What Austrian Red Cross does

The Austrian Red Cross (Österreichisches Rotes Kreuz) is Austria's largest humanitarian nonprofit organization and the country's national society within the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, operating under a mandate derived from the Geneva Conventions. Headquartered in Vienna at Wiedner Hauptstraße 32, the organization runs a federated structure of nine state branches (Landesverbände) covering all Austrian federal states, supported by district offices (Bezirksstellen) and a workforce of thousands of employees alongside 70,000+ trained volunteers. Service delivery spans emergency medical rescue and patient transport coordinated through the Notruf 144 dispatch system, a national blood donation service supplying nearly 1,000 units per day, a first aid training business offering courses at EUR 65-95, senior home care and Rufhilfe emergency alert services, youth programs, food distribution through the Team Österreich Tafel network (125 locations serving 26,000+ households), and international development and disaster relief operations in countries including Ukraine, Rwanda, Ethiopia, Lebanon, Mozambique, and Sudan.

The organization is sustained by a diversified funding base rather than a single revenue line: tax-deductible monetary donations from individuals, corporations, and foundations; annual membership fees via the RKCard program; fees for first aid training; healthcare system reimbursements for blood products and patient transport; proceeds from Henry Läden second-hand retail outlets; and innovative corporate energy donations channeled through the Robin Powerhood-powered Stromspende program. Digital infrastructure includes the Mein Blut blood-donor app, the Team Österreich Lebensretter first-responder app, the jetzt.erstehilfe.at training platform with a WhatsApp crash course, an internal e-learning portal at kurse.roteskreuz.at, and the termine.blut.at appointment booking system. Marketing and fundraising are executed through a multi-channel mix spanning Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, LinkedIn, Twitter/X, WhatsApp, podcast, blog, email newsletter, the quarterly Mein Rotes Kreuz magazine (620,000-710,000 circulation), and media partnerships notably with Hitradio Ö3 and ORF. Key corporate partners include Lidl Österreich, Hansaplast, jö Bonus Club, and Robin Powerhood, while the organization maintains flagship strategic alliances with the IFRC and ICRC for global humanitarian coordination.

Name

Austrian Red Cross

Legal name

Österreichisches Rotes Kreuz

Website

https://roteskreuz.at

Company type

Private

Founded year

1880

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Austrian Red Cross is Austria's largest humanitarian nonprofit, operating nine state branches and 70,000+ volunteers to deliver emergency medical services, blood donation, first aid training, senior care, youth programs, food distribution, and international disaster relief across Austria and abroad.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Humanitarian and Emergency Medical Services

NAICS

Social Assistance (624), Individual and Family Services (6241), Emergency and Other Relief Services (624230), Ambulance Services (62191), Community Food Services (624210)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Humanitarian Health & Emergency Medical Relief NGOs (HLAJAKAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Humanitarian & Disaster Assistance (Bilateral) (BPADABAB), Emergency Response, Assistance & Medical Evacuation Services (THACAEAC), Food Assistance & Nutrition Relief (Emergency Feeding) (BPAGAAAD)

Keywords

• Humanitarian services
• Emergency medical response
• Blood donation services
• First aid training
• Disaster relief

Headquarters

HQ city

Vienna

HQ country

Austria

HQ region

Europe

Offices9 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Monetary Donations: The organization relies heavily on monetary donations from individuals, corporations, and foundations. Multiple donation channels exist including online portals, direct bank transfers, and project-specific donations. Donations are tax-deductible in Austria.
2. Blood Donation Services: Blood collection and distribution services, likely funded through healthcare system reimbursements and public funding.
3. First Aid Training Courses: Revenue from first aid courses including refreshers, driving license courses, children's emergency courses, outdoor courses, and psychological first aid. Course fees range from approximately 65-95 EUR depending on duration and type.
4. Membership Fees: Supporting members pay annual fees that contribute to sustainable funding for services.
5. Second Hand Shops (Social Shops): Sale of donated clothing and goods through Henry Läden and similar second-hand outlets, with proceeds supporting social programs.
6. Emergency Medical Transport: Patient transport services including ambulance and non-emergency medical transportation, likely funded through health insurance reimbursements.
7. Stromspende (Electricity Donation): Corporate electricity donations via solar surplus, managed through Robin Powerhood partnership, redirected to households in energy poverty.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels8 records

Marketing channels14 records

Core offering

The Austrian Red Cross delivers a broad portfolio of humanitarian services through its nationwide federated structure. Its core offerings include emergency rescue and ambulance services (Notruf 144), nationwide blood collection and distribution (~1,000 units/day), first aid training courses (basic, refresher and driver's-license variants, plus digital platforms), home nursing and senior care services, youth programs, social services including the Team Österreich Tafel food bank, and international disaster relief and development cooperation. Supporting members, course participants, volunteers and corporate partners fund and staff these services across all nine Austrian federal states.

Product overview

The Austrian Red Cross (Österreichisches Rotes Kreuz) is Austria's largest humanitarian nonprofit organization, offering a broad portfolio of interconnected services organized across nine regional state chapters (Landesverbände). Its core service lines include the Blutspendedienst (blood donation service, branded as 'Gib dein Bestes'), Erste-Hilfe-Kurse (first aid training via in-person courses and digital platforms including jetzt.erstehilfe.at, WhatsApp crash course, and a course finder at aktuelle-kurse.at), Rettungsdienst & Krankentransport (emergency rescue and patient transport via Notruf 144), and Pflege und Betreuung (home nursing, Rufhilfe emergency calls, hospice, and senior care). Social services encompass Team Österreich (food bank, first-responder app, spontaneous assistance), youth programs through the Jugendrotkreuz (youth groups, summer camps, learning support), and Soziale Dienste (social support, crisis intervention). International operations cover development cooperation, disaster relief deployments, and cash-based humanitarian assistance. Cross-cutting digital products include the employee learning platform (kurse.roteskreuz.at), the Blutspende-App 'Mein Blut' for donor management, the Vengolino webshop (operated by WRK Handel GmbH), and the RKCard membership program. The Red Cross also publishes magazines (Mein Rotes Kreuz, Blutsverwandt, Henri) and maintains a podcast and blog. Regional sub-brands such as the Art Collectors Club (Vienna), Rotkreuz-Wein (NÖ), and the Stromspende initiative via Robin Powerhood extend the portfolio. All services are delivered through a network of district offices (Bezirksstellen) and service points (Dienststellen) across all nine federal states.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Mein Blut: Blood donation app for blood donors to manage appointments and access services
• Team Österreich Lebensretter
• Ehrensache
• Team Österreich Tafel
• Aus Liebe zum Menschen Stiftung
• Henri. Das Magazin, das fehlt.

Products and services

• Blutspendedienst (Blood Donation Service) The national blood donation service of the Austrian Red Cross, managing collection, testing and distribution of blood products across Austria. Includes online appointment booking at termine.blut.at, donor check tools and educational materials; nearly 1,000 blood units per day are needed in Austria.
• Erste-Hilfe-Kurse (First Aid Training) First aid training programs offered by the Austrian Red Cross, including basic courses (16h), refresher courses (4h/8h), driver's license courses (6h), outdoor courses, child emergency courses, plus a major online training platform at jetzt.erstehilfe.at and a WhatsApp-based crash course.
• Rettungsdienst & Krankentransport (Rescue & Patient Transport) Emergency rescue and non-emergency patient transport services operated by regional Red Cross branches across all Austrian federal states, including the Notruf 144 emergency ambulance hotline, scheduled patient transport, event medical services, and crisis intervention teams.
• Pflege und Betreuung (Care Services) Mobile nursing and home care services (Hauskrankenpflege, Heimhilfe), Rufhilfe emergency-call service, meal delivery (Essenszustellung), hospice and palliative care, crisis intervention, and assisted-living support for seniors and people with care needs.
• Jugendrotkreuz & Kinderbetreuung (Youth Programs) Youth Red Cross programs for children and adolescents, including youth groups, summer camps, learning support (Lernhäuser, Lesepatin reading program), and first aid education in schools and kindergartens. The Austrian Youth Red Cross (ÖJRK) organizes national competitions and recreation camps.
• Kinderburg Rappottenstein A recovery and respite center in Rappottenstein, Lower Austria, for families with chronically or seriously ill children or parents, and for families coping with the death of a close family member. Operated by the Red Cross NÖ.
• Entwicklungszusammenarbeit & Katastrophenhilfe (International Development & Disaster Relief) International humanitarian programs including long-term development cooperation, disaster relief deployments (Emergency Response Units), capacity building in partner countries and cash assistance for refugees. Key projects include Rwanda rescue service development, Ethiopia women's empowerment and East Africa water programs.
• Team Österreich (Tafel Food Bank + Lebensretter App + Spontaneous Assistance) A collaboration between the Austrian Red Cross and Hitradio Ö3, encompassing Team Österreich Tafel (food bank distributing surplus food at 125 locations to over 26,000 registered households weekly), the Team Österreich Lebensretter first-responder app (emergency coordination aimed at saving five lives daily), and spontaneous assistance programs for people in acute distress.
• Wiener Rotes Kreuz Art Collectors Club & Vengolino Webshop The Vienna Red Cross operates specialized sub-brands including the Art Collectors Club (limited art editions fundraising for national disaster relief) and Vengolino, a mobile-accessible webshop for Red Cross merchandise operated by WRK Handel GmbH.
• Lernplattform & Bildungszentrum (E-Learning Platform & Education Center) Internal e-learning platform (kurse.roteskreuz.at) for Red Cross employees, plus the Bildungszentrum as the centralized institution for professional development in rescue services, caregiving and humanitarian work.
• Blutspende-App 'Mein Blut' (Blood Donor App) A voluntary, free mobile app for blood donors managed by the Red Cross Oberösterreich blood center, enabling appointment management, donation tracking and access to health information.
• Henry Läden Second-Hand Shops & Rotkreuz-Shop (First Aid Supplies and Merchandise) Sale of donated clothing and goods through Henry Läden and Social Shops, with proceeds supporting social programs, plus the online Rotkreuz-Shop at shop.roteskreuz.at selling first aid supplies and Red Cross merchandise.

Quantifiable outcome

• Blood donations needed every 90 seconds in Austria - nearly 1,000 daily
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• Robin PowerhoodcoreTechnology or IntegrationEnergy community platform partnership for the Stromspende (electricity donation) initiative. Robin Powerhood manages the technical connection between companies donating surplus solar energy and households affected by energy poverty, coordinating with grid operators. The platform enables up to 30% reduction in electricity bills for beneficiaries.
• Lidl ÖsterreichflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerLeading corporate partner in the Stromspende initiative, demonstrating best practice by donating surplus solar energy from photovoltaic installations to households affected by energy poverty.
• Hitradio Ö3flagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerLong-standing partnership with Austria's most popular radio station for the Team Österreich initiative, including the Team Österreich Tafel food distribution program that serves 26,000+ households weekly at 125 distribution points across Austria.
• HansaplastminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLong-term supporter providing first aid product sponsorship for first aid courses and training materials.
• jö Bonus ClubminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnership allowing jö club members to donate accumulated 'Ös' (reward points) to Red Cross projects through the jö platform.
• Österreichischer Rundfunk (ORF)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerCollaboration with Austria's public broadcaster for the 'Österreich hilft Österreich' (Austria helps Austria) campaign during flood disasters and other national emergencies.
• International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal federation partnership for international disaster relief coordination, development cooperation, and adherence to Red Cross fundamental principles. Austrian Red Cross contributes to and benefits from IFRC emergency appeals and long-term development programs.
• International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership under Geneva Conventions framework for international humanitarian law, prisoner of war services, and conflict zone assistance. Austrian Red Cross supports ICRC operations globally.
• KFV (Kuratorium für Verkehrssicherheit)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Austrian traffic safety board for Verkehrscoaching (traffic coaching) programs delivered across Austria.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• German Red Cross (Deutsches Rotes Kreuz): The German Red Cross is the largest national Red Cross society in Europe and the most direct structural peer to the Austrian Red Cross, sharing identical service lines (rescue, blood donation, social services, youth) and operating under the same Geneva Conventions framework across a neighboring German-speaking market.
• Swiss Red Cross (Schweizerisches Rotes Kreuz): The Swiss Red Cross is a similarly-sized national society in a small, wealthy, multilingual European country. It offers directly comparable services in rescue, blood donation, first aid training, social care, and international cooperation, making it a tight structural and scale peer.
• Johanniter-Unfall-Hilfe in Austria: Johanniter-Unfall-Hilfe is a major direct competitor to the Austrian Red Cross in emergency medical services, patient transport, first aid training, and humanitarian assistance in Austria, operating under a similar volunteer-based nonprofit model with overlapping target customers and donor base.
• Arbeiter-Samariter-Bund Österreich: ASB Österreich is a direct peer in Austrian emergency medical services, patient transport, first aid training, and social services. It competes for the same healthcare contracts, volunteers, and donor pools as the Austrian Red Cross.
• Malteser Hospitaldienst Austria: Malteser Austria is a direct peer operating in the same Austrian humanitarian space, with overlapping services in emergency medical services, patient transport, first aid training, and international humanitarian assistance under a similar faith-based nonprofit structure.
• Caritas Österreich: Caritas Austria is a leading peer in Austrian social services, refugee and immigrant support, and humanitarian assistance. While focused more on social welfare than emergency rescue, it competes for similar donors, volunteers, and government social service contracts.
• St. John Ambulance: St. John Ambulance is a direct international peer providing first aid training, ambulance services, and community response across the UK and other countries. It shares a comparable volunteer-based first aid and emergency response model with the Austrian Red Cross.
• British Red Cross: The British Red Cross is a national society offering a directly comparable service portfolio (emergency response, first aid training, refugee support, social care, international aid). It is a useful structural and scale benchmark for the Austrian Red Cross's service breadth and operating model.

Broad incumbents

• International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC): The IFRC is the global umbrella organization coordinating 191 national Red Cross and Red Crescent societies, including the Austrian Red Cross. It is a strategic peer in international disaster relief coordination, capacity building, and movement-wide standards.
• International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC): The ICRC is the founding body of the Red Cross movement and a direct strategic partner of the Austrian Red Cross. It operates in conflict zones and leads on international humanitarian law, providing the framework under which national societies like Austria operate.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/roteskreuzat
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC8WCKRSwb2fR-JN69Xan4yw
• Facebookfacebook.com/roteskreuzat
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/-sterreichisches-rotes-kreuz
• Instagraminstagram.com/roteskreuz_at
• TikToktiktok.com/@roteskreuz_at

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Austrian Red Cross