Mannheim Forum

What Mannheim Forum does

Mannheim Forum e.V. is a student-organized non-profit association that operates the annual MaFo Congress at the University of Mannheim, an interdisciplinary event convening 500+ students, 20+ speakers from politics, business, science and society, and 20+ corporate partners for panel discussions, keynotes, workshops, and recruiting activities. Founded in 2012 with the inaugural congress held in 2013, the organization is registered as a German eingetragener Verein and is governed by a five-member volunteer board elected annually, supported by departmental resource leaders and an alumni network. The 2026 edition (MaFo '26) is scheduled for March 12-13, 2026 under the guiding theme 'In Bewegten Zeiten Zukunft gestalten.'

Revenue is generated through two streams: ticket sales (Conference, Conference Light, and All-inclusive tiers starting from €15) and corporate sponsorship across Gold, Silver, Basic, and Sachsponsoren tiers. Corporate partners — including Roland Berger, Simon-Kucher, BNP Paribas, Deloitte, PwC, Bertelsmann, and Hubert Burda — gain access to recruiting formats such as workshops, career talks, speed dating, recruiting fair booths, and gala dinner tables. The organization operates the MaFo App, a mobile application for participants to view their tickets and congress schedule.

Distribution is direct via the organization's website at mannheim-forum.org, with payment processing integrated through Klarna, PayPal, and Sofortüberweisung. The organization maintains a website, social media presence across Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, and YouTube, and is supported by an advisory board and board of trustees. Marketing is primarily driven by the University of Mannheim student network, partner-promoted recruiting communications, and organic social reach.

Name

Mannheim Forum

Legal name

Mannheim Forum e.V.

Website

https://mannheim-forum.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Mannheim Forum e.V. is a student-organized non-profit that operates the annual MaFo Congress at the University of Mannheim, convening 500+ students, 20+ speakers from politics and business, and 20+ corporate partners for interdisciplinary panel discussions, workshops, and recruiting activities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Student Congress / Educational Events

NAICS

Convention and Trade Show Organizers (561920), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)

akta.pro primary industry

Academic & Scientific Conferences (MPAGAGAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Education, Research & Academic Congresses (THAHAJAD), Functional Summits (HR, Finance, IT, Marketing, Procurement, Legal) (THAHAMAJ)

Keywords

• Student congress
• Recruiting events
• Career networking
• Interdisciplinary congress
• Corporate sponsorship

Headquarters

HQ city

Mannheim

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: The organization generates revenue through the sale of tickets to the annual congress. Ticket variants include Conference (full access), Conference Light (limited additional programs), and All-inclusive (includes special evening event).
2. Corporate Sponsorship & Partnerships: Companies pay to participate as partners, gaining access to recruiting formats including fair booths, career talks, speed dating, corporate workshops, and gala dinner tables. Partner tiers include Gold, Silver, Basic, and Sachsponsoren.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Mannheim Forum (Mannheim Forum e.V.) organizes an annual interdisciplinary student congress held at the University of Mannheim, drawing 500+ student participants, 20+ high-profile speakers from politics, business, academia and society, and 20+ corporate partners. The core offering is a multi-day event combining keynotes, panel discussions, workshops, career talks, speed dating, a recruiting fair, and networking formats, sold to students via tiered tickets and to companies via tiered partnership packages.

Product overview

Mannheim Forum is a student-organized interdisciplinary congress held annually at the University of Mannheim, marketed under the 'MaFo' brand. The core product is the MaFo Congress (2026 edition scheduled for March 12–13, 2026), supported by multiple ticket tiers — Conference (full access), Conference Light (restricted access), and All-inclusive (adds Wine Night entry). The congress is structured around main-program elements (keynotes, panel discussions, opening ceremony) and a supplementary program of add-on modules including Corporate Workshops, Career Talks, Speeddating, Recruiting Fair, Speaker Lounge, and the Wine Night social event. An optional Gala Dinner table is offered to corporate partners. The organization also operates a MaFo App for participants to access tickets and schedule information.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• MaFo Congress 2026 The core annual event of Mannheim Forum e.V., an interdisciplinary congress for students featuring panel discussions, keynotes, workshops, and networking events with speakers from politics, business, academia, and society.
• Congress Tickets

Quantifiable outcome

• 500+ annual participants
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Partnerships

18 partnerships are on record, tiered gold, silver, basic, minor and core.

• PERIgoldGTM or Marketing PartnerPERI is a world-leading provider of formwork and scaffolding systems, engineering services, and 3D concrete printing. As a Gold partner, they participate in the congress through recruiting formats to connect with promising students for internships and entry-level positions.
• just expertsgoldGTM or Marketing Partnerjust experts shapes the future of work and supports companies in realizing their full potential. As a Gold partner, they engage with students through corporate formats at the congress.
• Roland BergersilverGTM or Marketing PartnerRoland Berger is a globally leading strategy consultancy founded in 1967 in Munich. As a Silver partner, they participate in corporate workshops and other recruiting formats.
• Simon-KuchersilverGTM or Marketing PartnerSimon-Kucher is a global management consultancy with over 2,000 employees in more than 30 countries, specializing in pricing and monetization. As a Silver partner, they participate in speed dating and other recruiting activities.
• BNP ParibassilverGTM or Marketing PartnerBNP Paribas is the leading bank in the European Union with around 183,000 employees in 63 countries. As a Silver partner, they engage with students through corporate recruiting formats.
• DeloittesilverGTM or Marketing PartnerDeloitte is a globally leading professional services firm offering audit, consulting, and advisory services. As a Silver partner, they participate in corporate workshops.
• PwCsilverGTM or Marketing PartnerPwC (PricewaterhouseCoopers) is a global professional services firm. As a Silver partner, they engage with students through corporate recruiting formats.
• Troesser & Co.silverGTM or Marketing PartnerTroesser & Co. is a global management consulting firm specializing in transformation, restructuring, and turnaround management. As a Silver partner, they participate in corporate workshops and speed dating.
• &consortensilverGTM or Marketing Partner&consorten (undconsorten) is a top management consultancy supporting DAX-40 companies and large family businesses in strategy, organization, and change projects. As a Silver partner, they participate in recruiting formats.
• SMP (Struktur Management Partner)basicGTM or Marketing PartnerSMP is a leading German turnaround management consultancy for the upper mid-market with around 100 consultants. As a Basic partner, they participate in recruiting activities.
• zebbasicGTM or Marketing Partnerzeb is one of Europe's leading strategy, management, and IT consultancies specializing in financial services. As a Basic partner, they participate in corporate workshops.
• Union InvestmentbasicGTM or Marketing PartnerUnion Investment is an asset management company enabling young professionals to enter the world of capital markets. As a Basic partner, they engage with students for recruiting.
• Hubert Burda MediabasicGTM or Marketing PartnerHubert Burda Media is one of the largest European media companies with around 10,000 employees. As a Basic partner, they participate in recruiting activities.
• BertelsmannbasicGTM or Marketing PartnerBertelsmann is a media, services, and healthcare company operating in about 50 countries. As a Basic partner, they engage with students at the congress.
• LegmonbasicGTM or Marketing PartnerLegmon supports youth from less privileged backgrounds on their academic and professional path through mentoring and workshops. As a Basic partner, they participate in the congress.
• Dr. OetkerminorGTM or Marketing PartnerDr. Oetker is a German food company. As a Sachsponsor, they provide support for the congress.
• PeterstalerminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPeterstaler is a mineral water and beverage company. As a Sachsponsor, they provide support for the congress.
• ISA (Initiative Starker Austausch)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerISA is a partner initiative that collaborates with Mannheim Forum on panel discussions, specifically the panel 'Between BRICS and Transatlantic - Europe's role in a multipolar world'.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Handelsblatt (Events): Handelsblatt, Germany's leading business newspaper, runs a portfolio of high-profile conferences and summits (e.g., Handelsblatt Jahrestagung) addressing business and policy topics. Comparable as a major organizer of business and policy events in Germany with corporate sponsorship at scale, though serving senior executives rather than students.
• NOAH Conference: NOAH Conference is a large-scale annual European internet and technology conference held in Berlin, bringing together founders, investors, and corporate leaders. It is comparable as a Berlin/German-based business conference that sells tickets and corporate sponsorships, but targets a professional investor/operator audience rather than students.

Direct peers

• START Global: START Global is a Stuttgart-based, student-led non-profit that runs flagship conferences and innovation programs connecting students with industry leaders and policymakers. Comparable in mission (student-led interdisciplinary exchange), target segment (university students), and corporate sponsorship model, though with a stronger entrepreneurship/innovation focus.
• St. Gallen Symposium: The St. Gallen Symposium is one of the world's leading student-organized conferences, held annually at the University of St. Gallen. It is directly comparable in business model (student-led, interdisciplinary, speaker-driven), target audience (university students), and corporate sponsor base (large European corporates) — though it operates at materially larger scale and greater international reach.

Others

• BEST (Board of European Students of Technology): BEST is a European student-run organization hosting academic and career-oriented events across technical universities, with corporate sponsorship and recruiting formats similar to Mannheim Forum's model. Comparable in being a student-led, university-affiliated event platform that sells tickets and corporate partnerships, but specialized to engineering and technology students.
• AIESEC Germany: AIESEC is a global youth-led organization running leadership conferences, talent programs, and exchange events at universities across Germany. Comparable as a student-organized, university-anchored event platform with corporate engagement, but with a stronger international exchange focus rather than a domestic policy/business congress.
• Wirtschaftsjunioren Deutschland: Wirtschaftsjunioren is a Germany-wide network of young business leaders under 40 affiliated with the DIHK chambers of commerce, running conferences, training, and policy events. Comparable as a youth-focused, professionally organized event network engaging students and young professionals with the business community, but embedded in a chamber-of-commerce governance structure.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mannheim-forum

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 Mannheim Forum