Volkshochschule Braunschweig GmbH

What Volkshochschule Braunschweig GmbH does

Volkshochschule Braunschweig GmbH is a private German adult education provider headquartered in Braunschweig, Lower Saxony, operating as the parent of the VHS-Gruppe Braunschweig alongside two wholly-owned subsidiaries — Haus der Familie GmbH (family education) and VHS Arbeit und Beruf GmbH (employment-program delivery). The organization delivers a multi-category course catalog spanning foreign languages, German and integration, health, professional development, digital/IT, creative arts, and society/politics, supplemented by specialized projects including Haus der Vielfalt (diversity), Frau und Beruf (women's career counseling), WidA (foreign credential recognition), and the Grundbildungszentrum (basic education). It holds BAMF authorization for integration courses and AZAV certification for employment programs, channeling a portion of enrollment through Jobcenter Braunschweig and Agentur für Arbeit.

The operating model combines in-person delivery across three Braunschweig locations with online and hybrid channels using the nationwide vhs.cloud learning platform and a GDPR-compliant Zoom EU-cluster deployment. Course registration runs on the KuferWeb platform with shopping-cart and participant-login functionality, supporting a direct-to-consumer go-to-market supplemented by government referral pathways. Pricing is per-course (€17–€295 range observed), with a mandatory €5 administrative fee, optional Förderantrag (funding-application) discounts, and certification partnerships with Goethe-Institut, Cambridge Assessment, and telc for standardized credentials.

Revenue derives from a mix of individual course fees, government-funded program contracts (BAMF, Jobcenter, Agentur für Arbeit), and ancillary services. The organization recently launched a KI-Führerschein (AI Driving License) five-module certificate program and continues to run the annual IT-Sommerfestival für Frauen. No external parent, private equity, or venture capital ownership is disclosed; the company is governed by Managing Director Kerstin Hartmann-Moos under Supervisory Board Chair Dr. Christina Rentzsch.

Name

Volkshochschule Braunschweig GmbH

Legal name

Volkshochschule Braunschweig GmbH

Website

https://vhs-braunschweig.de

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Volkshochschule Braunschweig GmbH is a private adult education provider in Braunschweig, Germany, delivering language, integration, digital, and vocational courses to individuals and government-funded program participants, supported by two wholly-owned subsidiaries and partnerships with BAMF, Jobcenter, and Agentur für Arbeit.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Adult Continuing Education Services

NAICS

Educational Services (61), All Other Schools and Instruction (61169)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Online/Hybrid Lifelong Learning Platforms & Open Enrollment Programs (EDAAAEAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Language & Communication Continuing Education (EDAAAEAF), Professional & Applied Skills Noncredit Certificates (Non-licensure) (EDAAAEAD), Personal Enrichment & Creative Arts Programs (EDAAAEAG), Online Divisions of Traditional Universities (Hybrid/Extension) (EDAHALAB)

Keywords

• Adult education
• Language courses
• Integration courses
• Professional development
• Digital skills training

Headquarters

HQ city

Braunschweig

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Course Fees: Fees charged per course or seminar. Individual course fees range from free offerings to several hundred euros depending on course type and duration. Standard courses include administrative fee component.
2. Government-Funded Programs: Revenue from BAMF-funded integration courses, Jobcenter and Agentur für Arbeit funded vocational programs, and other government-sponsored educational initiatives
3. Administrative Fees: Administrative fee of €5.00 included in course fees and charged even for timely cancellations. Fees for duplicate certificates and late issuance.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Volkshochschule Braunschweig GmbH delivers adult continuing education courses across categories including foreign languages, German language and integration, health, professional development, digital/IT, creative arts, society/politics/environment, women's programs, and Bildungsurlaub (paid educational leave). Courses are offered in-person at its Braunschweig facilities, online via the vhs.cloud platform, and hybrid via Zoom. Specialized standalone offerings include the KI-Führerschein AI certification program, BAMF-funded integration courses, and AZAV-certified vocational training.

Product overview

Volkshochschule Braunschweig GmbH is a public adult education provider offering a comprehensive portfolio of courses and projects. The core offerings include general education courses (foreign languages, German/integration, health, professional development, digital/IT, creative arts, and society/politics) along with specialized programs like the KI-Führerschein AI certification. The organization operates several projects including Haus der Vielfalt (diversity center), Frau und Beruf (women's career counseling), WidA (foreign credential recognition), Grundbildungszentrum (basic education), and VHS-Stadtgarten (urban garden). Courses are delivered in-person, online via vhs.cloud, and through special events like the annual IT-Sommerfestival für Frauen. The portfolio is structured around adult education rather than a traditional product-platform architecture.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Foreign Language Courses (Fremdsprachen)

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

AI capability8 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Goethe-InstitutminorOthersGoethe-Institut examination provider for German language certificates (Goethe-Zertifikat B1). VHS forwards participant data to Goethe-Institut for certification purposes.
• Cambridge AssessmentminorOthersCambridge English examination provider for international English language certifications. Data shared for exam registration and certification.
• telc GmbHminorOtherstelc language examination provider for standardized language certificates. Integration with VHS course offerings for certification.
• Bundesamt für Migration und Flüchtlinge (BAMF)coreOthersFederal Office for Migration and Refugees - authorized integration course provider. VHS forwards participant names and contact details to BAMF for course eligibility verification and funding.
• Deutscher Volkshochschul-Verband e.V.coreTechnology or IntegrationNational Volkshochschule association operating the vhs.cloud platform. VHS forwards participant names and email addresses for access to the online learning platform.
• Jobcenter BraunschweigcoreOthersLocal employment agency providing funding for vocational training and employment programs. VHS conducts labor market policy projects on behalf of Jobcenter.
• Agentur für ArbeitcoreOthersFederal Employment Agency funding vocational education and training programs. VHS serves as authorized provider for AZAV-certified programs.
• Bildungshaus WolfsburgminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCooperation partner for IT and computer courses. VHS Braunschweig offers courses in partnership with Bildungshaus Wolfsburg, Bildungszentrum Wolfenbüttel, Volkshochschule Salzgitter, and KVHS Peine.
• Bildungszentrum WolfenbüttelminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional education center partnership for shared course offerings in IT and digital skills.
• Volkshochschule SalzgitterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional VHS partnership for expanded course offerings and shared resources.
• KVHS PeineminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerKreisvolkshochschule Peine partnership for regional education collaboration.
• Zoom Video CommunicationscoreTechnology or IntegrationVideo conferencing provider using EU-based servers with end-to-end encryption. VHS uses Zoom for online courses and webinars with data processing agreement in place.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Coursera: Global online learning platform increasingly competing with traditional adult education providers for professional upskilling and language learning demand. Represents the digital disruption threat to VHS's course delivery model.

Broad incumbents

• Goethe-Institut: Germany's globally recognized German language and cultural education institution, partner of VHS for Goethe certificate examinations. While global in scope, competes in the adult German-language learning segment.

Direct peers

• Volkshochschule München (MVHS): Largest German Volkshochschule, operating under the same nationwide VHS framework with identical BAMF/AZAV regulatory profile and course category structure. Most directly comparable peer in terms of service offering.
• Volkshochschule Berlin: Berlin VHS operates the same adult education model - government-authorized BAMF integration courses, AZAV vocational programs, and broad course catalog. Direct peer with substantially larger scale.
• VHS Salzgitter: Regional cooperation partner VHS in Lower Saxony offering the same Volkshochschule model with shared course delivery - directly comparable in scope and regulatory positioning.
• Deutsche Angestellten-Akademie (DAA): Major German adult education provider with comparable AZAV-certified vocational training, integration courses, and government-funded employment programs. Closest private-sector peer in adult continuing education.
• Volkshochschule Hannover: Another major German Volkshochschule in Lower Saxony offering the same nationwide adult education portfolio (languages, integration, IT, professional development). Direct comparable in scale, mission, and regulatory positioning within the same state.
• BBQ Berufliche Bildung: Private German vocational and adult education provider focused on activation measures, retraining, and integration - directly overlaps with VHS Arbeit und Beruf GmbH's employment services and AZAV-certified programs.

Others

• Haus der Familie Braunschweig GmbH: Wholly-owned subsidiary of VHS Braunschweig rather than a true peer; included to flag the family-education segment overlap and integrated structure context for analysis.
• telc GmbH: Standardized language examination provider that certifies VHS course completions. Adjacent ecosystem player rather than competitor - relevant for understanding VHS's credentialing infrastructure.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/volkshochschule-braunschweig-gmbh

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries2 records

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 →

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