Mentor Stiftung Deutschland

What Mentor Stiftung Deutschland does

Mentor Stiftung Deutschland is a German charitable foundation (gemeinnützige, rechtsfähige Stiftung des bürgerlichen Rechts) headquartered on Insel Mainau in Lake Constance and founded in 2006 as the German national organization of Mentor International, which was co-founded in 1994 by Queen Silvia of Sweden and the WHO. The foundation delivers three core programs: Jugend-Mentoring (youth mentoring via Inspirationstage and Inspirationsjahre for adolescents aged 13–17 at partner schools), Eltern-Coaching (online lectures, workshops, and courses for parents of teenagers), and the Mentor-Akademie (a six-day 'Natural Mentor' training program for adult volunteers). All programs are provided free of charge to beneficiaries, with services concentrated across the Lake Constance region of Baden-Württemberg including Konstanz, Radolfzell, Singen, Friedrichshafen, and Lindau. Operational reach includes approximately 50 trained volunteer mentors, multiple Kooperationsschulen (partner schools), and an annual Mentor-Wochen campaign displayed at 65 locations. The foundation employs no proprietary technology platform; the tech stack consists of standard commercial tools (WordPress CMS, HubSpot for CRM/newsletter, Microsoft Teams, Google Analytics, PayPal, Cookiebot by Usercentrics). Leadership includes Geschäftsführer Matthias Ehret, Vorstandsvorsitzende Bettina Gräfin Bernadotte, and Programmleiter Thomas Strobel.

The foundation is funded through a mix of individual donations (including Zustiftungen and testamentary bequests), institutional grants (Deutsche Postcode Lotterie funded the Mentor-Akademie establishment in May 2023), corporate sponsorships (W. Kordes' Söhne via the Mentor Charity Rose; Schindler Parent as creative partner; Wirtschaftsjunioren Konstanz-Hegau), and earned-event income (annual Zukunftsdinner on Mainau). Donors contributing €100 or more receive a Mentor teddy bear. The foundation issued its first Impact Report (Wirkungsbericht) for the 2024/25 school year, reporting that 73% of surveyed students experienced lasting positive impact from mentoring one year later. Commercial/government-style revenue metrics are not disclosed. Programmatic impact is delivered through direct partnerships with schools, online self-serve parent content, and event-based campaigns — with no premium tier, no licensing model, and no B2B product offering. The Stiftungsvorstand comprises Bettina Gräfin Bernadotte (Chair), Moritz Ritter (Permanent Deputy), Jan Koch, and Michael Meier.

Name

Mentor Stiftung Deutschland

Legal name

Mentor Stiftung

Website

https://mentorstiftung.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Mentor Stiftung Deutschland is a German charitable foundation delivering youth mentoring, parent coaching, and mentor training across the Lake Constance region from Insel Mainau. Founded in 2006 under the global Mentor International network, it serves adolescents, parents, and schools via volunteer mentors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Mentoring and Nonprofit Social Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), Child and Youth Services (62411)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Youth Mentoring & Positive Youth Development Nonprofits (BPAGADAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Student Mentoring & Peer Support Programs (EDAJALAL), Peer Support, Mentoring & Student Leadership (SEL) (EDAKAMAO), Youth Mental Health, Counseling & Wellbeing (Education-Linked) Nonprofits (BPAGADAK)

Keywords

• Youth mentoring programs
• Parent coaching services
• Volunteer mentor training
• School partnership programs
• Charitable youth development

Headquarters

HQ city

Insel Mainau

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: Individual donors contribute funds via bank transfer or PayPal. The foundation issues Zuwendungsbescheinigungen (donation receipts) for tax purposes. Donors contributing €100 or more receive a Mentor teddy bear as a thank-you gift.
2. Corporate and Institutional Grants/Sponsorship: Funded by institutional donors such as the Deutsche Postcode Lotterie (which funded the Mentor-Akademie), the Lindauer Nobelpreisträgertagungen (donated €2,850), and corporate partners. Proceeds from the sale of the Mentor Charity Rose (bred by W. Kordes' Söhne) contribute €1 per rose to the Mentor Akademie.
3. Legacy Giving and Endowments: The foundation actively promotes Zustiftungen (endowments) and testamentary gifts as part of legacy giving, targeting supporters who wish to invest in future generations beyond their lifetime.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Mentor Stiftung Deutschland is a charitable foundation that delivers free youth mentoring programs to adolescents aged 13–17 attending partner schools in southern Germany, parent coaching on topics such as puberty and digital media, and a six-day volunteer mentor training program (Mentor-Akademie). The foundation also runs annual awareness campaigns such as Mentor-Wochen, a student competition, and a stage project, all funded through donations, institutional grants, and corporate sponsorship.

Product overview

Mentor Stiftung Deutschland is a nonprofit foundation operating three core program areas: Youth Mentoring (Jugend-Mentoring), Parent Coaching (Eltern-Coaching), and the Mentor-Akademie. Youth Mentoring connects volunteer adult mentors with students through Inspiration Days (Inspirationstage), multi-year Inspiration Years (Inspirationsjahre) programs, and Job Expert Talks. Parent Coaching provides online lectures, workshops, and courses helping parents navigate adolescence. The Mentor-Akademie offers six-day training for adults on mindful youth interaction, plus administrative training for school leadership. The foundation also runs annual initiatives including Mentor Weeks, student competitions, and the 'wir_jetzt_hier' stage project. A charitable Mentor Rose product supports funding for the academy.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Jugend-Mentoring: Youth mentoring programs including Inspirationstage, Inspirationsjahre, and Job-Experten-Talks
• Eltern-Coaching
• Mentor-Akademie
• Mentor-Wochen
• Mentor-Botschafter*innen

Products and services

• Jugend-Mentoring (Youth Mentoring) Core mentoring program for students and schools. Matches adult volunteer mentors with young people aged 13–17 to provide guidance and support during adolescence. Delivered at partner schools in the Lake Constance region and includes Inspiration Days (single-day sessions in 8th grade classrooms), Inspirationsjahre (multi-year mentoring across grades 7–9), and Job-Experten-Talks (digital career exchanges).
• Eltern-Coaching (Parent Coaching) Online courses, workshops, and lectures for parents covering topics such as puberty, digital media and screen time, ADHD, cannabis legalization, and career guidance to help parents navigate their teenagers' development. Delivered online via live webinars, on-demand lectures, and digital courses.
• Mentor-Akademie Six-day training program for adults on mindful interaction with youth, providing education on reflection, communication, and resource-oriented conflict management. Also includes a separate two-year leadership development program for school principals in cooperation with Staatliches Schulamt Markdorf.
• wir_jetzt_hier (Stage Project) Stage project celebrating the foundation's 10th anniversary, developed with Oliver Wnuk and youth aged 15–19 to bring their thoughts, questions, and wishes to the stage at Bodenseeforum Konstanz.

Quantifiable outcome

• 73% of surveyed students reported that the mentoring day had a lasting positive impact on their life after one year (first Impact Report, 2024/25 school year)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Mentor International FederationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2025Mentor Stiftung Deutschland is the German national organization of Mentor International, a global federation founded in 1994 by Queen Silvia of Sweden with operations in England, USA, Sweden, UAE, Scotland, Lithuania, Denmark, Germany, and other countries. The federation holds annual international meetings, coordinates global youth outreach, and shares best practices across member organizations.
• Schindler ParentcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 November 2024Schindler Parent, a communication agency founded in 1979 and based near Lake Constance with over 45 employees across 3 locations, serves as the foundation's communication and creative partner. The agency designed the 'Vorbild sein' poster campaign displayed at 65+ locations and produced the foundation's image film in collaboration with Queen Silvia of Sweden.
• Wirtschaftsjunioren Konstanz-Hegau (WJ)minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 November 2024The Wirtschaftsjunioren Konstanz-Hegau, a network of young entrepreneurs and executives, entered a cooperation agreement with Mentor in November 2024. WJ members volunteer as mentors at partner schools and collaborate on workshops, shared events, and joint communications to promote youth engagement in the Lake Constance region.
• Staatliches Schulamt MarkdorfcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024In January 2024, the foundation launched a two-year professional development program for approximately 30 school principals in the Markdorf school district, developed jointly with Staatliches Schulamt Markdorf. Tania Hastings, Schulamtsdirektorin, co-designed the program which combines Profi-Workshops and Team-Labs for school leadership development.
• W. Kordes' SöhneminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 October 2023The renowned German rose breeder W. Kordes' Söhne specially bred the 'Mentor Rose,' a cream-white bedding rose. One euro per rose sold is donated to the Mentor-Akademie. The rose was christened by Queen Silvia of Sweden at a ceremony on Insel Mainau in October 2023.
• Education Above AllminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2023Education Above All, a Qatar-based foundation focused on youth education, co-organized the Gala Dinner at the Mentor International summit in Doha in February 2025 alongside Mentor Arabia, celebrating the 30th anniversary of Mentor International and the 20th anniversary of Mentor Arabia.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Schüler Helfen Leben: German student-led nonprofit mobilizing school communities for social engagement and youth-led development projects. Comparable in operating through school networks and youth engagement, though smaller and more student-led than Mentor's professionally staffed model.

Direct peers

• Stiftung Bildung: German foundation promoting education and participation for children and young people, with a focus on democratic education and youth empowerment in schools. Directly comparable as a German Stiftung driving educational change through school-based programs and youth participation.
• Big Brothers Big Sisters Deutschland: German affiliate of the global Big Brothers Big Sisters youth mentoring network, providing one-to-one mentoring relationships for young people facing adversity. Directly comparable model of volunteer adult mentors matched with youth for sustained guidance and role modeling.
• Stiftung Lesen: German foundation dedicated to promoting reading and literacy, with strong partnerships in schools and parent engagement programs. Comparable as a German Stiftung delivering educational support programs through school networks and family/parent outreach.
• Mentor International: Parent federation of Mentor Stiftung Deutschland, also founded by Queen Silvia of Sweden in 1994 with the WHO. Operates the global Mentor network across 7+ countries including Sweden, England, USA, UAE, Scotland, Lithuania, Denmark. Directly comparable mission in youth mentoring and substance-abuse prevention.
• Mentor Arabia: Regional Mentor federation (Qatar-based) operating youth mentoring programs across the Arab world, founded 2005 under the Mentor International umbrella. Directly comparable as a sister Mentor federation with the same mission and curriculum, recently celebrating its 20th anniversary alongside Mentor's 30th.

Broad incumbents

• SOS-Kinderdörfer Deutschland: Large German nonprofit providing residential care, family support, and youth development programs across Germany. Broader scope than Mentor (includes residential care), but overlaps significantly in the youth welfare and mentoring/positive role model space.
• Deutsche Kinderhilfe: German children's rights and welfare foundation advocating for children's interests and supporting youth welfare projects. Comparable as a German Stiftung mobilizing donors around youth welfare and child development themes.
• Kindernothilfe: Large German child welfare NGO focused on education, child protection, and youth development, with both German domestic programs and international operations. Comparable as a German Stiftung-style organization raising funds for youth-focused programs through donor cultivation.
• Aktion Mensch: Germany's largest private social investment fund (Soziallotterie) supporting inclusion of people with disabilities and social welfare projects. Comparable in scale and donor-funded model supporting youth/family welfare, though broader in mission than Mentor.

Market position

Strengths1 record

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/policy
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mentorstiftung
• Instagramprivacycenter.instagram.com/policy

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Mentor Stiftung Deutschland