Social enterprises make an important contribution to a fairer, more sustainable, and future-ready Berlin.
To make their work more visible and support it in a targeted way, the Senate Department for Economics, Energy, and Enterprises commissioned a comprehensive potential analysis in July 2025.
The research team, led by Dr. Philipp Kenel, Prof. Dr. Yasmin Olteanu (BHT), and Marion Rädler (Syspons GmbH), developed a concept that highlights the diversity of Berlin’s social enterprise scene and integrates it directly into the data collection process.
For the first time, the analysis provides robust empirical evidence to identify the full potential of social enterprises in Berlin. Around 35 interviews and a broad online survey with over 280 participating organizations were conducted. The sample spans a wide range of industries, legal forms, social milieus, sizes, and ages – nearly half of the organizations are officially recognized as non-profit.
The results paint a diverse picture: approximately 45% of the organizations are non-profit, around 60% operate according to social entrepreneurship principles but are not formally classified as social enterprises. The scene is dynamic: 35% of the organizations are younger than 3 years, 40% are between 3 and 10 years old, and 25% have been active for more than 10 years. Industry representation ranges from education, culture, and health to environmental and social innovation.
Qualitative insights from the interviews show that actors develop creative and flexible solutions to societal challenges and demonstrate strong commitment, often with limited resources. At the same time, many report challenges with formal classification and express a need for greater visibility, funding, and network support to enhance their impact. Collaborations within the Berlin scene are seen as crucial for leveraging synergies and increasing social impact.
This study thus provides, for the first time, robust data and insights that policymakers, public administrations, and funding institutions can use to strategically support and unlock the potential of social enterprises in Berlin.
You can find the full study here and the executive summary here.