studierendenWERK BERLIN A.d.ö.R.

What studierendenWERK BERLIN A.d.ö.R. does

studierendenWERK BERLIN A.d.ö.R. is a Berlin-based public-law institution (Anstalt des öffentlichen Rechts), founded in 1973, mandated by the State of Berlin to provide social, economic and cultural support services to students at the city's 21+ state-recognized universities. Its core service portfolio comprises 20+ canteens/mensas, 40+ student residences, 7 daycare centers (including inclusive offerings for children with disabilities), administration of federal student financial aid (BAföG), psychosocial counseling, cultural programming, and competence workshops for more than 170,000 students.

The organization operates a multi-channel digital infrastructure spanning a MensaCard payment system with Autoload top-up, a Speiseplan meal-plan app, a housing application portal, and BAföG-Online services, complemented by a presence across eight social-media platforms. Recent operational extensions include Mensa-Späti late-night automated food kiosks and foodtrucks as mobile extensions of the canteen brand. The Mensa TU Veggie 2.0 concept, launched in 2019 and repositioned in 2021, marked Berlin's first purely vegan canteen at TU Berlin.

The business model combines state subsidies (principal funding source), federal BAföG administrative allocations, regulated canteen meal pricing, residential rents from ~40 student housing properties, daycare fees, and ancillary service income. Because it is a statutory public-law institution rather than a market participant, its commercial revenue mechanics are capped by regulated student pricing, and growth is effectively tied to Berlin university enrollment trends rather than market share competition.

Name

studierendenWERK BERLIN A.d.ö.R.

Legal name

studierendenWERK BERLIN A.d.ö.R.

Website

https://stw.berlin

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

studierendenWERK BERLIN A.d.ö.R. is a Berlin public-law institution, founded 1973, providing canteens, student housing, daycare, BAföG administration, counseling, and cultural programs to 170,000+ students across 21+ Berlin universities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Student Services

NAICS

Rooming and Boarding Houses, Dormitories, and Workers' Camps (721310), Cafeterias, Grill Buffets, and Buffets (722514)

SIC

Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000), Retail-Eating Places (5812)

akta.pro primary industry

Student Residence Halls & Dormitory Management (On-/Near-Campus) (EDAIALAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

University Dorms & Affiliated Summer Housing (THAMAGAA), Brasseries, Bistros & Trattorias (THAFACAI)

Keywords

• Student services
• Campus dining
• Student housing
• Student counseling
• Childcare services

Headquarters

HQ city

Berlin

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels8 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

studierendenWERK BERLIN is a public-law institution that provides comprehensive student services across Berlin's universities. It operates over 20 canteen locations (Mensen) offering subsidized meals, manages more than 40 student residences (Wohnheime), processes BAföG federal student aid applications, runs seven daycare centers (Kitas), and offers psychological, financial, accessibility, and international student counseling as well as cultural programs and skills development workshops.

Product overview

studierendenWERK BERLIN is a public-law institution providing comprehensive student services across Berlin's universities. The portfolio consists of core service categories: (1) Mensen - over 20 canteen locations including main dining halls, backshops/bakeries, and automated Späti late-night food stands, with the MensaCard payment system and associated Speiseplan-App for menu access; (2) Student Housing - dormitories across Berlin with online portal; (3) BAföG financial aid administration; (4) Counseling services covering psychological, barrier-free studies, financial/social, and international student needs; (5) Daycare (Kitas) at 7 university-adjacent locations; (6) Culture & International programs including Buddy Program and Get-Together events; and (7) KompetenzWERK skills development including writing center and career guidance. The Autoload system enables automatic MensaCard recharging. Services support over 170,000 students across 21 partner universities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Mensen (Student Canteens) University canteens providing affordable meals to students across 20+ locations in Berlin, including main dining halls, backshops/bakeries, and automated late-night food stands (Spätis) with varied menu options including vegetarian, vegan, and sustainably sourced items.
• Student Housing (Wohnheime) Student dormitories and residences across Berlin with online application portal, offering affordable housing near university campuses for enrolled students.
• BAföG Services German federal student financial aid administration, processing applications and providing consultations for student funding including online submission, document uploads, and virtual consultation.
• Psychologische Beratung (Psychological Counseling) Free, confidential psychological counseling services for students including individual sessions, group therapy, and workshops on topics like exam anxiety and procrastination.
• Beratung Barrierefrei Studieren (Barrier-Free Studies Counseling) Counseling and support services for students with disabilities or chronic illnesses, including sign language interpreting, speech-to-text reporting, and study assistance.
• Beratung Finanzierung & Soziales (Financial & Social Counseling) Counseling on study financing, welfare benefits, part-time jobs, scholarships, and support for students with children.
• International Student Counselling Specialized counseling for international students including visa/residency information, German courses, and English-language program guidance.
• Kinder-Tagesstätten (Daycare/Kitas) Seven daycare centers near Berlin universities offering childcare with meals prepared by the canteen kitchens, available to children of students.
• Kultur & Internationales (Culture & International Programs) Cultural programs including stage/music performances, art exhibitions, literature events, diversity initiatives, and international student activities like Buddy Program and Culture Trips.
• KompetenzWERK (Skills Development) Skills development services including writing center, study skills workshops, job/career guidance, and self-care programs.
• Speiseplan-App (Meal Plan App) Mobile application available on iOS and Android for accessing daily menus and nutritional information across all canteen locations.
• MensaCard Digital payment card system used across all canteen facilities for purchasing meals, with online portal for viewing transaction history and managing card balance.

Quantifiable outcome

• Serves over 170,000 students across 21+ Berlin universities
• +2 more outcomes

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Studentenwerk Leipzig: Saxony-based Studentenwerk providing dining, housing, BAföG and counselling services for Leipzig universities. Equivalent operational model and public-law mandate.
• Studentenwerk München: Largest German Studentenwerk, operating canteens, residences, BAföG administration, and counselling for Munich universities. Directly comparable in mandate, service portfolio, and statutory public-law structure to studierendenWERK BERLIN.
• Studierendenwerk Frankfurt am Main: Statutory student services body for Frankfurt universities, operating canteens, student housing, BAföG and cultural programs in another expensive German city. Mirrors studierendenWERK BERLIN's mandate and operational model.
• Studierendenwerk Stuttgart: Stuttgart-area Studentenwerk running canteens, student housing, BAföG administration and psychological counselling for regional universities. Equivalent role and service mix to studierendenWERK BERLIN.
• Studierendenwerk Aachen: Public-law student services organization for RWTH Aachen and other regional universities, running Mensen, Wohnheime, BAföG and cultural programs. Comparable mandate and service portfolio.
• Studierendenwerk Köln: Public-law student services organization for Cologne universities, offering canteens, residences, counselling, daycare and cultural programs. Directly analogous in scope and statutory setup.
• Studierendenwerk Hamburg: Public-law student services provider for Hamburg universities, running Mensen, Wohnheime, BAföG, daycare and counselling. Highly comparable to studierendenWERK BERLIN across all core service categories.
• Studentenwerk Dresden: Public-law student services provider for Dresden's universities, with canteens, student residences and BAföG administration. Directly comparable in mandate and statutory structure.
• Studentenwerk Tübingen-Hohenheim: Joint Studentenwerk for Tübingen and Hohenheim universities in Baden-Württemberg, operating canteens, residences, counselling and BAföG services. Comparable statutory setup and full service portfolio.

Others

• Deutsches Studierendenwerk: National umbrella organization representing all 58 German Studierendenwerke. Not a direct operator but the relevant industry body for policy, benchmarking, and best-practice dissemination, making it the most relevant ecosystem peer.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@Studiwerkberlin
• Facebookfacebook.com/StW.Bln
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/studierendenwerk-berlin
• Instagraminstagram.com/studierendenwerkberlin
• TikToktiktok.com/@studierendenwerk.berlin

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about studierendenWERK BERLIN A.d.ö.R.