Médecins sans frontières

What Médecins sans frontières does

Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), operating in Sweden as Läkare Utan Gränser, is a private non-profit humanitarian medical organization founded in Paris in 1971, with its Swedish section (ideell förening, org. no. 802017-2360) established in 1993 and headquartered in Stockholm. The Swedish section employs approximately 100 staff and functions as a national fundraising, recruitment, and advocacy node within the global MSF movement, which deploys roughly 60,000 staff annually across more than 70 countries. The organization delivers direct medical care—emergency surgery, maternity and reproductive care, epidemic response, malnutrition treatment, sexual-violence trauma care, and treatment of neglected diseases—to populations affected by conflict, disaster, and exclusion, operating its own clinics, hospitals, mobile teams, and rapid-response units supplied through a global logistics network of pre-packed kits and inflatable hospitals.

MSF is not a commercial technology company and has no API, SDK, or saleable software product. Its principal proprietary technical asset is eCARE, a clinical-algorithm-based smartphone/tablet application functioning as a virtual medical assistant for field staff; deployed in the Central African Republic, it reduced antibiotic prescriptions from 40% to 21% of patients within one month. Additional capabilities include the Epicentre epidemiological research unit and a co-development role as a founding partner of DNDi (Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative), supporting publication across roughly 80 scientific journals.

The funding model is donation-based rather than transactional. Over 97% of MSF's global revenue derives from approximately 7 million private individual donors, providing operational independence; the Swedish section raised 705 million SEK in 2024 from individuals, foundations, and companies, with 85.3% allocated to charitable purpose, 11% to fundraising costs, and 3.7% to administration. Go-to-market is event-driven and community-led—annual "On Track to Save" competitions, the "På plats" newsletter, podcasts, press/earned media, and direct mail/telemarketing to existing donors. Donor segments span recurring monthly givers, testamentary and in-memory gifts, and tiered corporate partnerships (Supporter from 20,000 SEK, Företagspartner from 750,000 SEK, Huvudpartner from 1.5 million SEK). In 2023 MSF received its largest-ever single donation of 300 million SEK from Akeliusgruppen. The Swedish section holds a 90-konto certification from Svensk Insamlingskontroll and follows the Giva Sverige quality code.

Name

Médecins sans frontières

Legal name

Läkare Utan Gränser

Website

https://lakareutangranser.se

Company type

Private

Founded year

1971

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Médecins Sans Frontières (Läkare Utan Gränser) is a private non-profit humanitarian organization delivering emergency and primary medical care to populations affected by conflict, epidemics, disaster, and exclusion across 70+ countries, funded almost entirely by private donations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Humanitarian Medical Aid

NAICS

Emergency and Other Relief Services (62423), Community Food and Housing, and Emergency and Other Relief Services (6242), Emergency and Other Relief Services (624230), Social Assistance (624)

SIC

Services-Health Services (8000), Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090), Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Hospitals (8060)

akta.pro primary industry

International & Local Implementing NGOs (HLAJAKAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Humanitarian Health & Emergency Medical Relief NGOs (HLAJAKAE), Medical Missions & Global Health NGOs (BPAGACAI), Humanitarian Health Coordination & Emergency Response Partnerships (HLAJAOAI), Refugee, IDP & Migration Humanitarian Assistance (BPAGAAAH), Disease-Specific Global Programs (HIV/TB/Malaria/NTDs) (HLAJAKAF)

Keywords

• Humanitarian medical aid
• Emergency healthcare services
• Medical humanitarian response
• Epidemic outbreak response
• Conflict zone medical care

Headquarters

HQ city

Stockholm

HQ country

Sweden

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Private individual donations: Over 97% of MSF's global revenue comes from private individual donors (approximately 7 million donors worldwide). These are unrestricted gifts that enable MSF to act independently of government or institutional interests. In Sweden, donors contributed 705 million SEK in 2024.
2. Monthly giving (månadsgivare): Regular monthly donors provide predictable income allowing MSF to maintain readiness for rapid response. Sweden-specific recurring donor programme with direct debit capabilities.
3. Corporate and foundation donations: Corporate partners, foundations, and institutional supporters contribute significant gifts. In 2023, MSF received its largest-ever donation of 300 million SEK from Akeliusgruppen. MSF does not accept funds from companies primarily in tobacco, alcohol, weapons, oil/gas, diamonds, gold, or pharmaceuticals industries.
4. Testamentary and in-memory gifts: Bequests and testamentary gifts are a long-term revenue stream. Memory gifts (minnesgåvor) are also offered in connection with funerals.
5. Corporate partnerships and supporter packages: Corporate engagement at multiple tiers: Kampanjpartner (campaign partner), Företagspartner (from 750,000 SEK), Huvudpartner (from 1.5 million SEK), and Supporter packages (from 20,000 SEK). Partners receive communications packages, project visit opportunities, and recognition.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Médecins Sans Frontières delivers direct medical humanitarian care to people affected by armed conflict, natural disasters, epidemics, malnutrition, and exclusion from healthcare, operating its own hospitals, clinics, and mobile health teams in over 70 countries. The Swedish section (Läkare Utan Gränser) recruits international field staff and raises private donations that fund field operations, supported by proprietary capabilities including pre-packed medical kits, inflatable hospitals, the eCARE diagnostic app, and Epicentre epidemiological research. MSF also conducts humanitarian advocacy and bears public witness to medical ethics violations and crises.

Product overview

Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) / Läkare Utan Gränser is a humanitarian medical organization, not a technology product company. The organization provides direct medical humanitarian aid services in conflict zones, natural disasters, and epidemic outbreaks across over 70 countries. The 'products' referenced on their Swedish website (lakareutangranser.se) are charitable giving programs (monthly donations, memorial gifts, gift certificates), fundraising campaigns, and employment/volunteer opportunities. MSF does not offer a commercial software product, platform, or technology service.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Direct medical humanitarian care in conflict zones, disasters, and epidemics

Quantifiable outcome

• Antibiotic prescription rate reduced from 40% to 21% of patients within one month of eCARE deployment
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

21 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Collyer LogisticsminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 March 2026Collyer Logistics served as the campaign partner for MSF Hong Kong's annual 'On Track to Save 2026' running and orienteering competition at Hong Kong Science Park, which drew nearly 4,000 participants.
• ERuDeF (Environment and Rural Development Foundation)minorOthersERuDeF is a Cameroonian conservation NGO mentioned alongside MSF in a context of humanitarian operations. ERuDeF's founder was abducted in August 2025, and the organization lost funding and halted field operations since 2017. Not a direct MSF partnership — mentioned as a peer organization in conflict-affected Cameroon.
• DNDi (Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDNDi is a collaborative drug research and development initiative to which MSF is a founding partner. DNDi develops treatments for neglected tropical diseases affecting people in low-income countries. MSF participates in testing and developing new treatments through its medical projects and research. MSF has published studies in nearly 80 scientific journals contributing to changes in clinical practice.
• Karolinska InstitutetcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMSF Sweden refers candidates to the Karolinska Institutet's 'Health Assistance in Humanitarian Crisis' course (12 ETCS), a mandatory preparatory training for medical staff. The course is held partly in Stockholm and partly remote, in English. MSF and KI collaborate on humanitarian health training content.
• Epicentre (MSF epidemiological research unit)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEpicentre is MSF's own epidemiological research unit conducting investigations and studies to help field teams understand medical needs in humanitarian crises, improve treatments and protocols, and develop high-quality care.
• Vitamin WellminorGTM or Marketing PartnerVitamin Well is listed as an international partner/corporate supporter of MSF Sweden. Nature of partnership not detailed in available source material.
• HemköpminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHemköp is listed as a corporate partner supporting MSF Sweden. Nature of partnership not detailed in available source material.
• Swedbank RoburminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSwedbank Robur is listed as a corporate partner supporting MSF Sweden. Nature of partnership not detailed in available source material.
• PostkodlotterietminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPostkodlotteriet is listed as an international partner supporting MSF Sweden. Nature of partnership not detailed in available source material.
• InterfloraminorGTM or Marketing PartnerInterflora is listed as a corporate partner supporting MSF Sweden. Nature of partnership not detailed in available source material.
• RustaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerRusta is listed as a corporate partner supporting MSF Sweden. Nature of partnership not detailed in available source material.
• Swedavia AirportsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSwedavia Airports is listed as a corporate partner supporting MSF Sweden. Nature of partnership not detailed in available source material.
• ApoteaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerApotea is listed as a corporate partner supporting MSF Sweden. Nature of partnership not detailed in available source material.
• God ElminorGTM or Marketing PartnerGod El is listed as a corporate partner supporting MSF Sweden. Nature of partnership not detailed in available source material.
• Alfvén och DidriksonminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAlfvén och Didrikson is listed as a corporate partner supporting MSF Sweden. Nature of partnership not detailed in available source material.
• WalleniusrederiernaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerWalleniusrederierna is listed as a corporate partner supporting MSF Sweden. Nature of partnership not detailed in available source material.
• CapiominorGTM or Marketing PartnerCapio is listed as a corporate partner supporting MSF Sweden. Nature of partnership not detailed in available source material.
• IdunminorGTM or Marketing PartnerIdun is listed as a corporate partner supporting MSF Sweden. Nature of partnership not detailed in available source material.
• VarnerminorGTM or Marketing PartnerVarner is listed as a corporate partner supporting MSF Sweden. Nature of partnership not detailed in available source material.
• MarketDirectionminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMarketDirection is listed as a corporate partner supporting MSF Sweden. Nature of partnership not detailed in available source material.
• Starck & PartnerminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerStarck & Partner handles whistleblowing cases for MSF Sweden to ensure independent and unbiased case management. Cases may be referred to internal contact persons after initial review and recommendation.

Scale indicators9 records

Direct peers

• Partners in Health: Partners in Health operates hospitals and clinics serving the poor in some of the same low-income, conflict-affected geographies as MSF (Haiti, Rwanda, Sierra Leone). Comparable care-delivery model focused on health-system strengthening and direct service provision.
• Mercy Corps: Mercy Corps operates humanitarian and development programmes in conflict and disaster zones globally, including emergency health and food security. Comparable operating geographies, beneficiary segments, and donor-engagement model.
• International Rescue Committee: IRC responds to the world's worst humanitarian crises with health, education, and economic programmes in conflict-affected contexts. Operates a similar model to MSF in many of the same countries and competes directly for medical-humanitarian donor dollars.
• UNHCR (UN Refugee Agency): UNHCR operates in many of the same conflict and displacement contexts as MSF, providing protection and emergency assistance (including health) to refugees and IDPs. Directly comparable mission, beneficiary profile, and field-deployment model, though funded primarily by governments rather than private donors.
• CARE International: CARE is a major humanitarian NGO working in over 100 countries on emergency response, health, and food security. Direct competitor in emergency medical programming and shares the private-donor-funding playbook that underpins MSF's model.
• Save the Children: Save the Children is a large international NGO providing health, nutrition, and emergency response in conflict and disaster zones globally. Overlaps with MSF on emergency medical care, paediatric nutrition, and disaster response; competes for the same private donor base.
• International Medical Corps: International Medical Corps provides emergency relief, health care, and humanitarian assistance in conflict and disaster settings. A focused medical-humanitarian peer, comparable in mission, beneficiary type, and field-deployment footprint.
• International Committee of the Red Cross: The ICRC is the closest direct peer to MSF: a Geneva-headquartered, independently funded humanitarian organisation providing medical and protective assistance in conflict zones. Both share the witness-bearing tradition, neutrality principles, and a comparable funding model anchored by private donors.

Broad incumbents

• UNICEF: UNICEF is a UN agency delivering health, nutrition, and emergency response globally at significantly greater scale than MSF. Overlaps with MSF on paediatric health, epidemic response, and emergency nutrition, but operates as a broader mandate, government-funded incumbent.
• World Health Organization: WHO is the UN's directing authority on international health, coordinating epidemic response, normative guidance, and health-system support globally. Overlaps with MSF on epidemic and outbreak response (Ebola, cholera, TB, malaria), but operates as a broad intergovernmental institution rather than a field-delivery NGO.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/lakareutangranser
• Facebookfacebook.com/lakareutangranser
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/medecins-sans-frontieres-l-kare-utan-gr-nser
• Instagraminstagram.com/lakareutangranser
• Xx.com/msf_sweden

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Médecins sans frontières