Regionalwert AG Hamburg

What Regionalwert AG Hamburg does

Regionalwert AG Hamburg is a citizen-owned investment company (Bürger-AG) founded in May 2014 and headquartered in Hamburg, Germany, operating across Hamburg, Schleswig-Holstein, North Lower Saxony, and West Mecklenburg. The company issues non-listed, restricted registered shares (vinkulierte Namensaktien) at a nominal value of 500 EUR plus a 5% agio, with voting rights capped at 20% per shareholder to preserve broad citizen ownership. As of 2024, the company has approximately 1,800 shareholders and a registered share capital (Grundkapital) of 5,083,500 EUR; current shareholders comprise private citizens along with businesses such as Budnikowsky, De Öko Melkburen, and Voelkel, and foundations such as Bewegungsstiftung and Umweltstiftung Greenpeace. Proceeds from share issuances are deployed as equity investments in a network of partner farms, food artisans, retailers, and restaurants committed to ecological and social criteria.

The company's core economic activity is the deployment of citizen-supplied equity into organic and sustainable food businesses across the northern German region, with a stated focus on farm succession, rescue of insolvent operations, and the creation of a closed-loop regional value chain. Major investments include Bio-Hof Koch (200,000 EUR in 2016, the first partner), Groth-Hof, De Öko Melkburen, Meierei Horst, Hobenköök, Carstens Highlands, Hotel-Gutshäuser, and Inselmeieri Pellworm. Beyond equity, the company operates a complementary services arm that includes consulting at 75 EUR/hour for partners and 120 EUR/hour for third parties, performance accounting for agricultural operations (Leistungsrechnung), and Öko-Strom (eco-electricity). A license partnership model introduced in 2017 allows non-equity businesses to join the network via annual fees.

The business model is structured as a hybrid of an impact investment vehicle and a service cooperative: traditional financial returns are deliberately secondary to published social and ecological outcomes measured annually in the Regionalwert-Bericht. The company is governed by a sole Vorstand (Malte Bombien) and a six-member Aufsichtsrat chaired by Diedrich Dirks. Recognition includes the "Ausgezeichneter Ort im Land der Ideen" award in 2016, and the overall model is adapted from the original Regionalwert AG Freiburg (founded 2006). As of 2024, the company continues to operate with active share issuances and ongoing partner network expansion.

Name

Regionalwert AG Hamburg

Legal name

Regionalwert AG Hamburg

Website

https://regionalwert-hamburg.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Regionalwert AG Hamburg is a citizen-owned investment company that raises equity from approximately 1,800 shareholders and deploys it into a network of organic farms, food artisans, retailers, and restaurants across northern Germany to strengthen regional sustainable food systems.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Regional Sustainable Agriculture Investment

SIC

Agricultural Services (700)

akta.pro primary industry

Natural Resources — Farmland & Agriculture (FSAAAKAI)

Keywords

• Citizen-owned agriculture
• Sustainable farm investment
• Regional food networks
• Organic farming equity
• Agricultural venture capital

Headquarters

HQ city

Hamburg

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Equity investments in partner businesses: The company raises capital through citizen share offerings and uses the proceeds to make equity investments in organic farms, food artisans, retailers, and restaurants. Partner businesses commit to ecological and social criteria and collaborate within the network.
2. Service fees for consulting and support: The company charges service fees for consulting provided to partner businesses and agricultural operations. Hourly rates apply for shareholders and partners.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Regionalwert AG Hamburg issues non-listed, restricted registered shares (vinkulierte Namensaktien) at 500 EUR nominal value plus 5% agio to citizens, businesses, and organizations, and uses the proceeds to make equity investments in organic farms, food artisans, retailers, and restaurants committed to ecological and social criteria. The company also sells Leistungsrechnung (sustainability performance accounting) services to agricultural operations and Öko-Strom (eco-electricity) to partners and shareholders, while coordinating a closed-loop regional partner network.

Product overview

The Regionalwert AG Hamburg operates as a Bürger-AG (citizen stock corporation) that issues shares to citizens to raise equity capital for investing in sustainable agricultural and food economy businesses. The company does not offer a traditional software product but provides financial participation via Regionalwert-Aktien, along with support services including performance accounting for farms (Leistungsrechnung) and eco-electricity (Öko-Strom). The core offering centers on the Regionalwert-Netzwerk, a network of partner farms, food artisans, retailers, and restaurants committed to ecological and social standards, who cooperate to create a regional food value chain from field to table.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Regionalwert-Aktien (Regionalwert Shares) Non-listed, restricted registered shares (vinkulierte Namensaktien) issued by the citizen-AG; each share has a nominal value of 500 EUR plus 5% agio, is registered to a named holder, and can only be transferred with company approval. Target customers are citizens, businesses, and foundations who want to become co-owners of a regional sustainable agriculture investment vehicle; voting rights are capped at 20% per shareholder.
• Leistungsrechnung für landwirtschaftliche Betriebe (Sustainability Performance Accounting for Farms) Performance accounting service helping partner farms and agricultural operations track and report social and ecological returns in monetary terms alongside financial metrics, underpinning the company's annual Regionalwert-Bericht sustainability framework.
• Öko-Strom (Eco Electricity) Ecological electricity offering made available to partner businesses and shareholders as part of the Regionalwert sustainability network.
• Regionalwert-Netzwerk (Partner Network) Closed-loop network of partner farms (e.g., Bio-Hof Koch, Groth-Hof, De Öko Melkburen, Meierei Horst), food artisans and retailers (e.g., Hobenköök, Inselmeieri Pellworm), restaurants, and service providers (e.g., Wildwuchs Brauwerk, Mutter design agency, Semmerow tax consultancy) committed to the Regionalwert ecological and social criteria, trading and sourcing among each other and from the citizen base.
• Beratung für Aktionäre und Partnerbetriebe (Consulting for Shareholders and Partner Businesses) Paid consulting services for shareholders, partner businesses, and third parties on agricultural and sustainable food business topics, billed at 75 EUR/hour for shareholders and partners and 120 EUR/hour for third parties (half-day 280/440 EUR, full-day 540/860 EUR) plus a 0.50 EUR/km mileage allowance.

Quantifiable outcome

• 200,000 EUR invested in Bio-Hof Koch to rescue it from insolvency and enable succession
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 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

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Bio-Hof KochcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFirst partner operation of Regionalwert AG Hamburg. 200,000 EUR equity participation in 2016 to rescue the farm from insolvency. Family organic farm in Betzendorf-Glüsingen near Lüneburg, operating since 1972. Operates weekly market stands in Hamburg and Lüneburg. Farm spans 75 hectares with vegetables, grains, livestock, and orchards.
• Groth-HofcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganic vegetable farm in Schülp, Dithmarschen. 140 hectares producing 26 vegetable varieties. Family farming since 1655. Co-investment in non-family succession with new farmer Helge Lomberg. Co-founder Jan Groth helped establish Regionalwert AG Hamburg.
• De Öko Melkburen GmbHcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThree organic farmers north of Hamburg producing Bioland-standard milk. Known for mother-bonded calf rearing (extended 'parental leave' for cows). Milk processed at Meierei Horst. Shareholder in Regionalwert AG Hamburg.
• Meierei Horst eGcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLast remaining dairy in Schleswig-Holstein bottling fresh milk daily. 125-year history. Operates as supplier and consumer cooperative. Pays farmers premium prices for sustainable criteria compliance (pasture access, no GM feed, no preventive antibiotics). Winner of Nachhaltigkeitspreis ZeitzeicheN 2015.
• HobenköökcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMarket hall with restaurant and catering in Hamburg Oberhafen, opened 2018. Thomas Sampl and team operate the venue sourcing from Regionalwert network partners. Regionalwert invested from the start. Also operates at Gut Karlshöhe.
• Inselmeieri PellwormminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIsland creamery on Pellworm in the North Sea. Marie and team are founding a food manufactory with Regionalwert investment to create a meeting place for regional food culture with products also available on the mainland.
• Wildwuchs BrauwerkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCraft brewery in northern Germany. Joined as a license partner in 2017, paying annual fees based on revenue while committing to Regionalwert criteria.
• Mutter (Design Agency)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDesign agency that joined as a license partner in 2017. Located near the Regionalwert Hamburg office in Hamburg.
• Semmerow SteuerberatungsgesellschaftminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTax consulting firm that joined as a license partner in 2017.
• Regionalwert AG FreiburgcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe original Regionalwert AG, founded in 2006 in Freiburg, Germany. Served as the model and inspiration for Regionalwert AG Hamburg. Part of a growing network of Regionalwert AGs including Hamburg, Freiburg, Rheinland, and Isar-Inn.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Broad incumbents

• GLS Bank: Germany's leading ethical/values-based bank with a sizable portfolio of loans and equity investments in organic agriculture, renewable energy, and social enterprises. A broader incumbent in the same impact-into-farming theme and a known co-shareholder in the Regionalwert AG network.
• Triodos Bank: European sustainable bank with a dedicated organic farming and farmland investment portfolio. A broader incumbent offering debt and equity to organic food producers — overlapping mission and target beneficiary base (organic farms) but operating at much larger scale and across multiple countries.

Others

• Naturland: International organic farming association with significant German membership. Like Bioland, it sets standards that Regionalwert partner farms adhere to and sits in the broader organic agriculture ecosystem that the AG mobilizes capital into.
• Bioland: Germany's largest organic farming association, of which multiple Regionalwert AG Hamburg partners (e.g., De Öko Melkburen) are certified members. An ecosystem enabler/standards-setter rather than a direct competitor, but a critical partner and adjacent player in the regional organic value chain.

Emerging players

• CrowdFarming: Spanish-origin digital platform that connects consumers directly to organic farmers via adoption/crowdfunding models. An emerging player pursuing a similar citizen-supports-organic-farming thesis, but technology- and Spain-driven rather than through a regional equity-investment structure.

Direct peers

• Regionalwert AG Isar-Inn: Another citizen-owned AG in the Regionalwert network, operating in the Isar-Inn region of Bavaria. Same equity-investment-into-organic-agriculture model and same shared partner playbook, making it a direct peer in the broader Regionalwert family.
• Regionalwert AG Rheinland: Sister Regionalwert AG covering the Rheinland region of North Rhine-Westphalia. Uses the identical Bürger-AG structure to invest equity in regional organic farms and food businesses, making it the closest direct functional peer outside of Freiburg.
• Regionalwert AG Freiburg: The original Regionalwert AG, founded in 2006 in Freiburg, and the direct model that Regionalwert AG Hamburg was built upon. Same citizen-AG structure, same equity-investment-into-organic-farms thesis, same ecological/social reporting framework. Operates in a different region (Baden-Württemberg) but is functionally the same company.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@regionalwert-hamburg
• Facebookfacebook.com/regionalwert.hamburg
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/regionalwert-ag-hamburg

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 Regionalwert AG Hamburg