Robert-Enke-Stiftung
Robert-Enke-Stiftung is a German non-profit foundation operating nationwide depression awareness and children's heart disease programs, funded by donations and corporate sponsorships, with all services provided free of charge to the public.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2010
- HeadquartersBarsinghausen, Germany
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Robert-Enke-Stiftung does
Robert-Enke-Stiftung is a charitable non-profit foundation (gemeinnützige Stiftung) established on January 15, 2010 in Barsinghausen, Lower Saxony, by the Deutscher Fußball-Bund (DFB), DFL e.V., and Hannover 96 with €150,000 in initial capital. The foundation was created following the 2009 suicide of German national football goalkeeper Robert Enke to address depression awareness and, in parallel, to support children with congenital heart disease and their families — a mission shaped by the Enke family's personal experience with their daughter Lara. The foundation operates through three flagship pillars: the 'Robert-Enke-Stiftung auf Tour' mobile outreach program at Bundesliga, handball, basketball, and ice hockey arenas; a mental health counseling hotline operated in collaboration with University Hospital RWTH Aachen; and educational programs including the 'Kopfgesundheit' lecture series and the school-based 'Seele trifft auf Schule' project. In 2019 it extended into immersive technology with the 'Impression Depression' Virtual Reality experience, followed by a youth-targeted 'Impression Depression school' variant in 2025.
The foundation's core technology is a Virtual Reality experience designed to let non-affected participants feel symptoms of depression (listlessness, rumination, hopelessness) through immersive video and audio simulation, with a four-phase guided intervention developed alongside child and adolescent psychotherapists. Supporting programs include research funding (notably the VSD-Studie on congenital heart defects with University Hospital Erlangen), the Mental Health Awareness Award (€15,000 annual prize across two categories, first awarded August 2024), and the Mental Health Days multi-day public event held at Herrenhäuser Gärten in Hannover. The foundation is led by Chairwoman Teresa Enke and Managing Director Jan Baßler, with a Board of Trustees chaired by Stephan Weil.
The foundation is financed through private donations, corporate sponsorships (ÜSTRA, AOK Niedersachsen, Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine, VGH Versicherungen), and project-specific grants including long-term support from the Klaus-Friedrich-Stiftung. Revenue is not publicly disclosed. Operating with 9 employees, the foundation provides all programs and services free of charge to beneficiaries across Germany, with no revenue-generating products or pricing tiers.
Robert-Enke-Stiftung firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Robert-Enke-Stiftung
- Legal name
- Robert-Enke-Stiftung
- Website
- https://robert-enke-stiftung.de
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2010
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Robert-Enke-Stiftung is a German non-profit foundation operating nationwide depression awareness and children's heart disease programs, funded by donations and corporate sponsorships, with all services provided free of charge to the public.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Robert-Enke-Stiftung industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Mental Health Awareness and Education
- NAICS
- Voluntary Health Organizations (813212), Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Community Health, Prevention & Health Education (BPAGACAC)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Health & Medical Research Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAL), Youth Mental Health, Counseling & Wellbeing (Education-Linked) Nonprofits (BPAGADAK), Student Wellness & Prevention Programs (Substance Use, Sexual Health, Bullying) (EDAJAIAG), Private Foundations (BPAGAKAA)
Keywords
Where Robert-Enke-Stiftung is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Barsinghausen
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Robert-Enke-Stiftung business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Private Donations and Endowments: The foundation is primarily financed through private donations and endowments. Individual donors contribute to support the foundation's mission of depression awareness and children's heart disease research.
- Corporate Sponsorship: Corporate sponsors such as ÜSTRA, AOK Niedersachsen, Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine, and VGH Versicherungen provide financial and organizational support for specific events and programs.
- Foundation Capital: The foundation operates with an initial foundation capital of 150,000 euros, contributed equally by the three founding parties (DFB, DFL, and Hannover 96).
- Project-Specific Grants: Funding for specific projects such as the VSD-Study (41,000 euros), web-based exercise intervention for children with heart defects (19,425 euros), and other research initiatives.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Annual | Free programs and services for the public |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
Robert-Enke-Stiftung product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Robert-Enke-Stiftung is a charitable non-profit foundation that provides free mental health and depression awareness programs, including immersive Virtual Reality experiences (Impression Depression), a mental health consultation hotline, school and youth outreach, public events, and research funding. Its programs serve elite athletes, school students, the general public, and families affected by children's heart disease, funded primarily through private donations, corporate sponsorships, and foundation capital.
Product overview
Robert-Enke-Stiftung operates as a nonprofit foundation offering a portfolio of mental health and heart disease awareness programs rather than a single unified product. The core offerings include Virtual Reality experiences (Impression Depression and Impression Depression school) for immersive depression education; mobile outreach (Robert-Enke-Stiftung auf Tour) at sports venues; counseling services (Beratungshotline seelische Gesundheit); educational programs (Kopfgesundheit talks, Mental Health Days events); and the Mental Health Awareness Award. Supporting initiatives cover sports psychiatry (Referat Sportpsychiatrie), school-based education (Seele trifft auf Schule, NO-OKAY-MAYBE magazine), research funding (VSD-Studie), and psychological support for parents of children with heart conditions.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Impression Depression VR Experience A Virtual Reality experience that allows participants to understand how typical symptoms of depressive illness feel, using immersive technology to build empathy and awareness about depression. Offered free of charge to schools, companies, sports clubs, and events.
- Impression Depression School VR Experience A youth-targeted version of the VR experience for students aged 16+, developed in close cooperation with child and adolescent psychotherapists. The experience guides participants through four phases: introduction, VR experience, reflection, and preventive measures. Available free of charge nationwide for schools and educational institutions.
- Kopfgesundheit (Head Health) Educational Presentations Interactive presentations on mental health in youth competitive sports, delivered by former footballer Martin Amedick and journalist Ronald Reng through German youth development centers. Addresses stress management and mental health awareness in elite sports.
- Robert-Enke-Stiftung auf Tour (Mobile Tour) Mobile information stands and educational presentations at Bundesliga, 2nd Bundesliga, handball, basketball, and DEL ice hockey arenas throughout Germany. Teresa Enke and the foundation team engage directly with fans and visitors.
- WHO Depression Selbsttest (Self-Test) A five-question self-test developed by the World Health Organization for quick assessment of possible depression, available free on the foundation's website.
- Beratungshotline seelische Gesundheit (Mental Health Consultation Hotline) A counseling hotline for mental health operated in collaboration with University Hospital Aachen, offering information about depression and treatment options for athletes and non-athletes. Accessible at 0241-80 36 777.
- Mental Health Awareness Award Annual award with 15,000 euros in prize funding recognizing individuals who have made exceptional contributions to depression awareness, in the categories 'Public Life' and 'Social Aid'. First ceremony held August 24, 2024 at Herrenhäuser Gärten, Hannover.
- Mental Health Days Multi-day annual public event featuring exhibitions, talks, VR experiences, and panel discussions about mental health, held at Herrenhäuser Gärten in Hannover. Offers free opportunities to engage with depression from clinical, sociopolitical, and personal perspectives.
- VSD-Studie (Research Study on Heart Defects) Research study funded by the foundation (41,000 euros) examining the psychological and developmental impacts of heart surgery on children born with ventricular septal defect (VSD), conducted at University Hospital Erlangen.
- Seele trifft auf Schule (School Mental Health Program) School information project providing mental health education, workshops for students, teachers, and parents about depression and psychological illness prevention. Developed in collaboration with Hilfe für psychisch Kranke Bonn/Rhein-Sieg.
- NO – OKAY – MAYBE: Wie geht es mir? (Educational Magazine) Educational magazine for classroom use developed with Zeitbild Verlag to help students engage with mental health topics including depression, stress, and emotional well-being.
- MentalGestärkt (Athlete Mental Strength Initiative) Initiative financing a coordination office at the German Sport University Cologne focused on prevention and psychoeducation for young athletes.
- Kein Stress mit dem Stress (Practical Handbook) Practical handbook developed with DFB, BMAS, and sports organizations to educate coaches, doctors, and officials about mental illness in competitive sports.
- Aktiv aus dem Stimmungstief (Sports Program for Depression) Sports program for depressed individuals with little or no prior sports experience, developed by psychiatrists from MHH and sports scientists from University of Würzburg/Marburg. Won the Goldener Stern des Sports award in 2013.
- Psychologische Betreuung von Eltern herzkranker Kinder (Psychological Support for Parents) Psychological support program for parents of children with heart disease, in collaboration with Hannover Medical School.
- Referat Sportpsychiatrie und -psychotherapie (Sports Psychiatry Division) Professional division addressing the gap in psychiatric and psychotherapeutic care, research, and education regarding mental illness in competitive sports.
Quantifiable outcome
- VR experience available nationwide free of charge for schools and companies
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Robert-Enke-Stiftung
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Robert-Enke-Stiftung technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability2 records
Feature2 records
Robert-Enke-Stiftung partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.
- Deutscher Fußball-Bund (DFB)flagshipDFB is one of three founding partners of the Robert-Enke-Stiftung. The German Football Association contributes to the foundation's capital and provides institutional support for mental health initiatives in German football. DFB hosts foundation information on its official website.
- DFL e.V.flagshipDFL (German Football League) is one of three founding partners contributing equally to the foundation's capital. The organization supports mental health awareness initiatives in professional football through its network of clubs.
- Hannover 96flagshipHannover 96, Robert Enke's final club, is one of three founding partners. The club actively supports foundation initiatives and hosts awareness events at its stadium, home of the Robert-Enke-Stiftung Tour.
- Universitätsklinikum ErlangencoreCollaborated on the VSD study investigating the psychological and developmental effects of congenital heart defects on children. The study was funded with 41,000 euros by the Robert-Enke-Stiftung.
- Universitätsklinikum RWTH AachencorePartnership to operate the mental health consultation hotline. The clinic provides medical expertise and scientific accompaniment for the hotline that serves both athletes and the general public.
- SV Werder BremenminorSports club that hosted an exchange evening on depression with the Robert-Enke-Stiftung at Weserstadion. Approximately 100 guests attended the event featuring talks by former players and medical experts.
- Sporthochschule KölncoreHome of the MentalGestärkt coordination office, an initiative funded primarily by the Robert-Enke-Stiftung. The university coordinates mental health resources and education for athletes.
- Hilfe für psychisch Kranke Bonn/Rhein-SiegminorRegistered association that partnered with the foundation for the 'Seele trifft auf Schule' project, providing 5,000 euros in funding for mental health education in schools.
- Zeitbild VerlagminorPublisher partnered with the foundation to create the educational magazine 'No – Maybe – Okay / Wie geht es mir?' for school classrooms on mental health topics.
- Klinikum WahrendorffminorProf. Dr. Marc Ziegenbein, Medical Director and Chief Physician at Klinikum Wahrendorff, serves as a Kuratorium (Board of Trustees) member of the foundation.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Robert-Enke-Stiftung competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Mental Health Foundation (UK): UK-based mental health charity with a much broader remit covering all mental health conditions and a wider national footprint. Comparable as a national mental-health-awareness nonprofit operating campaigns, educational programs, and policy advocacy.
- Mentally Healthy America: US nonprofit addressing all aspects of mental health through public education, advocacy, and community-based programs. Comparable in mission scope (awareness, stigma reduction, school education) and broad community-outreach operating model.
Direct peers
- Kinderherzen – Fördergemeinschaft Deutsche Kinderherzzentren: German nonprofit dedicated to children with congenital heart disease, funding research and supporting affected families. Direct peer on the Robert-Enke-Stiftung's pediatric heart disease programs, including psychological support for parents and clinical research grants.
- Stiftung Kindergesundheit: German charitable foundation focused on children's health, including congenital conditions. Comparable given the Robert-Enke-Stiftung's pediatric cardiology mission (VSD study, support for parents of children with heart disease) and similar nonprofit grantmaking structure.
- JED Foundation: US nonprofit protecting emotional health of teens and young adults through prevention programs and partnerships with schools and colleges. Comparable in targeting youth mental health and providing school-based education tools similar to the Impression Depression School program.
- CALM (Campaign Against Living Miserably): UK charity focused on suicide prevention among men, with a public-awareness campaign and helpline. Comparable in operating a mental health hotline and running a national awareness campaign with corporate sports sponsorships.
- Stiftung Deutsche Depressionshilfe: Germany's largest depression-focused nonprofit foundation, providing information, research funding, and the German Depression Help Line. Most direct peer given overlapping mission on depression awareness, suicide prevention, and treatment access in Germany.
- Deutsche Gesellschaft für Suizidprävention (DGS): National German society dedicated to suicide prevention research and education. Comparable in mission scope (suicide prevention, mental health awareness) and in operating model as a nonprofit professional/advocacy organization in Germany.
- Aktionsbündnis Seelische Gesundheit: German umbrella initiative promoting mental health awareness and stigma reduction across society. Comparable as a national convener running campaigns, events, and educational programs on mental health topics similar to the Robert-Enke-Stiftung's Mental Health Days.
Others
- Klaus-Friedrich-Stiftung: German private foundation that is itself a current funder of the Robert-Enke-Stiftung's VR project. Included as an adjacent enabling funder — a peer private foundation in the German philanthropic landscape supporting mental-health-related initiatives.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Robert-Enke-Stiftung social profiles
Digital presenceRobert-Enke-Stiftung financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Robert-Enke-Stiftung leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
Robert-Enke-Stiftung funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Robert-Enke-Stiftung M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Robert-Enke-Stiftung
What does Robert-Enke-Stiftung do?
The Robert-Enke-Stiftung is a charitable non-profit foundation that provides free mental health and depression awareness programs, including immersive Virtual Reality experiences (Impression Depression), a mental health consultation hotline, school and youth outreach, public events, and research funding. Its programs serve elite athletes, school students, the general public, and families affected by children's heart disease, funded primarily through private donations, corporate sponsorships, and foundation capital.
Is Robert-Enke-Stiftung a public or private company?
Robert-Enke-Stiftung is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Robert-Enke-Stiftung founded?
Robert-Enke-Stiftung was founded in 2010. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Robert-Enke-Stiftung based?
Robert-Enke-Stiftung is headquartered in Barsinghausen, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does Robert-Enke-Stiftung make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Private Donations and Endowments are the primary driver. The others are corporate Sponsorship, foundation Capital and project-Specific Grants.
Who are Robert-Enke-Stiftung's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Mental Health Foundation (UK) and Mentally Healthy America. Direct peers are Kinderherzen – Fördergemeinschaft Deutsche Kinderherzzentren, Stiftung Kindergesundheit, JED Foundation, CALM (Campaign Against Living Miserably), Stiftung Deutsche Depressionshilfe, Deutsche Gesellschaft für Suizidprävention (DGS) and Aktionsbündnis Seelische Gesundheit. Klaus-Friedrich-Stiftung is listed as an others.
Does Robert-Enke-Stiftung have an API?
No public API is recorded for Robert-Enke-Stiftung.
What industry is Robert-Enke-Stiftung in?
Robert-Enke-Stiftung's product category is Mental Health Awareness and Education. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGACAC, Community Health, Prevention & Health Education, with a secondary code of BPAGAKAL, Health & Medical Research Grantmaking Foundations. Its NAICS code is 813212 and its SIC code is 8300.