Platanus Schule Berlin

What Platanus Schule Berlin does

Platanus Schule Berlin, operated by Platanus Bildungs gGmbH (a non-profit gGmbH domiciled in Berlin), is a state-recognized private bilingual (German/English) educational institution in Berlin-Pankow. It consists of a bilingual kindergarten with preschool program and a Gemeinschaftsschule covering Years 1-10, with a gymnasiale Oberstufe (Years 11-13) launched in August 2024 to deliver the Abitur on-site. The school runs a MINT/STEM-focused curriculum in classes capped at 25 students, with two classes per grade, team-teaching, and a structured Ganztag (full-day) program. The main campus occupies the heritage-listed former Pankow Post Office at Berliner Straße 12, supplemented by a 'Second House' at Berliner Straße 13 and a dedicated Oberstufenhaus at Benjamin-Vogelsdorff-Straße 1.

The technology stack is conventional but deliberately integrated: Microsoft Teams for Education is used from Year 11 for content delivery, homework, and internal communication, alongside Microsoft 365 accounts with individual Platanus email addresses for all students; the school operates 10 Surface cases with 124 mobile devices and 26 computer-lab workstations plus a second fully equipped lab. Digital education is governed by a 'phone-free campus' policy for personal devices, complemented by classroom management software in labs, Krita and Canva for digital art, and a rooftop solar system digitally monitored via app. The school holds the 'Digitale Schule' certification (from 2023/24), is a MINT-freundliche Schule and Umweltschule Europa (both 2020), a Greenpeace Pilotschule, Deutsche Schachschule, Haus der kleinen Forscher site, and Duke of Edinburgh Award center. It is testing an AWS-developed interactive AI learning platform with teachers and co-developing a 'Digital Literacy Tool' with AWS.

Platanus generates revenue primarily through income-related sliding-scale tuition (Schulgeld) billed monthly and recalculated each school year based on custodial parents' prior-year combined gross income, supplemented by Berlin Senate eFöB vouchers for grades 1-6 (minimum Module 4, 13:30-16:00) and a one-time EUR 150 trial-week fee for admission to existing class levels. Customer acquisition is direct-to-consumer: families apply via an online registration portal, attend Open House events and information evenings, and undergo selection procedures including orientation visits and paid trial weeks. Distribution is geographically restricted to Berlin, and the school is a parent-and-community-led institution with no disclosed venture capital, private equity, or institutional investors; a non-profit parent association, Platanus & Friends, supports projects, clubs, and events.

Name

Platanus Schule Berlin

Legal name

Platanus Bildungs gGmbH

Website

https://platanus-schule.de

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Platanus Schule Berlin is a state-recognized, non-profit private bilingual (German/English) school and kindergarten in Berlin-Pankow, offering a MINT-focused curriculum from kindergarten through Year 13, including the newly launched Abitur pathway, on a heritage-listed campus.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Private K-12 Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Child Day Care Services (8351)

akta.pro primary industry

Language Immersion & Bilingual Private Schools (EDAJABAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

General Preschools (Play-Based) (EDACABAA), International Curriculum Early Learning Academies (e.g., IB Early Years) (EDACADAK)

Keywords

• Bilingual education
• Private school Berlin
• STEM education
• Gemeinschaftsschule
• Bilingual kindergarten

Headquarters

HQ city

Berlin

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Income-Related Tuition Fees: As a state-approved private school (staatlich anerkannte Ersatzschule), Platanus charges income-related tuition fees (Schulgeld) based on the combined annual gross income of custodial parents or contract partners, regardless of country of income. The annual gross income of the previous calendar year is used as the assessment basis for the coming school year and recalculated annually.
2. Extended Care (eFöB) Services: eFöB (ergänzende Förderung und Betreuung) voucher-based child care services for grades 1-6, requiring minimum Module 4 coverage (13:30-16:00). This represents government-subsidized care services.
3. Trial Week Fee: One-time fee of 150 EUR for trial weeks (Probewochen) for current classes 1-13 as part of the admission selection process.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Platanus Schule Berlin provides bilingual (German/English) education across a kindergarten with preschool and a state-recognized private Gemeinschaftsschule covering Grades 1 through 13, with a MINT/STEM focus (Mathematics, Informatics, Natural Sciences, Technology). The school operates in Berlin-Pankow from a heritage-listed former post office building and offers continuous education to the Abitur without the typical Grade 7 school transfer. Educational services include full-day extended care (Ganztag), digital education certified as Digitale Schule, Cambridge Certificate preparation, and extracurricular clubs in robotics, sports, music, and chess.

Product overview

Platanus Schule Berlin is a bilingual educational institution (German/English) comprising a kindergarten with preschool and a state-recognized private Gemeinschaftsschule (primary and secondary school) from Year 1 to Year 13. The school features a STEM/MINT focus and a recently launched upper secondary level (gymnasiale Oberstufe) leading to Abitur. Educational programs include Digital Education (certified as 'Digital School'), full-day care (Ganztag), and career-focused Work & Travel. The institution operates from a heritage-listed building in Berlin-Pankow with modern facilities and maintains small class sizes of maximum 25 students.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Platanus Kindergarten Bilingual (German/English) kindergarten with preschool program offering holistic, age-appropriate care through immersive bilingualism, individual attention, and inquiry-based early learning including the 'Haus der kleinen Forscher' and 'Kita mit Biss' certified programs.
• Platanus Gemeinschaftsschule (Bilingual Primary & Secondary School) State-recognized private bilingual (German/English) Gemeinschaftsschule from Year 1 to Year 13 with MINT/STEM focus, small classes (max 25 students), extended full-day care (Ganztag), and the newly introduced upper secondary level leading to Abitur.
• Trial Week (Probewoche) Admissions Program One-week trial experience for prospective students in classes 1-13, priced at 150 EUR, allowing families and the school to assess fit as part of the admissions selection process.
• Extended Care (eFöB) Services for Grades 1-6 Government-subsidized extended care service (ergänzende Förderung und Betreuung) for Grades 1-6 requiring minimum Module 4 coverage (13:30-16:00), providing supervised care and structured after-school programming.

Quantifiable outcome

• Students successfully qualify for German national finals in World Robot Olympiad annually
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• NatLab der Freien Universität BerlinminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Advanced biology course students visited NatLab and participated in workshop 'Fantastic Fungi – Can fungi help save the resources of our world?' The workshop combined theoretical input with hands-on laboratory work where students conducted experiments, examined samples, and analyzed findings.
• OCEAN BERLIN (MeerWissen Program)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Dr. Lisa-Marie Braun, Head of the Educational Program MeerWissen and Senior Marine Biologist at OCEAN BERLIN, visited the school as part of their outreach program. She gave presentations on marine ecosystems, marine conservation, and her work as a marine biologist to Biology Abitur classes including Year 12 GK and LK as well as Year 11 students.
• Amazon Web Services (AWS)coreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2024In cooperation with AWS, teachers are currently testing an interactive AI learning platform for teenagers and actively providing feedback for its further development. Future plans include working together with AWS on development of a 'Digital Literacy Tool' aimed at strengthening students' digital competencies. AWS also collaborates on AI applications without coding for teacher training.
• World Robot Olympiad (WRO)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024School participates in World Robot Olympiad; students successfully qualify for German national finals every year. Participation strengthens problem-solving skills, teamwork, and technical understanding.
• Tech4GirlsminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Partnership creates offerings such as 'Create your own website' and 'Gaming for Girls' designed especially to encourage girls' engagement with digital technologies.
• Gartenarbeitsschule PankowminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Cooperation for school garden activities including raised beds, green space for growing vegetables, flowers, bee meadows, compost, fruit trees, berry bushes, and other crops.
• Greenpeace e.V.minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020As a Greenpeace Pilot School, the school maintains partnership for environmental education and sustainability projects.
• Women in AIminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Partnership for promoting women in technology and AI careers through school initiatives and projects.
• Gläsernes Labor (Transparent Laboratory)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Science partnership providing students with laboratory experiences and hands-on STEM activities.
• Naturkundemuseum BerlinminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Regular museum visits for students with educational programs related to natural sciences.
• Botanischer Garten BerlinminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Field trips and educational programs at the botanical garden for students.
• Lindhof Versuchshof der Universität KielminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Research farm partnership for agricultural science education and hands-on learning experiences.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves2 records

Market position

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/platanus.berlin
• Instagraminstagram.com/platanus_schule
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/platanus-schule-berlin

Compliance11 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 Platanus Schule Berlin