Stiftung Der Deutschen Wirtschaft

What Stiftung Der Deutschen Wirtschaft does

Stiftung der Deutschen Wirtschaft (sdw) is a Berlin-based, non-profit educational foundation (gGmbH) founded in 1994 by Prof. Dr. Klaus Murmann and the Bundesvereinigung der Deutschen Arbeitgeberverbände (BDA). It operates as a government-accredited Begabtenförderungswerk and currently supports approximately 4,400 young people across Germany through ten nationwide scholarship and support programs spanning school students, university students, doctoral candidates, apprentices, and young professionals. The portfolio includes the core Studienförderwerk Klaus Murmann, the Studienkompass for first-generation university candidates (co-developed with Deutsche Bank Stiftung since 2007), Entrepreneurship Talent Academy (ETA, spun off in 2025 with Karl Schlecht Stiftung), TidA and Zeig, was du kannst! for vocational trainees, plus specialized programs in early childhood education (NicK), teacher training (Studienkolleg), journalism (markt. medien. machen), sustainability (School of Transformation), and international career development (Hans Weisser Stipendium, Hans Hermann Voss-Stipendium for STEM in NRW).

The foundation's funding model is a hybrid of public, corporate, and philanthropic revenue streams. The Federal Ministry for Research (BMBF/BMFTR) provides the mandated scholarship budget for the Studienf\u00f6rderwerk and related programs; co-funding is provided by named partner foundations (Deutsche Bank Stiftung, Karl Schlecht Stiftung, Robert Bosch Stiftung, Heinz Nixdorf Stiftung, Joachim Herz Stiftung, ZEIT Stiftung Bucerius, E.ON Foundation, Accenture-Stiftung, Lipoid Stiftung, Globus-Stiftung, Hans Hermann Voss-Stiftung, Hans Weisser Stiftung), corporate Förderverein membership fees from approximately 100 companies including BASF, BMW, Deutsche Bank, SAP, McKinsey, KPMG, EY, Infineon, and Siemens, and unrestricted endowment/testamentary bequests. Distribution is multi-channel: a self-service online application portal (bewerbung.sdw.org), a dedicated mobile learning app (Studienkompass app with 12,000+ downloads), 46 regional groups across Germany and abroad (Paris, Vienna, London, Zurich), and institutional partnerships with the Bundesagentur für Arbeit and 15 state education ministries. The organization is governed by a Board of Directors (Vorstand) and Supervisory Board (Kuratorium), with Dr. Sven Murmann assuming the Chairmanship in January 2026 and an alumni network of approximately 3,000 active members.

Name

Stiftung Der Deutschen Wirtschaft

Legal name

Stiftung der Deutschen Wirtschaft (sdw) gGmbH

Website

https://sdw.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Stiftung der Deutschen Wirtschaft is a Berlin-based, non-profit educational foundation founded in 1994 that operates ten scholarship and support programs serving roughly 4,400 young people across school, university, vocational, and doctoral stages in Germany, funded by federal ministries, corporate donors, and partner foundations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Education & Youth Development

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Educational Services (611), Educational Support Services (611710), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Scholarship & Fellowship Foundations and Trusts (EDADAHAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Education Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAK), Degree-Level Scholarships (Undergrad/Masters/PhD/Postdoc) (EDAIAOAE), Scholarships, Grants & Education Benefits Administration (Financing-adjacent) (FSAKAEAM)

Keywords

• Scholarship programs
• Talent development
• Youth mentoring
• Vocational education
• Educational foundations

Headquarters

HQ city

Berlin

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Scholarship Funding from Federal Ministry: Funding from the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) / Federal Ministry for Research, Technology and Space Travel (BMFTR) for scholarship payments and program operations.
2. Corporate and Foundation Donations: Financial contributions from partner companies, employer associations, foundations (Karl Schlecht Stiftung, Deutsche Bank Stiftung, etc.), and private donors to fund specific programs and operational costs.
3. Förderverein Membership Fees: Approximately 100 member companies pay membership fees to participate in the promotional association, enabling direct access to scholarship holders for recruitment and mentoring purposes.
4. Endowment and Testamentary Bequests: Unrestricted endowments, supplementary endowments to the foundation capital, and testamentary bequests from individuals, providing long-term funding sustainability.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Stiftung der Deutschen Wirtschaft (sdw) operates ten nationwide scholarship and educational support programs for young people at all educational stages, from secondary school through vocational training, university, and doctorate. The foundation delivers financial stipends combined with non-material support including mentoring, networking events, interdisciplinary seminars, workshops, and career orientation. Programming is funded through a mix of federal government grants (Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung), corporate donations, membership fees from employer associations and companies, and private donor contributions, serving approximately 4,400 beneficiaries at any given time.

Product overview

Stiftung der Deutschen Wirtschaft (sdw) is an educational foundation offering a portfolio of 10 nationwide scholarship and support programs across different educational stages. The core offering is the Studienförderwerk Klaus Murmann for university students and doctoral candidates. Supporting programs include Studienkompass for high school students from non-academic backgrounds, Entrepreneurship Talent Academy for startup-oriented students, TidA and Zeig, was du kannst! for apprentices, plus specialized programs like NicK (early childhood education), Studienkolleg (teacher training), markt. medien. machen (journalism), and School of Transformation (sustainability). The portfolio also includes location-specific scholarships like Hans Weisser Stipendium (international) and Hans Hermann Voss-Stipendium (STEM in NRW), all connected through regional groups, a digital app, and an alumni network of nearly 3,000 members.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Studienkompass: Scholarship program supporting young people from non-academic families with career orientation from school through first year of university or vocational training.
• Zeig, was du kannst!
• TidA – Talente in der Ausbildung
• Entrepreneurship Talent Academy (ETA)

Products and services

• Studienförderwerk Klaus Murmann The flagship undergraduate scholarship program of sdw, providing financial stipends, mentoring, and an interdisciplinary seminar program to academically strong university students in Germany.
• Studienkompass Program supporting secondary school students from non-academic family backgrounds with orientation, mentoring, and preparation for university entry decisions.
• TidA – Talente in der Ausbildung Scholarship program targeting young people in apprenticeship or dual vocational training tracks, providing stipends and personal development support.
• Zeig, was du kannst! Vocational training-oriented program that recognizes and supports talented young people in non-academic education pathways.
• Hans Weisser Stipendium Undergraduate scholarship named after Hans Weisser, supporting students with academic merit and personal engagement.
• Hans Hermann Voss-Stipendium Undergraduate scholarship named after Hans Hermann Voss, supporting students in higher education.
• Promotionsstipendien Doctoral scholarship program providing financial support and seminars to PhD candidates in Germany.
• Entrepreneurship Talent Academy Program targeting young people with entrepreneurial talent, providing training, networking, and personal development in entrepreneurial skills.
• School of Transformation Program aimed at advanced researchers and doctoral candidates focused on societal transformation topics.
• NicK – Nachwuchsinitiative chancengerechte Kitas Program to promote young talent in early childhood education (Kitas), supporting training and professional development in the daycare sector.
• markt. medien. machen Program targeting young talent in media and market-related fields, providing orientation and support.
• Studienkolleg Pre-university preparation program supporting students transitioning to higher education, including international or non-traditional applicants.

Quantifiable outcome

• 93% of Studienkompass graduates say the program helped them approach career orientation confidently
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• Karl Schlecht StiftungcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Co-developer of Entrepreneurship Talent Academy (ETA) with sdw. Provides funding and strategic direction for the spin-off program from Studienkompass promoting entrepreneurship among upper-secondary students.
• Hans Weisser StiftungcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2015Joint program partner for Hans Weisser Stipendium supporting international career development for young professionals and entrepreneurs up to age 40.
• Deutsche Bank StiftungcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2007Co-founder and main funder of Studienkompass program. Provides financial support and strategic direction for the joint initiative targeting first-generation university students.
• aim – Akademie für Innovative Bildung und Management Heilbronn-FrankencoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2007Educational partner in Studienkompass providing program development expertise and operational delivery. Also partner in NicK (Nachwuchsinitiative chancengerechte Kitas) and Studienkolleg programs.
• Robert Bosch StiftungcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2007Co-founder of Studienkolleg program for teaching students. Provides funding and strategic direction for teacher education initiatives.
• Bundesvereinigung der Deutschen Arbeitgeberverbände (BDA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1994Founding partner and ongoing strategic supporter. Employer association umbrella organization provides access to member companies for Förderverein recruitment and program participation.
• Hans Hermann Voss-StiftungcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-funding partner for MINT students in NRW, providing additional 400 EUR/month to eligible scholarship recipients from Oberbergischer, Rheinisch-Bergischer, and Märkischer Kreise.
• Bundesagentur für ArbeitcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborates on developing and scaling successful support approaches from Studienkompass for nationwide deployment in schools.
• Kultusministerien der LändercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner15 state education ministries collaborate on adapting Studienkompass approaches for deployment in schools across German federal states.
• Bundesvereinigung der Deutschen Arbeitgeberverbände (BDA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for markt. medien. machen program providing media industry connections and educational content on Social Market Economy.
• ZEIT Stiftung BuceriusmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-funder of NicK - Nachwuchsinitiative chancengerechte Kitas for early childhood education students.
• Heraeus BildungsstiftungmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Studienkolleg program for teaching students, providing additional educational opportunities and networking.
• Heraeus BildungsstiftungmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-delivery partner for Studienkolleg teacher education program.
• Stiftung Begabtenförderung berufliche Bildung (SBB)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization for BAFF (Begabte Auszubildende und Fachkräfte) pilot program funding TidA vocational scholarships.
• ~100 Member Companies in FördervereincoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCompanies including BASF, BMW Group, Deutsche Bank, SAP, McKinsey, KPMG, EY, Infineon, Siemens and others participate in Förderverein for direct access to scholarship recipients for recruitment, mentoring, and training opportunities. Listed members include major DAX companies and consulting firms.

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung: Green-aligned Begabtenförderungswerk with comprehensive scholarship and ideelle Förderung model — direct structural peer to sdw with similar portfolio of student/doctoral support plus specialized thematic programs.
• Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes: Largest and oldest Begabtenförderungswerk in Germany, offering merit-based scholarships to university students funded by BMBF. Direct peer with identical federal mandate, comparable scholarship structure, and overlapping applicant pool.
• Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung: One of the party-affiliated Begabtenförderungswerke (CDU-aligned) providing scholarships to students and doctoral candidates with ideological framing. Competes with sdw for federal funding pool and top applicants within Germany's 13-works system.
• Hans-Böckler-Stiftung: DGB-affiliated Begabtenförderungswerk supporting students and doctoral candidates, with strong employer/trade-union network ties — closely paralleling sdw's employer-association structure and scholarship-plus-ideelle-Programm format.
• Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung: SPD-aligned Begabtenförderungswerk offering scholarships to students from non-academic families — directly overlapping with sdw's mission of supporting first-generation university students. Shares social-market-economy heritage via BDA connections.
• Friedrich-Naumann-Stiftung: FDP-aligned Begabtenförderungswerk providing scholarships and educational programming with a strong entrepreneurship-and-liberal-economy orientation — overlapping with sdw's Entrepreneurship Talent Academy (ETA) program theme.
• Cusanuswerk: Catholic-affiliated Begabtenförderungswerk funding high-achieving students with ideological-educational programming. Operates the same federal scholarship model as sdw and competes for the same federal funding and Catholic student demographic.
• Stiftung Begabtenförderung berufliche Bildung (SBB): National funder of vocational training scholarships for apprentices — directly comparable to sdw's TidA and Zeig was du kannst! programs, and an explicit partnership counterparty in the BAFF pilot program.

Broad incumbents

• Deutschlandstipendium: Federal government program offering 300 EUR/month scholarships co-financed by private donors at universities nationwide. Operates at much larger scale than sdw and competes for the same donor companies and first-generation student segments, but lacks sdw's ideelle Förderung programming.

Emerging players

• Joachim Herz Stiftung: Major Hamburg-based foundation supporting STEM education and Studienkompass co-funder. Not a direct scholarship provider but operates complementary talent promotion programming in sdw's core STEM and school-student segments.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/stiftung-der-deutschen-wirtschaft
• Instagraminstagram.com/sdw_stiftung

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Stiftung Der Deutschen Wirtschaft