What Primaklima does

PRIMAKLIMA e.V. is a Cologne-based German nonprofit association (eingetragener Verein) founded in 1991 that channels individual and corporate donations into forest-based climate and biodiversity protection. Its operating model centers on four field project types — afforestation (Nicaragua, Germany), reforestation (Uganda, Vietnam), forest protection (Papua New Guinea), and natural forest development / school forests (Germany) — implemented together with partners including Succow Stiftung, Stiftung Zukunft Wald, and Taking Root. The organization credentialled its work via DZI Spendensiegel (held annually since 2010), Stiftung Warentest 'sehr gut' (2018) and 'gut' (2022), Verra certification for the Tavolo (PNG) project, and a Sylvera A-rating for the Kibale (Uganda) reforestation site.

The revenue model is donation-driven, with unit-priced tree donations (€3 per tree in Nicaragua, €6 in Uganda, €3–€9 in Germany), one-time and recurring supporter contributions, gift trees with personalized certificates, a CO2 calculator, and a corporate tier that sells CO2 offset certificates, company forests, and forest-protection packages. Distribution runs through the primaklima.org portal integrated with Twingle GmbH / GLS eSpende and supporting PayPal, Google Pay, Saferpay, and SEPA, alongside direct enterprise sales for corporate accounts and partnerships such as the Allianz für Entwicklung und Klima (BMZ), Postcode Lotterie (since Oct 2025), and TARGOBANK Stiftung (since Aug 2025). Beneficiary-side, PRIMAKLIMA reports 700+ Nicaraguan farmer families participating and 1,000+ locally employed in tree nurseries, woodworking, and forestry operations.

Operationally the organization is small (11–50 employees), governed by a Vorstand that includes Lars Forjahn and Karl Peter Hasenkamp with Henriette Lachenit as Geschäftsführerin, and it does not publish revenue. Its technology stack is conventional nonprofit infrastructure (Twingle, Matomo/Google Analytics/Microsoft Clarity, CleverReach, Eye-Able, Google Tag Manager) with no proprietary AI or ML components disclosed; third-party rating agencies rather than in-house tooling provide carbon-monitoring validation.

Name

Primaklima

Legal name

PRIMAKLIMA e.V.

Website

https://primaklima.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1991

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

PRIMAKLIMA e.V. is a Cologne-based German nonprofit founded in 1991 that channels individual and corporate donations into afforestation, reforestation, forest protection, and natural forest development projects across Germany, Nicaragua, Uganda, Vietnam, and Papua New Guinea.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Environmental & Climate Protection Services

NAICS

Support Activities for Forestry (115310), Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312), Grantmaking Foundations (813211)

SIC

Forestry (800)

akta.pro primary industry

Forestry & Reforestation (BPAGAGAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Environmental & Climate Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAM), Silviculture & Reforestation Services (Nurseries, Planting, Tending) (IMAMAJAC), Reforestation & Afforestation Services (Planting, Site Prep, Regeneration) (IMAMAAAE), Monitoring, Survival Surveys & Carbon/MRV Services (Remote Sensing, Field Audits) (AFAMACAO)

Keywords

• Reforestation services
• Carbon offsetting
• Forest conservation
• Biodiversity protection
• Tree planting donations

Headquarters

HQ city

Köln

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: PRIMAKLIMA generates revenue primarily through donations from individuals and organizations. These include one-time donations, regular ongoing support, and campaign-based fundraising. Donors can contribute to specific projects such as tree planting in Nicaragua, Uganda, or Germany, or support forest strengthening initiatives. The organization also offers CO2 certificates for companies as a complementary funding stream.

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

PRIMAKLIMA e.V. is a German nonprofit association (founded 1991, Cologne) that delivers nature and climate protection through forestry. It operates reforestation projects in Uganda, Nicaragua, Vietnam, and Papua New Guinea, alongside forest protection and afforestation initiatives in Germany. Its offering is donation-driven: individuals fund trees (€3–9 per tree) or recurring support, while companies purchase CO₂ certificates, corporate forests, and natural-forest protection packages, with all projects independently verified (DZI, Sylvera, Verra).

Product overview

PRIMAKLIMA e.V. is a nonprofit nature and climate protection organization founded in 1991, based in Cologne, Germany. The organization operates primarily as a donation-based climate protection nonprofit rather than a traditional software product company. Its core offerings include tree planting donations (Baum spenden), tree gifting services (Bäume verschenken), CO₂ calculator tools, and various reforestation and forest protection projects. The main product categories include: (1) individual donation products such as one-time tree planting (3-9€/tree), recurring forest support, and CO₂ binding certificates; (2) corporate engagement offerings including company forests, CO₂ offset certificates, and natural forest protection programs; and (3) field project types spanning afforestation in Germany and Nicaragua, reforestation in Uganda/Vietnam, forest protection in Papua New Guinea, natural forest development in Germany, and school forest programs. Projects are certified under international standards including Verra and receive third-party ratings such as Sylvera A-rating for the Kibale project. The organization maintains DZI donation seal certification and has received Stiftung Warentest recognition.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Tree Donation (Baum spenden)
• Gift Trees (Bäume verschenken)
• CO₂ Calculator (CO₂-Rechner)
• Strengthen Forests (Wälder stärken)
• Corporate CO₂ Certificates (CO₂-Zertifikate für Unternehmen)
• Corporate Tree Donations & Company Forests (Baumspenden & Unternehmenswälder)
• Save Natural Forests (Naturwälder retten)
• School Forests (Schulwälder) - Niedersachsen
• Reforestation Project - Kibale National Park, Uganda
• Afforestation Project - Nicaragua (CommuniTree)
• Forest Protection - Tavolo, Papua New Guinea

Quantifiable outcome

• Sylvera A-Rating for Kibale-Nationalpark reforestation project
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration21 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Postcode LotteriecoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 10 October 2025PRIMAKLIMA became a new partner of the Postcode Lotterie. At the network meeting in Berlin, PRIMAKLIMA's board member Lars Forjahn received special recognition. The partnership was announced on October 10, 2025.
• Stiftung Zukunft Wald (Future Forest Foundation)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2025PRIMAKLIMA's long-term project partner received UNESCO recognition from the German UNESCO Commission and the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs. The foundation supports forest projects and is a key implementation partner.
• Allianz für Entwicklung und Klima (Alliance for Development and Climate)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 December 2018PRIMAKLIMA is part of the 'Allianz für Entwicklung und Klima' initiated by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). The alliance aims to support development projects for climate protection, with 70 companies, authorities, compensation providers, and associations having joined. The goal is climate neutrality of members through avoidance, reduction, and compensation of remaining CO2 emissions.
• Succow StiftungcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPRIMAKLIMA works closely with the Succow Foundation on nature and climate protection projects. The foundation provides expertise in sustainable forest management and protection of natural forests, with joint project activities documented in photography and field visits.
• Taking RootcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPRIMAKLIMA collaborates with Taking Root on the CommuniTree project in Nicaragua. In November 2023, PRIMAKLIMA team members visited Nicaragua for joint meetings. Both organizations issued a joint statement calling for nature-based solutions. Taking Root hosted PRIMAKLIMA staff in April 2024 during a visit to Cologne.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• myclimate: myclimate is a Swiss-German climate protection nonprofit offering CO2 compensation and reforestation/afforestation projects to individuals and businesses. Directly comparable through its multi-country reforestation portfolio and competing for the same DACH corporate ESG budget as PRIMAKLIMA.
• One Tree Planted: One Tree Planted is a nonprofit that runs reforestation projects across multiple countries, offering per-tree donations and corporate partnerships. Directly comparable through its donation-per-tree pricing model, multi-country portfolio, and corporate tree-gifting services that closely match PRIMAKLIMA's offerings.
• Atmosfair: Atmosfair is a German nonprofit that sells verified CO2 compensation certificates to individuals and companies. Directly comparable as a DZI-certified, Stiftung Warentest-rated German climate nonprofit in the same voluntary carbon offset market as PRIMAKLIMA.
• Plant-for-the-Planet: Plant-for-the-Planet is a German-founded global reforestation nonprofit focused on tree planting and youth-led climate action. Directly comparable as a donation-based, international tree-planting nonprofit operating in the German donor market with similar corporate engagement programs.
• Cool Earth: Cool Earth is a UK-based nonprofit working with rainforest communities to halt deforestation, similar to PRIMAKLIMA's Papua New Guinea Tavolo project. Directly comparable as a donation-driven nonprofit focused on tropical forest protection with corporate partnerships.
• Eden Reforestation Projects: Eden Reforestation Projects is a nonprofit that plants trees in degraded areas across multiple countries using local employment models. Directly comparable to PRIMAKLIMA as a donation-driven, multi-country reforestation nonprofit with similar livelihoods-focused approach (e.g., PRIMAKLIMA's Nicaragua program parallels Eden's model).
• Trees for the Future: Trees for the Future is a US-based nonprofit running agroforestry training and tree planting programs with smallholder farmers in developing countries. Directly comparable through its livelihoods-plus-trees model that mirrors PRIMAKLIMA's Nicaragua approach of partnering with farmer families.
• Wilderness International: Wilderness International is a German nonprofit that protects primary rainforests in Canada and Peru through purchase and lease. Directly comparable as a German donation-based environmental nonprofit offering corporate forest protection and CO2 binding, sharing PRIMAKLIMA's market and customer base.

Others

• Verra: Verra is the largest carbon credit standard body, certifying projects like PRIMAKLIMA's Tavolo in Papua New Guinea. Relevant as the registry/standard-setter whose rules govern PRIMAKLIMA's carbon credit issuance and ongoing project compliance.
• Sylvera: Sylvera is an independent carbon credit rating agency that awarded PRIMAKLIMA's Kibale project an A-rating. Relevant as an ecosystem participant whose ratings materially influence the marketability and pricing of PRIMAKLIMA's CO2 certificates.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/PrimaKlimaWeltweit
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/primaklima
• Instagraminstagram.com/primaklima_e.v

Compliance5 records

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 Primaklima