Schulz Von Thun Kommunikation

Name

Schulz Von Thun Kommunikation

Legal name

Schulz von Thun Institut für Kommunikation

Website

https://schulz-von-thun.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1971

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Hamburg-based private institute delivering communication psychology training, certification programs, and consulting built on its proprietary Inner Team and Four-Sides Model frameworks, serving professionals and organizations across Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Communication Psychology Training

NAICS

Professional and Management Development Training (61143)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Coaching, Mentoring & Facilitation Services (BPACANAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

1:1 Speech, Rhetoric & Communication Coaching (EDAMAOAK), Online Public Speaking & Debate Programs (Live/Recorded) (EDAMAOAD), Corporate/Professional Public Speaking Training (Presentation Skills) (EDAMAOAJ)

Keywords

• Communication psychology training
• Leadership development programs
• Professional coaching certification
• Mediation training programs
• Conflict resolution consulting

Headquarters

HQ city

Hamburg

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Professional Development Programs: Multi-module certificate programs (KBT, KuF, ZKP, Coaching, Mediation) offered in seminar format with defined curricula, peer groups, and certification upon completion. Programs range from 8-12 modules spanning multiple days over 1-2 years. Pricing: Coaching training €9,975 + VAT, Mediation training €9,900 + VAT.
2. Open Seminars (Impulstage): One-day seminars on specific communication topics offered both in-person and online via Zoom. Participants pay per session with pricing from €199-345 + VAT depending on format and duration. Sessions limited to 12 participants maximum.
3. In-house Corporate Training: Customized training and consulting services for organizations including leadership development, team building, conflict management, and communication skills training. Billed as project-based professional services with pricing customized to scope.
4. Coaching Platform Services: Individual and team coaching services through the Institute's coaching platform, connecting organizations with vetted coaches who use Schulz von Thun methods. Companies purchase coaching contingents and employees select coaches via the platform.
5. Communication Academy: Seminars for young adults (18-26 years) at subsidized pricing (€98 per seminar + VAT). Certificate available upon completing 7+ seminars plus graduation course. Live-online format via Zoom, max 12 participants.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Schulz von Thun Institut für Kommunikation delivers multi-module communication psychology training and certification programs (KBT, KuF, ZKP, Coaching-Ausbildung, Mediations-Ausbildung Klärungshilfe), one-day Impulstage seminars, in-house corporate training, a Kommunikations-Akademie for young adults, and a Coaching-Plattform that connects organizations with vetted coaches trained in Schulz von Thun methods. All offerings are grounded in six proprietary communication models developed by Prof. Dr. Friedemann Schulz von Thun and are delivered through in-person seminars, live online sessions via Zoom, and a digitized Inner Team tool built with the Coachingspace startup.

Product overview

The Schulz von Thun Institut für Kommunikation is a communication psychology training institute offering a portfolio of structured programs built on Friedemann Schulz von Thun's models (Communication Square, Inner Team, Values Quadrant, Riemann-Thomann Model, Devil's Circle, Situational Model). The portfolio consists of three core certification programs — KBT (Kommunikations-Beratung und Training) for coaches and trainers, KuF (Kommunikation und Führung) for leaders, and ZKP (Zusatzausbildung Kommunikationspsychologie) for social/healthcare professionals — plus the Coaching-Ausbildung for professional coach certification and the Mediations-Ausbildung Klärungshilfe for mediators. Supplementary offerings include the Kommunikations-Akademie für junge Erwachsene for young adults, Impulstage one-day seminars, Inhouse-Angebote corporate training, the Coaching-Plattform marketplace, and the Sommervorlesung public lecture series. All offerings are grounded in a humanistic-systemic philosophy emphasizing the unity of professional excellence and human development.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• KBT: Kommunikations-Beratung und Training - a training series for coaches, trainers, and HR developers
• KuF
• ZKP
• Coaching-Ausbildung
• Mediations-Ausbildung Klärungshilfe
• Kommunikations-Akademie
• Impulstage
• Coaching-Plattform

Products and services

• Kommunikations-Akademie für junge Erwachsene (Communication Academy for Young Adults) A live-online (Zoom) seminar series for individuals aged 18-26 covering communication topics such as the Communication Square, Inner Team decision-making, active listening, conflict resolution, small talk, feedback, self-confidence, stress management, and professional presence. Sessions are capped at 12 participants and priced at €98 + VAT per seminar, with a certificate available after 7+ seminars plus graduation course.
• KBT – Fortbildungsreihe Kommunikations-Beratung und Training A multi-module continuing education program for coaches, trainers, and HR development professionals covering coaching with the Inner Team, group dynamics, conflict clarification (Klärungshilfe), leadership training, and professional self-assertion. Delivered as a structured curriculum combining theory, practice, and personal development, with peer groups and supervision. Over 500 graduates certified since the program's launch in 1991.
• KuF – Weiterbildungsreihe Kommunikation und Führung A continuing education series for managers and leaders covering communication and leadership, team development, conflict clarification, moderation, employee coaching, and presentation skills across 9 seminars plus special courses. Designed to prepare participants as communication experts in leadership roles.
• ZKP – Zusatzausbildung Kommunikationspsychologie A 20-module supplementary training in communication psychology for professionals in social, educational, political, and healthcare fields, combining humanistic and systemic psychology with Schulz von Thun's models. Includes peer groups, supervision, and transfer coaching. Approximately 800 graduates certified.
• Coaching-Ausbildung – Coaching nach Schulz von Thun A professional coaching certification program delivered in closed groups of max 12 participants across 9 modules (25 days total) using communication psychology models combined with live supervision, case documentation, and self-reflection. Cost €9,975 + VAT; next cohort starts March 2027.
• Mediations-Ausbildung Klärungshilfe A career-accompanying mediation certification based on the Klärungshilfe method developed by Thomann and Schulz von Thun, compliant with Germany's ZMediatAusbV guidelines. Delivered in 8 modules across 22 days in Berlin by KiO GbR in cooperation with the institute. Covers two-person conflicts, team conflicts, digital mediation competencies, and legal frameworks. Max 16 participants. Cost €9,900 + VAT.
• Inhouse-Angebote (In-house Corporate Training) Customized in-house training and consulting services for organizations covering leadership development, team development, conflict management, and communication culture improvement. Delivered by a team of 29 communication psychologists in German and English, tailored to specific organizational needs and billed as project-based professional services.
• Impulstage (Open Seminars) Single-day intensive seminars on specific communication topics, offered in-person at the Hamburg institute (10:00-18:00) or online via Zoom (09:00-16:30), with compact 3h15min formats also available. Topics include feedback, conflict moderation, inner team, leadership, and more. Max 12 participants per session. Standard fee €345 + VAT; compact format €199 + VAT; special events up to €690 + VAT.
• Coaching-Plattform (Coaching Platform) An online platform connecting companies with pre-screened, highly qualified coaches trained in Schulz von Thun's communication psychology. Companies purchase coaching contingents; employees select coaches via the Coach-Finder. Coaching is available in-person in many German cities, online, or by phone.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 1.3 million copies of 'Miteinander reden' books sold
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles7 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature8 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• KiO GbR (Konfliktklärung in Organisationen)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKiO GbR organizes and conducts the Mediation Training (Mediations-Ausbildung) in cooperation with the Schulz von Thun Institute. The training follows the Klärungshilfe method developed by Dr. Christoph Thomann and Prof. Dr. Friedemann Schulz von Thun, meeting ZMediatAusbV guidelines. Led by Catarina Barrios and Alexandra Bielecke.
• Perspekto Coaching GmbHminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPerspekto Coaching specializes in coaching unemployed clients, combining career guidance with individual coaching based on Schulz von Thun communication models. Coaches receive two-year training in consultation methods and Institute-supervised coaching.
• Institut für Kommunikation und Führung (IKF), LuzernminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint development of CAS certificate program 'Angewandte Kommunikationspsychologie nach Schulz von Thun' offered in Switzerland. Can be combined with other courses (Transcultural Communication, Mediation, Leadership) toward a Master of Advanced Studies.
• FH Wien / AIHE Academic Institute for Higher Education GmbHminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJointly developed Master of Science in Communication and Business Psychology distance learning program (3 semesters, 90 credits). Prof. Schulz von Thun's literature is foundational, with a special lecture on his work included.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Gallup: Global analytics and advisory firm with strengths-based leadership coaching and certification programmes (CliftonStrengths) — competes for the same corporate leadership-development and HR-developer budgets as the Schulz von Thun Institute, but at much larger scale.
• Korn Ferry: Global organisational consulting firm with leadership development, coaching, and assessment practices — overlapping the institute's in-house corporate training and coaching platform offerings, but serving multinationals with a broader portfolio.

Direct peers

• Hogan Assessment Systems: Personality assessment publisher with a global network of certified practitioners delivering leadership and communication coaching — overlapping the institute's practitioner-training and corporate-coaching offerings, particularly for HR developers and leaders.
• FranklinCovey: Methodology-driven training company (The 7 Habits, leadership content) selling certification programmes, in-house corporate training, and coaching — closely comparable to Schulz von Thun in IP-anchored content, premium pricing, and certified-practitioner network.
• Dale Carnegie Training: Long-established global communication and leadership training franchise with flagship courses on presentation, influence, and interpersonal skills — comparable to the institute's Communication Academy and Impulstage in audience and delivery format.
• Insights Group (Insights Discovery): Provider of personality/communication frameworks (Insights Discovery) and accredited practitioner training programmes — structurally analogous to Schulz von Thun's model-based methodology (Riemann-Thomann, Communication Square) and trainer certification business model (KBT, ZKP).
• Center for Creative Leadership (CCL): Global non-profit delivering leadership development programs, coaching, and assessment for executives — directly comparable to the Schulz von Thun Institute's KuF and coaching certification offerings in target audience (leaders and managers) and content domain (communication and leadership behaviour).

Regional players

• Trigon Entwicklungsberatung: Austrian organisational development and change-management consultancy with a systemic methodology and certified training programmes — comparable to the Schulz von Thun Institute's in-house corporate training and leadership development focus within DACH.
• isb Institut für Systemische Beratung: German systemic-consulting training institute offering multi-module certification programmes for coaches, mediators, and organisational developers — structurally similar to KBT/ZKP/Coaching-Ausbildung in curriculum format and DACH trainer/practitioner audience.
• Metaplan: German facilitation and organisational development consultancy based on proprietary methods — comparable to the Schulz von Thun Institute's methodology-anchored training, German-language delivery, and focus on group dynamics and moderation.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtiktok.com/@schulz.von.thun.i
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@Schulz-von-Thun-Institut
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/schulz-von-thun-institut-f%C3%BCr-kommunikation/about
• Instagraminstagram.com/schulz_von_thun_institut
• TikToktiktok.com/@schulz.von.thun.i

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 Schulz Von Thun Kommunikation