beWirken

What beWirken does

beWirken gGmbH is a German non-profit social enterprise (gemeinnützige Sozialunternehmen) headquartered in Lüneburg, Lower Saxony, that supports schools, teachers, and school leaders in designing future-oriented teaching and learning. Its core offerings span school development consulting (Schulentwicklungsberatung), multi-month professional development programs (notably the 4-5 month, 8-module Lernbegleiter Journey), online workshops, student participation workshops, and a portfolio of published method books covering self-directed learning, digital teaching, and school transformation (UnLearn School). The company also develops and operates a self-paced digital learning environment (Lernwelt), a GDPR-compliant participation and survey application (askit App), a podcast (Mutmacher Schule), and the beWirken lab sub-brand that extends its methodology to foundations and municipalities outside the K-12 setting.

The underlying technology stack is built primarily on commodity SaaS: a WordPress site with WooCommerce powering the e-commerce shop at shop.bewirken.org, Zoom for webinars and training, HubSpot for CRM and email, MailChimp for newsletters, and Novalnet AG plus InfinitePay for payment processing. The proprietary technology components are the askit App (a self-developed participation/survey tool branded as a separate sub-brand at askit-app.de) and the Lernwelt digital learning platform, both of which sit within the 'beWirken-Kosmos' ecosystem. There is no disclosed public API, SDK, or AI/ML capability. The WIRT pedagogical framework (Warm-up, Interaction, Reflection, Transfer) underpins the published method books.

Revenue is generated through a mix of channels: one-time book and digital product sales (€24.95-€39), a €149 Mission Schulumfrage workshop kit, custom-priced institutional training and consulting contracts, free and paid online events, an annual Foster Membership (Fördermitgliedschaft) auto-renewing via SEPA direct debit, and foundation/ministry co-funding as a non-profit. The go-to-market is sales-led but content-driven: a content marketing engine (blog, podcast, social channels), free impulse webinars (Impulstermine), and partnerships with ministries (e.g., Schleswig-Holstein), foundations, named partner schools, and organizations such as ILF, FES, and Gegemo. Customer segments span schools and school communities, teachers and school leaders, students and student representative bodies (with school operators, educational authorities, and foundations as secondary segments). Pricing is listed net of VAT under §19 UStG, reflecting German small-business tax status.

Name

beWirken

Legal name

beWirken gGmbH

Website

https://bewirken.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

beWirken gGmbH is a German non-profit social enterprise that provides school development consulting, professional development programs, published method books, and digital participation tools (askit App, Lernwelt) to schools, teachers, and student bodies across Germany.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Education Consulting and Professional Development Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), Professional and Management Development Training (61143)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731), Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Teacher-Led Digital Lesson Packages & Instructional Resources (EDAFACAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

K–12 Instructional Design & Curriculum Development Services (EDAGAKAA), Integrated Tutoring + Learning Content Platforms (Curriculum + Tutors) (EDANAGAL)

Keywords

• Education consulting services
• Professional development training
• School transformation consulting
• Digital learning platform
• Educational publishing

Headquarters

HQ city

Lüneburg

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Sponsorship & Institutional Funding: As a non-profit social enterprise, beWirken receives support from foundations, ministries, and public authorities that enable and co-fund projects and programs.
2. Books & Educational Materials Sales: Sale of published books (softcover and eBook) including 'UnLearn School', 'Methodenbuch für selbstwirksames Lernen', and 'Methodenbuch für digitalen Unterricht' through the WooCommerce-powered online shop. Digital products include eBooks and downloadable materials.
3. Professional Development & Training Programs: Revenue from structured training programs such as the 'Lernbegleiter Journey' — a 4-5 month program for school faculties combining digital and in-person workshops, and trainer certification programs. Also includes individual workshop sessions.
4. School Development Consulting: Advisory and consulting services for school transformation processes, including support for school operators (Schulträger) and school construction projects.
5. Online Workshops & Events: Digital event tickets and online workshop sessions sold through the shop platform, including themed webinars on school transformation topics.
6. Foster Membership (Fördermitgliedschaft): Annual membership program providing a digital membership code for discounted or free access to select offerings on the beWirken website, auto-renewing via direct debit.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

beWirken offers school development consulting, professional development workshops (most prominently the multi-month Lernbegleiter Journey training program), and published educational materials including three method/transformation books. It also operates the proprietary askit GDPR-compliant survey app for digital participation and the Lernwelt digital learning platform with self-paced online courses. The combined offering targets German schools, teachers, school leaders, and educational authorities seeking to modernize teaching toward self-directed learning and democratic participation.

Product overview

beWirken is an education-focused social enterprise offering a portfolio of books, digital platforms, training programs, apps, and consulting services. The core offerings include three books (UnLearn School book, two Methodenbuch titles for digital and self-directed learning), the askit App for digital participation, the Lernwelt digital learning platform, the Lernbegleiter Journey training program, and school development consulting. Two sub-brands extend reach beyond schools: askit App for digital participation and beWirken lab as an agency for education and participation. The company also offers online workshops, podcasts, and student workshops as part of its holistic approach to educational transformation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• beWirken lab: Die Agentur für Bildung und Beteiligung - enables foundations, municipalities, and other actors outside of school to benefit from beWirken's expertise.
• askit App

Products and services

• Methodenbuch für selbstwirksames Lernen (Methods Book for Self-Directed Learning) A 264-page method book (softcover at €29.95 or eBook PDF at €24.95) containing 50+ methods for self-directed learning, organized using the WIRT model (Warm-up, Interaction, Reflection, Transfer). Includes downloadable templates, audio commentaries ('sprechendes Buch'), and reflection pages; for teachers, trainers, and school leaders designing self-directed learning environments.
• Methodenbuch für digitalen Unterricht (Methods Book for Digital Teaching) A 228-page method book (softcover at €29.95 or eBook PDF at €24.95) with 50 Best-Practice methods for digital teaching usable in online, hybrid, and in-person settings. Includes audio contributions, digital templates, and a digital methods overview PDF; also available as an organizational/school site license (contact for pricing). For teachers and educators integrating digital instruction.
• UnLearn School: Auf dem Weg zum Lernen der Zukunft A 580-page book (softcover €39.00, eBook PDF €35.00) featuring 16 Good-Practice examples from innovative German schools, 5 film episodes, expert interviews, and online bonus materials. Covers five dimensions of school transformation and learning culture change; for school leaders, educators, and policymakers rethinking school.
• Mission Schulumfrage (Workshop Kit) A €149.00 workshop kit enabling student representatives to develop and conduct school-wide surveys using the askit app. Includes a 7-level game-format workshop, reusable base materials, orderable consumables, and unlimited askit app access. Recommended for grades 8+; designed for student representative bodies (Schüler*innenvertretung) and their sponsoring teachers.
• Lernbegleiter Journey (Multi-month Training Program) A 4-5 month training program combining digital and in-person workshops with self-directed learning sprints. Includes 8 modules covering self-directed learning, coaching, competency-based learning, digital learning, and educational design. Available for individual teachers, small groups, or whole school faculties. Customized to institutional needs and group size; pricing not publicly disclosed.
• askit App (Digital Participation Survey Application) A self-developed, GDPR-compliant survey application for digital participation. Enables schools to conduct digital surveys and participation activities and is used in programs such as Mission Schulumfrage. Also offered as a separate sub-brand (askit-app.de) for use by foundations, municipalities, and other actors outside of school contexts.
• Lernwelt (Digital Learning Platform) A login-protected digital learning environment at lernwelt.bewirken.org offering online courses, workshops, and self-paced learning modules for teachers and school staff. Users can self-register and access learning content independently.
• Schulentwicklungsberatung (School Development Consulting) Holistic school development consulting providing advisory and process support for schools, school operators (Schulträger), and school construction projects undergoing transformation. Customized proposals and pricing for faculties and school networks.
• Online-Workshops (Impulstermine) Online workshops and impulse events on topics related to school development, learning guidance, and educational transformation. Delivered via Zoom and promoted through the shop platform and newsletter; some sessions are offered free of charge as top-of-funnel lead generation.
• Fördermitgliedschaft (Annual Foster Membership) Annual membership program providing a digital membership code for discounted or free access to select offerings on the beWirken website. Auto-renewing via SEPA direct debit and bound to the calendar year with a 4-week cancellation notice.

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• ILF (Institut für Lernen und Innovation)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerILF (Institut für Lernen und Innovation) is shown as a partner logo on the beWirken 'Über uns' page, indicating a collaborative relationship in the educational innovation space.
• FES (Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Friedrich Ebert Stiftung (FES), a political foundation affiliated with the Social Democratic Party of Germany, is listed as a partner on the beWirken website, suggesting collaboration on educational and democratic education initiatives.
• Gegemo (Gemeinsam gegen Mobbing)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGegemo – Gemeinsam gegen Mobbing is shown as a partner, indicating collaboration on anti-bullying and school climate initiatives.
• BEZ (Bildung und Entdeckung Zentral)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBEZ is listed as a partner logo on the beWirken partner page.
• German Federal and State Ministries (Bundes- und Landesministerien)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerbeWirken works with federal and state ministries (Bundes- und Landesministerien) across Germany as part of its nationwide school transformation programs. The company has collaborated with Schleswig-Holstein's Ministry for General and Vocational Education, Science, Research and Culture on the 'PerspektivSchule Kurs 2034' program.
• Stiftungen (Foundations)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAs a non-profit social enterprise (gemeinnütziges Sozialunternehmen), beWirken partners with foundations to fund and co-develop educational projects. The company explicitly states that foundation partnerships make their work possible. Logos displayed on the homepage include multiple unnamed foundation partners.
• Social Web macht Schule gGmbHminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGuest contributions and collaboration on educational methods and digital learning content. Marcel Burghardt from Social Web macht Schule contributed guest articles to beWirken's method books.
• Team:werkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAndrea Seitz and Anna Ginkel, founders of Team:werk, contributed guest content to beWirken's method book for digital teaching.
• askit App (internal brand)coreTechnology or Integrationaskit is beWirken's proprietary GDPR-compliant survey app used in its school programs (e.g., Mission Schulumfrage). It is presented as a separate brand alongside beWirken lab under the 'beWirken-Kosmos' ecosystem, accessible at askit-app.de.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• AOL-Verlag (Verlag an der Ruhr): AOL-Verlag specializes in practical teacher methods books and classroom resources, directly comparable to beWirken's Methodenbuch line and its position as a focused publisher of instructional materials for educators.
• Friedrich Verlag: Friedrich Verlag is a German educational publisher known for teacher professional development resources and pedagogical literature, comparable to beWirken's publishing and teacher-PD offerings in scope and target audience.

Broad incumbents

• Cornelsen Verlag: Cornelsen is one of Germany's largest educational publishers with broad teacher PD and digital learning offerings, comparable to beWirken but operating at a much larger scale across the full K-12 spectrum.
• Klett: Klett is a major German education group with extensive teacher professional development and school services, broadly comparable to beWirken's offerings but at significantly larger scale and distribution.
• Beltz Verlag: Beltz is an established German education and psychology publisher with a strong teacher PD portfolio, including the AOL-Verlag imprint, overlapping with beWirken's content focus and educator audience.
• Westermann Gruppe: Westermann Gruppe is a large German education publisher group (including Schroedel and Diesterweg) with deep school relationships across Länder, broadly comparable to beWirken's school-facing publishing and services but at much greater scale.

Emerging players

• Teach First Deutschland: Teach First Deutschland is a German non-profit focused on educational equity and supporting teachers in disadvantaged schools, comparable to beWirken in its mission-driven, non-profit approach to school transformation.

Others

• IQSH (Institut für Qualitätsentwicklung an Schulen Schleswig-Holstein): IQSH is the public institute for school quality development in Schleswig-Holstein and a documented beWirken partner on the PerspektivSchule Kurs 2034 program; it operates adjacent school transformation services and is part of the same ecosystem.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC7WkjF5FVgITD_YFAhp8_5A
• Facebookfacebook.com/bewirken
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bewirken
• Instagraminstagram.com/zusammen.bewirken
• Xx.com/zsm_beWirken

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries2 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 beWirken