ZIB

What ZIB does

ZIB – Zentrum für Integration und Bildung GmbH is a privately held education and integration services provider headquartered in Solingen, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, operating a second location in Leverkusen. The company delivers publicly funded coaching, language, and vocational integration programs to four principal participant groups: immigrants and refugees seeking language and labor market integration; unemployed adults including those aged 50+; young people pursuing apprenticeships; and parents (including single parents) re-entering the workforce. Service delivery is primarily in-person at the two ZIB offices and through embedded transition coordinators (Übergangslotsen) stationed at partner vocational schools (Berufskollegs) in the Bergisches Städtedreieck region.

The core service portfolio spans 600-hour BAMF integration courses, 900-hour literacy courses (Alphabetisierungskurse), up to 1,000-hour second-script learner courses (Zweitschriftlernerkurs), and B1 German preparation tailored to the healthcare and logistics/transportation sectors. Coaching programs include Einzelcoaching für die Arbeitsaufnahme (ECA), Zentrum 50plus, AzubiFlex, Co.Be., Orientas, Treffpunkt für Erziehende (TfE), Finanzielle Problemlagen, and the new STArt 2026 (a 24-week integration pathway for migrants and refugees). ZIB's primary methodological framework is the Rickter Scale coaching approach, licensed from the UK-based Rickter Scale Company; all ZIB employees are certified Rickter Scale Coaches and the company is the exclusive licensed provider of Rickter Scale Practitioner training in the region.

Revenue is generated entirely through contracts with public commissioners — principally the Bundesamt für Migration und Flüchtlinge (BAMF), Jobcenter Solingen, Agentur für Arbeit, and the NRW Ministry of Labour (MAGS NRW) — rather than from direct participant fees. Programs are commissioned via activation vouchers (AVGS), BAMF course authorization, and state-funded initiatives such as Ausbildungswege NRW (2025–2027), delivered in partnership with WIPA Wuppertal GmbH and B.I.W. gGmbH. ZIB operates under a single managing director, Anne Preuss, and as of the available data holds no external equity, debt, or acquisition activity; headcount stands at 75 staff.

Name

ZIB

Legal name

Zentrum für Integration und Bildung GmbH

Website

https://zib-online.net

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

ZIB – Zentrum für Integration und Bildung GmbH is a German government-funded education provider in North Rhine-Westphalia delivering coaching, language courses, and vocational integration programs to immigrants, refugees, unemployed adults, and apprentices.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Vocational Training and Integration Services

NAICS

Language Schools (611630), Language Schools (61163), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Immigration, Citizenship & Integration Language Exam Prep (EDANACAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

Immigrant & Refugee Workforce Integration Programs (EDAAAOAJ)

Keywords

• Vocational training services
• Integration education programs
• German language courses
• Career coaching services
• Immigrant integration services

Headquarters

HQ city

Solingen

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, Others

Revenue model

1. Publicly Funded Training and Integration Programs: ZIB's primary revenue is derived from government-funded programs for integration, language education, and vocational training. Funding sources include the Bundesamt für Migration und Flüchtlinge (BAMF) for integration courses, the Agentur für Arbeit and Jobcenter Solingen for employment coaching (AVGS vouchers), the Kommunales Jobcenter Solingen for programs like STArt 2026, and the Land NRW / Ministerium für Arbeit, Gesundheit und Soziales (MAGS) for programs like Ausbildungswege NRW. Revenue is generated through course fees paid by public commissioners rather than direct fees from end participants.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

ZIB provides publicly funded coaching, language, and vocational integration programs at its locations in Solingen and Leverkusen. Core offerings include individual employment coaching (ECA), financial difficulties coaching, part-time vocational training support (AzubiFlex), age-50+ career restart (Zentrum 50plus), parent support (Treffpunkt für Erziehende), women's career guidance (Orientas), apprentice coaching for companies (Azubi Coaching), the 24-week STArt 2026 integration program for migrants, and BAMF-funded German language courses covering integration, literacy, second-script learning, and sector-specific B1 exam preparation.

Product overview

ZIB (Zentrum für Integration und Bildung) is an educational and integration services provider offering a portfolio of coaching and language training programs. The core offerings include: (1) Career coaching services — Einzelcoaching für die Arbeitsaufnahme (ECA), Finanzielle Problemlagen, AzubiFlex, Zentrum 50plus, Treffpunkt für Erziehende (TfE), Co.Be., Orientas, and Azubi-Coaching — targeting job seekers, unemployed individuals, parents, and companies with apprentice support; (2) Integration programs — STArt 2026 and Ausbildungswege NRW — providing structured pathways into employment for migrants and young people; (3) Language courses — Integrationskurse (600h language + 100h orientation), Alphabetisierungskurse (900h), Zweitschriftlernerkurs (up to 1000h), and vocational B1 preparation courses for Gesundheit & Pflege and Lager/Logistik/Verkehr sectors; and (4) Rickter Scale Coaching — a licensed coaching methodology employed across all projects. Services are delivered at locations in Solingen and Leverkusen, funded through job centers, the Employment Agency (BAMF), and state programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Einzelcoaching für die Arbeitsaufnahme (ECA) – Individual Coaching for Employment Entry Individual coaching service supporting job seekers in returning to work or career orientation, including competency analysis, professional orientation, application training, interview preparation, and onboarding support. Funded via AVGS voucher.
• Finanzielle Problemlagen – Financial Difficulties Coaching Individual coaching for individuals with debt, financial difficulties, or at risk of garnishment, helping structure finances, develop solutions, and prepare for debt counseling. Funded via AVGS voucher.
• AzubiFlex – Part-Time Vocational Training Coaching Coaching program supporting part-time vocational training (Teilzeitberufsausbildung), assisting individuals with family responsibilities, health limitations, or refugee/migration backgrounds in finding and completing vocational education. Delivered up to 54 teaching hours over approximately 25 weeks. Funded via AVGS voucher.
• Zentrum 50plus – Career Restart for Workers 50+ Career restart support program for unemployed individuals aged 50 and older, providing group work (max 10 participants), individual coaching, application training, and health promotion to facilitate return to employment. Approximately 6 months in duration with 12 teaching hours per week. Funded via AVGS voucher.
• Treffpunkt für Erziehende (TfE) – Parents Support Program Support program for parents without childcare, expectant parents, and single parents, focusing on work-life balance and early development of professional perspectives through individual coaching and workshops. Funded by Jobcenter Solingen.
• Co.Be. – Coaching und Begleitung Coaching and accompaniment service for employable benefit recipients, offering individual coaching sessions and optional workshops for career re-entry. Funded by Jobcenter Solingen.
• Orientas – Career Guidance for Women Career guidance program specifically for employable, benefit-receiving women, supporting qualified career choice and facilitating job/apprenticeship search.
• Ausbildungswege NRW – Vocational Training Pathway Program Vocational training pathway program (01.01.2025–31.12.2027) delivered in cooperation with WIPA GmbH and B.I.W., offering transition support at vocational colleges and coaching for young people seeking apprenticeship placement. ZIB covers the Solingen area of the Bergisches Städtedreieck. Funded by MAGS NRW.
• STArt 2026 – 24-Week Integration Program 24-week integration program for people with migration or refugee backgrounds, combining orientation, language training, computer skills, internship, and coaching to facilitate entry into the German labor market. Funded by Kommunales Jobcenter Solingen. Max 8 participants per cohort.
• Integrationskurse – Integration Courses Integration courses comprising 600 hours of language training and 100 hours of orientation course, targeting immigrants, resettlers, asylum seekers, and refugees, concluding with the Integration Course certificate. BAMF-funded.
• Alphabetisierungskurse – Literacy Courses Literacy courses for migrants who wish to learn German but cannot read or write, comprising 900 instructional hours. BAMF-funded.
• Zweitschriftlernerkurs – Second Script Learner Course Second script learner course for migrants who learned to read and write in a non-Latin script system, teaching the Latin alphabet and German language, with up to 1000 instructional hours. BAMF-funded.
• Berufsbezogene Sprachkenntnisvermittlung B1 – Gesundheit & Pflege (Vocational German B1 – Healthcare & Nursing) Professionally-oriented German language course preparing for the B1 examination (DTZ) with focus on healthcare and nursing sector vocabulary and situations. BAMF-funded.
• Berufsbezogene Sprachkenntnisvermittlung B1 – Lager/Logistik/Verkehr (Vocational German B1 – Warehouse/Logistics/Transport) Professionally-oriented German language course preparing for the B1 examination (DTZ) with focus on warehouse, logistics, and transportation sector vocabulary and situations. BAMF-funded.
• Azubi-Coaching – Company-Focused Apprentice Coaching Company-focused coaching service helping businesses retain and properly train apprentices through socio-pedagogical support, conflict resolution, resilience building, and learning strategies. Delivered on-site at partner companies.
• Rickter Scale Practitioner Training (Licensed Coaching Certification) Personalized coaching methodology licensed from the Rickter Scale Company (England), used across all ZIB projects to help clients visualize goals and track progress. ZIB exclusively offers the Rickter Scale Practitioner training for external companies and professionals as a licensed training center.

Quantifiable outcome

• Integration courses include 600 hours language + 100 hours orientation, concluding with the Integrationskurs certificate
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• WIPA Wuppertal GmbHcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025ZIB collaborates with WIPA Wuppertal GmbH as a partner in the 'Ausbildungswege NRW' program, funded by MAGS NRW (01.01.2025–31.12.2027). WIPA covers the Wuppertal area while ZIB covers Solingen within the Bergisches Städtedreieck.
• B.I.W. – Bergisches Institut für Weiterbildung gGmbHcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025B.I.W. is a partner in the 'Ausbildungswege NRW' program, covering the Remscheid area. B.I.W. is also a co-implementer of STArt 2026 in cooperation with ZIB in Solingen.
• Bergisches Netzwerk für Ausbildung in Teilzeit (Part-time Vocational Training Network)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2008Since October 2008, ZIB has been part of this network, which promotes part-time vocational training in the Bergische Region. Members include: IHK Wuppertal-Solingen-Remscheid, Handwerkskammer Düsseldorf, Bundesagentur für Arbeit, Jobcenter Wuppertal/Solingen/Remscheid, and Kreishandwerkerschaften Wuppertal/Solingen/Remscheid.
• QUALLIANZ e.V.minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerQUALLIANZ is an independent interest representation of regional providers in vocational training, education, counseling, and employment promotion. ZIB is a member, contributing to the regional learning and education landscape and connecting with the regional economy.
• IHK Wuppertal-Solingen-Remscheid (Chamber of Industry and Commerce)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the Bergisches Netzwerk für Ausbildung in Teilzeit since October 2008. Supports the promotion of part-time vocational training in the Bergische Region alongside ZIB.
• Handwerkskammer Düsseldorf (Chamber of Trades Düsseldorf)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the Bergisches Netzwerk für Ausbildung in Teilzeit since October 2008. Supports promotion of part-time vocational training in the Bergische Region.
• Bundesagentur für Arbeit (Federal Employment Agency)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerKey institutional partner providing AVGS (activation and placement vouchers) for individual coaching programs and referring individuals to ZIB's services. Also a partner in the Bergisches Netzwerk für Ausbildung in Teilzeit.
• Jobcenter Solingen / Wuppertal / RemscheidcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerJobcenters refer individuals to ZIB's programs and fund coaching services. They are also partners in the Bergisches Netzwerk für Ausbildung in Teilzeit.
• Bundesamt für Migration und Flüchtlinge (BAMF)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerBAMF authorizes and funds ZIB's integration courses (Integrationskurse), Alphabetisierungskurse, and Zweitschriftlernerkurse, making it a primary institutional partner.
• Rickter Scale CompanycoreTechnology or IntegrationZIB is a licensed training center for the Rickter Scale coaching methodology. All ZIB employees are certified Rickter Scale Coaches. ZIB exclusively offers the Rickter Scale Practitioner training for external companies and professionals — a licensed arrangement originating from England.
• Berufskollegs (Vocational Schools) in the Bergisches StädtedreieckcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerZIB stations Übergangslotsen (transition coordinators) at Berufskollegs in the Solingen/Wuppertal/Remscheid area to support students in Ausbildungsvorbereitung and Berufsfachschule programs, providing advice, internship placement, and Ausbildungsplatz search support.

Scale indicators3 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Market position

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/zib_sg_lev
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/zib

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 ZIB