Umweltstiftung Michael Otto

What Umweltstiftung Michael Otto does

Umweltstiftung Michael Otto is a private German charitable foundation (Stiftung bürgerlichen Rechts) established in 1993 by Prof. Dr. Michael Otto, founder of the Otto Group, and headquartered in Hamburg. Its mission is to protect, maintain, and restore ecosystems — water, agricultural landscapes, forests, and peatlands — through a structured portfolio of three core projects (AQUA-AGENTEN water education for primary schools, F.R.A.N.Z. biodiversity measures in agriculture, toMOORow peatland rewetting and paludiculture), three wholly-owned Trägerschaften (Kompetenzzentrum Naturschutz und Energiewende, Nachhaltigkeitsforum Hamburg, Foundation Platform F20), and recurring dialogue programs (Hamburger Gespräche für Naturschutz since 2004, Konkret Nachhaltig!, Zukunftswerkstatt Wald). The foundation's underlying 'technology' is not a software platform but a domain-specialized methodology stack: the F.R.A.N.Z. Flex-Modul-Konzept for biodiversity in agriculture, a CSRD Biodiversity Reporting Framework aligned with ESRS E4, and the AQUA-AGENTEN classroom curriculum, each developed through multi-stakeholder dialog with science, policy, agriculture, and corporate partners.

The foundation operates a non-commercial, grant-funded model with no products or services for sale. Revenue is sourced from project grants and co-financing from federal ministries (BMUV funds KNE; BMEL co-funds toMOORow and the CSRD platform), private donors (Deutsche Postcode Lotterie, RTL – Wir helfen Kindern for AQUA-AGENTEN), and the founder's endowment. Distribution is delivered through partner networks: schools nationwide (AQUA-AGENTEN has reached 116,000+ children since 2010), demonstration farms (F.R.A.N.Z.), corporate alliance members (PaludiAllianz spans retail, construction, furniture, and leisure-vehicle sectors), and international foundation platforms (F20 covers 80+ foundations across 26 countries). Geographic focus is Germany and Eastern Europe (notably Armenia). As of January 2025, Claudia Bühler serves as sole Vorständin, with Bernt Farcke appointed Managing Director of KNE effective 1 January 2026.

Name

Umweltstiftung Michael Otto

Legal name

Umweltstiftung Michael Otto

Website

https://umweltstiftungmichaelotto.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1993

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Umweltstiftung Michael Otto is a Hamburg-based charitable foundation founded in 1993 by Prof. Dr. Michael Otto that protects and restores ecosystems in Germany and Eastern Europe through projects on water education, agricultural biodiversity, and peatland rewetting.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Environmental Conservation Foundation

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Environmental & Climate Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Nature, Biodiversity & Ecosystem Conservation (BPADALAE), Water Resources & Watershed Protection (BPAGAGAK), Ecosystem Services & Natural Capital Programs (Water, Biodiversity Credits, PES) (IMAMAJAK)

Keywords

• Environmental grantmaking foundation
• Biodiversity conservation programs
• Water education initiatives
• Peatland restoration projects
• Sustainability dialogue platforms

Headquarters

HQ city

Hamburg

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Charitable Grants and Donations: As a civil-law foundation (Stiftung bürgerlichen Rechts), the organization is funded through grants, donations, and institutional funding. The foundation does not sell products or services commercially. It receives project financing from public bodies (e.g., BMUV, BMEL) and private partners.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Umweltstiftung Michael Otto is a private charitable foundation that funds and operates environmental protection initiatives across three pillars: conservation Projects (AQUA-AGENTEN water education for primary schools, F.R.A.N.Z. agricultural biodiversity demonstration, toMOORow peatland rewetting and paludiculture), Dialogue programs (Hamburger Gespräche für Naturschutz annual symposium since 2004, Konkret Nachhaltig!, Zukunftswerkstatt Wald, CSRD-Reporting guide), and Trägerschaften (KNE competence center for renewable energies, Nachhaltigkeitsforum Hamburg, Foundation Platform F20). All programs are offered free of charge to beneficiaries.

Product overview

Umweltstiftung Michael Otto operates a portfolio of environmental initiatives organized around three pillars: Projects (Projekte), Dialog Programs (Dialog), and Trägerschaften (operated initiatives). The core projects include AQUA-AGENTEN (water education for children), F.R.A.N.Z. (biodiversity in agriculture), and toMOORow (moor rewetting and paludiculture). The foundation conducts dialogue programs including the Hamburger Gespräche für Naturschutz (annual since 2004), Konkret Nachhaltig!, and Zukunftswerkstatt Wald. It also operates three Trägerschaften: Kompetenzzentrum Naturschutz und Energiewende (KNE), Nachhaltigkeitsforum Hamburg, and Foundation Platform F20. Additional offerings include CSRD-Reporting guidance for biodiversity disclosure.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• toMOORow: Initiative for rewetting moors and promoting paludikultur (wetland agriculture) for climate protection and biodiversity
• F.R.A.N.Z.
• AQUA-AGENTEN
• Hamburger Gespräche für Naturschutz
• CSRD-Reporting

Products and services

• AQUA-AGENTEN A nationwide free educational program for primary school children in grades 3 and 4 that teaches water conservation, climate, and biodiversity through interactive classroom missions, action days booked by teachers via an online form, and visits to water infrastructure sites provided by HAMBURG WASSER.
• F.R.A.N.Z. (F\u00fcr Ressourcen, Agrarwirtschaft & Naturschutz mit Zukunft) A dialogue and demonstration project that develops practical biodiversity conservation measures for agricultural landscapes, proving that ecologically effective measures can also be economically viable for farms. Measures have been integrated into state agri-environment programs (AUKM) in Brandenburg, Saxony-Anhalt, and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.
• toMOORow An initiative focused on rewetting drained moors to create natural wetland habitats, promote climate protection through paludiculture (wetland agriculture), and develop products from paludiculture biomass in partnership with the PaludiAllianz industry network.
• Hamburger Gespr\u00e4che f\u00fcr Naturschutz An annual dialogue series held since 2004 that stimulates societal debate on important environmental topics, creates awareness for conservation concerns, and develops integrated national and international solutions with expert speakers.
• CSRD-Reporting Biodiversit\u00e4tsberichterstattung A practice-oriented guide (Praxisleitfaden) supporting companies in implementing biodiversity reporting requirements under the EU Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD/ESRS E4), including materiality analysis methodology.
• Kompetenzzentrum Naturschutz und Energiewende (KNE) A wholly-owned subsidiary (Tr\u00e4gerschaft) of the foundation that provides counseling, knowledge transfer, dialog processes, and conflict resolution at municipal, state, and federal levels to support nature-compatible expansion of renewable energies in Germany.
• Nachhaltigkeitsforum Hamburg (NFH) A Tr\u00e4gerschaft under the foundation's umbrella that accompanies and supports the city of Hamburg in implementing the UN global Sustainable Development Goals through dialogue and coordination.
• Foundation Platform F20 An international foundation platform network of and for over 80 foundations from 26 countries, focused on G20 states regarding implementation of UN sustainability goals and the Paris Climate Agreement.
• Konkret Nachhaltig! A series of in-depth conversations with high-caliber experts on environmental and nature topics, published as video and multimedia content on the foundation's channels.
• Zukunftswerkstatt Wald A platform enabling constructive and solution-oriented societal dialogue about the future of forests, combining expert input and multi-stakeholder exchange.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 116,000 children educated on water conservation through AQUA-AGENTEN program since 2010
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• CSRD Biodiversity Reporting Multi-Stakeholder Platform PartnerscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024The foundation led a multi-stakeholder platform (April–October 2024) involving Deutsche Bundesstiftung Umwelt (project initiator), BMUV and BMEL (funding), and partners including econsense, BfN, NABU, Universität Greifswald, Deutsche Bank, BDO, BNP Paribas Germany, Bundesverband Nachhaltige Wirtschaft, and others to develop a CSRD-compliant biodiversity materiality analysis guide.
• PaludiAllianz / toMOORow InitiativeflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023The PaludiAllianz operates under the toMOORow initiative (umbrella by Umweltstiftung Michael Otto, Michael Succow Stiftung, and Greifswald Moor Centrum). It brings together companies to develop products from paludikultur (wetland agriculture) biomass. Alliance partners include OTTO, OBI, toom, LEIPA, Baufritz, Pfleiderer, Erwin Hymer Group, and STRABAG. The alliance won the German Packaging Prize 2025 and expanded into the furniture/wood-based panels sector in 2025.
• Landesbund für Vogelschutz in Bayern e.V. (LBV)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018LBV implemented the Beratung Gewässer Dritter Ordnung project (2018–2019), a follow-up to the 'Lebendige Bäche in Bayern' project, providing ongoing support to municipalities implementing stream restoration measures and distributing a practice guide.
• Kompetenzzentrum Naturschutz und Energiewende (KNE)coreOthers · 1 January 2016KNE is a wholly-owned gGmbH subsidiary of the Umweltstiftung Michael Otto, founded in 2016 as an independent expert body supporting nature-compatible renewable energy expansion in Germany. It provides counseling, knowledge transfer, dialog processes, and conflict resolution at municipal, state, and federal levels. Funded by the Federal Ministry for Environment (BMUV). Bernt Farcke became Managing Director on January 1, 2026.
• Foundation Platform F20coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016F20 is an international foundation platform network of and for over 80 foundations from 26 countries, focused on the G20 states regarding implementation of UN sustainability goals and compliance with the Paris Climate Agreement. The Umweltstiftung Michael Otto is a member and hosts information about F20 on its website.
• Centrum für Naturkunde (CeNak) / Zoologisches Museum HamburgminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016CeNak implemented the Ökosystemforschung Stadtgewässer project (2016–2019) funded by the foundation, using historical museum collections (1890–1920) to reconstruct baseline biodiversity data for Hamburg's urban streams and evaluate renaturation success.
• Burg Lenzen e.V. / TrägerverbundminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2015The Trägerverbund Burg Lenzen implemented the Hartholz-Auwälder project (2015–2021) funded by the foundation, focusing on restoring riparian hardwood forests along the Lower Middle Elbe through planting and habitat quality improvements.
• Nachhaltigkeitsforum HamburgcoreOthers · 1 January 2014The Nachhaltigkeitsforum Hamburg (NFH) is a Trägerschaft under the foundation's umbrella. It accompanies and supports the city of Hamburg in implementing the UN Sustainable Development Goals. It commissioned the Wuppertal Institute to develop a sufficiency-oriented sustainability strategy concept paper for Hamburg.
• F.R.A.N.Z. Project ConsortiumflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2012F.R.A.N.Z. (Für Ressourcen, Agrarwirtschaft & Naturschutz mit Zukunft) is a dialog and demonstration project jointly developed by the foundation, the Michael-Otto-Institut im NABU, the Stiftung Rheinische Kulturlandschaft, and the Thünen-Institut. It develops effective biodiversity measures for agricultural landscapes that are both ecologically effective and economically viable.
• Naturstiftung DavidminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2012Naturstiftung David implemented the Feuersalamandervorkommen project (2012–2019) funded by the foundation, focused on protecting fire salamander habitats in the Thuringian Forest through deadwood management and habitat connectivity measures.
• HAMBURG WASSERflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2010HAMBURG WASSER (Hamburg's public water utility) has been the principal partner of the AQUA-AGENTEN program since its launch in 2010. It provides water infrastructure sites (waterworks, treatment plants, waterways, and port) for educational activities. Over 10,500 Hamburg children have participated in the program.
• AQUA-AGENTEN Partner Network (40+ organizations)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2010AQUA-AGENTEN collaborates with over 40 partner organizations from nature conservation, education, and water management sectors. Funders include Deutsche Postcode Lotterie and RTL – Wir helfen Kindern. The program has reached over 116,000 children across Germany.
• NABU-Naturschutzstation Niederrhein e.V.minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2010NABU-Naturschutzstation Niederrhein implemented the Rhein-Nebenrinne project (2010–2018), creating a regularly flowing side channel of nearly 3 kilometers at the Lower Rhine near Wesel as a model for ecological restoration.
• NABU (Naturschutzbund Deutschland e.V.)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2007NABU is the lead implementing partner for several foundation-funded projects including the Arax-Niederung project in Armenia (wetland conservation under the RAMSAR convention), the Rhine side channel project, and the F.R.A.N.Z. project through its Michael-Otto-Institut. NABU was also a partner in the CSRD biodiversity reporting platform.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Direct peers

• NABU (Naturschutzbund Deutschland): Germany's largest environmental NGO, active across biodiversity, water, agriculture, and climate. Directly comparable mission and a key implementing partner of the foundation through the Michael-Otto-Institut im NABU on F.R.A.N.Z.
• Naturschutzstiftung David: Thuringia-based conservation foundation implementing projects funded by Umweltstiftung Michael Otto. Comparable as a smaller German nature conservation foundation with grant-funded project model.
• Michael Succow Stiftung: German foundation focused on peatland conservation, paludiculture, and nature-based climate solutions. Direct co-lead of the toMOORow initiative alongside Umweltstiftung Michael Otto and Greifswald Moor Centrum.
• BUND (Bund für Umwelt und Naturschutz Deutschland): Major German environmental NGO working on biodiversity, water, climate, and agriculture. Closely comparable scope of advocacy and project work to the foundation's portfolio.
• Deutsche Bundesstiftung Umwelt (DBU): Germany's largest environmental foundation, funding nature conservation, environmental technology, and education across Germany. Directly comparable as a large German environmental grantmaking foundation with national scope and federal ministry relationships.

Broad incumbents

• Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung: German political foundation affiliated with the Greens, with significant work on environmental policy, climate, and sustainability. Comparable as a German foundation with environmental and policy focus, but broader political mandate.
• Conservation International: Global environmental NGO focused on biodiversity, climate, and sustainable development. Comparable in the ecosystem-services and nature-based-solutions space, but at significantly greater global scale and corporate partnership base.
• The Nature Conservancy (TNC): One of the world's largest environmental NGOs, working on land and water conservation globally. Comparable mission on ecosystem protection and restoration but operates at a far larger scale and with commercial fundraising.
• WWF Deutschland: Large established German environmental organization with broader global footprint across biodiversity, climate, water, and agriculture. Comparable mission but operates at much greater scale and on commercial fundraising.

Regional players

• Stiftung Natur im Norden: Regional German conservation foundation active in northern Germany on biodiversity, water, and land stewardship. Comparable model as a grantmaking environmental foundation, but with a more regional focus on Schleswig-Holstein and Hamburg area.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@umweltstiftungmichaelotto6594
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/umweltstiftung-michael-otto

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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