Ulmer City Marketing E.v.

What Ulmer City Marketing E.v. does

Ulmer City Marketing e.V. is a German registered non-profit association (eingetragener Verein) headquartered in Ulm that functions as a membership-based economic association (Wirtschaftsverein) for approximately 330-360 local businesses across retail, gastronomy, hospitality, services, and trade. The association's core mandate is collective city marketing: bundling member contributions to run city-wide promotional campaigns, events (Ulmer Weinfest, Ulmer Weihnachtsmarkt, Ulmer Sandkunst, Streetfoodmarkt, Schwaben Genuss Tage), and a unified voice in city politics and administration. A six-person core team, led by Citymanagerin Sandra Walter, executes the program alongside an extended volunteer board drawn from member businesses.

The organization's flagship commercial product is the Ulmer City Gutschein, a city gift voucher system operational since the 1980s and digitally transformed in 2023. The voucher exists in both paper and digital (NFC-enabled, smartphone-wallet-integrated) formats, redeemable at over 200 locations with a planned expansion to 400+ across Ulm and Neu-Ulm; paper vouchers are sold through 15 physical sales points and the online shop at denominations of €15, €25, €35, and €50. The voucher generated €2.3 million in gross transaction volume in 2022. Related offerings include the Ulmer City Wunderbeutel (a promotional bundle combining a €100 digital voucher with member coupons), branded merchandise, and a portfolio of recurring events.

Revenue is generated primarily through recurring membership fees from the 360-member base and transaction-related fees from the voucher system, supplemented by event sponsorships (including state-level funding from the Baden-Württemberg Ministry for Economics/Work and Tourism) and merchandise sales. Strategic partnerships anchor the model: Sparkasse Ulm and Volksbank Ulm-Biberach provide financial and payment infrastructure, Smart.Region provides the NFC voucher technology platform, and Ulm Messe, Ulm/Neu-Ulm Touristik GmbH, and W.I.N. Wir in Neu-Ulm e.V. provide event and cross-city coordination. The association is governed by its members via an elected executive board (1. Vorsitzender Michael Klamser of Sport Klamser) and extended board, with no external equity ownership, funding rounds, or M&A activity.

Name

Ulmer City Marketing E.v.

Legal name

Ulmer City Marketing e.V.

Website

https://ulmercity.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1969

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Ulmer City Marketing e.V. is a German non-profit economic association (Wirtschaftsverein) representing approximately 360 Ulm-based retail, gastronomy, hospitality, service, and trade businesses. It runs collective city marketing, events (Weinfest, Weihnachtsmarkt, Sandkunst), and the Ulmer City Gutschein digital and paper voucher system.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

City Marketing and Business Association Services

NAICS

Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events without Facilities (711320), Convention and Trade Show Organizers (56192)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Event Marketing, Ticketing & Registration Management (HSACAAAM)

Keywords

• City marketing services
• Business association
• Gift voucher programs
• Retail promotion
• Event management

Headquarters

HQ city

Ulm

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Membership fees: The association generates revenue through membership fees from over 360 member businesses including retailers, restaurateurs, service providers, and hotels in Ulm. Members receive benefits including network access, marketing support, and inclusion in the city voucher redemption system.
2. City voucher system (ulmer city gutschein): The organization manages the digital and paper-based Ulmer City Gutschein voucher system. The voucher achieved a transaction volume of 2.3 million Euro in 2022. The system includes merchant fees for redemption and potentially digital card issuance.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Ulmer City Marketing e.V. is a registered non-profit economic association (Wirtschaftsverein) that bundles retail, gastronomy, hotel, service, and trade businesses in Ulm through active network management. It operates the Ulmer City Gutschein city gift voucher system (digital and paper), recruits member businesses, organizes city marketing campaigns and events, and acts as a central point of contact between local commerce and city politics/administration.

Product overview

Ulmer City Marketing e.V. operates as a city marketing and business association (Wirtschaftsverein) for Ulm, Germany. The organization offers a portfolio of products and services centered on promoting the city's retail, hospitality, and service sectors. Its core products include the Ulmer City Gutschein (available in both digital and paper formats), a regional gift voucher system redeemable at over 400 participating businesses. Related offerings include the Ulmer City Wunderbeutel (a promotional bundle of gift vouchers from member businesses) and branded merchandise. The organization also runs a diverse events program including the Ulmer Weinfest, Ulmer Weihnachtsmarkt, Streetfoodmarkt, Ulmer City Schwaben Genuss Tage, and special projects such as Ulmer Sandkunst, Ulmer City blühen, and the Fratz Schwimmspatz mascot. The portfolio is supported by a network of approximately 360 member businesses from retail, gastronomy, hospitality, and services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ulmer city gutschein: A local digital and paper gift voucher system redeemable at over 200 businesses in Ulm and Neu-Ulm, managed by the association since the 1980s.

Products and services

• Ulmer City Gutschein (Digital) A digital city gift voucher system that allows customers to purchase and redeem gift vouchers at over 400 participating businesses in Ulm and Neu-Ulm. Available in denominations of 15€, 25€, 35€, and 50€; uses NFC technology and smartphone wallet integration for redemption at retail, hospitality, and service establishments.
• Ulmer City Gutschein (Paper) Traditional paper-based city gift voucher in DIN A5 format with envelope, managed through a proprietary web system. Can be exchanged for the digital version if desired. Valid for 3 years with extension available upon request. Redeemable at retail, gastronomy, and service establishments in Ulm and Neu-Ulm.
• Ulmer City Wunderbeutel A promotional bundle (Wunderbeutel / "wonder bag") containing gift vouchers worth at least 50€ from various member businesses. Available exclusively to customers who purchase a digital Ulmer City Gutschein worth 100€. Each bag is individually assembled with vouchers spanning fashion, décor, gastronomy, health, wellness, and experiences.
• Ulmer City Merchandise Branded merchandise including the Ulmer City Wunderbeutel and other promotional items, sold through the association's online shop at shop.ulmercitygutschein.de to support city marketing and visitor engagement.
• Association Membership Membership in the Ulmer City Marketing e.V. economic association for local businesses. Members benefit from network access, marketing support, representation in city politics/administration, inclusion in the city voucher redemption system, and participation in collective marketing campaigns. Over 360 member businesses currently participate.

Named customers8 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

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Ulm/Neu-Ulm Touristik GmbHcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe official tourism organization for the dual-city region (Zweilandstadt) of Ulm and Neu-Ulm. Collaborates with Ulmer City Marketing in creative project teams to strengthen the city center and promote the Danube city as an attractive destination. Provides tourism expertise, city guides, and event coordination.
• Ulm Messe GmbHcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBehind many events in Ulm and the region, from trade shows to large public events. Provides comprehensive event management including concept, planning, implementation, and post-event analysis. Works closely with Ulmer City Marketing on city events.
• Sparkasse UlmcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional financial partner supporting the digital Ulmer City Gutschein. As a reliable regional bank, Sparkasse Ulm contributes to strengthening local trade and a future-ready city center through the digital voucher system.
• W.I.N. Wir in Neu-Ulm e.V.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCity marketing organization for Neu-Ulm (sister city across the Danube). City managers Wida Maher (Neu-Ulm) and Sandra Walter (Ulm) work hand-in-hand. Both organizations jointly support trade, gastronomy, hospitality, and services, maintaining a strong network.
• Ulms kleine Spatzen e.V.minorOthersChildren's charity organization focused on fighting child poverty in Ulm and surrounding area. Active for nearly 10 years through engaged members and volunteers. Ulmer City Marketing is proud to be a partner of this network.
• Bauhaus UlmminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSponsored the Ulmer City blühen project, providing wheelbarrows, plants, and watering cans for the flower campaign in collaboration with elementary school children and AWO Ulm.
• Smart.RegioncoreTechnology or IntegrationTechnology provider for the digital city voucher system. Their NFC-based solution enables the digital Citygutschein with smart card functionality, smartphone wallet integration, and app features for the voucher program.
• Druck + Medien Zipperlen GmbHminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-organizer of the photo competition for the City Calendar 2027 under the theme 'Ulm – Das höchste der Gefühle' (Ulm - The height of emotion).
• Ministerium für Wirtschaft/Arbeit und Tourismus Baden-WürttembergminorOthersState ministry providing funding for projects like Ulmer Sandkunst (sand sculpture event). Supports city marketing initiatives to promote regional commerce.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Berlin Tourismus & Kongress GmbH (visitBerlin): Municipal tourism and city marketing organization for Berlin. Directly comparable function (destination marketing, voucher programs, city events) but operates at a national-capital scale that Ulm does not match.
• München Tourismus (Munich Tourism): Larger-scale municipal tourism and city marketing body for Munich. Same vertical (city marketing + events) but operates at a much larger scale and budget than Ulm, serving as a broad-incumbent reference point for what scaled German city marketing looks like.
• Düsseldorf Marketing & Tourismus GmbH: City marketing and tourism body for Düsseldorf. Runs city vouchers, retail promotion campaigns, and major events — overlapping function to Ulm but in a larger Rhine-Ruhr metropolitan market.

Direct peers

• Hannover Marketing und Tourismus GmbH: City marketing and tourism entity for Hannover that runs the HannoverCard, city vouchers, and major events such as the Hannover Marathon and Schützenfest. Directly comparable scale and mandate in a German mid-sized city.
• Stuttgart-Marketing GmbH: City marketing organization for Stuttgart that similarly bundles local retailers, gastronomy, and service providers under a collective marketing mandate. Directly comparable as a German Wirtschaftsverein-equivalent promoting its city center and running local voucher/event programs.
• Dresden Marketing GmbH: City marketing organization for Dresden that organizes the Striezelmarkt (one of Germany's oldest Christmas markets), city-wide festivals, and promotional campaigns for local retailers — same Wirtschaftsverein/event structure as Ulm.
• Freiburg Wirtschaft Touristik und Messe (FWTM): Combines city marketing, tourism promotion, and event/convention organization for Freiburg — directly mirroring Ulmer City Marketing's mix of Wirtschaftsverein + city voucher + event programming in a mid-sized German city.
• W.I.N. Wir in Neu-Ulm e.V. Sister city marketing association for Neu-Ulm, explicitly partnered with Ulmer City Marketing under the joint Zweilandstadt framework. Near-identical business model, board structure, and service portfolio.
• Nürnberg Tourismus / CongressCenter Nürnberg: City marketing and tourism organization for Nuremberg that runs the local 'Nürnberg Gutschein' equivalent and a comparable calendar of festivals and Christmas markets. Same Verein-style mandate, same German mid-large city context.

Others

• Smart.Region: Technology provider for Ulmer City Marketing's digital NFC-based City Gutschein platform. Adjacent infrastructure/enabler rather than a direct competitor; relevant for understanding the technology stack underlying Ulm's digital voucher offering.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ulmer-city-marketing
• Instagraminstagram.com/ulmercitymarketing

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 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 Ulmer City Marketing E.v.