öbv – Österreichischer Bundesverlag

What öbv – Österreichischer Bundesverlag does

öbv – Österreichischer Bundesverlag (legal entity: Österreichischer Bundesverlag Schulbuch GmbH & Co. KG, headquartered in Vienna) is Austria's leading educational publisher, offering 130 textbook series and over 40,000 digital and print supplementary materials covering all Austrian public school types — Volksschule, Mittelschule, AHS, HTL, HAK, HUM, PTS, and BAFEP/BASOP. The company participates in the government-mandated Schulbuchaktion, through which Austrian public schools purchase approved textbooks using per-student budgets allocated by the Federal Ministry of Education (BMBWF), making the SBA-Online platform (schulbuchaktion.at) the company's primary institutional channel. öbv also publishes the official Österreichisches Wörterbuch (ÖWB), the normative Austrian dictionary, and the Verordnungsblatt des BMBWF government journal.

The company has built an integrated digital learning ecosystem layered on top of its print textbooks: E-Book+ (enhanced digital textbooks with embedded video, audio, and interactive exercises), eSquirrel (mobile gamified quiz app tied to textbook chapters via access codes), Studyly (interactive mathematics practice with adaptive learning features), ISA – Interaktive Schularbeitenassistentin (interactive exam generator for teachers), DANI (mathematics learning diagnostics), and MyClassroom (digital classroom management integrated with digi4school.at). The "Mein öbv" account portal provides self-service digital delivery, with free digital teacher companion guides (Digitaler Lehrer*innenband) bundled automatically when textbooks are ordered via the Schulbuchaktion. The company also operates the KI-Assistent "Quick Info" chatbot for customer service inquiries and is participating in the BMBWF's Marktplatz Lernapps pilot for school year 2025/26, transitioning to full operation in 2026/27.

The business model centers on government-funded institutional sales through the Schulbuchaktion, supplemented by direct-to-consumer e-commerce via oebv.at (with €6.90 flat shipping within Austria, free above €60), book retail distribution through buch-service.at, and emerging digital distribution via the Marktplatz Lernapps marketplace. Revenue derives primarily from one-time textbook purchases funded by per-student budgets (€65–€190+€13.30–€16.30 digital supplements depending on school type), with recurring revenue from digital product subscriptions (E-Book+ Solo, Studyly School, ISA licenses) and the Verordnungsblatt annual subscription. The company is privately held as a GmbH & Co. KG with no disclosed external investors, no published revenue, and managing director Philipp Nussböck; all operations are confined to Austria, with the webshop explicitly not accepting orders from Switzerland or other countries.

Name

öbv – Österreichischer Bundesverlag

Legal name

Österreichischer Bundesverlag Schulbuch GmbH & Co. KG

Website

https://oebv.at

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

öbv is Austria's leading educational publisher, providing 130 textbook series and over 40,000 supplementary materials to all Austrian public schools primarily through the government-mandated Schulbuchaktion, supplemented by an integrated digital ecosystem (E-Book+, eSquirrel, Studyly, ISA, MyClassroom) for teachers and students.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Educational Publishing

NAICS

Educational Services (611), Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), All Other Miscellaneous Schools and Instruction (611699)

SIC

Miscellaneous Publishing (2741), Services-Prepackaged Software (7372), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Core Subject Textbooks (ELA, Math, Science, Social Studies) (EDAGAAAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Digital/Blended K–12 Courseware & Interactive Textbooks (EDAGAAAJ), Open Educational Resources (OER) & Curriculum Repositories (EDAFACAJ), K–12 Textbook Publishing (Core Curriculum) (MPAJABAA)

Keywords

• Educational publishing
• School textbooks
• Digital learning platforms
• Curriculum-aligned materials
• K-12 education Austria

Headquarters

HQ city

Vienna

HQ country

Austria

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Textbook Sales via Schulbuchaktion: Physical and digital textbooks sold to Austrian schools through the government-funded Schulbuchaktion system. Schools receive per-student budgets and order through the official SBA-Online platform. This is the core revenue driver, with öbv holding a dominant market position as the leading educational publisher in Austria with 130 textbook series.
2. Digital Product Subscriptions: Subscription and license-based digital products including E-Book+ Solo, Studyly School, ISA licenses, and the Verordnungsblatt annual subscription. These provide recurring revenue from both institutional (school) and individual (teacher/student) buyers.
3. Supplementary Materials (Print & Digital): Workbooks, solution booklets, audio CDs, vocabulary trainers (PONS, phase6), and exam preparation materials sold as add-ons to core textbooks. These cross-sell within the existing customer base.
4. Free Teacher Desk Copies (bundled): When a teacher orders a textbook in class quantities via the Schulbuchaktion, they receive free teacher desk copies as a bundled service. While not a direct revenue stream, this mechanism drives adoption and locks in the teacher as the primary buyer.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

öbv is Austria's leading educational publisher offering 130 curriculum-aligned textbook series and over 40,000 digital and print supplementary materials covering all Austrian school types and subjects. The portfolio combines print textbooks with integrated digital extensions — E-Book+ (enhanced digital textbooks with embedded video/audio), eSquirrel (mobile quiz app), Studyly (AI-adaptive math), ISA (interactive exam generator), Digitales Klassenzimmer (digital classroom), and free Digitaler Lehrer*innenband teacher guides — distributed primarily through the government-backed Schulbuchaktion system and a direct webshop.

Product overview

öbv – Österreichischer Bundesverlag is Austria's leading educational publisher offering a comprehensive portfolio of 130 textbook series and over 40,000 digital and print supplementary materials. The portfolio centers on E-Book+ (enhanced digital textbooks with interactive elements), complemented by mobile learning apps (eSquirrel for quizzes, Studyly for mathematics), ISA exam generator, and the Digitales Klassenzimmer platform on digi4school.at. Core textbook series span German language (Deutsch Sprach-Lese-Buch, Starke Seiten Deutsch), mathematics (Rechenrabe Trax, Mathematik verstehen, Lösungswege), sciences (BioTOP, Big Bang, Impuls Physik, Physik verstehen), English (Lasso, Prime Time with PONS/phase6 vocabulary trainers), geography (global), history (Alles Geschichte!, Zeitbilder), and citizenship education (way2go!). The company also publishes the official Austrian dictionary (ÖWB) and the Verordnungsblatt government journal. Digital services include the Digitaler Lehrer*innenband (free digital teacher guides), QuickMedia supplementary materials, and the new Marktplatz Lernapps marketplace. Schulbuchaktion participation enables free textbook distribution through Austria's official school book program.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Österreichisches Wörterbuch (ÖWB): The official Austrian dictionary published by öbv
• E-Book+
• myClassroom
• ISA – Interaktive Schularbeitenassistentin
• Studyly
• eSquirrel

Products and services

• E-Book+ (Digitales Lehrwerk)

Quantifiable outcome

• 130 textbook series covering all Austrian school types and subjects
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration9 records

AI capability2 records

Feature7 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Book AccessminorStrategic or Co-development Partneröbv partners with Book Access to provide accessible PDF versions of its textbooks where text is selectable and copyable. Book Access adapts these materials for blind and visually impaired students across Austria, producing enlarged copies, Braille prints, and electronic books. This partnership supports öbv's accessibility commitment and aligns with the Barrierefreiheitsstärkungsgesetz (BFSG).

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Pearson Education: Global education incumbent with K-12 textbook, assessment, and digital learning businesses. Not focused on the Austrian market specifically, but provides a scale benchmark for educational publishing business models and digital extensions.

Emerging players

• Bettermarks: Adaptive math learning platform active across DACH schools. Comparable to öbv's Studyly integration as a digital-first math product competing for the same teacher and student workflow in Austrian secondary schools.
• Studyly (standalone platform): Adaptive math learning platform that öbv distributes via the Marktplatz Lernapps. Comparable as a digital-first EdTech entrant operating in the same Austrian math curriculum context.

Direct peers

• Cornelsen Verlag: Germany's largest K-12 educational publisher with a comparable portfolio of textbooks, digital courseware, and supplementary materials across core subjects. Cornelsen competes with öbv in cross-border DACH tenders and in Austria's discretionary (UeW) school budgets.
• C.C. Buchner Verlag: German K-12 textbook publisher with strong secondary-school coverage in math, science, and languages. Comparable mid-sized publisher competing for the same school procurement dollars across DACH.
• Ernst Klett Verlag: Major German K-12 textbook and digital learning publisher with broad subject coverage and its own adaptive learning platforms. Klett is a direct competitor in the DACH school publishing market and a credible bidder on Austrian list approvals.
• Westermann Gruppe (Schroedel / Diesterweg / Schöningh): Westermann's school imprints (Schroedel, Diesterweg, Schöningh) publish K-12 textbooks and digital materials across the German-speaking world, directly comparable to öbv's print-plus-digital stack. They compete in Austrian discretionary and supplementary spend.

Regional players

• BVL (Bilderlehrgang Verlag): Austrian educational publisher focused on primary and lower-secondary school materials. Operates in the same Schulbuchaktion procurement system as öbv, making it a direct Austrian competitor for list approvals and textbook orders.
• Verlag Manz: Austrian school and legal publisher operating in the same domestic market as öbv. Comparable in market footprint and serves overlapping teacher and school-buyer audiences with textbook and supplementary content.
• Helbling Verlag: Austria-based educational publisher with presence across DACH and beyond, offering textbooks, digital learning materials, and language-learning products. Closest geographic peer to öbv with overlapping subject and supplementary-material offerings.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/oebv_verlag
• Facebookfacebook.com/oebv.at
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/verlagoebv
• Instagraminstagram.com/oebv_verlag

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 öbv – Österreichischer Bundesverlag