What Nationales MINT Forum e. V. does

Nationales MINT Forum e. V. is a registered non-profit association (eingetragener Verein) founded in 2012 in Berlin as the national coordinating voice for STEM (Mathematik, Informatik, Naturwissenschaften, Technik) education in Germany. Founded on the initiative of acatech and the BDA/BDI initiative "MINT Zukunft schaffen," the Forum convenes over 30 member institutions spanning foundations (Siemens Stiftung, Deutsche Telekom Stiftung, Körber-Stiftung), business associations (Gesamtmetall, BDA/BDI), scientific organizations (acatech, Fraunhofer, Helmholtz, Leibniz, TU9), and civil society actors. Its functional purpose is multi-stakeholder coordination and policy advocacy, producing thematic position papers via 16+ Impulsgruppen working groups, hosting the annual Nationaler MINT Gipfel (14th edition June 2026, 260+ participants), parliamentary evenings with Bundestag members, and the MINT-Qualitätsoffensive quality training program (6th cycle in 2025).

The Forum operates two principal business lines: (1) advocacy and coordination services for its member ecosystem, and (2) the BMBF-funded MINTvernetzt project, a national coordination hub for extracurricular STEM education with €12 million in funding over 8 years, delivered through a consortium with Körber-Stiftung, matrix gGmbH, Stifterverband, and Universität Regensburg. Underlying technology consists of digital coordination infrastructure — the MINT-Community-Plattform featuring a geographic community map (MINT-Community-Karte), a GDPR-compliant media database (MINT-Mediendatenbank), and a Sharepic-Generator — alongside conventional marketing tools (Matomo analytics, YouTube embed, Sendinblue newsletter automation).

Revenue mechanics are non-commercial: the Forum is funded through membership dues regulated by a separate contribution order, supplemented by project-based grants from federal sources (primarily BMBF via MINTvernetzt and MINT-Aktionsplan). The organization employs a small team of 7 staff under Managing Director Julia Saalmann, with Co-Vorstände Indra Hadeler and Dr. Tobias Ernst (the latter taking office May 1, 2026, succeeding Prof. Dr.-Ing. Carsten Busch). Customer segments are exclusively institutional — STEM education organizations, federal and state government policymakers (BMBF, BMBFSFJ, Kultusministerkonferenz), extracurricular STEM providers (FabLabs, Maker spaces, museums, science centers), and industry/economy associations engaged in STEM workforce development. Since 2023, the Forum has been a member of the EU STEM Coalition, extending its reach into Austria, Switzerland, and broader European STEM education networks.

Name

Nationales MINT Forum e. V.

Legal name

Nationales MINT Forum e. V.

Website

https://nationalesmintforum.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Nationales MINT Forum e. V. is a Berlin-based non-profit association founded in 2012 that coordinates over 30 German STEM education institutions — foundations, industry associations, and scientific bodies — to advocate for STEM education policy and operate the BMBF-funded MINTvernetzt national coordination hub.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

STEM Education Advocacy and Network Coordination

NAICS

Business Associations (813910), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813), Civic and Social Organizations (813410)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

STEM, Digital Literacy & Maker Education Nonprofits (BPAGADAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

STEM & Maker Education (Makerspaces, Coding Clubs, Robotics) (EDAAAFAL), STEM Assessment, Badging & Competition Platforms (EDAFANAJ)

Keywords

• STEM education advocacy
• Education network coordination
• Policy position papers
• Extracurricular STEM programs
• Workforce development

Headquarters

HQ city

Berlin

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Membership dues: The association is funded through contributions from its over 30 member organizations. Members include foundations, business associations, scientific institutions, and civil society organizations. The membership structure includes paying members (Lenkungskreis) and non-paying members, with annual dues regulated by a separate contribution order.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Nationales MINT Forum e. V. is a non-profit network association that coordinates STEM (MINT) education advocacy in Germany by bringing together over 30 member organizations including foundations, business associations, scientific institutions, and civil society actors. It delivers policy position papers, runs the MINTvernetzt national coordination hub for extracurricular STEM education (BMBF-funded at €12M over 8 years), hosts the annual Nationaler MINT Gipfel conference, and operates digital platforms including a community map and media database for STEM education stakeholders.

Product overview

Nationales MINT Forum e. V. is a networking and coordination organization for STEM education in Germany, not a traditional product company. It operates as a platform connecting over 30 member institutions including foundations, industry associations, scientific organizations, and civil society actors. The core offerings consist of coordination and networking programs (MINTvernetzt, MINT-Regionen), annual flagship events (Nationaler MINT Gipfel, MINT-Barcamp, Parlamentarischer Abend), quality development initiatives (MINT-Qualitätsoffensive, Impulsgruppen working groups), research publications (MINT-Report, position papers), and digital platforms (MINT-Community-Plattform). The organization serves as a communication and multiplication platform for its members and as a political voice for nationwide STEM education recommendations, following the principle of subsidiarity.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• MINTvernetzt The national coordination hub for extracurricular STEM education in Germany, functioning as an umbrella organization that networks existing STEM education providers, increases visibility of STEM initiatives, and facilitates collaboration between schools and external STEM offerings. Funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) with up to €12 million over 8 years. Serves extracurricular STEM education providers, schools, and regional networks.
• Nationaler MINT Gipfel Annual flagship conference bringing together representatives from politics, science, business, and civil society to discuss STEM education policy. The 14th summit took place on June 9, 2026 in Berlin with over 260 participants.
• MINT-Qualitätsoffensive A training and qualification program for STEM education initiatives, currently in its 6th qualification cycle as of 2025, focused on developing quality standards for STEM education. Targets STEM education initiative providers and practitioners.
• MINT-Barcamp Annual networking event for STEM education professionals from across Germany, held in open Barcamp format allowing participants to contribute their own sessions and build individual programs. Next edition scheduled for September 25, 2026 in Hamburg.
• Impulsgruppen (Working Groups) Thematic working groups developing recommendations and quality standards for STEM education, covering topics including Entrepreneurship MINT, STEAM, MINT-Lehrkräftemangel, MINT-Bildung im Ganztag, Qualität und Wirkung, Berufliche Bildung, MINT-Personal an Schulen, MINT-Regionen, MINT-Frauen 4.0, Hochschulen, Technische Bildung, MINT-Lehrerbildung, MINT-Potenziale, Digitale Bildung, Internationalisierung, Ingenieurberufe, and Ganzheitliche Bildung.
• MINT-Report / MINT-Frühjahrsreport Bi-annual labor market report on STEM professionals in Germany, produced by Institut der Deutschen Wirtschaft Köln, documenting STEM workforce gaps and skills shortages. The Spring 2026 report shows approximately 133,900 unfilled STEM positions.
• MINT-Community-Plattform Digital platform by MINTvernetzt featuring a geographic STEM organization map (MINT-Community-Karte), media database for images and graphics (MINT-Mediendatenbank), and sharepic generator tool for creating social media graphics. Designed for STEM education practitioners and organizations.
• Parlamentarischer Abend (Parliamentary Evening) Annual parliamentary evening event bringing together politicians and STEM education experts for policy discussion. The 2026 edition focused on evidence-based school development and structural barriers in the education system.
• MINT-Newsletter Free email newsletter providing updates on STEM education developments in Germany, available for subscription through the website.
• MINTvernetzt Jahrestagung (Annual Conference) MINTvernetzt annual conference with approximately 300 attendees, scheduled for September 23-24, 2026 in Hamburg. Drives community engagement and knowledge exchange across the German STEM education ecosystem.

Quantifiable outcome

• 14 consecutive annual Nationaler MINT Gipfel events held
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• EU STEM CoalitioncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023The Nationales MINT Forum became a member of the EU STEM Coalition in 2023 to engage in international exchange on STEM education promotion and network with European partners beyond Germany's borders.
• Körber-StiftungcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLead partner in the MINTvernetzt consortium project. Manages Innovation Studios, Thinkathon, and international STEM education activities within the €12M BMBF-funded initiative.
• matrix gGmbHcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the MINTvernetzt consortium, contributing to the national coordination of extracurricular STEM education in Germany.
• StifterverbandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the MINTvernetzt consortium, bringing expertise in science and education funding coordination to the national STEM education platform.
• Universität RegensburgcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner in the MINTvernetzt consortium, contributing research and educational expertise to the national STEM coordination platform.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Siemens Stiftung: Foundation operating international STEM education and social innovation programs; a Forum member. Comparable as a privately funded foundation active in German STEM education ecosystems and coalition advocacy.
• Stifterverband für die Deutsche Wissenschaft: Consortium partner in MINTvernetzt; a leading science and education funding association. Comparable as a multi-stakeholder platform coordinating German STEM and higher-education actors.
• Stiftung Kinder forschen: Foundation running nationwide early-childhood STEM education programs and qualification of pedagogical professionals. Directly comparable in mission, scale and funder base; the new Co-Vorstand Dr. Tobias Ernst chairs this foundation.
• Körber-Stiftung: Lead partner in the MINTvernetzt consortium and operator of the Hamburg Science Summit. Comparable as a foundation that runs STEM education programs and convenes national science policy dialogues.
• EU STEM Coalition: European network of national STEM education platforms of which the Forum is a member since 2023. Directly comparable as a STEM education coalition operating policy advocacy and exchange across Europe.
• Arbeitgeberverband Gesamtmetall: Employer association for the metal and electrical industries, a Forum member whose Co-Vorstand leads it. Comparable as a business-association actor driving STEM workforce advocacy through the Forum.
• MINT-EC: National network of MINT-EC excellence schools in Germany. Operates as a parallel STEM education association with shared member overlap and complementary convening activities, making it the closest direct peer.
• Wissensfabrik – Unternehmen für Deutschland e.V. Business-led initiative that invests in STEM education for children and youth. A Forum member, it operates a parallel corporate-funded STEM portfolio and is directly comparable as a multi-stakeholder STEM education platform.
• BDA/BDI Initiative „MINT Zukunft schaffen“: Co-founder of the Forum; the employer/business association initiative driving STEM skills advocacy in Germany. Highly comparable as a national STEM education coordination effort with similar policy advocacy mandate.

Broad incumbents

• acatech – Deutsche Akademie der Technikwissenschaften: Co-founder of the Forum and Germany's national academy of engineering sciences. Broader mandate covering technology policy and innovation, but overlapping STEM education and policy advocacy remit.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/natmintforum
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCa0MeF1BwbmnsqKlK3WwmnQ
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/nationales-mint-forum

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Nationales MINT Forum e. V.