How many companies in the “Foundation” industry are there in Germany?
The B2B database of dieanalysten GmbH alone lists more than 6,700 companies in the “Foundation” industry in Germany (October 2026). The total number of companies in the “Foundation” industry in Germany is therefore at least 6,700. Most are located in North Rhine-Westphalia (1,268), Bavaria (1,086), Baden-Württemberg (1,048).
Key figures
Companies by federal state
| State | Number | Share | per 100,000 inh. |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Rhine-Westphalia | 1,268 | 19% | 7.0 |
| Bavaria | 1,086 | 16% | 8.1 |
| Baden-Württemberg | 1,048 | 16% | 9.3 |
| Berlin | 550 | 8% | 14.2 |
| Lower Saxony | 521 | 8% | 6.4 |
| Hesse | 518 | 8% | 8.1 |
| Hamburg | 437 | 6% | 22.9 |
| Rhineland-Palatinate | 256 | 4% | 6.2 |
| Schleswig-Holstein | 204 | 3% | 6.9 |
| Saxony | 178 | 3% | 4.4 |
| Brandenburg | 157 | 2% | 6.1 |
| Thuringia | 138 | 2% | 6.5 |
| Saxony-Anhalt | 121 | 2% | 5.5 |
| Bremen | 100 | 1% | 14.3 |
| Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania | 66 | 1% | 4.0 |
| Saarland | 54 | 1% | 5.5 |
| Germany | 6,725 | 100% | 8.0 |
Cities with the most companies in the “Foundation” industry
Digitalization
26% of companies in the “Foundation” industry have no website of their own.
Related industries
- Welfare association5,803
- Workers' welfare association (Arbeiterwohlfahrt)4,552
- Parish and church congregation8,391
- Non-profit association7,621
- Choir3,921
- Parish6,825
- Ball sports club6,380
- Historical society6,271
- Parish office6,182
- Community center and parish hall5,690
- Recreational sports club5,584
- Cooperative5,071
- Party branch and district association4,847
- Red Cross2,220
- Protestant parish office4,157
- Diakonie1,955
Frequently asked questions
How many companies in the “Foundation” industry are there in Germany?
The B2B database of dieanalysten GmbH alone lists more than 6,700 companies in the “Foundation” industry in Germany (October 2026). The total number of companies in the “Foundation” industry in Germany is therefore at least 6,700. Most are located in North Rhine-Westphalia (1,268), Bavaria (1,086), Baden-Württemberg (1,048).
Which German cities have the most companies in the “Foundation” industry?
Berlin (507), Hamburg (421), Munich (304), Stuttgart (180), Cologne (129).
How many companies in the “Foundation” industry in Germany have a website?
74% have their own website, 58% an email address.
How current is this number?
It is recalculated daily from the current database. Last update: October 17, 2026. Businesses in liquidation or with a recognizable closure are not counted.
Cite this number
The B2B database of dieanalysten GmbH alone lists more than 6,700 companies in the “Foundation” industry in Germany (source: dieanalysten B2B database, October 2026, https://www.dieanalysten.com/en/statistics/foundation).
The statistics are licensed under CC BY 4.0: free to use, including commercially, with attribution “dieanalysten” and a link.
Method: businesses in the database of dieanalysten GmbH minus a 5% safety margin; businesses in liquidation or with a recognizable closure are excluded. See methodology. As of October 17, 2026.