Fördergemeinschaft der Querschnittgelähmten in Deutschland

What Fördergemeinschaft der Querschnittgelähmten in Deutschland does

Fördergemeinschaft der Querschnittgelähmten in Deutschland e.V. (FGQ) is a registered charitable non-profit association (eingetragener Verein, founded 1981, headquartered in Lobbach) that serves people with spinal cord injuries (SCI) and their relatives in Germany. It operates the country's largest independent SCI support organization, with nearly 4,000 members and a volunteer peer counseling network embedded in all 28 specialized SCI treatment centers. The model is community-led: peer counselors must have lived with SCI for at least three years and provide experiential guidance from the moment of diagnosis through lifelong follow-up.

FGQ's service portfolio includes Peer Counseling, weekly online Stammtisch (Zoom), the quarterly PARA*plegiker magazine, Einzelfallhilfe (individual case assistance), a non-commercial used wheelchair-accessible vehicle exchange, and a calendar of educational events (ISK Information Days on bladder management, Darm-Informationstag, the Fachtagung on sexuality). It does not develop proprietary technology; all services are delivered via human counselors, digital channels (website, Facebook, Zoom, email via CleverReach), and in-person events.

Revenue is generated from annual membership fees (EUR 18 for affected persons without insurance, EUR 36 for pedestrian members with EUR 200,000 accident insurance via ERGO Versicherung, EUR 72 family) and from donations. Governance is by a five-member volunteer board (Chair Kevin Schultes, Deputy Prof. Dr. Frank Rainer Abel, Treasurer Dirk Weber, Secretary Dunja Reichert, Board Member Marion Bender) plus a small professional management team. As of 2026, the Treasurer and Secretary have resigned and an extraordinary general meeting is scheduled for 30 June 2026.

Name

Fördergemeinschaft der Querschnittgelähmten in Deutschland

Legal name

Fördergemeinschaft der Querschnittgelähmten in Deutschland e.V.

Website

https://fgq.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1981

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

FGQ is Germany's largest independent non-profit association for people with spinal cord injuries, providing peer counseling, advocacy, and educational events to nearly 4,000 members and operating across 28 specialized SCI treatment centers nationwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Mückenloch

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership fees: FGQ generates revenue from annual membership fees. Two tiers exist: members with spinal cord injury (18 EUR/year, no insurance) and pedestrian members (36 EUR/year, inclusive of accident insurance covering spinal cord injury risk up to 200,000 EUR). Family memberships are also offered.
2. Donations: FGQ actively solicits donations from the public to fund its regional help networks, political advocacy work, and individual case assistance (Einzelfallhilfe) for members in genuine need who lack coverage from other payers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Fördergemeinschaft der Querschnittgelähmten in Deutschland is a registered non-profit association that provides peer counseling, advocacy, and information services to people with spinal cord injuries in Germany and their families. Its deliverable offerings include specially trained peer counseling at German spinal cord centers, a quarterly print magazine (PARAplegiker), an email newsletter (PARAplegiker Aktuell), individual case assistance, a non-commercial used car exchange for adapted vehicles, and educational events for members and supporters.

Product overview

FGQ (Fördergemeinschaft der Querschnittgelähmten in Deutschland e.V.) is a non-profit advocacy and support organization, not a technology company. It offers a portfolio of peer support services including Peer Counseling, Online-Beratung (online consultation via Zoom), the PARA*plegiker quarterly magazine, and membership programs with accident insurance. Educational offerings include ISK-Informationstage, Fachtagungen (conferences), and Darm-Informationstage events. Additional services include Einzelfallhilfe (individual case assistance) and the Gebrauchtwagen-Börse (used car exchange) for wheelchair-accessible vehicles. FGQ also collaborates on research surveys such as bladder and bowel management studies.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• PARA*plegiker: The PARAplegiker magazine offering expert information on spinal cord injuries and experiences from affected individuals
• Peer Counseling

Products and services

• FGQ Membership (Mitgliedschaft)

Quantifiable outcome

• Nearly 4,000 members served through peer counseling, working groups, and FGQ programs
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Bundesinnungsverband für Orthopädie-Technik (BIV-OT)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 August 2024FGQ and BIV-OT conducted a joint survey on assistive equipment provision (Hilfsmittelversorgung) published in the Summer 2024 edition of the PARAplegiker magazine. Results showed 93% of respondents had received a rejection from their health insurance and 97.7% were dissatisfied with their equipment provision.
• Manfred-Sauer-Stiftung (Neurott 20, 74931 Lobbach)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFGQ shares premises with the Manfred-Sauer-Stiftung at Neurott 20 in Lobbach. The foundation co-hosts FGQ events including the 6th Specialist Conference on Sexuality (Oct 2026) and the Darm-Informationstag (Sep 2026). FGQ's used vehicle exchange also appears to be co-located with the foundation's facilities.
• Fraunhofer Institut IPA (Stuttgart)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFGQ collaborates with the Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Engineering and Automation IPA on a joint survey on bladder and bowel management among people with spinal cord injury. This partnership brings research rigor to FGQ's mission of improving daily life for affected individuals.
• Zentrum für Querschnittgelähmte Bad WildungencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerA certified spinal cord injury center in Bad Wildungen, Germany. Collaborates with FGQ and other partners on the Fraunhofer IPA survey on bladder and bowel management. FGQ peer counseling is active at this center.
• Universitätsklinikum Heidelberg — QuerschnittgelähmtenzentrumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe spinal cord injury center at University Hospital Heidelberg participates in the joint Fraunhofer IPA research survey on bladder and bowel management, in collaboration with FGQ.
• Zentralklinik Bad Berka GmbH — Querschnittgelähmtenzentrum, Klinik für Paraplegiologie und Neuro-UrologiecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerA specialized spinal cord injury and neuro-urology clinic in Bad Berka, Germany, partnering with FGQ on the Fraunhofer IPA research survey on bladder and bowel management.
• Klinik Hohe Warte, BayreuthminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerA certified spinal cord injury center hosting the SCI Day 2025 (Sep 5) in collaboration with FGQ and the Rollstuhl-Sportverein (RSV) Bayreuth. The event features sports, lectures, and information booths for people with and without spinal cord injury.
• RSV Bayreuth (Rollstuhl-Sportverein Bayreuth)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Bayreuth wheelchair sports club co-organizes the SCI Day 2025 with Klinik Hohe Warte and FGQ. During the event, the RSV Bayreuth receives the 'Erlebte Inklusive Sportschule' (EIS) seal from the BVS sports association for inclusive sports.
• ERGO Versicherung AGminorOthersFGQ provides its pedestrian members with a group accident insurance policy through ERGO Versicherung AG at no additional cost. The policy covers spinal cord injury at 100% disability with a payout of up to 200,000 EUR, plus rescue and recovery costs.
• Unfallkrankenhaus Berlin (BGU Berlin)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost venue for the ISK Information Day 2025 (8 Nov 2025, Berlin). BGU Berlin is a specialized trauma hospital and spinal cord injury treatment center in Berlin.
• BGU Hamburg (Berufsgenossenschaftlicher Unfallkrankenhaus Hamburg)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBGU Hamburg is listed as a supporter of FGQ's ISK Information Days. As a major spinal cord injury and trauma center in northern Germany, it contributes expertise and venue support for FGQ's bladder management education events.
• MEDICE Health FamilyminorOthersListed as a supporter of FGQ's ISK Information Days. MEDICE Health Family is a pharmaceutical company. Nature and scope of support not detailed beyond logo placement.
• WellspectminorOthersListed as a supporter of FGQ's ISK Information Days. Wellspect is a medical device company specializing in continence products. Nature and scope of support not detailed beyond logo placement.
• Hollister IncorporatedminorOthersListed as a supporter of FGQ's ISK Information Days. Hollister is a medical products company serving the continence care market. Nature and scope of support not detailed beyond logo placement.
• PublicareminorOthersListed as a supporter of FGQ's ISK Information Days. Publicare is a provider of continence care products and services. Nature and scope of support not detailed beyond logo placement.
• Farco-PharmaminorOthersListed as a supporter of FGQ's ISK Information Days. Farco-Pharma is a pharmaceutical company in the urology/continence space. Nature and scope of support not detailed beyond logo placement.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Wings for Life: Austria-based global spinal cord injury research foundation funding cure-focused science and the Wings for Life World Run. Highly comparable to FGQ as an SCI-specific nonprofit combining advocacy, community engagement, and research orientation.
• Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation: The leading U.S. spinal cord injury advocacy and support nonprofit, providing peer mentoring, quality-of-life grants, and policy advocacy. Directly comparable to FGQ in mission, peer-support model, and SCI-specific scope.
• Back Up Trust: UK charity supporting people with spinal cord injury through peer mentoring, wheelchair skills training, and rehabilitation outreach. Directly comparable to FGQ as an SCI-specific peer-support and rehabilitation-focused nonprofit.
• Spinal Injuries Association: UK membership charity for spinal cord injured people, providing peer support, advocacy, and information services. Closely aligned with FGQ in mission and member-driven service model.

Broad incumbents

• Aktion Mensch: Germany's largest disability-focused social lottery and advocacy organization, supporting inclusion across all disability types. Comparable as a German disability nonprofit but operating at much larger scale with a broader mandate.
• Sozialverband VdK Deutschland: Germany's largest social advocacy association with over 2 million members, representing disabled, elderly, and chronically ill citizens. Overlaps with FGQ's advocacy function but at vastly greater scale and broader constituency.
• Bundesvereinigung Lebenshilfe: German umbrella association advocating for people with intellectual and other disabilities and their families. Comparable in advocacy and membership-association structure, though focused on intellectual rather than physical disability.

Regional players

• Stiftung Deutsche Schlaganfall-Hilfe: Large German health foundation supporting stroke survivors and their families through information, advocacy, and self-help networks. Comparable as a German disease-condition nonprofit but addressing stroke rather than SCI.
• Schweizerische Paraplegiker-Vereinigung: Swiss association for paraplegics, closely mirroring FGQ's mission of peer support, advocacy, and lifetime assistance for SCI individuals. Operates in Switzerland rather than Germany but with highly comparable structure.

Emerging players

• Deutsche Multiple Sklerose Gesellschaft (DMSG): German national association for multiple sclerosis patients providing counseling, regional self-help groups, and advocacy. Comparable model of regional peer-support chapters for a chronic neurological condition.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/FGQFoerdergemeinschaftderQuerschnittgelaehmten
• Xx.com/fgqev

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Fördergemeinschaft der Querschnittgelähmten in Deutschland