Enactus Germany

What Enactus Germany does

Enactus Germany e.V. is the German national chapter of the global Enactus non-profit network, founded globally in 1975 and headquartered in Cologne (c/o KPMG AG). The organization runs a community-led model centered on 30 university campus teams that mobilize 1,700+ students to develop and execute social entrepreneurship projects aligned with the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals. It does not develop or sell technology products; its primary platform is the network itself, supported by a Notion-based knowledge infrastructure (Academy, Wiki, Intranet) and an annual event calendar anchored by the National Cup competition, the One Enactus Weekend, the Enactus Startup Accelerator, and representation at the global Enactus World Cup.

The portfolio is structured around core programs (National Cup, Startup Accelerator, Action With Africa, OEW) plus add-on modules (Enactus Academy, Alumni Network, Bloomberg Finance Pathways Learning Platform, themed challenges such as #KeinerAllein and Ford Community Resiliency). Corporate partners including KPMG, EY, Bloomberg, P&G, BASF, Wilo, Securepoint, Ford, and Futury provide sponsorship, prize funding, mentorship, and venues; BMZ and BMBF supply government program funding, while Wilo Foundation and Deutsche Postcode Lotterie provide foundation grants for specific initiatives. The organization reports aggregate global impact metrics (118,000 jobs created, 6.8 million tons CO2 reduced, 9 million tons waste reduced) used to attract partners and participants.

Revenue derives from four streams: corporate sponsorship and partnership fees (tailored, flexible packages), individual membership dues, donations processed via helpmundo.de, and project funding/grants from government bodies and foundations. Go-to-market is community- and event-driven — student recruitment via university outreach and team leader onboarding, corporate engagement through sponsorship packages, judging, and flagship events, with no public pricing or commercial product distribution. The association is governed by an elected board (Chairman Sebastian von Johnston, Deputy Chairwoman Beatrix-Anton Grönemeyer, Treasurer Ladislava Klein, Secretary Peter Sticksel) under Managing Director Prof. Dr. Oliver Faber.

Name

Enactus Germany

Legal name

Enactus Germany e.V.

Website

https://enactus.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1975

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Enactus Germany e.V. is a Cologne-based non-profit association running a network of 30 university teams that mobilize 1,700+ students to execute social entrepreneurship projects aligned with the UN SDGs, supported by corporate sponsors, government grants, and an annual competition cycle.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Social Entrepreneurship Programs

NAICS

Business Associations (813910), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Purpose-Built Student Accommodation (PBSA) Providers & Operators (EDAIALAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Awarding Organizations & Credentialing Bodies (Certificates/Diplomas) (EDADAFAC)

Keywords

• Social entrepreneurship programs
• Student entrepreneurship network
• Youth innovation programs
• Sustainability education
• Non-profit community building

Headquarters

HQ city

Köln

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Corporate Sponsorship and Partnership Fees: Companies pay to become sponsors or partners of Enactus Germany, gaining access to the student network, recruitment opportunities, CSR engagement, and visibility at events. Packages are described as flexible and tailored to company needs.
2. Membership Fees: Individuals can become members of Enactus Germany e.V. through a membership application process. Alumni and students pay membership dues to remain part of the community.
3. Donations: Enactus Germany accepts donations through a third-party platform (helpmundo.de), supporting the organization's general operations and project funding.
4. Project Funding and Grants: Enactus Germany receives project funding through partnerships with government bodies (BMZ, BMBF) and foundations (Wilo Foundation, Deutsche Postcode Lotterie) that support specific programs such as Action With Africa and the #KeinerAllein Challenge.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels11 records

Core offering

Enactus Germany e.V. is a registered non-profit association that operates a community of 1,700+ university students across 30 German university teams developing social entrepreneurship projects aligned to the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals. It delivers this through an annual program calendar (team leader onboarding, training weekend, National Cup, World Cup, One Enactus Weekend, Startup Accelerator), supported by the Enactus Academy curriculum, Business Advisor mentorship, and corporate partnerships (KPMG, Bloomberg, EY, BASF, Wilo, P&G, Securepoint, Deutsche Postcode Lotterie). Revenue is generated from corporate sponsorships, individual memberships, government/foundation grants (BMZ, BMBF), and donations.

Product overview

Enactus Germany is a non-profit organization supporting student entrepreneurship. The portfolio consists of core programs (National Cup competition, Startup Accelerator, Action With Africa initiative, One Enactus Weekend events) that form the primary student engagement and competition framework, supplemented by support services including the Academy for educational content, Alumni Network for community support, Finance Pathways learning platform for career development, and themed challenges like #KeinerAllein and Ford Community Resiliency. The organization connects students from 30 universities across Germany.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Action With Africa: A program for Enactus projects operating on the African continent, funded by BMZ, Wilo-Foundation, Wilo SE, and BASF, where students submit business plans and win project funding.
• Enactus Startup Accelerator (ESA)
• Enactus Academy

Products and services

• Enactus National Cup Annual national competition in which Enactus Germany student teams present their social entrepreneurship projects to a jury of corporate and academic experts; the National Champion advances to represent Germany at the Enactus World Cup. Across two days, around €30,000 in prize money and project funding is awarded (National Cup 2023). Editions include National Cup 2024 (Enactus Köln), 2025 (Enactus Münster), and 2026 (Enactus Köln).
• Enactus Startup Accelerator (ESA) for Sustainable Business Structured accelerator for promising Enactus impact projects with two competition categories: 'Early-stage Innovation' for projects in development and 'Startup' for projects with Proof-of-Concept preparing for founding. Held at partner venues (TechQuartier Frankfurt, PHOENIX Pharma Mannheim, Wilopark Dortmund) with €6,000+ in project funding awarded in 2023 editions.
• Action With Africa Dedicated challenge program for Enactus projects that operate on the African continent. Teams submit business plans and finalists present at the Enactus World Cup. Non-African teams must partner with a local African organization. Significant funding is provided by BMZ, Wilo-Foundation, Wilo SE, and BASF, with BASF and Wilo also awarding Excellence Awards and the Wilo Special Award Water at the National Cup.
• One Enactus Weekend (OEW) Annual weekend event that brings together Enactees from across Germany for exchange, workshops, keynotes, and networking. Example edition: One Enactus Weekend 2026 in Berlin.
• Enactus Academy Educational platform providing workshops, training modules, and resources that help Enactus students develop their ideas into sustainable, impactful startups. Curriculum developed with IW Junior support and aligned with BMBF's 'Society of Innovations' program for academic credit recognition. Delivered via the Notion-based Academy workspace.
• #KeinerAllein Challenge Innovation challenge seeking solutions to loneliness in Germany, funded by the Deutsche Postcode Lotterie. Top 4 finalists are announced in April 2026 and the challenge concludes at the National Cup 2026.
• Ford Community Resiliency Student Challenge Multinational collaboration between Ford Philanthropy, The Resolution Project, and Enactus engaging undergraduate students across six countries to build future-of-work skills while implementing community projects addressing disaster preparedness, relief, and essential services. Award winners receive $5,000 each.

Quantifiable outcome

• 118,000 jobs created worldwide through Enactus projects
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Bloomberg (Bloomberg L.P.)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 April 2026Bloomberg hosted the 'Finance Pathways' event at its Frankfurt office, bringing together 30 Enactees with finance industry leaders (ECB, IFRS Foundation, FERI AG) for panels on sustainable finance. Bloomberg provided participants access to its Finance Pathways Learning Platform. Bloomberg has also hosted gender diversity in finance events and mentoring sessions for Enactus students.
• The Resolution ProjectcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 February 2024The Resolution Project entered a global partnership with Enactus to strengthen the ecosystem supporting young social entrepreneurs. The Resolution Project committed financial resources and humanitarian aid to rebuild Enactus Global and advance cooperations within the Enactus network. Together, the partnership forms one of the largest non-profit collaborations in youth leadership and social entrepreneurship, reaching 40,000+ young people in nearly 100 countries annually.
• NotioncoreTechnology or Integration · 8 February 2024Enactus Germany partnered with Notion to provide student teams with an integrated workspace for documentation, knowledge sharing, Academy content, event management, and team organization. Enactus Berlin facilitated the introduction that made the partnership possible. The Notion workspace includes an Enactus Wiki, Academy materials, and event planning tools.
• Futury GmbHcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 July 2023Futury is an innovation and sustainability platform offering programs for entrepreneurs and industry players to develop sustainable, groundbreaking solutions. The partnership brings together shared goals and values in sustainability and social innovation, with a focus on building sustainable startups driven by entrepreneurs and meeting industry needs.
• Procter & Gamble DeutschlandcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 June 2023Procter & Gamble Germany was named 'Partner of the Year' at the National Cup 2023. P&G hosts exclusive events for Enactus students (e.g., workshops at P&G headquarters in Schwalbach am Taunus), providing case studies, sustainability deep dives, and leadership panels. The partnership includes the Procter & Gamble Award for outstanding student projects.
• KPMG GermanycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 June 2023KPMG Germany hosts Enactus Germany's registered office (c/o KPMG) and provides venue support for events including the Team Leader Onboarding in Frankfurt and alumni events in Cologne. KPMG partners enable in-kind operational support and facilities.
• Securepoint GmbHcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 June 2023Securepoint, a German IT security company known for personal engagement and social responsibility, joined as a Gold Partner of Enactus Germany. As part of the partnership, Securepoint awards its own prize (Securepoint Award) to outstanding student projects at the National Cup. Securepoint also provides long-term project support to Enactus teams.
• AmCham Germany (American Chamber of Commerce in Germany)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 May 2023Enactus Germany co-hosted an event with AmCham Germany, Gateway Excellence Start-Up Center (University of Cologne), and KölnBusiness Wirtschaftsförderung to connect Enactus projects with U.S. investors. Three Enactus projects (socialbnb, Save the Grain, keäcksack) pitched to an international audience.
• Ernst & Young (EY)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 March 2023EY served as the event partner for the Enactus Startup Accelerator 2023, hosted at TechQuartier Frankfurt. EY representatives (Andrei Todea) participated as jury members and provided feedback to student teams presenting sustainable business ideas.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Ashoka: Ashoka is the largest global network of leading social entrepreneurs, with a strong presence in Germany via Ashoka Deutschland. It overlaps with Enactus on the social entrepreneurship talent pipeline, university engagement, and corporate partnerships, though Ashoka focuses on individual changemaker fellows rather than student teams.
• Junior Achievement (JA Worldwide): JA Worldwide runs youth entrepreneurship and financial literacy education programs in over 100 countries. Like Enactus, it operates a volunteer-led, school/university-based model with corporate sponsorship and competition formats, including the JA Company of the Year competition. It is a larger, more established incumbent in the adjacent youth entrepreneurship education space.
• Impact Hub Germany: Impact Hub operates a global network of coworking and incubation spaces for social entrepreneurs, including locations in Germany (Berlin, Munich). It overlaps with Enactus in supporting early-stage impact ventures and partnering with corporate ESG programs, though it operates paid membership models rather than student-led teams.
• 4-H (Global 4-H Network): 4-H is a global youth development organization with programs in over 50 countries including Europe, focused on hands-on learning and leadership. While primarily serving younger (rural) audiences, 4-H shares Enactus's model of youth-led project teams, corporate sponsorship, and annual showcase events.

Direct peers

• AIESEC: AIESEC is a global youth-led organization focused on developing leadership through cross-cultural exchanges and social impact projects. It operates university chapters worldwide including in Germany, with similar membership, partnership, and event-driven GTM motions. Both organizations compete for the same student talent pool and corporate CSR sponsorship.
• Enactus Global: Enactus Global is the parent federation of the worldwide Enactus network spanning nearly 100 countries. It operates the annual Enactus World Cup and sets programmatic standards for national chapters including Enactus Germany. It is the most directly comparable peer as it shares the same brand, mission, and student-led social entrepreneurship model.

Regional players

• SEND (Social Entrepreneurship Network Deutschland): SEND is the German national network for social entrepreneurship, headquartered in Hamburg. While SEND primarily serves existing social enterprises and policymakers rather than university students, both organizations sit at the intersection of German social entrepreneurship ecosystems and partner with similar corporate and government stakeholders.

Others

• Yunus Social Business / Schwab Foundation: Schwab Foundation (World Economic Forum) and the broader Yunus social business ecosystem support social entrepreneurs globally. They represent the institutional/economic summit tier of the social entrepreneurship field that Enactus Germany feeds into, with shared corporate and policy partners, though they serve founders rather than pre-founder students.

Emerging players

• Net Impact: Net Impact is a global student and professional network for sustainability and social impact careers, with university chapters. It shares Enactus's model of student-led impact communities supported by corporate partners, and competes for the same talent pool and CSR sponsors.
• Hult Prize: Hult Prize is a global student social entrepreneurship competition with $1M annual prize funded by the Hult family and partnered with the United Nations. It competes directly with Enactus for student impact entrepreneurs and corporate sponsorship in the same university demographic, though it is a single competition rather than a year-round member organization.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Enactus_Germany
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@enactusgermanye.v.2
• Facebookfacebook.com/enactusgermany
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/enactus-germany-e-v-
• Instagraminstagram.com/enactusgermany/?hl=de

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 Enactus Germany