The international debate about 'Social Entrepreneurship' and new social enterprises has also reached Germany. Financially and conceptually supported by foundations and connector organizations, the term and concept increasingly gains attention from professional media, social sciences publications and recently even from politics. In this publication the relevance and organizational design of these new actors are described based on empirical evidence gained from questionnaires of 2,000 organizations. Based on traditional design of German social welfare arrangements and the debate about their limits, the additional value of these new forms of social activities is analyzed and discussed. In addition it is investigated if and how these new players can fit into the traditional organizations of the welfare-system and can initiate innovational change even beyond their own mission.