Wiso-führungskräfte-akademie (wfa)

What Wiso-führungskräfte-akademie (wfa) does

WiSo-Führungskräfte-Akademie (WFA) is a private, non-profit (gemeinnützige GmbH) continuing education institute headquartered in Nürnberg, Germany, founded in 1989 as a spin-off of Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU). The company delivers certified executive education programmes and workshops for working professionals and corporate clients across six thematic areas: Leadership, Business Management, Project Management, Personal Performance, Marketing & Sales, and Digital Business & AI. Certificates are awarded at 'Hochschulniveau' (university level) and signed by a university dean for continuing education (Weiterbildungsdekan Prof. Dr. Dirk Ulrich Gilbert), providing academic credibility and quality oversight.

The core technology is a blended-learning model combining synchronous live-online workshops with in-person sessions delivered from the NÜrnberg headquarters, supported by E-Learning@WFA — a proprietary learning management system that gives each participant individualized, time-limited access to course materials, module resources, and asynchronous content. The portfolio spans longer certificate programmes (Zertifikatslehrgänge, 8–13 seminar days at €2,600–€4,250 plus exam fees), shorter workshops (€590–€1,390), and bespoke in-house corporate training with a minimum group size of 5.

WFA operates a sales-led go-to-market: a dedicated Senior Director Education and Program Managers run consultative B2B account management for corporate in-house training, while individual learners are acquired through the website with personal Program Manager accompaniment from consultation through graduation. All programmes are VAT-exempt (umsatzsteuerbefreit) by virtue of WFA's non-profit status. Marketing channels are diversified across Google Ads, LinkedIn, Instagram, organic search/SEO, an email newsletter, and — most prominently — alumni referrals. The customer base includes a broad mix of large enterprise logos (Lufthansa, Bosch, Siemens, SAP, Amazon, Accenture, Commerzbank, Allianz, Novartis, Bundesagentur für Arbeit) alongside SMEs and individual professionals, served solely within Germany.

Name

Wiso-führungskräfte-akademie (wfa)

Legal name

WiSo-Führungskräfte-Akademie Nürnberg (WFA) gemeinnützige Gesellschaft mbH

Website

https://www.wfa-akademie.de

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Short description

WiSo-Führungskräfte-Akademie (WFA) is a German non-profit continuing education institute, founded 1989 as an FAU spin-off, delivering university-level certificate programmes and workshops in leadership, business management, project management, and digital business/AI to individual professionals and corporate clients across Germany.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Executive Education

NAICS

Professional and Management Development Training (611430), Business Schools and Computer and Management Training (6114)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

University/College Continuing Education (Extension) Programs (EDAAAEAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Project, Quality & Operations (PMP PDUs, Six Sigma, Quality CE) (EDAAALAM), Professional & Applied Skills Noncredit Certificates (Non-licensure) (EDAAAEAD), Compliance, Certification & Continuing Education LMS (EDAFAAAD), Human Resources & Talent (SHRM/HRCI Recertification) (EDAAALAN)

Keywords

• Executive education programs
• Continuing professional development
• Leadership certificate programmes
• Blended learning workshops
• Corporate in-house training

Headquarters

HQ city

Nürnberg

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Individual Programme Fees: WFA charges fixed per-programme fees for individual learners enrolling in certificate programmes (Zertifikatslehrgänge) and live workshops. Prices vary by programme length and format; all fees are exempt from VAT (umsatzsteuerbefreit) as the organisation operates as a gemeinnützige Gesellschaft. Payment is collected in full prior to programme start.
2. Corporate In-House Training: WFA delivers bespoke in-house training programmes to corporate clients, custom-developed to client specifications. Programmes are priced based on scope, duration, and group size (minimum 5 participants). This B2B revenue stream is consultatively sold via the Senior Director Education and direct account management.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

WFA delivers certified, university-level continuing education through Zertifikatslehrgänge (certificate programmes) and modular live-online workshops across six thematic areas — Leadership, Business Management, Project Management, Personal Performance, Marketing & Sales, and Digital Business & AI. Programmes are sold both to individual working professionals and to corporate clients (in-house trainings, minimum 5 participants per group) and are delivered via a Blended Learning model combining synchronous live online sessions with in-person workshops at WFA's Nürnberg headquarters.

Product overview

Wiso-führungskräfte-Akademie (WFA) offers a portfolio of certified professional development programs consisting of certificate courses (Zertifikatslehrgänge) on university level and compact workshops/live online seminars. The core certificate programs include: Führung kompakt (Leadership), BWL kompakt (Business Administration), Projektmanagement kompakt, Personalentwicklung kompakt, Digital Business & AI kompakt, and Key Account Management & Digital Sales. These are supplemented by individual workshop modules such as Design Thinking, Conflict Communication, Teambuilding, Time & Stress Management, AI understanding courses (KI verstehen, KI im Business anwenden), Agile & Digital Leadership, Mindful Leadership, Positive Leadership, Social Selling, and Agile Project Management. Programs are delivered in blended learning formats combining online and in-person sessions in Nuremberg, with in-house corporate training options also available.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Führung kompakt (Zertifikatslehrgang) — Leadership Certificate Programme University-level 8-seminar-day blended-learning leadership certificate covering leadership basics, self-profiling, corporate leadership, agile & digital leadership, change management, and people & team management. On completion, participants earn the "Geprüfte/r Business Manager/in (WFA)" certificate signed by the FAU dean for continuing education. Designed for working professionals who want to move into or sharpen leadership roles.
• BWL kompakt (Zertifikatslehrgang) — Business Administration Certificate Programme Blended-learning 13-seminar-day certificate covering business administration fundamentals: basics, cost accounting, budgeting, financing & investment, controlling, online marketing & e-commerce, HR management 4.0, and Economy 4.0 & digitalisation. Graduates receive the "Geprüfte/r Betriebswirt/in (WFA)" certificate. Targeted at professionals needing comprehensive business administration knowledge without a full degree.
• Projektmanagement kompakt (Zertifikatslehrgang) — Project Management Certificate Programme Blended-learning 8-seminar-day certificate covering classical, agile, and hybrid project approaches: fundamentals, planning, skills, control, risk & claim management, digitalisation, and agile project management. Certification is aligned with IPMA and PMI standards. Awarded "Geprüfte/r Projektmanager/in (WFA)".
• Personalentwicklung kompakt (Zertifikatslehrgang) — HR Development Certificate Programme Blended-learning 8-seminar-day certificate on strategic HR development covering strategic PE, digitalisation, Workforce 5.0, learning accompaniment, and transformation accompaniment. Graduates receive the "Geprüfte:r Personalentwickler:in (WFA)" certificate. Designed for HR professionals and managers responsible for talent development.
• Digital Business & AI kompakt (Zertifikatslehrgang) — Digital Business & AI Certificate Programme Blended-learning 8-seminar-day certificate covering digital business models, AI fundamentals, AI in business applications, cybersecurity, and digital leadership. Graduates receive the "Geprüfte/-r Digital Business Manager/-in (WFA)" certificate. Targeted at non-technical professionals seeking to navigate digital transformation and AI-driven business models.
• Key Account Management & Digital Sales (Zertifikatslehrgang) Blended-learning 6-seminar-day certificate teaching modern key account management, digital sales strategies, relationship management, and negotiation skills. Graduates receive the "Geprüfte/r Key Account und Digital Sales Manager/in (WFA)" certificate. Designed for account managers, sales professionals, and business developers.
• Inhouse-Schulungen (Unternehmensprogramme) — In-House Corporate Training Bespoke in-house training programmes for companies, delivered on-site or online. Follows a three-step process (needs analysis, concept development, delivery) led by the Senior Director Education and dedicated Program Managers. Minimum 5 participants per group; topics include leadership development, business basics, project management, and personnel development. Sold consultatively via direct account management.
• Design Thinking Workshop 1-day (part of 2-day live-online) workshop teaching Design Thinking methodology, processes, and challenge approaches with practical application. Participants earn the "Certified Design Thinker (WFA)" certificate. Targeted at managers and project leaders seeking structured innovation methods.
• Konfliktkommunikation & -management Workshop 1-day live-online workshop covering conflict understanding, diagnosis, and resolution techniques for workplace conflicts. Targeted at managers and team leads who must navigate interpersonal conflict.
• Teambuilding & -entwicklung Workshop 1-day live-online workshop on team development, roles, collaboration, decision-making, and conflict resolution in team contexts. Targeted at managers responsible for team performance.
• Zeit- und Stressmanagement Workshop 1-day in-person workshop in Nürnberg covering time management, self-organisation, and stress management tools and strategies. Targeted at working professionals seeking practical personal-effectiveness methods.
• KI verstehen – Grundkurs (AI Fundamentals) Workshop 1-day (2×4-hour) live-online workshop providing foundational understanding of AI, relevant AI tools, capabilities and limitations, and practical prompting techniques. For professionals without technical backgrounds needing AI literacy.
• KI im Business anwenden (AI Advanced) Workshop Advanced workshop for systematically integrating AI into work processes, developing use cases, advanced prompting, and workflow optimisation. Targeted at professionals with basic AI familiarity seeking applied competence.
• Agile & Digital Leadership Workshop 1-day live-online workshop covering agile and digital leadership behaviours, Scrum, Kanban, and change process guidance. Targeted at leaders implementing agile and digital transformation in their teams.
• Mindful Leadership Workshop Live-online workshop on mindful leadership principles, self-perception, stress management, and mindful communication and change. Targeted at leaders seeking reflective, presence-based leadership practices.
• Positive Leadership Workshop Live-online workshop on strengths-based leadership, motivation, and the PERMA-Lead model for positive organisational culture. Targeted at leaders building positive, engagement-driven teams.
• Projektmanagement Basics Workshop 2-day live-online workshop covering foundational project management phases, tools, and success factors. For team members stepping into project responsibility or new project managers.
• Agiles Projektmanagement Workshop 1-day live-online workshop on agile methodologies including Scrum and Kanban for project management. For project managers and team leads adopting agile practices.
• Kostenloses Schnupperseminar Projektmanagement (Free Taster Seminar) Free 90-minute introductory seminar providing a practical overview of modern project management methods. Acts as WFA's freemium funnel entry into the Projektmanagement kompakt certificate programme.
• Social Selling Workshop In-person workshop on modern sales techniques including personal branding, strategic networking, and social media presence for customer acquisition. Targeted at sales professionals and account managers.

Quantifiable outcome

• WFA is tax-exempt as a gemeinnützige (non-profit) company, allowing lower pricing compared to commercial providers
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers34 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1989WFA was founded in 1989 as a spin-off (Spin-Off) of Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg. The university connection provides WFA with academic credibility and a formal quality assurance mechanism: a university dean for continuing education (Weiterbildungsdekan Prof. Dr. Dirk Ulrich Gilbert) provides scientific oversight and signs WFA certificates, conferring university-level recognition on programme graduates. This partnership is foundational to WFA's positioning and differentiation as a provider of academically rigorous professional education.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• Forum Institut für Management GmbH: Specialist German provider of compact seminars and certificate courses for executives, with a heavy emphasis on legal, compliance, HR, and management topics. Comparable to WFA's workshop-plus-certificate catalogue and B2B in-house delivery.
• Boston Business School (BBI): German private academy offering compact executive certificate programs and in-house training in management, leadership, and sales. Directly competes with WFA in the German mid-market for professional development certificates.
• AKADEMIE HERKERT: German provider of professional development seminars, certifications, and in-house training for HR, management, and compliance topics. Comparable to WFA in catalogue breadth, B2B orientation, and short-format workshop offerings.
• Deutsche Akademie für Management (DAM): German continuing education institute offering certificate courses and in-house programs in leadership, management, and marketing. Highly comparable to WFA in university-affiliated positioning, certificate offerings, and B2B/B2C mix.
• Management Circle: German provider of high-end seminars, certificate programs, and conferences for executives and specialists, with strong positioning in business management, leadership, and compliance topics. Closely overlaps WFA's certificate-led, premium-priced model and target persona of mid-career professionals.
• Haufe Akademie: One of Germany's largest private continuing education and executive training providers, offering certificates, in-house training, and e-learning across management, HR, finance, and digital topics. Directly comparable to WFA in product portfolio, target audience (German-speaking professionals and corporate L&D), and blended delivery model.

Broad incumbents

• IHK Weiterbildung (Industrie- und Handelskammer): Germany's network of Chamber of Industry and Commerce continuing education programs, offering recognised certifications and management courses across the country. A broader institutional incumbent that competes with WFA on certificate credibility and employer acceptance.
• Coursera for Business: Global online learning platform offering enterprise licences for executive and professional development content, including certificates from top universities. Represents a broad-based, scalable alternative to WFA's premium-priced in-person and cohort programs, particularly for digital/AI topics.

Regional players

• SGMI Management Institut St. Gallen: Swiss-German executive education institute offering compact certificate programs and seminars for managers in DACH region. Comparable in format and content to WFA, but primarily serves Switzerland rather than competing directly in Germany.

Emerging players

• Bitkom Akademie: German digital industry association's training arm, focused on digital transformation, AI, and tech management topics for professionals. Overlaps with WFA's 'Digital Business & AI' portfolio and competes for the same enterprise L&D budget.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 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 Wiso-führungskräfte-akademie (wfa)