What SHS Foundation does

SHS Foundation is a nonprofit charitable foundation (gemeinnützige Stiftung) established in 2000 and headquartered in Saarbrücken, Germany. Its mandate is the promotion of the Saarland region as both a cultural and economic space, executed through a community-led model built around networks rather than commercial products or proprietary technology. Core operating assets include the Saarlandbotschafter ambassador network, operated as a Private Public Partnership with the Saarland state government, and a network of virtual Saarland offices (Saarlandbüros) designed to reach all 193 UN member states under the "Emotionale Globalisierung" initiative.

The foundation extends beyond diaspora networking into five social innovation projects: Minipreneure (talent-focused employment services), Europatriates (a nonprofit social franchising network targeting European youth unemployment), Longinos/Longinas (working models for the elderly addressing demographic change), and Zeitwertpapier (a lifetime-securities concept). It does not develop or sell commercial software products; its core "platform" is its community and event infrastructure, supported by a Förderverein e.V. membership association and a strategic cooperation with IHK Saarland.

The revenue model is nonprofit: donations and recurring membership contributions via the Förderverein e.V. There are no disclosed commercial pricing tiers, enterprise customers, or product revenue streams. The organization is led by an authorized representative, Michael Hartz, and operates from the InnovationsCampus Saar in Saarbrücken. Strategic priorities center on expanding the virtual office footprint globally and scaling the social project portfolio, with no indication of technology platform development or external funding rounds.

Name

SHS Foundation

Legal name

SHS Foundation

Website

https://shsfoundation.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

SHS Foundation is a German nonprofit foundation established in 2000 that promotes the Saarland region globally through a community-led network of ambassadors and virtual offices, running social innovation projects on employment and demographics.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Regional Development Nonprofit Foundation

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Civic and Social Organizations (813410)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Private Foundations (BPAGAKAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Community Foundations (BPAGAKAB), International Grantmaking & Development Foundations (BPAGAKAH)

Keywords

• Regional development foundation
• Diaspora community networking
• Nonprofit social franchising
• Cultural region promotion
• Employment program innovation

Headquarters

HQ city

Saarbrücken

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. Donations and Membership: The SHS Foundation operates as a nonprofit organization. Revenue is generated through donations and membership fees in the SHS Foundation Förderverein e.V., which supports the foundation's mission to promote the Saarland region.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

SHS Foundation is a nonprofit foundation that operates community networks and social innovation programs to promote the Saarland region as a cultural and economic space. Its core activities include managing a global network of Saarland ambassadors (Saarlandbotschafter) and virtual Saarland offices (Saarlandbüros), alongside running programs such as Emotionale Globalisierung, Minipreneure, Europatriates, Longinos/Longinas, and Zeitwertpapier that address labor market, demographic, and social challenges.

Product overview

SHS Foundation is a non-profit charitable organization (gemeinnützige Stiftung) founded in 2000, based in Saarbrücken, Germany. It does not offer commercial software products or technology platforms. Instead, it operates programs and initiatives focused on regional economic and cultural development, international networking, and social innovation. Its core activities include managing networks of Saarland ambassadors (Saarlandbotschafter), virtual Saarland offices worldwide (Saarlandbüros), and running social projects such as Emotionale Globalisierung, Minipreneure, Europatriates, Longinos/Longinas, and Zeitwertpapier.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Emotionale Globalisierung (Emotional Globalization) Project establishing virtual Saarland offices (Saarlandbüros) worldwide across all 193 UN member states, connecting Saarlanders globally and enabling Saarlanders to help Saarlanders abroad through networking and mutual support.
• Minipreneure Employment concept that inverts conventional labor market mediation logic by placing people and their individual talents at the center rather than matching against open job positions.
• Europatriates Nonprofit social franchising network concept aimed at solving youth unemployment in Europe.
• Longinos • Longinas Working models designed for elderly (Hochaltrige) individuals to help address the challenges of demographic change and integrate senior populations into the workforce.
• Zeitwertpapier Socio-political innovation proposing that a person's lifetime working hours could be represented in a value instrument (Wertpapier), intended to create a new societal and economic instrument.
• Saarlandbotschafter (Saarland Ambassadors) Network Public-Private Partnership initiative between the Saarland state government and SHS Foundation that builds a network of multipliers (ambassadors) who promote Saarland internationally as both a cultural region and economic space.
• SHS Foundation Förderverein e.V. (Support Association) Membership-based support association whose purpose is to promote the nonprofit SHS Foundation; members develop new resources for the development of the Saarland homeland region.

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

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• IHK SaarlandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIHK Saarland (Chamber of Industry and Commerce Saarland) is a key cooperation partner for the SHS Foundation. Together they organize events such as the Saarlandbotschafter events, including lectures on topics like China's economic rise and turnaround strategies for Saarland companies. The partnership provides a platform for dialogue between regional institutions and experienced business leaders.
• Saarland State GovernmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Saarlandbotschafter initiative is a Private Public Partnership (PPP) between the Saarland state government and the SHS Foundation. The initiative creates a network of multipliers who promote Saarland internationally, representing both cultural and economic interests of the region.
• SHS Foundation Förderverein e.V.coreOthersThe support association for the SHS Foundation. Its purpose is to promote the nonprofit SHS Foundation, with members developing new resources for the development of their homeland region.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves1 record

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Goethe-Institut: Germany's globally operating cultural institute with a worldwide network of offices and language partners promoting German culture abroad. Directly comparable to SHS Foundation's global ambassador and virtual office model, though at vastly larger scale and focused on national rather than regional identity.
• Deutsch-Amerikanisches Institut (DAI): German-American cultural institutes operating regionally to promote transatlantic exchange and German-American community ties. Comparable to SHS Foundation in promoting a specific cultural/economic region's identity through community events and networks.
• Deutschlandstiftung Integration: German foundation dedicated to integration of immigrants and social cohesion, operating programs and networks across Germany. Comparable to SHS Foundation as a non-profit Stiftung addressing social issues through community-led initiatives.
• Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst (DAAD): German academic exchange service operating a global network connecting Germans and Germany-connected individuals abroad. Comparable to SHS Foundation in operating international networks for German-affiliated communities and providing diaspora engagement services.

Broad incumbents

• Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik (SWP): German policy research foundation advising government and parliament on international affairs. Comparable as a German Stiftung with international affairs orientation, though focused on policy research rather than community networking.
• Robert Bosch Stiftung: Major German private foundation funding international relations, education, and social projects across Europe and globally. Comparable in operating a large international project portfolio, though at vastly greater scale than SHS Foundation.
• Hertie-Stiftung: One of Germany's largest private foundations funding projects in education, social innovation, and democracy. Comparable to SHS Foundation as a German gemeinnützige Stiftung, though operating at significantly larger scale and broader thematic remit.

Emerging players

• Stiftung Neue Verantwortung: Berlin-based think tank foundation working on technology policy and societal innovation. Comparable as a German non-profit Stiftung developing social innovation concepts, though focused on digital policy rather than regional development.
• Schwarzkopf-Stiftung Junges Europa: German private foundation focused on youth engagement and European integration, addressing similar demographic and employment themes as SHS Foundation's Europatriates and Longinos/Longinas projects. Comparable in mission around young European workforce participation.
• Stiftung Lesen: German foundation promoting reading and media literacy through networks of partners and events. Comparable as a German private Stiftung running national programs and partnership networks, though in the education sector rather than regional development.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCVEDHwX1-V9I_-nfw7iS4YQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/126586904032475
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/shs-foundation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about SHS Foundation