Trialog e.V.

What Trialog e.V. does

Trialog e.V. (Verein zur Erforschung des Planens und Bauens in Entwicklungsländern) is a Berlin-based German non-profit association founded in 1984 that publishes the TRIALOG Journal (ISSN 0724-6234), a peer-reviewed academic periodical dedicated to planning and building in Asia, Africa, and Latin America. The association brings together professionals from architecture, urban and regional planning, geography, sociology, anthropology, and economics, with members drawn primarily from the German-speaking academic and development-cooperation community. Its core products are the TRIALOG Journal (published several times per year, with 160+ issues produced over 25+ years), annual conferences held at German universities since 2000, and a membership program that bundles print and digital journal access.

The business model is a classic academic association subscription structure: annual individual memberships priced at 30 EUR (Global South residents), 45 EUR (students/reduced), and 85 EUR (regular), plus institutional memberships at 400 EUR, supplemented by tax-deductible donations and individual journal sales. New members receive five free printed issues as a welcome gift, and selected past issues and previews are available as free PDF downloads. Distribution runs through printed copies mailed to members, a members-only digital area on the bilingual (German/English) website, and physical distribution at annual conferences. The technology stack is minimal — a digital membership platform and online journal delivery system, with no API, SDK, or proprietary technical features in evidence.

Operationally, Trialog is run by a lean volunteer-heavy structure: 6 listed personnel roles are distributed across Berlin (editorial office at TU Berlin's Habitat Unit), Wiesbaden (distribution, Hochschule RheinMain), Frankfurt (treasurer, Frankfurt UAS), and Dortmund (coordinating editor, TU Dortmund). A 15-member Advisory Committee composed of senior academics from TU Berlin, TU Dortmund, Frankfurt UAS, and other institutions provides governance and editorial direction. The association partners with German universities (TU Berlin, TU Dortmund) and European networks (N-AERUS) for conferences, and recent issues have addressed topics such as urban displacement, mapping as social practice, and climate-related loss and damage.

Name

Trialog e.V.

Legal name

TRIALOG e.V., Verein zur Erforschung des Planens und Bauens in Entwicklungsländern

Website

https://trialog-journal.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1984

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Trialog e.V. is a Berlin-based German non-profit association founded in 1984 that publishes the TRIALOG Journal and runs annual academic conferences on urban planning and building in Asia, Africa, and Latin America, serving German-speaking academics and development practitioners via a membership subscription model.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Academic Journal Publishing

NAICS

Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (54172)

SIC

Periodicals: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2721)

akta.pro primary industry

Academic & Scholarly Journals Publishing (Peer-Reviewed) (MPAJABAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Scholarly Societies & Conference Proceedings Publishing (MPAJABAK), Conference Proceedings & Research Reports Publishing (EDAGAFAL), Education, Research & Academic Congresses (THAHAJAD)

Keywords

• Academic journal publishing
• Urban planning research
• Development cooperation
• Professional association membership
• Interdisciplinary conference series

Headquarters

HQ city

Berlin

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership fees: Annual membership fees ranging from 30€ to 400€ depending on membership category (regular, student, reduced for residents of Asia/Africa/Latin America, or institutional). Members receive printed journals, digital access, and voting rights.
2. Donations: Tax-deductible donations from members and supporters. The association is recognized as non-profit, and donations fund printing and distribution of journal issues.
3. Journal sales: Individual journal issues are available for order, with free downloads of selected previews and past issues. Production and distribution costs are covered through membership fees and donations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Trialog e.V. publishes the TRIALOG Journal, a peer-reviewed academic periodical focused on planning and building in the global context, with thematic emphasis on Asia, Africa, and Latin America. The association supplements the journal with annual interdisciplinary conferences held at German universities (since 2000), a tiered membership program (regular, student, remote, and institutional), and a members-only digital archive of all back issues. Its offerings target professionals and academics in architecture, urban and regional planning, geography, sociology, anthropology, ethnology, and economics engaged in development cooperation.

Product overview

TRIALOG e.V. operates a unified academic publishing and conference organization focused on planning and building in the global context, particularly in Asia, Africa, and Latin America. The core offering consists of the TRIALOG Journal (ISSN 0724-6234), published several times per year, supplemented by annual conferences and a membership program. Members receive printed or digital journal issues, access to complete PDF archives, and voting rights in the association's governance.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• TRIALOG Journal An academic journal (ISSN 0724-6234) published several times per year for professionals in architecture, urban and regional planning, geography, sociology, anthropology, and economics, dedicated to global issues and development cooperation with a focus on Asia, Africa, and Latin America. It publishes research assessments, professional experience exchanges, and interdisciplinary discussion on planning and building.
• TRIALOG Conferences Annual conferences organized by TRIALOG e.V. since 2000, bringing together academics, consultants, and practitioners from planning and building fields to discuss current topics in urban development with a focus on the Global South. Recent and upcoming conferences include 'Resilient Peri-Urban Transformations and Sustainable Land Governance' (November 2026, TU Dortmund) and the publication partnership for the 23rd N-AERUS Conference (October 2026).
• TRIALOG Membership Annual membership program providing access to newly published TRIALOG issues (printed or digital), PDF access to all journal issues, voting rights at the AGM, newsletter with work offers and event information, and a welcome gift of five free printed issues for new members. Four tiers are offered: Regular (€85/year), Student/Reduced (€45/year), Remote member for Asia/Africa/Latin America (€30/year), and Institutional (€400/year).
• TRIALOG 156/157: Mapping Space Action A thematic journal issue exploring mapping practices as collective, interdisciplinary, and action-oriented approaches that combine spatial analysis with social engagement, artistic research, and political responsibility. Features contributions on radical cartography, virtual maps, and grassroots mapping movements.
• TRIALOG 160/161: Towards Tackling Loss and Damage An upcoming special issue tackling urgent gaps in understanding and addressing urban vulnerability and climate change, linking them to the evolving debate on urban loss and damage. Contextual spotlights include Bangladesh, Brazil, Ghana, India, Kenya, Mozambique, Nigeria, and examples from Southeast Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 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 and minor.

• TU Dortmund UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 November 2026TRIALOG Conference 'Resilient Peri-Urban Transformations and Sustainable Land Governance' to be held November 16-17, 2026 in Dortmund, organized in cooperation with TU Dortmund's research group.
• N-AERUS (Network for Urban Research in Europe)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 27 October 2026TRIALOG serves as a publication partner for the 23rd N-AERUS Conference 'The Role of Partnerships in Development: Knowledge, Power, and Urban Futures' to be held October 27-29, 2026 in hybrid format across multiple locations (Brazil: USP, Netherlands: IHS, ISS and ITC).
• Weißensee Academy of Art BerlinminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConference 'mapping: space and action' held in December 2017 at the Weißensee Academy of Art Berlin, conceived and organized in collaboration with TRIALOG.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Market position

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/trialog-e-v

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles24 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 Trialog e.V.