MINT-Zentrum Hirschaid

What MINT-Zentrum Hirschaid does

MINT-Zentrum Hirschaid is a non-profit educational center (gemeinnützige GmbH) based in Hirschaid, Upper Franconia, Bavaria, established in 2023 and officially opened on 24 October 2025. It operates as the first TUMO center in Germany, licensed under the international TUMO network founded in Yerevan, Armenia, offering free, self-directed after-school learning in eight digital fields — Programming, Game Development, Graphic Design, Film Production, 3D Modeling, Photography, Drawing, and Robotics — to youth aged 12-18. The core product is an activity-based learning model in which participants set their own learning paths and progress through workshop-style modules twice weekly, with nearly 400 youth currently enrolled and over 1,000 additional youth reached through school partnerships.

The center's broader offerings extend beyond the core TUMO program. An AI literacy pilot "KI begreifen" (Understanding AI) launched in January 2026 with the University of Bamberg extends learning to children aged 8-11, and a CharactHER initiative with Siemens Healthineers targets gender-specific STEM engagement. A Maker Space of approximately 300 m² is under construction for opening by end of 2026, broadening the curriculum into physical fabrication and hardware. The center operates with 14 staff and is governed by an executive team including Katja Böttcher (Managing Director) and founders Pascal Löffler and Daniel Schick.

The business model is grant-funded rather than revenue-generating. Core programming is offered free of charge to participants, and operations are sustained by public funding — most notably a €6.4 million federal grant from KfW on behalf of BMBF secured in December 2023, supplemented by €36,000 from Bayerische Sparkassenstiftung and Sparkasse Bamberg in 2026. Revenue mechanics rely on continued public-sector commitment to regional STEM education rather than tuition, fees, or commercial contracts, with no disclosed enterprise anchor customers or B2B revenue streams.

Name

MINT-Zentrum Hirschaid

Legal name

MINT-Zentrum Hirschaid gGmbH

Website

https://mint-zentrum-hirschaid.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

2023

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

MINT-Zentrum Hirschaid is a non-profit education center in rural Bavaria operating the first TUMO program in Germany, offering free self-directed STEM and digital learning to youth aged 12-18 (and AI literacy for ages 8-11) under a grant-funded public-service model.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Extracurricular STEM Education

NAICS

All Other Schools and Instruction (61169), Computer Training (611420), Fine Arts Schools (611610), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

STEM & Coding Learning Centers (Robotics, Programming, Engineering) (EDANAHAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

AI & Machine Learning (Foundations & Applied) (EDAMACAG), Math & STEM Learning Technology (incl. Coding/Robotics Platforms) (EDAJAMAG), AI & Emerging Technology Literacy (EDAAAIAJ), AI/ML Learning Platforms for Students (EDAFANAE)

Keywords

• STEM education programs
• Digital learning workshops
• Youth maker spaces
• Extracurricular technology training
• AI literacy education

Headquarters

HQ city

Hirschaid

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Public Funding and Grants: Primary revenue source. Received 6.4 million euros in federal funding (KfW/Bundesministerium). Ongoing grants from Bayerische Sparkassenstiftung and Sparkasse Bamberg (36,000 euros for Maker Space). Project-based funding from Bundesministerium für Bildung, Familie, Senioren, Frauen und Jugend for MINT-LinK initiative.
2. Sponsorship and Donations: Corporate and institutional sponsors provide financial support, equipment, and in-kind donations. Companies sponsor specific equipment, events, or learning labs. The center actively recruits sponsors for visibility in the regional education network.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

MINT-Zentrum Hirschaid operates a free extracurricular STEM and digital education center offering self-directed learning through the international TUMO program in eight digital creative fields (programming, game development, graphic design, film production, 3D modeling, photography, drawing, robotics) for youth aged 12-18. The center supplements this core with school cooperation programs, AI literacy workshops for younger children (KI begreifen), girls-only camps (CharactHER), and an upcoming Maker Space for hands-on robotics, 3D printing, and VR.

Product overview

MINT-Zentrum Hirschaid is an extracurricular education center offering a portfolio of programs focused on STEM (Mathematics, Informatics, Natural Sciences, Technology) and digital creative skills for children and youth in rural Bavaria. The core offering is the TUMO Hirschaid program — a free, self-paced international learning model for youth aged 12-18 with eight learning fields (programming, robotics, game development, graphic design, film production, 3D modeling, photography, drawing). This is supplemented by holiday camps like CharactHER (girls-only digital creative camps), school cooperation workshops, and the forthcoming Maker Space (robotics, 3D printing, VR, music). A distinct AI literacy initiative, 'KI begreifen,' delivers primary school AI education (ages 8-11) in partnership with University of Bamberg. All offerings are free or low-cost, supported by public funding, with the center housed in a converted former grain storage building featuring a ZeroCarbonBuilding event arena.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• TUMO Hirschaid Learning Program Free international TUMO learning program for youth aged 12-18 offering eight self-directed digital creative learning fields (programming, robotics, game development, graphic design, film production, 3D modeling, photography, drawing). Youth attend twice per week, progressing through self-learning modules, workshops, and Learning Labs at their own pace.
• KI begreifen (AI Literacy Pilot for Primary Schools) Pilot project targeting children aged 8-11 to explore artificial intelligence in an age-appropriate, reflective, and self-determined way. Combines computer science basics with central AI concepts through creative tasks, analog/digital experiments, games, drawings, and group reflection. Developed with University of Bamberg and scientifically evaluated by Prof. Dr. Ute Schmid.
• KI-Kids Workshop Series (Künstliche Intelligenz für Kinder) Free workshop series introducing children aged 8-11 to artificial intelligence in a playful, pressure-free environment. 9 sessions held Wednesdays (2.5 hours each), teaching how computers work and how machines learn and make decisions.
• CharactHER Summercamp Girls-only summer workshop covering character design, 3D modeling, and game development across a 4-day program. Organized in partnership with Kreisjugendring Forchheim at €5.00 per participant including public transport. Designed to address gender gap in MINT fields with female role model sessions.
• School Cooperation Programs (Schulkooperationen)

Quantifiable outcome

• Nearly 400 youth attending twice weekly; 1,000+ reached through school partnerships; awarded 'Innovationsort des Jahres 2025' (largest public award in German-speaking economy)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 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

AI capability7 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• Universität Bamberg (University of Bamberg)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Academic partnership for scientific evaluation and curriculum development. Prof. Dr. Ute Schmid (Cognitive Systems Group) leads the 'KI begreifen' pilot project funded by the Federal Ministry of Education. The Leibniz-Institut für Bildungsverläufe (Prof. Ilka Wolter) conducts accompanying research on educational trajectories. University provides pedagogical validation and research methodology.
• TUMO (Center for Creative Technologies)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 November 2025International STEM education network providing the TUMO learning platform and methodology. The Hirschaid center is the first TUMO location in rural Germany (launched January 2025). TUMO provides the curriculum, learning management tools, and international network including camps (Dilijan, Armenia) and staff exchanges. The program is free for 12-18 year olds.
• MINT CampusminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork organization for STEM education in Germany. The MINT-Zentrum Hirschaid holds the MINT Campus partnership seal.
• MINT Netzwerk Bamberg (STEM Network Bamberg)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional STEM network under Bildungsregion Bamberg. Provides local networking and coordination for STEM initiatives in the Bamberg district.
• MINTraum BayernminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerState-level STEM initiative under MINT-Bayern to promote STEM education across Bavaria. The center participates in the MINT-region network.
• Oberfranken Offensiv e.V.minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional economic development organization for Upper Franconia (Oberfranken). Promotes innovation and economic competitiveness. Supported Hirschaid's participation in the 'Innovator des Jahres' competition and provided the award ceremony laudation.
• Siemens HealthineersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerParticipated in the CharactHER summer camp by providing female role models from the company to give career insights to girls in MINT. Part of outreach to increase female representation in STEM.
• Kreisjugendring ForchheimminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorYouth welfare office of Forchheim district that organizes and resells CharactHER workshops to its member families. Handles registration, fee collection (€5), and provides ÖPNV coverage as part of the Ferienprogramm.
• Universität Bayreuth (University of Bayreuth)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner university for developing educational concepts in media literacy and artificial intelligence for the upcoming Maker Space programs.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Broad incumbents

• Deutsche Kinder- und Jugendstiftung (DKJS): Large established German foundation supporting youth education programs including STEM; overlaps with MINT-Zentrum Hirschaid's school partnership and out-of-school learning efforts but operates at a national scale.
• Wissensfabrik – Unternehmen für Deutschland e.V. German corporate-driven network offering STEM and entrepreneurship education in schools; comparable through its role in enabling school partnerships and employer engagement in STEM.

Emerging players

• code.org: International non-profit promoting computer science education through self-directed learning platforms; comparable to TUMO Hirschaid's programming learning field in mission and free online learning model.

Direct peers

• Jugend hackt: German program for youth aged 12-18 to develop tech/coding projects in hackathons and labs; shares target demographic, model of free extracurricular tech learning, and emphasis on self-directed creation.
• MINT Zukunft schaffen e.V. National German initiative and network coordinating STEM education partnerships (MINT-Pakt, MINT-Campus seal) — directly comparable as a federal STEM education ecosystem player of which MINT-Zentrum Hirschaid is a regional node.
• TUMO Center for Creative Technologies: The originating international network whose self-directed learning model and curriculum MINT-Zentrum Hirschaid has licensed. TUMO operates centers in Armenia and other countries for youth aged 12-18 across 8 digital learning fields.
• Stiftung Kinder forschen (Haus der kleinen Forscher): Germany's largest early STEM education initiative for children aged 3-10; comparable to MINT-Zentrum Hirschaid's KI begreifen (8-11) program in targeting early STEM/AI literacy with scientifically evaluated curricula.
• Junge Tüftler gGmbH: Non-profit focused on digital and maker education for children and youth in Germany; offers similar programming, tinkering, and STEM learning experiences in and out of schools.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@MINT-Zentrum-Hirschaid
• Facebookfacebook.com/mint.zentrum.hirschaid
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mint-zentrum-hirschaid
• Instagraminstagram.com/mint.zentrum.hirschaid

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 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 MINT-Zentrum Hirschaid