Studierendenwerk Ulm

What Studierendenwerk Ulm does

Studierendenwerk Ulm is a public-law institution (Anstalt des öffentlichen Rechts) established in 1974 under the Studierendenwerksgesetz Baden-Württemberg, tasked with providing social, housing and catering services to students at higher-education institutions in the Ulm region. Headquartered in Ulm and operating across Ulm, Biberach and Schwäbisch Gmünd, it serves 7 universities and colleges through 11 student-housing complexes comprising 1,954 units, alongside a campus gastronomy network of 6 canteens, 14 cafeterias, 5 food trucks and 32 vending stations. It also bundles regional mobility services (SWU, RAB, OstalbMobil) with the SemesterTicket framework.

The organization is funded through a mix of student contributions, housing rents, canteen and cafeteria sales, catering services and public subsidies under the state Studierendenwerksgesetz. As a non-profit public-law body it is not equity-financed; capital projects and operating shortfalls are addressed through the state framework and bank financing rather than commercial capital markets. Hubert Hafner was appointed Managing Director effective 1 August 2024, succeeding Claus Kaiser after 18 years in the role.

Operationally, the central administrative office is lean (14 staff) with facility-level labor embedded in housing and gastronomy operations. In 2024 the organization marked its 50th anniversary and formalized a Barrierefreiheit (accessibility) Declaration covering its housing and gastronomy portfolio. Its competitive position is anchored by statutory mandate and exclusive campus access; its principal forward-looking variable is enrollment and housing demand at the 7 partner universities, which determines occupancy, catering volumes and SemesterTicket scale.

Name

Studierendenwerk Ulm

Legal name

Studierendenwerk Ulm

Website

https://studierendenwerk-ulm.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1974

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Studierendenwerk Ulm is a public-law institution that provides student housing (1,954 units across 11 complexes) and campus gastronomy (6 canteens, 14 cafeterias, 5 food trucks, 32 vending stations) to 7 universities in Ulm, Biberach and Schwäbisch Gmünd under the Baden-Württemberg Studierendenwerksgesetz.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Student Services

NAICS

Accommodation (721), Educational Support Services (6117)

SIC

Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

International Student Housing Placement & Management (BPAJAJAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Guest, Visitor & Conference Housing Services (Summer/Break Housing) (EDAEAFAN), Student Housing Ancillary Services (Utilities Setup, Furnishings, Deposits/Guarantors, Cleaning) (EDAIALAJ)

Keywords

• Student housing services
• Campus dining services
• Student financial aid
• Psychosocial counseling
• Childcare services

Headquarters

HQ city

Ulm

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Student Fees: Students at partner universities pay mandatory student service fees (Studierendenwerksbeitrag) to finance social support and promotion of students. The fee structure is defined in a separate fee schedule (Beitragsordnung).
2. Campus Gastronomy: Revenue from food and beverage sales at mensas, cafeterias, snack stands, and vending machines. Cashless payment accepted via student ID, EC cards, credit cards, and mobile payments.
3. Student Housing: Rental income from 11 residential complexes with 1,954 housing units across Ulm, Biberach, and Schwäbisch Gmünd.
4. Catering Services: Event catering and room rentals for external events and conferences.
5. Public Subsidies: As a public institution (Anstalt des öffentlichen Rechts), receives government funding to support operations.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Studierendenwerk Ulm is a public-law institution that provides essential social, economic, and advisory services to students enrolled at seven partner universities in southern Germany. Its core offerings include affordable campus dining across mensas and cafeterias, student housing in 11 residential complexes (1,954 units), administration of BAföG federal student aid and other financing products, psychosocial counseling, legal advice, childcare, catering for events, and supplemental services such as insurance and mobility tickets.

Product overview

Studierendenwerk Ulm operates as a comprehensive student services organization offering a unified portfolio of services across multiple university campuses in southern Germany. The core offerings include campus dining (Mensen und Cafeterien), student housing (Wohnen) with 1,954 units across 11 residential complexes, and BAföG/financial aid services. These are supplemented by psychosocial counseling, legal advice, childcare (Mensa-Kids), catering for events, and insurance services. Supporting infrastructure includes the Chipkarte (student card) for cashless payments and an online housing application portal. The organization serves students at Universität Ulm, THU Ulm, HS Aalen, HS Biberach, HfG Schwäbisch Gmünd, PH Schwäbisch Gmünd, and DHBW Heidenheim.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Mensen und Cafeterien (Canteens and Cafeterias) Operates 6 canteens (mensas), 14 cafeterias (8 with food service), 5 snack stands, and 32 vending machine stations across 7 partner university campuses, offering daily vegetarian and vegan meal options with cashless payment accepted via student ID, EC cards, credit cards, and mobile payments. Targeted at enrolled students, staff, and guests at the supported universities.
• BAföG und Studienfinanzierung (Student Financial Aid)
• Wohnen (Student Housing)
• Catering und Veranstaltungsservice (Catering and Event Services)
• Psychosoziale Beratungsstelle (Psychosocial Counseling)
• Kinderbetreuung (Childcare Services)
• Rechtsberatung (Legal Advice)
• Freizeit-Unfallversicherung (Leisure Accident Insurance)
• Mobilität (Mobility Services)

Named customers8 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

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Universität UlmcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary university partner. Studierendenwerk provides all student services including dining, housing, BAföG, and counseling for the main campus in Ulm. Services include Mensa, Wohnheime, and psychosoziale Beratung.
• Technische Hochschule Ulm (THU)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity of Applied Sciences partner. Full service provision including dining facilities and student support services at THU campus.
• HS Aalen - University of Applied SciencescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerService provision including Mensa dining and student support for Aalen University students.
• HS Biberach - University of Applied SciencescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerService provision including Mensa dining and student housing for Biberach University students.
• HfG Schwäbisch Gmünd (Hochschule für Gestaltung)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDesign university partner with Mensa and cafeteria services provided by Studierendenwerk.
• PH Schwäbisch Gmünd (Pädagogische Hochschule)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTeacher training university with Mensa and student support services.
• DHBW Heidenheim (Duale Hochschule Baden-Württemberg)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDual university with practical study phases. Studierendenwerk provides dining and student services.
• ArGe der Studierendenwerke Baden-WürttembergminorOthersWorking group of student services in Baden-Württemberg. Joint publications on BAföG, student financing, housing, studying with disability, and refugee topics.
• SWU (Stadtwerke Ulm/Neu-Ulm)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSWU handles sales and distribution of Germany Ticket and Youth Ticket BW to students. Students order tickets online via SWU portal (mein-fahrschein.swu.de).
• RAB (Regionalbus Alb-Bodensee)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRAB handles sales of D-Ticket and Youth Ticket BW in DING transport area. Students order via ding-abo.de.
• OstalbMobilcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRegional mobility provider for Ostalbkreis (Aalen, Schwäbisch Gmünd area). Students order D-Ticket Youth BW via OstalbMobil customer portal.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Others

• Deutsches Studentenwerk (DSW): National umbrella organization of all 57 Studierendenwerke in Germany. Provides policy advocacy, joint publications, and best-practice sharing across the network that Studierendenwerk Ulm participates in via the ArGe Baden-Württemberg.

Direct peers

• Studentenwerk Heidelberg: Heidelberg student services organization operating under the same Baden-Württemberg framework. Provides housing, dining, and student support services to Ruperto Carola and partner institutions with a comparable service portfolio.
• Studentenwerk München: Larger Bavarian Studierendenwerk serving TU München, LMU, and multiple Hochschulen. Offers the same full-service portfolio (housing, dining, counseling, BAföG) and is the most relevant scaled reference for operating benchmarks.
• Studierendenwerk Karlsruhe: Public-law student services organization in Baden-Württemberg serving multiple universities in the Karlsruhe region. Operates the same combination of Mensen, Wohnheime, BAföG administration, and psychosocial counseling under the same Studierendenwerksgesetz.
• Studierendenwerk Konstanz: HTWG Konstanz-area Studierendenwerk providing Mensa, Wohnheim, and student support services. Same statutory framework and comparable regional scale, serving lake Constance universities.
• Studentenwerk Freiburg: Freiburg-based student services organization with identical statutory mandate and service portfolio. Operates dormitories, canteens, and student support for Universität Freiburg and associated Hochschulen in Baden-Württemberg.
• Studierendenwerk Stuttgart: Stuttgart-based Studierendenwerk serving students at Universität Stuttgart, HdM, and other institutions. Same statutory mandate, same service mix (housing, dining, BAföG, counseling), and direct geographic peer in Baden-Württemberg.
• Studierendenwerk Tübingen-Hohenheim: Tübingen-Hohenheim Studierendenwerk serving two major universities in the region. Operates Wohnheime, Mensen, BAföG, and counseling with a similar service model under the same state law.
• Studentenwerk Augsburg: Bavarian Studierendenwerk serving Universität Augsburg, HS Augsburg, and TH Augsburg. Closely comparable institutional mix (university plus technical Hochschule) and service portfolio.
• Studierendenwerk Mannheim: Mannheim-based Studierendenwerk serving Universität Mannheim, HS Mannheim, and DHBW. Operates under the same Baden-Württemberg Studierendenwerksgesetz with identical housing and dining service mix.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/Studierendenwerk-Ulm-186137638079214
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/studierendenwerk-ulm

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Studierendenwerk Ulm