Wissenschaftspark Gelsenkirchen Projekte gGmbH

What Wissenschaftspark Gelsenkirchen Projekte gGmbH does

Wissenschaftspark Gelsenkirchen Projekte gGmbH is a 100% municipally owned non-profit (gGmbH) established in 2022 as a spin-off from the project division of Wissenschaftspark Gelsenkirchen GmbH. Headquartered at Munscheidstraße 14 in the Wissenschaftspark Gelsenkirchen, the organization develops and coordinates projects supporting the transformation of Gelsenkirchen and the broader Metropole Ruhr toward a green industrial region. Its core activity is project orchestration — operating as the designated coordinator for the federal 5-StandorteProgramm project office (channeling up to 662 million EUR in coal phase-out structural aid through 2038), and managing a portfolio of interconnected programs covering climate protection (KlimaForum Gelsenkirchen, Klimabündnis Gelsenkirchen-Herten), economic decarbonization (H2GE, Klimahafen Gelsenkirchen), circular economy (TTZ Transform to Zero, Circular Performer Emscher-Lippe), STEM workforce development (zdi-Netzwerk Gelsenkirchen, EnergyLab, Bits4Teens, MINT-Booster), and infrastructure coordination (H2 Solution Lab, Neue Zeche Westerholt, URBAN.KI).

The organization does not develop proprietary technology products; its core capability is project management, multi-stakeholder coordination, and public-funding administration across regional government, academia (Westfälische Hochschule, Universität Duisburg-Essen), and industry. It operates with a small core team of six plus additional project office staff (approximately seven), sharing leadership and physical infrastructure with the parent Wissenschaftspark Gelsenkirchen GmbH.

Its business model is non-commercial: services are delivered free of charge to project applicants and beneficiaries, with operating revenue sourced from public grants (BAFA STARK program, NRW state co-financing, EFRE, federal ministry programs). End-users include the City of Gelsenkirchen as principal funder, regional businesses participating in transformation initiatives, students reached through STEM programming (approximately 15,000 over 11 years), and project developers such as VoltH2 and EG Neue Zeche Westerholt. Go-to-market is effectively stakeholder-relations-driven through municipal channels, events, and professional networks rather than commercial sales motion.

Name

Wissenschaftspark Gelsenkirchen Projekte gGmbH

Legal name

Wissenschaftspark Gelsenkirchen Projekte gGmbH

Website

https://wipage-projekte.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

2022

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Municipal non-profit (gGmbH) that orchestrates public-funded transformation projects — including hydrogen economy, circular economy, climate protection, and STEM education — for the City of Gelsenkirchen and the Metropole Ruhr, operating as the designated coordinator of the 5-StandorteProgramm project office.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public-Sector Sustainability Consulting

NAICS

Administration of Air and Water Resource and Solid Waste Management Programs (92411), Management of Companies and Enterprises (551)

SIC

Non-Operating Establishments (9995)

akta.pro primary industry

Climate Policy, Governance & NDC Support (BPADALAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Circular Economy & Resource Efficiency (BPADALAM), Environmental Education, Capacity Building & Community Engagement (BPADALAO), GHG Accounting & Net-Zero/Decarbonization Planning (Scopes 1–3) (EUAHAJAC)

Keywords

• Municipal sustainability consulting
• Hydrogen economy coordination
• STEM education programs
• Circular economy consulting
• Funding application support

Headquarters

HQ city

Gelsenkirchen

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Project funding and government grants: The company operates as a non-profit (gGmbH) project organization funded primarily through public grants and project funding. It was established to better utilize financing sources from EU, federal, and state governments for transformation projects. Revenue comes from managing and coordinating funded projects in areas such as climate protection, hydrogen economy, circular economy, and STEM education. The company provides services free of charge to project applicants through the 5-StandorteProgramm.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The organization is a non-profit municipal project company (gGmbH) that develops and implements sustainability transformation projects for Gelsenkirchen and the Ruhr Metropolis. It coordinates free consulting and project support for the 5-StandorteProgramm, manages STEM education initiatives through zdi-Netzwerk Gelsenkirchen, and facilitates hydrogen economy and circular economy initiatives such as Klimahafen and Transform to Zero.

Product overview

Wissenschaftspark Gelsenkirchen Projekte gGmbH is a 100% subsidiary of the city of Gelsenkirchen that develops and implements projects supporting the transformation of Gelsenkirchen and the Ruhr Metropolis toward a green industrial city/region. The organization offers a portfolio of interconnected programs and services rather than a unified software product. The core offerings include: (1) Climate initiatives such as KlimaForum Gelsenkirchen and Klimabündnis Gelsenkirchen-Herten; (2) Decarbonization programs including H2GE hydrogen hub and Klimahafen Gelsenkirchen; (3) Circular economy initiatives like TTZ Transform to Zero and CirPEL; (4) STEM education through zdi-Netzwerk Gelsenkirchen, EnergyLab, Bits4Teens, and MINT-Booster; (5) Infrastructure project coordination for the 5-StandorteProgramm including H2 Solution Lab, Neue Zeche Westerholt, and URBAN.KI; and (6) Project consulting services. The organization does not offer a software product with technical integrations, but rather serves as a project coordination and facilitation entity.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• KlimaForum Gelsenkirchen An open dialog and cooperation platform for climate protection and climate change adaptation, bringing together local stakeholders to share information, present best practices, and support the path to climate neutrality in Gelsenkirchen.
• Klimabündnis Gelsenkirchen-Herten A cross-municipal information and cooperation platform of the cities of Gelsenkirchen and Herten for climate protection activities including events, consulting, youth support, and campaigns.
• H2GE – Wasserstoffstandort Gelsenkirchen A cooperation platform connecting partners from business, science, and society to leverage the location advantages and long-standing hydrogen expertise of local actors to accelerate entry into the green hydrogen economy.
• Klimahafen Gelsenkirchen A company initiative coordinated by the organization to achieve climate neutrality as quickly as possible by leveraging the central location of the Stadthafen Gelsenkirchen, where transportation routes and gas pipelines intersect. Pilot project: transitioning energy-intensive businesses to hydrogen-rich energy gas and green hydrogen.
• TTZ – Transform to Zero An initiative where companies pool their efforts on the joint path to 'Triple Zero' (Zero Waste, Zero Pollution, and Zero Carbon), accompanied by Westfälische Hochschule and Wissenschaftspark Gelsenkirchen Projekte gGmbH to support companies in circular transformation.
• zdi-Netzwerk Gelsenkirchen An initiative of partners from schools, politics, business, and science to inspire children and adolescents for educational offerings in MINT subjects (mathematics, computer science, natural sciences, and technology) and strengthen their professional orientation.
• EnergyLab Schülerlabor A student laboratory in Wissenschaftspark Gelsenkirchen offering practical experiments as project days and regular working groups on climate and energy topics for school classes, with focus on renewable energies and robotics.
• Bits4Teens An EFRE-funded project developing modular computer science offerings for students together with IT companies from Gelsenkirchen and the Emscher-Lippe region, tested and optimized in the EnergyLab student laboratory.
• MINT-Booster A project funded by the Ministry of Culture and Science of North Rhine-Westphalia to increase the reach of extracurricular MINT educational offerings in the region, strengthening technical youth recruitment.
• 5-StandorteProgramm Projektbüro A project office supporting the coal phase-out transition in Gelsenkirchen, accompanying projects from initial idea through application, approval, and publication, funded by BAFA's STARK program and NRW state co-financing. Includes free consulting and support for project applications, including feedback conversations, legal questions, state aid law, employment and value creation effects assessment, and project sustainability evaluation.
• H2 Solution Lab A forward-looking hydrogen laboratory at Westfälische Hochschule with approximately 2,000 m² for developing, demonstrating, and transferring hydrogen systems and hydrogen plant technology for applications up to approximately 1 MW, funded with approximately 42 million euros.
• Neue Zeche Westerholt A 39-hectare industrial site transformation project on the city border of Gelsenkirchen and Herten, revitalizing the former coal mine for commercial use with sustainable circular economy principles and blue-green development.
• URBAN.KI – Deutsches KI-Institut für Kommunen A project to establish a German AI institute for municipalities in Gelsenkirchen, connecting municipal AI infrastructure with transferable approaches for data-based applications in urban planning, traffic management, resource management, and digital administrative processes.
• Circular Performer Emscher-Lippe (CirPEL) A project enabling pioneer companies in the Emscher-Lippe region to implement leading projects in specific material flows (metals, plastics, bioeconomy) and cross-cutting topics (product passport, construction industry) through technology transfer from universities.
• H2PopUpLab A hands-on hydrogen laboratory in downtown Gelsenkirchen (Bahnhofstraße 69) open until December 2025, offering experiments, workshops, lectures, and information events about hydrogen and the energy transition as part of Science Year 2025.

Quantifiable outcome

• 15,000 students reached through MINT education programs over 11 years
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers6 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

Feature1 record

Partnerships

20 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Stadt GelsenkirchencoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022The Wissenschaftspark Gelsenkirchen Projekte gGmbH is a 100% subsidiary of the City of Gelsenkirchen. The company was established by the city to better utilize EU, federal, and state funding for transformation projects. The city provides ongoing strategic direction through Aufsichtsrat (supervisory board) oversight.
• Wissenschaftspark Gelsenkirchen GmbHcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022The gGmbH remains spatially and personally connected with the Wissenschaftspark Gelsenkirchen GmbH (51% city, 49% ggw ownership). Wolfgang Jung serves as managing director of both entities. The spin-off leverages synergies between projects, events, and tenant management at the Wissenschaftspark.
• Westfälische HochschulecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2013Deep collaboration on hydrogen research (H2 Solution Lab), circular economy (Transform to Zero), and MINT education. The Hochschule provides research infrastructure and expertise that the gGmbH helps transfer to regional businesses.
• Klimahafen Gelsenkirchen (Unternehmensinitiative)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCompanies in the Stadthafen and surrounding area united to achieve climate neutrality. The gGmbH coordinates the initiative. Pilot project: transitioning energy-intensive businesses to hydrogen-rich energy gas and green hydrogen.
• H2GE - Wasserstoffstandort GelsenkirchencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInitiative connecting partners from business, science, and society to develop green hydrogen economy using local infrastructure advantages and hydrogen expertise. The gGmbH participates as a key coordinating partner.
• Transform to Zero (TTZ) / ProsperkollegmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate initiative for 'Triple Zero' (Zero Waste, Zero Pollution, Zero Carbon) supported by Effizienz-Agentur NRW, IHK NRW, Handwerkskammer Münster, and regional economic development agencies. Accompanied by Westfälische Hochschule and gGmbH.
• VoltH2 Operating B.V.majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDutch hydrogen producer developing a green hydrogen production facility and refueling station in Klimahafen Gelsenkirchen. Project backed by 7.5 million EUR state funding. Expected to begin operations by end of 2026.
• zdi-Netzwerk Gelsenkirchen Partner (Schulen, Unternehmen, Institutionen)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork of school, political, economic, and scientific partners managed by gGmbH. Financial supporters include Sparkasse Gelsenkirchen, Emscher Lippe Energie GmbH (ELE), and Stadt Gelsenkirchen. Over 50 partner organizations support the network.
• Business Metropole Ruhr GmbHmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional economic development organization supporting the 5-StandorteProgramm. Operates the 'Helferpool' that advises project applications on state aid law and employment/economic impact assessments.
• Bildungsbüro der Stadt GelsenkirchenmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborates with gGmbH on organizing the annual zdi-Techniktag career fair and other educational programs. Joint coordination of MINT education initiatives.
• Regionalverband Ruhr (RVR)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLead coordinator of the Hydrogen Metropole Ruhr initiative under which the VoltH2 project received funding through the HyLand-Wasserstoffregionen competition (BMDV).
• IHK NordwestfalenmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerChamber of commerce supports Klimahafen Gelsenkirchen as a competent local partner. Also collaborates on hydrogen career events and the Tech.Land Xperience trade fair.
• GELSEN-LOG. (Gelsenkirchener Logistik-, Hafen- und Servicegesellschaft mbH)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCity logistics, port, and service company managed the acquisition of approximately 25,000 m² of land in the Stadthafen for the VoltH2 hydrogen production facility.
• Entwicklungsgesellschaft Neue Zeche Westerholt mbH (EG NZW)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDevelopment company owned equally by cities of Gelsenkirchen, Herten, and RAG Montan Immobilien, responsible for revitalizing the former Zeche Westerholt site. The gGmbH's project office provided crucial support in preparing the 56.2 million EUR funding application.
• Institut für Arbeit und Technik (IAT) der Westfälischen HochschulemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch institute collaborating with gGmbH and Westfälische Hochschule on the H2PopUpLab project - a hydrogen maker laboratory in the city center as part of Wissenschaftsjahr 2025.
• RAG Montan Immobilien GmbHmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFormer mining real estate owner and partner in the Neue Zeche Westerholt development (paritetically held 1/3 share). Also involved in Hugo and Rheinelbe redevelopment studies.
• Universität Duisburg-EssenmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the URBAN.KI consortium alongside Stadt Gelsenkirchen and Westfälische Hochschule, aiming to establish a German AI institute for municipalities. Brings AI research expertise for municipal data applications.
• 3DpersolutionsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSME company specializing in 3D printing that participated in Bits4Teens project developing informatics teaching modules. Provided expertise as a corporate partner and role model for students.
• Effizienz-Agentur NRWmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNRW Efficiency Agency supports the Transform to Zero / Prosperkolleg initiative for circular economy transformation in the Emscher-Lippe region.
• Circular Performer Emscher-Lippe (CirPEL)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProject enabling pioneer companies in the Emscher-Lippe region to implement circular economy lead projects, supported by Hochschule Ruhr-West, Westfälische Hochschule, and other specialist partners.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• zdi-Zentrum Köln: One of the regional zdi-Netzwerk STEM-education hubs under the zdi.NRW initiative; directly comparable to the zdi-Netzwerk Gelsenkirchen operation that Wipa Projekte manages, running school-business-university MINT programs with similar funder and partner mix.
• zdi-Zentrum Dortmund: Direct equivalent in the Dortmund region of the zdi-Netzwerk model that Wipa Projekte operates for Gelsenkirchen, covering MINT career orientation, school partnerships, and corporate engagement with regional SMEs.
• Effizienz-Agentur NRW: NRW state-owned resource-efficiency agency that co-supports Wipa Projekte's Transform to Zero / Prosperkolleg and circular-economy initiatives; directly comparable as a publicly funded transformation advisory organization operating across NRW with a similar grant-dependent model.
• zdi-Zentrum Münster: Another NRW zdi regional hub covering Münster/Warendorf area with similar STEM-education network activities and Sparkasse/IHK sponsorship model, comparable in scale and program scope to zdi-Netzwerk Gelsenkirchen.
• zdi-Zentrum Düsseldorf: NRW zdi regional center running parallel STEM outreach, teacher training, and corporate-school partnerships in the Düsseldorf region, with the same NRW ministry funding model as Wipa's zdi-Netzwerk Gelsenkirchen.

Broad incumbents

• Business Metropole Ruhr GmbH: Regional economic development agency for the Ruhr Metropolis that actively supports the 5-StandorteProgramm via its 'Helferpool' advisory; overlaps with Wipa Projekte's mandate on transformation funding coordination and hydrogen/circular-economy initiatives but serves the broader region rather than a single city.
• Regionalverband Ruhr (RVR): Public-law regional planning body for the Ruhr that leads the 'HyStarter' / 'Wasserstoffregionen' hydrogen coordination in which Wipa Projekte participates via H2GE; overlapping mandate on regional hydrogen and structural transformation with broader geographic scope.

Others

• IHK Nord Westfalen: Regional chamber of commerce supporting Klimahafen Gelsenkirchen, hydrogen career events and Tech.Land Xperience; not a direct coordinator but an adjacent publicly mandated stakeholder that performs comparable company-facing advisory for regional transformation themes.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/wipa-projekte

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 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 Wissenschaftspark Gelsenkirchen Projekte gGmbH