Henkel to significantly expand its global STEM initiative Forscherwelt

• Henkel will invest a double-digit million-euro amount by 2030 to establish five new permanent Researchers’ World locations worldwide, including a new STEM center in Düsseldorf, Germany.
• Researchers’ World is Henkel’s global education initiative that gives children hands-on access to science and STEM education
• The initiative builds on 15 years of experience, activities in over 20 countries and the participation of more than 130,000 children worldwide
• The expansion aims to lower barriers and strengthen equal access to STEM education for children around the world
• Researchers’ World was launched in the UK in 2025 and has since reached more than 2,000 students through hands-on STEM experiences delivered in schools across the country
• Building on the successful UK roll out, Forscherwelt will launch in Ireland in January 2027.

On the occasion of its 150th anniversary, Henkel is taking its long-standing commitment to science education to the next level. By the end of 2030, the company plans to establish five new permanent learning labs as part of its “Researchers’ World” initiative ‏(in German: Forscherwelt): a new STEM center at Henkel’s headquarters in Düsseldorf and four additional Researchers’ World labs around the world. In addition, mobile concepts will bring hands-on science education to children in six additional countries. Henkel will invest a double-digit million-euro amount in the expansion of Researchers’ World by 2030.

“Curiosity and a spirit of discovery are essential drivers of learning and innovation. Through our Researchers’ World initiative, we encourage children to ask questions, explore new ideas and develop their own solutions. By expanding the initiative internationally, we want to make high-quality STEM education accessible to as many young people as possible, regardless of their socioeconomic background,” says Dr. Simone Bagel-Trah, patron of Henkel’s Researchers’ World and Chairwoman of Henkel’s Supervisory Board and Shareholders’ Committee. 

“As Henkel celebrates its 150th anniversary, we are expanding our Researchers’ World initiative to enable even more children to experience science, technology and innovation first-hand. We also want to reach young people who have had limited access to these opportunities so far. This project reflects our long-term commitment to social responsibility as a company, both as part of our anniversary year and beyond. We believe that education is an investment in the future of society, which is why we are committed to making a lasting contribution in this area,” says Carsten Knobel, CEO of Henkel. 

A global platform for curiosity, skills and equal opportunity

Founded in Düsseldorf in 2011, Researchers’ World has developed into a global education initiative that promotes early STEM education in more than 20 countries across Asia, Africa, the Middle East, Europe, North America and South America. Through hands-on experiments and age-appropriate learning formats, children explore scientific concepts and discover the world of science through inquiry, experimentation and problem-solving. Since its launch, more than 130,000 children worldwide have participated in the program. As part of its expansion plans, Henkel aims to extend Researchers’ World to more than 30 countries by 2030. 

Researchers’ World was launched in the UK in 2025 and has since reached more than 2,000 students through hands-on STEM experiences delivered in schools across the country. As part of Henkel’s 150th anniversary celebrations, the programme was also extended to home-educated children through a special workshop series, helping ensure STEM learning opportunities are accessible to a wider range of young people. Building on this success, Forscherwelt will launch in Ireland in January 2027.

Speaking about the impact of Researchers World ‏(known as Forscherwelt in the UK), Sutinder Bhandal, President Henkel UK & Ireland said: "As Henkel celebrates 150 years of innovation, we are proud to invest in the next generation through Forscherwelt. Since launching the programme in the UK in 2025, we have reached more than 2,000 students with hands-on STEM experiences designed to spark curiosity and build confidence. We are now excited to expand the programme to Ireland in 2027, helping even more young people discover the opportunities that science, technology and innovation can offer."

Düsseldorf as one of the five new permanent locations

Henkel will build a new STEM center at its headquarters in Düsseldorf. It will expand the existing concept and location with extracurricular formats, a wider target group, and dedicated access for external visitors. The center is expected to accommodate more than 10,000 children and young people annually.As one of the five new permanent locations, the Düsseldorf center will form part of a wider global network. 

“By expanding our global network, we aim to further reduce financial and organizational barriers to STEM education and create accessible learning opportunities for children from different socioeconomic backgrounds and educational pathways,” explains Dr. Ute Krupp, who is responsible for the Researchers’ World initiative at Henkel. “Our learning programs support scientific literacy, critical thinking, collaboration and creativity – skills that help young people understand and shape a changing world.”

Further information and free teaching materials are available at henkel-researchers-world.com