Wübben Stiftung Bildung
Wübben Stiftung Bildung is a privately funded German non-profit foundation that improves educational equity for schools in disadvantaged areas (Schulen im Brennpunkt) by co-developing leadership, teacher, and family-engagement programs with nine German federal states through the Startchancen-Programm.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2013
- HeadquartersDüsseldorf, Germany
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Wübben Stiftung Bildung does
Wübben Stiftung Bildung is a privately funded German non-profit foundation (gemeinnützige GmbH) founded in 2013 by Dr. Walter Wübben and headquartered in Düsseldorf, North Rhine-Westphalia. It is exclusively dedicated to improving educational equity for schools in disadvantaged areas (Schulen im Brennpunkt), schools that serve children from socio-economically disadvantaged families with concentrated risk factors including poverty, unemployment, low parental education, and migration experience. The foundation operates not as a grant-making entity but as a strategic co-developer that works directly with German federal state ministries, regional school administrations (Bezirksregierungen), and state institutes for quality development to design, implement, and scale programs in leadership professionalization, teacher support, family engagement, and school development.
Its core product portfolio centers on the impaktlab scientific unit, which generates nationally representative evidence through the Schulleitungsmonitor Deutschland (1,357 school principals surveyed in 2025) and the 'Schule im Brennpunkt' surveys, feeding a proprietary framework called impaktRad that underpins leadership training across the federal-state-level Startchancen-Programm. The foundation runs flagship programs including impakt schulleitung (leadership academies and coaching), Lehrkräfte stärken (two-year teacher support, completed with 60+ teachers from 24 schools in July 2026), the Lehramtsstipendium Ruhr (210 scholarship holders co-financed by RAG-Stiftung), LeadershipLab.SH, Familiengrundschulzentren, the S4 program, and JuMbb. It also publishes the impaktMagazin and the free online magazine SchuB, and runs the Innovationsfonds research funding initiative (up to €40,000 per junior researcher) and the Nina Grunenberg Fellowship for journalists.
The foundation is funded exclusively through the private endowment of its founder and explicitly does not accept public funds; programs are delivered free of charge to schools and educators, with certain programs co-financed by partner foundations (RAG-Stiftung, NORDMETALL-Stiftung, Deutsche Telekom Stiftung, Schöpflin Stiftung, ZEIT-Stiftung BUCERIUS). As of the latest reporting, it employs approximately 13 people and cooperates formally with nine German federal states (Baden-Württemberg, Bremen, Hamburg, NRW, Rheinland-Pfalz, Saarland, Sachsen, Sachsen-Anhalt, Schleswig-Holstein, with Thuringia also listed in operating geographies) in implementing the federal Startchancen-Programm that targets approximately 4,000 schools nationwide.
Wübben Stiftung Bildung firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Wübben Stiftung Bildung
- Legal name
- Wübben Bildungsstiftung gGmbH
- Website
- https://wuebben-stiftung-bildung.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2013
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Wübben Stiftung Bildung is a privately funded German non-profit foundation that improves educational equity for schools in disadvantaged areas (Schulen im Brennpunkt) by co-developing leadership, teacher, and family-engagement programs with nine German federal states through the Startchancen-Programm.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Wübben Stiftung Bildung industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Education Foundation Services
- NAICS
- Educational Services (611), Educational Support Services (611710)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- K–12 Support & School Improvement Nonprofits (BPAGADAB)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Professional Development for Inclusive Practices (General Education Staff) (EDAKABAL)
Keywords
Where Wübben Stiftung Bildung is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Düsseldorf
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Wübben Stiftung Bildung business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Private philanthropy / endowment-funded operations: As a private charitable foundation (Bildungsstiftung) funded by its founder Dr. Walter Wübben, the organization operates exclusively through private resources. It explicitly states it does not accept public funds ('Wir nehmen keine öffentlichen Mittel an'). Programs are co-developed and co-financed with public partners but the foundation itself is funded through its endowment.
- Co-funding partnerships with other foundations: The foundation partners with other private foundations (e.g., RAG-Stiftung, NORDMETALL-Stiftung, Deutsche Telekom Stiftung) to co-finance specific programs. For example, the Lehramtsstipendium Ruhr is co-financed by the RAG-Stiftung, which contributes over 3 million euros, while the foundation coordinates the program.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
Wübben Stiftung Bildung product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Wübben Stiftung Bildung is a private German educational foundation that develops, funds, and implements programs supporting schools in disadvantaged areas (Schulen im Brennpunkt). Its offerings include professional development for school leadership, teacher support and scholarship programs, family engagement centers (Familiengrundschulzentren), and evidence-based research and publications produced through its scientific unit impaktlab. All programs are delivered free of charge through co-development partnerships with state ministries, regional school administrations, and other foundations.
Product overview
Wübben Stiftung Bildung is a private educational foundation offering a portfolio of programs, publications, and research initiatives focused on improving educational equity for schools in disadvantaged areas (Schulen im Brennpunkt). The core offerings include impaktlab (scientific unit conducting surveys like Schulleitungsmonitor Deutschland), impakt schulleitung (professional development for school leaders), and various federal state cooperation programs under the Startchancen-Programm. Additional offerings include publications (impaktMagazin, SchuB magazine), the Nina Grunenberg Fellowship for journalists, the Innovationsfonds for research, and family elementary school centers (Familiengrundschulzentren). The foundation operates primarily through cooperation with public institutions rather than as a technology product company.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- impakt schulleitung A professional development program for school leadership at schools in challenging situations, providing academies, coaching, and school development support for principals. It is the foundational program that informed subsequent federal state cooperations.
- Startchancen-Programm Kooperationen Partnership program with nine federal states supporting implementation of the Startchancen-Programm, including school leadership network development, Familiengrundschulzentren, and professionalization of school leadership for schools in disadvantaged areas.
- Lehrkräfte stärken A two-year support program for teachers at schools in challenging situations, accompanying them in their career entry and strengthening them in their professional role. Implemented in cooperation with regional district governments.
- Lehramtsstipendium Ruhr A scholarship program for teacher training students in the Ruhr area, providing practical experience at schools in challenging situations. Co-developed with RAG-Stiftung, the state education ministry, and three Ruhr universities, with a joint study profile on educational equity (Bildungsgerechtigkeit).
- S4 – Schule stärken, starke Schule A multi-year school development program in Rhineland-Palatinate consisting of academies, coaching, and school development support for 26 schools, focusing on professional leadership action and educational equity.
- JuMbb – Junge Menschen bildungsgerecht begleiten A program in cooperation with Bezirksregierung Arnsberg providing three years of comprehensive support for school leadership and steering groups at schools in challenging situations in the Arnsberg administrative district.
- LeadershipLab.SH An innovative experimental space for school leadership and school supervision in Schleswig-Holstein, providing multi-day module series, regional labs, networking formats, and job-shadowing opportunities. Co-financed with NORDMETALL-Stiftung.
- Familiengrundschulzentren Family elementary school centers that provide low-threshold support for families at schools in disadvantaged areas, combining educational offerings for children with parental engagement and social space opening at schools.
- Nina Grunenberg Fellowship A further education scholarship for journalists providing insights into the German education system and the challenges of schools in disadvantaged areas, jointly co-sponsored with Schöpflin Stiftung and ZEIT-Stiftung BUCERIUS.
- Innovationsfonds "Forschung zu Schulen im Brennpunkt" A research funding initiative targeting junior researchers to strengthen the interdisciplinary research field on schools in disadvantaged areas, offering up to 40,000 EUR in research funding over two years.
- impaktlab The scientific unit of Wübben Stiftung Bildung providing impulses for the education system based on scientific analyses and practical findings. Conducts representative surveys including 'Schule im Brennpunkt' and the Schulleitungsmonitor Deutschland, commissions academic partners (PH FHNW, Leuphana, Universität Konstanz), and publishes the impaktmagazin and impulse papers.
Quantifiable outcome
- 210 teacher scholarship holders deployed across the Ruhr region
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Wübben Stiftung Bildung
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Wübben Stiftung Bildung technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Wübben Stiftung Bildung partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
18 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- Ministry of Education and Childcare, Alberta, CanadaminorThe Alberta Ministry of Education and Childcare was a partner in the educational trip in April-May 2026, providing access to education system governance insights and discussions with Minister Demetrios Nicolaides.
- Behörde für Schule, Familie und Berufsbildung HamburgcoreIn Hamburg, the foundation cooperates with the education authority on the Innovationsfonds 'Pädagogische Partnerschaft' within the Startchancen-Programm, and supports parts of the Hamburg support system's coordination (Hamburger Kohärenzprozess). Cooperation started in August 2025.
- Ministry of Kultus, Youth and Sport of Baden-Württemberg (Ministerium für Kultus, Jugend und Sport Baden-Württemberg)coreThe cooperation focuses on establishing learning-supportive parent work and social space opening at schools, specifically through the joint development of Familiengrundschulzentren (Family Elementary School Centers). Cooperation started in June 2025.
- Calgary Board of Education (CBE)minorThe Calgary Board of Education in Alberta, Canada served as the host and learning partner for the foundation's educational trip in May 2025, providing insights into data-driven quality development in schools and education system governance.
- Senatorin für Bildung des Landes BremencoreThe foundation supports Bremen in developing school leadership networks (Chancenwerkstätten) based on the impaktRad Bremen, within the framework of the Startchancen-Programm. Cooperation started in April 2025.
- Ministry for Education of Saxony-Anhalt (Ministerium für Bildung des Landes Sachsen-Anhalt)coreFocus of the cooperation is the development of Familiengrundschulzentren and strengthening the support system through a modularized format for school supervision, school development consulting, and education managers. Cooperation started in February 2025.
- Ministry for Education and Culture of the Saarland (Ministerium für Bildung und Kultur des Saarlandes)coreTogether with the ministry and the Bildungscampus Saarland, experiences from state programs and the impakt-Schulleitungsprogramm are being prepared for the Startchancen networks and their implementation is accompanied. Cooperation started in February 2025.
- Bezirksregierung ArnsbergcoreThe Arnsberg Regional Authority is the implementing partner for the 'JuMbb – Junge Menschen bildungsgerecht begleiten' program (started in November 2023) and the 'Lehrkräfte stärken' program, supporting schools in challenging situations.
- Institut für Qualitätsentwicklung der Hansestadt Bremen (IQHB)coreThe Bremen Institute for Quality Development is the partner for developing competency profiles for data-driven quality development, defining competencies required for school leadership and school supervision in data-based school and instructional development.
- Ministry for Education, Science and Culture of Thuringia (Ministerium für Bildung, Wissenschaft und Kultur Thüringen)coreCooperation focuses on developing Familiengrundschulzentren in Thuringia within the Startchancen-Programm. Cooperation started in October 2024.
- Ministry for Education of the State of Rheinland-Pfalz (Ministerium für Bildung Rheinland-Pfalz)coreTogether with the Pädagogisches Landesinstitut, experiences from the 'S4 Schule stärken, starke Schule' program were adapted for the school leadership networks of the Startchancen-Programm, and the ministry is supported in developing Familiengrundschulzentren. Cooperation started in September 2024.
- Ministry for General and Vocational Education, Science, Research and Culture of Schleswig-Holstein (Ministerium für Allgemeine und Berufliche Bildung, Wissenschaft, Forschung und Kultur des Landes Schleswig-Holstein)coreExperiences from the Perspektivschulprogramm were jointly transferred to the implementation of the Startchancen-Programm in Schleswig-Holstein and into school leadership networks. The LeadershipLab.SH, a cooperation with the state and NORDMETALL-Stiftung, was extended until end of 2027.
- Ministry for School and Education of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia (Ministerium für Schule und Bildung des Landes Nordrhein-Westfalen)coreThe foundation supports the NRW Ministry in conducting reflection meetings for moderators from the five Bezirksregierungen who deliver the 'Schule leiten im Startchancen-Programm' training course, based on the impaktRad framework, for school principals of Startchancen schools in NRW. The cooperation started in January 2025.
- Universitätsallianz Ruhr (UA Ruhr) – Ruhr-Universität Bochum, TU Dortmund, Universität Duisburg-EssencoreThe three universities of the UA Ruhr are academic partners in the Lehramtsstipendium Ruhr program. They provide special learning offerings for scholarship holders and develop a joint study profile 'Bildungsgerechtigkeit' (Educational Equity).
- Schöpflin Stiftung and ZEIT-Stiftung BUCERIUSminorThe foundation co-sponsors the Nina Grunenberg Fellowship with these two foundations, a advanced training scholarship for journalists providing insights into the German education system and the challenges of schools in disadvantaged areas.
- Pädagogische Hochschule der Fachhochschule Nordwestschweiz (PH FHNW)coreThe PH FHNW conducted the Schulleitungsmonitor Deutschland survey in cooperation with Leuphana Universität Lüneburg, Universität Konstanz, and Pädagogische Hochschule Thurgau. The foundation commissioned the study.
- Forum Bildung DigitalisierungminorThe foundation participates in this network as a member, engaging in strategic fields relevant to its mission.
- Pädagogisches Landesinstitut Rheinland-PfalzcoreThe state institute is the co-implementing partner for the S4 program and the Startchancen-Programm in Rheinland-Pfalz, collaborating on school development support, academies, and coaching for school principals.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Wübben Stiftung Bildung competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Stiftung Mercator: Major German private foundation with substantial programmatic work on educational equity, integration, and school development. Highly comparable given shared non-profit foundation structure, German K-12 focus, and emphasis on evidence-based program design.
- RAG-Stiftung: German mining-transition foundation with active K-12 education portfolio and the primary co-financier (>EUR 3M) of WSB's Lehramtsstipendium Ruhr. Compares directly via shared scholarship programs for disadvantaged schools in the Ruhr region.
- ZEIT-Stiftung Ebelin und Gerd Bucerius: Hamburg-based foundation co-funding the Nina Grunenberg journalism fellowship with WSB and known for education and science programs. Comparable operating model and selective thematic focus.
- Vodafone Stiftung Deutschland: German corporate foundation with education programs including digital learning and teacher professionalization. Comparable thematic scope on school leadership and teacher development in Germany.
- Schöpflin Stiftung: German private foundation with strong focus on education, youth, and learning environments — co-financing partner of WSB on the journalism fellowship. Operates comparable regional programs targeting disadvantaged contexts.
- Deutsche Telekom Stiftung: Corporate-affiliated German foundation focused on education, digital learning, and teacher professionalization. Explicit co-funding partner of WSB on educational trips and overlapping thematic scope on Schulen in herausfordernder Lage and digital school development.
Broad incumbents
- Jacobs Foundation: Swiss-based foundation with international education programs including research on learning, teacher effectiveness, and youth development in disadvantaged contexts. Comparable on evidence-driven foundation model and educational equity mission.
- Bertelsmann Stiftung: One of Germany's largest private foundations, with significant education and school system reform programs including the renowned 'Students at the Center' and indicator-based school monitoring work. Operates at much larger scale and broader thematic scope, but serves overlapping audience of state ministries and school leaders.
- Robert Bosch Stiftung: Large German private foundation with longstanding programs in education, teacher training, and school leadership. Highly comparable via its educational equity and leadership development portfolio, though at substantially greater scale and thematic breadth.
Regional players
- NORDMETALL-Stiftung: Northern German industry-affiliated foundation co-financing the LeadershipLab.SH school leadership program. Regional in focus but operates as a direct co-funder on the same program model.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Wübben Stiftung Bildung social profiles
Digital presenceWübben Stiftung Bildung financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Wübben Stiftung Bildung leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
Wübben Stiftung Bildung funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Wübben Stiftung Bildung M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
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Frequently asked questions about Wübben Stiftung Bildung
What does Wübben Stiftung Bildung do?
Wübben Stiftung Bildung is a private German educational foundation that develops, funds, and implements programs supporting schools in disadvantaged areas (Schulen im Brennpunkt). Its offerings include professional development for school leadership, teacher support and scholarship programs, family engagement centers (Familiengrundschulzentren), and evidence-based research and publications produced through its scientific unit impaktlab. All programs are delivered free of charge through co-development partnerships with state ministries, regional school administrations, and other foundations.
Is Wübben Stiftung Bildung a public or private company?
Wübben Stiftung Bildung is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Wübben Stiftung Bildung founded?
Wübben Stiftung Bildung was founded in 2013. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Wübben Stiftung Bildung based?
Wübben Stiftung Bildung is headquartered in Düsseldorf, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does Wübben Stiftung Bildung make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Private philanthropy / endowment-funded operations are the primary driver. The others are co-funding partnerships with other foundations.
Who are Wübben Stiftung Bildung's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Stiftung Mercator, RAG-Stiftung, ZEIT-Stiftung Ebelin und Gerd Bucerius, Vodafone Stiftung Deutschland, Schöpflin Stiftung and Deutsche Telekom Stiftung. Broad incumbents are Jacobs Foundation, Bertelsmann Stiftung and Robert Bosch Stiftung. NORDMETALL-Stiftung is listed as a regional player.
Does Wübben Stiftung Bildung have an API?
No public API is recorded for Wübben Stiftung Bildung.
What industry is Wübben Stiftung Bildung in?
Wübben Stiftung Bildung's product category is Education Foundation Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGADAB, K–12 Support & School Improvement Nonprofits, with a secondary code of EDAKABAL, Professional Development for Inclusive Practices (General Education Staff). Its NAICS code is 611 and its SIC code is 8200.