What Publix does

Publix gGmbH is a non-profit media organization headquartered in Berlin-Neukölln, Germany, operating Germany's first dedicated "House for Journalism and the Public Sphere." It was established in 2023 as an initiative of the Schöpflin Stiftung with program support from Stiftung Mercator Schweiz and ZEIT STIFTUNG BUCERIUS, and officially opened in September 2024. Its core activity is providing a single physical hub that combines coworking spaces, offices, professional video and podcast studios (including a recording booth and editing suite), event and meeting rooms, a guesthouse, and a public cafeteria, anchored by a network of more than 27 resident journalism and civil society organizations such as CORRECTIV, Reporter ohne Grenzen, Tactical Tech, Netzwerk Recherche, Klimareporter, Lie Detectors, More in Common, and Investigate Europe. Adjacent to the venue, Publix runs a programs division comprising fellowship initiatives (Tech-Journalismus, Nina Grunenberg, Civic Journalism, Media Entrepreneurs), the Media Forward Fund grant program, and recurring event series including Publix Thursday, Open House, and Salon5.

The technical stack is a community-facility operating system rather than a software product. It centers on a mobile app (available on Google Play and Apple App Store) that integrates room booking, geofencing-based access control (smartphone acts as a digital access token within a defined building perimeter), and chat, all powered by the Thing-it cloud IoT platform. Event ticketing and QR-code access validation are handled by pretix; CRM and event registration by HubSpot; newsletter distribution by Mailchimp; web analytics by the privacy-focused Fathom Analytics; HR by Personio; internal collaboration on Microsoft 365 with Microsoft Teams; and project management on ClickUp. Microsoft 365 Copilot is deployed internally for text-based content and analysis assistance, with no evidence of proprietary AI/ML capability.

Revenue is multi-source and characteristic of a non-profit: foundation project grants and core funding (Schöpflin, Mercator Schweiz, ZEIT STIFTUNG BUCERIUS, BKM, Wübben, Deutsche Postcode Lotterie, Allianz Foundation), the "Friends of Publix" annual sponsorship program (minimum €5,000, suggested €10,000, ideal €25,000 per year), venue and equipment rentals (coworking, studios, guesthouse, offices), and event/program fees. The go-to-market motion is community-led: outreach is driven by newsletter, social channels (Instagram, LinkedIn, Mastodon, YouTube), and event programming. Leadership is co-CEO: Maria Exner (Managing Director / Intendantin) and Benjamin Nick (Co-Managing Director), with Florian Rösnick added to the management team in 2025. The organization is a private, non-listed gGmbH domiciled in Germany with no venture or private equity ownership.

Name

Publix

Legal name

Publix gGmbH

Website

https://publix.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

2023

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Publix gGmbH operates Germany's first House for Journalism and Public Sphere in Berlin-Neukölln, providing coworking, studios, event venues, and a guesthouse to 27+ resident journalism and civil society organizations. It is funded by foundation grants, sponsorships, and venue rentals.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Journalism and Civil Society Hub Services

NAICS

Food Services and Drinking Places (722)

SIC

Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000)

akta.pro primary industry

Conference Centers & Dedicated Meeting Venues (THAHAAAB)

Keywords

• Coworking space rentals
• Audio video production studios
• Journalism support programs
• Event venue hosting
• Civil society hub services

Headquarters

HQ city

Berlin

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Space rental and bookings: Revenue from renting coworking spaces, event/meeting rooms, studios (video/podcast), and guesthouse accommodations to individuals and organizations
2. Friends of Publix membership: Annual contributions from individual and institutional sponsors supporting Publix - minimum €5,000, suggested €10,000, ideal €25,000 per year
3. Foundation funding and grants: Project funding and grants from foundations including Schöpflin Stiftung, Stiftung Mercator Schweiz, ZEIT STIFTUNG BUCERIUS, BKM, Wübben Stiftung, Deutsche Postcode Lotterie, Allianz Foundation
4. Event tickets and programs: Revenue from paid events, workshops, and educational programs

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Publix operates Germany's first House for Journalism and the Public Sphere in Berlin-Neukölln, providing coworking spaces, professional audio/video production studios, event and meeting rooms, offices, guesthouse accommodation, and a public cafeteria. Its Programs division delivers journalism fellowships, funding vehicles (e.g., Media Forward Fund), event series (Publix Thursday, Open House), and a resident network of 27+ civil society organizations.

Product overview

Publix is a House for Journalism and the Public Sphere located in Berlin-Neukölln, operating as a non-profit organization (gGmbH). The offering is structured as a physical space combined with a programs division. The physical infrastructure includes studios for video and audio production (Videostudio, Tonstudio, Aufnahmekabine, Schnittraum), flexible workspaces (Coworking, Büros), event/meeting rooms, a guesthouse for overnight stays, and a public cafeteria. A mobile app provides digital building services for room booking, access control, and communication. The programs division encompasses fellowship initiatives (Tech-Journalismus-Fellowship, Nina Grunenberg Fellowship, Civic Journalism Fellowship, Media Entrepreneurs Fellowship), event series (Publix Thursday, Open House, Salon5), funding programs (Media Forward Fund), and the resident network program. The portfolio also includes a newsletter subscription service. Residents and organizations working in journalism, media, and civil society are hosted within the space.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Coworking Flexible coworking workspace for individuals and organizations, designed as an alternative to home offices and a way to network with the Publix community.
• Video Studio (Videostudio) Professional video production studio for podcasts, live video production, and modern formats, available for booking by journalists and media creators.
• Podcast Studio (Tonstudio) Professional audio recording studio for podcast production, available for booking by journalists and creators.
• Recording Booth (Aufnahmekabine) Sound isolation booth for individual audio recordings, available for booking.
• Editing Suite (Schnittraum) Post-production editing facility for video and audio content, available for booking.
• Event and Meeting Rooms Flexible event and meeting spaces for various occasions and sizes, available for booking by organizations and individuals.
• Offices (Büros) Office spaces available for teams, with inquiry-based booking for organizations.
• Guesthouse Overnight accommodation facility offering rooms as a retreat for productive work phases, particularly for visiting collaborators and journalists.
• Publix App Mobile application for digital building services including room booking, access control via geofencing, and chat functionality. Available on Google Play Store and Apple App Store.
• Public Cafeteria (Öffentliche Kantine) Cafeteria open to the public offering coffee, snacks, and warm meals during lunch hours.
• Friends of Publix Membership Annual sponsorship program for foundations, companies, and individuals providing financial support to Publix — minimum €5,000, suggested €10,000, ideal €25,000 per year. Members receive premium access, exclusive events, and discounted space rentals.
• Journalism Fellowships (Tech-Journalismus, Nina Grunenberg, Civic Journalism, Media Entrepreneurs) Portfolio of fellowship programs supporting technology journalism, education journalism, civic journalism, and media entrepreneurs.
• Media Forward Fund Funding program providing grants for media projects aligned with Publix's journalism and public sphere mission.
• Event Series (Publix Thursday, Open House, Salon5, Pipe Up! Wortwerkstatt) Recurring event programs including Publix Thursday expert discussions, an annual Open House, the Salon5 neighborhood networking format, and the Pipe Up! writing workshop.
• Publix Kollaborationsprogramm (Residents Colab) Collaboration program connecting resident organizations and initiatives working to strengthen journalism, democracy, and the public sphere.
• Newsletter Subscription Email newsletter subscription service providing updates on Publix events, news, and publications.

Quantifiable outcome

• 1,700 visitors at first Open House event
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers9 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

Integration10 records

AI capability2 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• HubSpotcoreTechnology or IntegrationCRM and marketing automation platform used for contact forms, event registration, and communication management.
• Thing-it (Thing Technologies GmbH)coreTechnology or IntegrationIoT platform provider for digital building management, room booking, and geofencing-based access control in the Publix app.
• MicrosoftcoreTechnology or IntegrationProvides Microsoft 365 Business Standard and Microsoft Teams for internal collaboration, video conferencing, and Microsoft Copilot AI assistant.
• Mailchimp (Rocket Science Group)coreTechnology or IntegrationEmail marketing platform used for newsletter distribution and subscriber management.
• fortrabbit GmbHcoreTechnology or IntegrationExternal hosting provider for Publix's website infrastructure.
• European Press PrizemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint conference 'Shaping Tomorrow: Collective Efforts for the Future of European Journalism' held with the European Press Prize organization.
• HateAidmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResident organization and strategic partner working on digital violence and online harassment issues. Co-hosting events and discussions on tech policy.
• SUPERRR LabmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDigitalization expert organization focused on technology and society. Resident partner working on AI, libraries, and digital public sphere issues.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Others

• CORRECTIV (resident organization): Investigative journalism and fact-checking nonprofit; a resident of Publix. Comparable as a peer NGO in the German journalism-support ecosystem rather than a commercial competitor, and a flagship tenant that validates Publix's mission positioning.
• Reporter ohne Grenzen (RSF): Press freedom advocacy organization and Publix resident. Comparable as a peer in the journalism/civil society ecosystem rather than a competitor; enhances Publix's value proposition to funders and visitors.

Broad incumbents

• Mindspace Germany: Premium coworking operator with multiple Berlin locations serving enterprises and startups. Comparable as coworking infrastructure, but not mission-driven and lacks the journalism/civil society community focus.
• Reporterfabrik / DJV (Deutscher Journalisten-Verband): Germany's largest journalist association running training, networking, and support for journalists. Comparable in target audience (journalists) but is a broad membership body rather than a physical hub.

Direct peers

• Arena Berlin: Large cultural and event venue in Berlin combining event spaces, co-working, and creative community under one roof. Comparable physical-hub model with studios, event rooms, and resident organizations, though oriented toward culture rather than journalism.
• Stiftung Neue Verantwortung (SNV): Berlin-based think tank working on technology policy, democracy, and digital public sphere. Comparable as a mission-driven civic intermediary funded by foundations and serving a similar audience of journalists and policy professionals.
• Impact Hub Berlin: Member-based coworking and community hub in Berlin for purpose-driven entrepreneurs and civic organizations. Directly comparable to Publix's coworking + events + community model, though with a broader entrepreneurship (not journalism) focus.
• Alexander von Humboldt Institute for Internet and Society (HIIG): Berlin-based research institute focused on internet, society, and digitalization. Comparable in its foundation-backed, civics-meets-tech positioning and convening programs for journalists, researchers, and civil society.
• European Journalism Centre (EJC): Foundation-supported journalism support organization based in Maastricht running fellowships, grants, and programs across Europe. Comparable in its mission and funder base, and competes with Publix for the same European journalism-support funding pool.

Regional players

• Festsaal Kreuzberg: Berlin event and concert venue hosting cultural and civic events. Comparable as a venue-based platform for events and community programming, but focused on live music/concerts rather than journalism.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@PublixBerlin
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/publix-berlin
• Instagraminstagram.com/publixberlin

Compliance2 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 Publix