IFB Stiftung

What IFB Stiftung does

IFB Stiftung is a German charitable foundation (Stiftung) headquartered in Wiesbaden that delivers comprehensive, life-cycle disability services from birth through end of life. Founded in 1959 by Alma and Christian Groh as a parent initiative for children with cerebral palsy, the organization has grown into a network of 65 locations employing approximately 1,200 people across Germany, organized into four divisions: Känguru (early intervention, school support, inclusive kindergartens), Zuhause (residential and mobile services), JOB (catering, cleaning, transport, household services with ~40% of staff having disabilities), and Löwenmut (children's hospice in South Africa). The foundation also operates 200 barrier-free apartments and the JOB catering division produces roughly 3,600 meals per day for schools and kindergartens.

The foundation's technology footprint centers on the Gaming & (Dis)Abilities platform and the "Eyes on Disabilities" collaboration with the Chaos Computer Club Wiesbaden, which develop open-source eye-tracking hardware (3D-printed glasses with infrared cameras) and curated assistive-technology guidance integrating products such as Tobii eye trackers, Xbox Adaptive Controller, QuadStick, OptiKey, OpenTrack, AITrack, Pupil, and EyeTrackVR. In 2024–2025 IFB Stiftung piloted the Robody 1.65m humanoid robot from Munich-based Devanthro for remote assistance of people with disabilities and received the 2024 Hessian State Prize for Universal Design for the Gaming & (Dis)Abilities project.

IFB Stiftung's revenue model is donation- and grant-driven rather than service-priced. Income streams include individual and corporate donations, Förderverein membership fees (€30/year individual, €240/year organization), social-enterprise service revenue from the JOB and GZU subsidiaries, state funding and integration subsidies (notably LWV Hessen Integrationsamt), planned giving through estates and bequests, and affiliate income via the Gooding.de online-shopping platform. As a tax-exempt charitable organization under German Gemeinnützigkeit, IFB Stiftung does not charge for most direct beneficiary services and instead channels public funding, philanthropic contributions, and earned social-enterprise income into operations.

Name

IFB Stiftung

Legal name

IFB-Stiftung

Website

https://ifb-stiftung.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1959

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

IFB Stiftung is a Wiesbaden-based German charitable foundation, founded 1959, that delivers comprehensive disability services across the full lifecycle through four divisions (Känguru, Zuhause, JOB, Löwenmut) at 65 locations in Germany and South Africa, serving approximately 1,200 employees and combining traditional care with assistive-technology innovation.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Social Services for People with Disabilities

NAICS

Individual and Family Services (6241), Residential Intellectual and Developmental Disability Facilities (62321), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813), Voluntary Health Organizations (813212)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Nursing & Personal Care Facilities (8050), Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090)

akta.pro primary industry

Disability Services & Independent Living Support (BPAGACAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Disability Services & Assistive Solutions (Accessibility, Assistive Tech) (BPAGALAM), Special Education, Disability Support & Inclusive Education Nonprofits (BPAGADAH)

Keywords

• Disability support services
• Inclusive care services
• Assistive gaming technology
• Social enterprise catering
• Accessible housing services

Headquarters

HQ city

Wiesbaden

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: The foundation relies heavily on donations from individuals, corporations, and organizations. Various donation mechanisms are available including online donations, occasion-based donations (birthdays, weddings), and direct bank transfers.
2. Membership Fees: The Förderverein (supporting association) generates revenue through annual membership fees: €30 per year for individuals and €240 per year for organizations.
3. Social Enterprise Services: Subsidiaries including JOB (catering, cleaning, transport, household services) and GZU (property services) generate revenue through service delivery, with approximately 40% of JOB employees having disabilities.
4. State Funding and Subsidies: The foundation receives government funding including LWV Hessen Integrationsamt investment subsidies, integration services funding, and support for inclusive employment from employment agencies.
5. Legacies and Bequests: The foundation accepts inheritances and bequests as long-term sustainable funding sources, with estate planning services offered to supporters.
6. Online Shopping Affiliate Revenue: Revenue generated through Gooding platform where supporters shop at partner stores and a portion of purchases is donated to the foundation at no additional cost to the shopper.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

IFB Stiftung is a German charitable foundation providing comprehensive life-cycle care and support services for people with disabilities, from early intervention through end-of-life care. Operations span four specialized divisions: Känguru (early intervention, school support, inclusive kindergartens), Löwenmut (children's hospice in South Africa, medical and pedagogical care), Zuhause (residential living, mobile services, barrier-free travel), and JOB (catering, cleaning, transport, household services as inclusive social enterprises). The foundation operates approximately 65 locations with 1,200 employees across Germany and South Africa.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Känguru Division Services Comprehensive early intervention and child-focused services including Frühförderung (early intervention), school support (Betreuung an Schulen), mobile inclusion services (Mobiler Inklusionsdienst), inclusive kindergartens, and Känguru Wohnen residential living, serving children and adults with disabilities and their families.
• Löwenmut Division Services (Children's Hospice)

Quantifiable outcome

• 60 years of continuous operation and growth from parent initiative to 1,200 employees at 65 locations
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration9 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Chaos Computer Club Wiesbaden (CCCWI)coreTechnology or IntegrationOngoing collaboration developing affordable eye-tracking and assistive technology solutions. The partnership combines CCCWI's hacker expertise with IFB's social mission, creating open-source assistive technologies for people with motor neuron diseases and disabilities. Joint projects include 'Eyes on (Dis)Abilities' and the 'Gaming & (Dis)Abilities' platform.
• Hochschule MainzminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity partnership for collaboration on inclusive design and social innovation projects.
• Frankfurt University of Applied SciencesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partnership supporting research and development in inclusion and accessibility.
• Akademie Mission LebenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with social services organization for collaborative care and support programs.
• Helios GesundheitminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealthcare partnership for medical services coordination and health-related support programs.
• TÜV SÜDminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerQuality assurance and safety certification services partnership.
• TransgourmetminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFood service supplier partnership for JOB catering operations.
• Hugendubel FrankfurtminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAnnual gift-wrapping fundraising partnership where Hugendubel hosts volunteer gift-wrapping for donations benefiting the Löwenmut children's hospice in South Africa.
• Gooding.deminorGTM or Marketing PartnerOnline shopping platform partnership enabling supporters to generate donations through purchases at 2,000+ partner stores at no additional cost.
• Main InstitutminorOthersTraining services partnership supporting employee development.
• Wäscherei und Bügelservice EvimminorOthersProfessional laundry services partnership for facility operations.
• Frischdienst UnionminorOthersFresh food supply partnership for catering operations.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Caritas Deutschland: Germany's largest Catholic welfare association, operating broadly across disability, elderly care, youth services, and social assistance. Comparable as a much larger incumbent offering overlapping capabilities as part of a wider social-services portfolio.
• Diakonie Deutschland: Umbrella organization for Protestant-affiliated social services in Germany, with member organizations delivering disability care, elderly care, and family services. Comparable as a broad social-services incumbent with significant overlap in disability support.

Direct peers

• Stiftung Liebenau: Catholic-affiliated German foundation operating residential facilities, schools, and employment services for people with disabilities in Baden-Württemberg and beyond. Closely comparable regional nonprofit peer with similar service mix and social-enterprise employment arm.
• v. Bodelschwinghsche Stiftungen Bethel: One of Germany's largest diakonie-affiliated social services organizations, providing disability care, psychiatry, education, and housing. Comparable as a major multi-vertical disability and care services foundation.
• Aktion Mensch: Germany's largest private grantmaking organization for disability inclusion and social participation, funded by lottery proceeds. Comparable as a major disability-focused nonprofit with fundraising and grantmaking at scale.
• Bundesvereinigung Lebenshilfe: Germany's largest disability advocacy and services federation, offering early intervention, education, housing, and employment services for people with intellectual disabilities. Directly comparable as a multi-service nonprofit serving people with disabilities across life stages.
• Gemeinnützige Werkstätten und Wohnstätten (GWWN): Network of German workshops and residential facilities providing employment and housing for people with disabilities. Directly comparable as a peer operating inclusive employment (Werkstätten) and residential care at regional scale.

Regional players

• Lebenshilfe Schleswig-Holstein: Regional Lebenshilfe affiliate in Schleswig-Holstein offering the same mix of early intervention, education, housing, and employment services as other Lebenshilfe organizations. Comparable as a regional nonprofit peer focused on disability services.

Emerging players

• Special Olympics Deutschland: German arm of Special Olympics, focused on inclusion through sport for people with intellectual disabilities. Partial overlap as a disability-inclusion advocacy and program organization operating in Germany.

Others

• Tobii (assistive technology): Swedish provider of eye-tracking hardware and software used in assistive technology. Indirect peer — IFB Stiftung recommends Tobii products and integrates them into Gaming & (Dis)Abilities, making Tobii an adjacent ecosystem enabler in IFB's assistive-tech stack.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• GitHubgithub.com/eyes-on-disabilities
• Facebookfacebook.com/ifbstiftung
• Instagraminstagram.com/ifbstiftung
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ifb-stiftung

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Subsidiaries16 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 IFB Stiftung