What neuland21 does

neuland21 is a German non-profit initiative founded in 2017 and headquartered in Bad Belzig, Brandenburg, with 17 employees. It is a consulting and project organization focused on digital and social innovation for rural areas, operating as a policy and implementation partner to German municipalities, federal ministries, foundations, and civil society organizations. Its work spans ten thematic areas, including housing and spatial development, mobility, civil society and volunteering, administration and open data, digital education, climate protection and sustainability, local supply, healthcare, and smart rural regions.

Its core offerings are intellectual and programmatic rather than software products. The portfolio consists of commissioned research studies and practical guides (e.g., 'Urbane Dörfer', 'Digitale Orte in Brandenburg', 'Zwischen Appstore und Vereinsregister', 'Wie funktioniert Zwischennutzung?', 'Wachsender Flächendruck auf dem Land', and the 2025 DSEE municipal engagement study), on-the-ground programs such as the Robocode Meißen mobile digital education initiative (June 2024 – September 2025) and the Mitmach-Werkstatt workshop concept for schools and youth work, and interactive installations such as the Maibaum der Generationen deployed at re:publica 25. There is no public product API, no proprietary AI feature, and no software platform; technology is used to support operations and event engagement rather than as a monetized product surface.

The business model is project-based professional services funded by public-sector and foundation commissions. Revenue is generated through contracts with bodies such as the Bundesministerium für Ernährung und Landwirtschaft, BMWSB/BBSR, Deutsche Stiftung für Engagement und Ehrenamt, Wüstenrot Stiftung, and the Ministry of Economics of Brandenburg. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and is negotiated per project. Governance is founder-led by Silvia Hennig; the organization has no parent company, no subsidiaries, and no external investment rounds on record. Distribution is direct engagement with government and foundation buyers, supplemented by content marketing (blog, publications, newsletter) and events.

Name

neuland21

Legal name

Neuland21

Website

https://neuland21.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

neuland21 is a German non-profit founded in 2017 that runs commissioned research, practical guides, and on-the-ground digital education programs to drive digital and social innovation in rural areas for municipalities, federal ministries, and foundations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Rural Development Consulting

NAICS

Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (54172), Civic and Social Organizations (813410), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Digital Development & ICT4D / GovTech Technical Assistance (BPADAEAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

STEM, Digital Skills & Innovation Partnerships (EDADALAJ), Education Access & EdTech for Equity (Low-cost Learning, Skills Platforms) (BPAGALAH), EdTech & Digital Learning Policy Research (EDADADAK), Technical Cooperation, Capacity Building & Policy Advisory Programs (BPADABAO), Workshops, Webinars & Live Masterclasses (MPACALAD)

Keywords

• Rural digital transformation
• Digital education programs
• Rural consulting services
• Civic engagement research
• Smart rural regions

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Research and Consulting Projects: neuland21 conducts commissioned research studies and consulting projects for government ministries, foundations, and public institutions. Projects include studies on rural volunteerism, urban villages, digital education, and municipal engagement support structures. Revenue comes from project-based contracts with public sector clients.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

neuland21 is a consulting and project organization that conducts commissioned research studies, develops hands-on digital education programs (such as Robocode Meißen), and publishes practical guides focused on digital and social innovation in rural Germany. It serves government ministries, municipalities, foundations, and civil society organizations through project-based contracts, workshops, and publicly distributed knowledge products covering housing, mobility, civic engagement, administration, education, and sustainability.

Product overview

neuland21 is a consulting and project organization focused on digital transformation in rural Germany. Rather than a software product company, it offers programs, workshops, and publications. Its core offerings include the Robocode Meißen mobile education program for youth, the Mitmach-Werkstatt workshop concept for schools and youth facilities, published studies and practice guides on rural digitalization topics, and interactive installations for public engagement. The organization addresses themes across housing, mobility, digital education, sustainability, healthcare, and smart rural regions through project work, events, and knowledge products.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Robocode Meißen A mobile educational program implemented in Landkreis Meißen that provides children and youth with practical hands-on exposure to future technologies including programming, robotics, and 3D printing. Targeted at rural districts seeking digital STEM education opportunities.
• Mitmach-Werkstatt A hands-on workshop concept for integrating practical maker activities into schools and youth facilities, designed for educators, social workers, and pedagogical professionals working in rural areas.
• Publikationen (Research Studies and Practical Guides) Commissioned studies, practice guides, and concept papers covering rural digital transformation themes including municipal engagement promotion, interim use of vacant spaces, rural volunteering in the digital age, and smart rural regions. Produced for government ministries, foundations, and public institutions.
• Maibaum der Generationen An interactive public installation for collecting and analyzing dreams and wishes across generations about societal change, values, and desires, deployed at events such as re:publica 25.

Quantifiable outcome

• Nearly 300 future dreams collected from citizens across generations at re:publica 25
• +1 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Deutsche Stiftung für Engagement und Ehrenamt (DSEE)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Commissioned neuland21 to conduct a nationwide study on municipal support structures for volunteer engagement and civic participation (Kommunale Engagementförderung). Authors include Hanna Kribbel from neuland21 and Ralph Richter from IRS.
• Bundesministerium für Ernährung und LandwirtschaftcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommissioned the study 'Zwischen Appstore und Vereinsregister' on rural volunteering's digital transition. Multiple neuland21 authors including Silvia Hennig collaborated on this project.
• Bundesministerium für Wohnen, Stadtentwicklung und Bauwesen (BMWSB) / Bundesinstitut für Bau-, Stadt- und Raumforschung (BBSR)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommissioned the brochure 'Wie funktioniert Zwischennutzung?' providing recommendations for activating vacant properties in small-town and rural areas. Part of National City Development Policy.
• Wüstenrot StiftungcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommissioned the problem analysis 'Wachsender Flächendruck auf dem Land' examining the quadrilemma in land use. Multiple neuland21 authors contributed to this research.
• Ministerium für Wirtschaft, Arbeit und Energie des Landes BrandenburgcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommissioned the study 'Digitale Orte in Brandenburg' (2022) examining digital locations in Brandenburg state. neuland21 authors include Madeleine Lee, Anna Momburg, and Antonia Schumann.
• Berlin-Institut für Bevölkerung und EntwicklungcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on the study 'Urbane Dörfer' (2019), examining urban village concepts for rural development. neuland21 founders Silvia Hennig and Gabriele Gruchmann co-authored with Berlin-Institut researchers.
• Leibniz-Institut für Raumbezogene Sozialforschung (IRS), ErknerminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated with Christoph Thewes from IRS on the study 'Zwischen Appstore und Vereinsregister' examining rural volunteering in the digital age.
• Landkreis MeißencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional partner for the Robocode Meißen project (June 2024 - September 2025), implementing a mobile digital education program for children and youth in the district.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Bundesnetzwerk Bürgerschaftliches Engagement (BBE): German national network for civic engagement bringing together government, civil society and academia. Directly comparable to neuland21's civil society and volunteerism focus (e.g., DSEE 'Kommunale Engagementförderung' study).
• Stiftung Neue Verantwortung (SNV): Berlin-based think tank producing policy research on digital transformation, GovTech, and civic participation. Comparable to neuland21's commissioned research and policy advisory model, though urban-focused rather than rural-specific.
• Smart Villages Network (EU): European multi-stakeholder initiative focused on rural digital transformation and smart village strategies across EU member states. Directly comparable to neuland21's rural digital and social innovation mandate, though operating at pan-EU rather than national scale.
• GovTech Deutschland GmbH: German public-sector digitalization consultancy supporting federal, state and municipal administrations on digital transformation projects. Closely aligned with neuland21's municipal digitalization and GovTech consulting work, but more product/platform-oriented.
• CoderDojo Germany: German chapter of the global CoderDojo movement offering free coding and STEM workshops for children. Directly comparable to neuland21's Robocode Meißen and Mitmach-Werkstatt digital education programs.

Others

• Bitkom e.V. Germany's leading digital industry association, advocating for digital transformation across sectors including public administration. Adjacent to neuland21's work as an ecosystem participant shaping the same policy environment, but not a direct service competitor.

Broad incumbents

• Fraunhofer IAIS: German applied research institute with projects on AI and digital transformation for public administration and rural/regional contexts. Overlaps with neuland21's GovTech/rural digitalization work but operates with vastly larger scale and broader scientific mandate.
• Bertelsmann Stiftung: One of Germany's largest foundations, running programs on Smart Country, municipal digitalization and civic engagement. Comparable to neuland21's rural digital and civic engagement focus but with substantially larger resources and broader program portfolio.

Regional players

• Innovatives Brandenburg: Brandenburg state initiative promoting innovation, digitalization and rural development in the same federal state where neuland21 is headquartered. Directly comparable on regional rural development themes but state-sponsored rather than independently operated.

Emerging players

• Reallabor / Real-World Labs Network: German network of 'real-world laboratories' testing digital and social innovations in regional contexts. Comparable to neuland21's research-backed pilot methodology but coordinated as a multi-institution network rather than a single organization.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/neuland21

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about neuland21