
3. Conference Room Rental Income: The foundation rents out conference facilities in their new building ('Tagen am Ufer') to other non-profit organizations for seminars and events. Revenue from these rentals supports their programs and projects.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Kreuzberger Kinderstiftung gAG is a German non-profit public company that awards scholarships, youth-led project funding, and runs its own programs for children and young adults from disadvantaged backgrounds, particularly 'Arbeiterkinder' and care leavers. It operates the Erlebe die Welt!, IKAROS, Careleaver Weltweit and Griechenland-Reisestipendien scholarship lines, channels a Jugendrat-controlled project funding budget of about €90,000 per year, and runs programs such as Spree-Bären, Hey Alter! Berlin, Gartenpiraten, Kinderchor, Mentoring, and election engagement initiatives. The foundation also earns ancillary revenue by renting conference rooms ('Tagen am Ufer') to other non-profits.

Product overview

Kreuzberger Kinderstiftung gAG operates as a multi-program charitable organization offering scholarships, project funding, and youth engagement initiatives. The core offerings include: scholarship programs (Erlebe die Welt! for study abroad, IKAROS for second-chance education, Careleaver Weltweit for care leavers, and Griechenland-Reisestipendien for Greek study trips); project funding programs (Kinder- und Jugendengagement in Deutschland and Projektförderung Griechenland); and own projects including Spree-Bären canoe group, Hey Alter! Berlin computer donation, Gartenpiraten gardening, Kinderchor, and youth participation initiatives (Jugendrat, Erstwahlhelfer*innen, Zähl die X). Additional services include conference room rentals (Tagen am Ufer) and garden use for youth groups. The foundation operates from its heritage-listed Stiftungshaus and new building complex on the Landwehrkanal in Berlin-Kreuzberg, with programs funded entirely through private donations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Erlebe die Welt! – Schuljahr im Ausland Scholarship program enabling Mittel- and Realschüler (secondary school students) to spend a school year abroad. Since 2009, over 540 young people have received stipends, with 50 scholarships awarded per year averaging €5,000 each.
• IKAROS – Bildungswegbegleitung Second-chance education scholarship enabling young adults to obtain educational degrees through the Zweiter Bildungsweg (second educational pathway). Supports approximately 50 young adults per year at approximately €300 per month per scholarship.
• Careleaver Weltweit Scholarship program for young adults who grew up in foster care or residential homes, enabling them to spend time abroad and supporting their educational and career development.
• Griechenland-Reisestipendien Travel scholarships for self-organized study trips to Greece, awarded jointly with Schwarzkopf-Stiftung Junges Europa for youth up to age 26.
• Kinder- und Jugendengagement in Deutschland (Projektförderung) Project funding program supporting civic engagement projects by and for children and youth in Germany. The Youth Council (Jugendrat) decides on approximately 40-50 projects annually with amounts between €500 and €5,000.
• Projektförderung Griechenland Funding program for youth projects in Greece to mitigate effects of economic and social crises, with particular focus on integration and education of refugee children.
• Spree-Bären Canoe group for children aged 6-14 operating from the foundation's garden on the Landwehrkanal, enabling nature experiences and outdoor adventures on the water.
• Hey, Alter! Berlin Project collecting and donating used computers and laptops to children and youth from disadvantaged backgrounds to bridge the digital divide.
• Gartenpiraten Urban gardening course for children, teaching planting, harvesting, and environmental awareness in the foundation's garden on the Landwehrkanal.
• Kinderchor Children's choir program at the foundation headquarters in Berlin-Kreuzberg, founded in 2011 by board member Britta Hansen.
• Mentoring-Programm Mentorship program where volunteer mentors support scholarship recipients in their educational journey, particularly for Careleaver Weltweit and IKAROS programs.
• Tagen am Ufer – Tagungsräume Conference rooms in the new timber-frame building available for seminars, conferences, and events for up to 50 persons, with rental revenues cross-subsidizing foundation programs.
• Auslandserfahrung für Alle! Course program in schools teaching students how to organize stays abroad, delivered by former exchange students using a peer-to-peer methodology in partnership with transfer e.V.
• Erstwahlhelfer*innen Berlin Project training young people as election helpers in Berlin, implemented in cooperation with Schwarzkopf-Stiftung Junges Europa and Bildungsinstitut Haus Rissen.
• Zähl die X – Dein X zählt! Project to increase youth voter participation and election helper engagement during the 2021 German federal elections.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 540 young people granted stipends for school year abroad since 2009
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers4 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

Integration8 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• AFS Interkulturelle Begegnungen e.V.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization for the 'Erlebe Europa!' scholarship program, providing intercultural exchange placements for scholarship recipients. AFS handles program logistics and host family matching.
• Experiment e.V.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for scholarship program 'Erlebe Europa!', providing exchange program infrastructure and international placement services.
• Deutsches Youth For Understanding Komitee e.V. (YFU)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for 'Erlebe Europa!' scholarship program, facilitating study abroad placements for German secondary school students.
• Open Door International e.V.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization for 'Erlebe Europa!' scholarship program, providing exchange program services.
• transfer e.V.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for 'Auslands-Erfahrungen für Alle!' project, implementing peer-to-peer workshops in schools about international exchange opportunities.
• Schwarzkopf-Stiftung Junges EuropacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCooperation partner for 'Erstwahlhelfer*innen Berlin' project (election helper training) and joint scholarship program for travel to Greece. Strengthens European youth engagement and democratic participation.
• Bildungsinstitut Haus RissenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for 'Erstwahlhelfer*innen Berlin' project, providing educational expertise and training infrastructure for election helper program.
• Netzwerk ChancenminorOthersMember of network focused on educational equality and opportunity, contributing to broader ecosystem of organizations working on educational justice.
• Citizens for EuropeminorOthersMember organization contributing to European civic engagement and cross-border cooperation initiatives.
• Netzwerk Stiftungen und BildungminorOthersMember network connecting foundations working in the education sector, facilitating knowledge exchange and collaborative initiatives.

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Hans-Böckler-Stiftung: German foundation of the DGB trade unions that provides scholarships and educational support primarily to workers' children and trade union members — the most direct peer given the shared 'Arbeiterkinder' focus and scholarship-for-disadvantaged-youth model.
• START-Stiftung: Provides scholarships and educational support to young people with migration backgrounds in Germany. Comparable in being a non-profit offering structured scholarships paired with mentoring to underserved youth.
• Deutsche Kinder- und Jugendstiftung (DKJS): Major German foundation focused on youth education, participation, and equal opportunities. Operates nationwide programs for children and young people, making it a direct competitor for donor and partner attention in the same mission space.
• Stiftung Bildung: German foundation dedicated to child and youth education, with grantmaking programs and project funding for educational initiatives. Direct overlap in mission and beneficiary base.
• Schwarzkopf-Stiftung Junges Europa: Hamburg-based foundation supporting young Europeans through scholarships, civic engagement, and exchange programs. Already a cooperation partner, addressing an overlapping demographic of young Europeans with international-mobility scholarships.
• Stiftung Begabtenförderung berufliche Bildung: Provides scholarships to talented young professionals in vocational training in Germany. Targets a similar non-academic-track demographic with scholarship funding, partially addressing the same beneficiary pool.

Others

• Stifterverband: Industry-supported association representing German foundations; not a direct peer but a peer ecosystem organization that influences funder networking, advocacy, and grantmaker norms relevant to the foundation's operations.

Broad incumbents

• Roland Berger Stiftung: Provides scholarships and mentoring to high-potential students in Germany, including programs for refugees and first-generation students. Operates a larger, more established scholarship portfolio with similar mission overlap on access and equal opportunity.
• Hertie-Stiftung: One of Germany's largest foundations, with significant programs in education and youth. Competes for the same donor mindshare around educational equality and operates at a much larger scale.
• Freudenberg Stiftung: German family foundation funding integration, education, and civic engagement projects. Comparable in mission around disadvantaged youth and educational equality, though much broader in scope.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCnYIZXB-GRJzXyG
• Instagraminstagram.com/kreuzbergerkinderstiftung
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kreuzberger-kinderstiftung-gag

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Kreuzberger Kinderstiftung gAG