Emmaus

What Emmaus does

Emmausgemeinschaft St. Pölten is a non-profit association (Verein zur Integration sozial benachteiligter Personen) founded on August 1, 1982 by theologian and social worker Karl Rottenschlager, operating as an integrated social services provider in St. Pölten, Lower Austria. The organization delivers a comprehensive portfolio of services across three pillars: Wohnen (housing — emergency shelters for men, women, and youth, day centers, residential homes, and housing assistance); Arbeit (work — social-economic businesses including an art workshop, renovation, transport, and second-hand goods operations, day centers such as CityFarm, and a job counseling center); and supplementary fee-based commercial services (clearing, renovation, gardening, and custom craftwork). It also runs two specialized initiatives: the Medizinbus Pflastara mobile medical bus (launched May 2023) for uninsured individuals, and the COMePASS youth emergency shelter for ages 14–24. The organization operates across nine locations in St. Pölten, serving approximately 320 people daily with a 155-member multiprofessional staff supplemented by ~30 civil servants and 100+ annual volunteers.

The business model is a hybrid funding structure typical of Austrian charitable Vereine: (1) government subsidies and recurring funding from AMS NÖ (the regional employment service) covering transit worker positions, job counseling, and social-economic businesses; (2) tax-deductible monetary and in-kind donations from individuals and corporations (registered charity SO 1120); and (3) commercial revenue from social enterprises — handmade crafts, upcycled furniture, flea market sales, Jungpflanzenmarkt plant sales, and fee-based services such as renovation and garden work for private and corporate clients (including commissions from MJI Business Solutions and corporate engagement with dm drogerie markt, SPAR, and BIO AUSTRIA). Customer-facing services for socially disadvantaged beneficiaries are provided free of charge and anonymously; the commercial services function both as revenue generators and as training/employment pathways for transit workers. Distribution occurs through physical locations, a mobile medical bus, a WooCommerce online store, and monthly flea markets.

Technology is not a material component — the firm explicitly has no proprietary technology products, no app, no API, and no AI capabilities. The organization is governed by a volunteer board led by Obmann Alfred Brader (newly elected June 2026) and operated by a three-person Geschäftsführung team covering HR/PR, Finance & Controlling, and Structure & Development. Emmaus holds three wholly-owned subsidiaries (SAM NÖ GmbH, Antlas Ges.m.b.H., Soogut-Markt) and carries sector certifications including BGF-Gütesiegel for workplace health and Green Care pioneer designation (2010).

Name

Emmaus

Legal name

Emmausgemeinschaft St. Pölten, Verein zur Integration sozial benachteiligter Personen

Website

https://emmaus.at

Company type

Private

Founded year

1982

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Emmausgemeinschaft St. Pölten is a non-profit association providing integrated social services — emergency housing, employment programs, healthcare access, and social enterprises — to approximately 320 socially disadvantaged individuals daily across nine locations in St. Pölten, Lower Austria, founded in 1982.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Social Services / Non-Profit Social Integration

NAICS

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

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Local Public Health & Human Services Administration (BPAIACAK)

akta.pro secondary industry

Community-Based Preventive & Health Promotion Clinics (HLAFAGAO)

Keywords

• Social services
• Emergency shelters
• Employment counseling
• Social enterprise
• Community integration

Headquarters

HQ city

Pölten

HQ country

Austria

HQ region

Europe

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Social Enterprise Sales: Revenue from sale of handmade crafts, upcycled furniture, second-hand goods, and art workshop products through Emmaus Shop and flea markets. Also includes fees for services such as clearing, renovation, and garden work provided to private individuals and companies.
2. Donations and Charitable Contributions: Monetary and in-kind donations from individuals, companies, and organizations. Donations are tax-deductible in Austria (registered charity SO 1120).
3. Government Subsidies and AMS Funding: Funding from AMS NÖ (Employment Service Austria) for job counseling, transit worker programs, and social economic businesses. Also includes support from Land NÖ and other public bodies.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Emmausgemeinschaft St. Pölten is a non-profit social services organization that provides emergency shelter, day-center services, residential homes, and re-integration support for socially disadvantaged individuals (men, women, youth) across nine locations in St. Pölten, Austria. It also operates social-economic businesses (art workshop, renovation, transport, secondhand goods), a job counseling center, the Medizinbus Pflastara mobile medical clinic, and the CityFarm horticultural therapy day center. Revenue-generating activities include commercial services (clearing, renovation, gardening, custom craftwork) plus a retail shop, online store, and monthly flea market.

Product overview

Emmausgemeinschaft St. Pölten is a social services organization (Verein zur Integration sozial benachteiligter Personen) operating a portfolio of interconnected services across nine locations in St. Pölten, Austria. The core offerings are organized into three main pillars: Wohnen (housing — emergency shelters, day centers, and residential homes), Arbeit (work — social-economic businesses, day centers, and employment counseling), and commercial Dienstleistungen (clearing, renovation, gardening, and craft services). Supplementary retail channels include the Emmaus Shop, a monthly flea market, and secondhand furniture sales. Special initiatives include the Medizinbus Pflastara (mobile health clinic), the COMePASS youth emergency shelter, and the CityFarm horticultural therapy day center. The organization serves approximately 320 people daily with a 155-member staff, supplemented by around 30 civilian service volunteers and 100+ voluntary workers annually. Founded in 1982, it is not a technology product company but a provider of social-integration services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Pflastara: A mobile medical bus providing low-threshold basic medical care for people who cannot access regular medical facilities
• COMePASS
• Brot & Rosen

Products and services

• Wohnen (Housing Services) Emergency shelters for men, women, and youth, day centers, and residential homes providing safe accommodation and support for people in crisis situations. Integrated residential pathway for socially disadvantaged individuals.
• COMePASS Youth Emergency Shelter (Jugendnotschlafstelle) Youth emergency shelter for young people aged 14-24 in acute crisis situations, offering safe sleep, meals, counseling, and support — free, anonymous, 365 days/year. 1,590 overnight stays in 2024 with 77 young people receiving protection.
• Frauenwohnheim Brot & Rosen (Women's Residential Home) Women's emergency shelter, women's day center (Café Emma), and women's residential home with 17 places serving women fleeing domestic violence and homelessness. 4,557 residential nights and 667 emergency nights annually. 1,102 women supported 2004-2020.
• Medizinbus Pflastara (Mobile Medical Clinic) Mobile medical bus providing free, anonymous, low-threshold basic healthcare to uninsured or marginalized individuals every Friday at rotating locations in St. Pölten.
• Beratungsstelle (Job Counseling Center) Employment counseling service for job seekers in St. Pölten, offering job search support, application coaching, and a computer workspace for online job applications. Assisted 381 people in 2025 with 358 receiving ongoing counseling.
• CityFarm Day Center Day center and urban farm in the Wagram district providing horticultural therapy for people with mental illness, featuring gardens, greenhouse, and therapeutic horticultural programs. Sells young plants and hosts the annual Jungpflanzenmarkt (3,700 plants sold in 2023).
• Commercial Services (Clearing, Renovation, Gardening, Custom Craft) Fee-based services for private individuals and companies: Räumen/Entrümpeln/Übersiedeln (clearing/moving), Sanierungsarbeiten (renovation), Gartenarbeiten (gardening), and Individuelle Aufträge (custom craftwork). Delivered by Emmaus staff alongside transit workers. Free initial consultation and cost estimates provided.
• Emmaus Shop (Retail Sales) Retail outlet selling handmade crafts, regional products, and upcycled furniture with social value, including items produced in Emmaus's own workshops (Kunstwerkstatt). Sales occur through physical shop and online store (WooCommerce).
• Flohmarkt & Altwarenverkauf (Flea Market & Secondhand Sales) Monthly flea market (first Saturday) and ongoing furniture/secondhand goods sales at Ortweingasse 2-8, with proceeds supporting Emmaus operations. Approximately 1,245 furniture pieces transported per year.

Quantifiable outcome

• 381 people placed in job counseling in 2025
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Ideal customer profiles9 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Karin Stadlmaier (Photographer)minorOthers · 18 May 2026Photographer documenting Emmaus CityFarm activities and events for press and marketing materials.
• Justizanstalt St. Pölten (Prison)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 April 2026Long-standing partnership for successful resocialization. Emmaus provides support for people leaving prison to help them reintegrate into society, working with the new prison director Maria Lalics.
• SPARminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 February 2026SPAR acquired the former STRABAG building in Loosdorf and commissioned BauKarussell/Emmaus for resource-saving demolition preparation. SPAR is building a modern grocery store on the site, choosing material reuse over traditional demolition.
• GESA St. PöltenminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 February 2026GESA St. Pölten, another social economic business, is involved in the Loosdorf building project alongside Emmaus, strengthening regional social enterprise cooperation.
• BauKarussellcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 January 2026BauKarussell, one of Austria's first providers for circular demolition preparation, partners with Emmaus for Social Urban Mining projects. Emmaus provides transit workers who perform selective deconstruction work while BauKarussell manages material recovery and resale.
• Gärtner ReisenminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 September 2025Travel agency Gärtner Reisen enabled a trip to Sölden for Emmaus Viehofen residents and staff, including visits to Swarovski Kristallwelten, 007 Elements museum, and Glassblowing workshop in Rattenberg.
• Verein NeustartminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 July 2023Verein Neustart (probation service) conducts networking visits to Emmaus to explore cross-organizational cooperation for clients in shared custody and to learn about Emmaus services including release prisoner assistance (Haftentlassenenhilfe).
• Lions Club St. PöltencoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 December 2022Lions Club St. Pölten initiated and provided start-up funding for the Medizinbus Pflastara project in late 2022, commemorating their 60th anniversary. The Lions Club continues as a key supporter providing funding for operations and equipment including a defibrillator.
• dm drogerie markt ÖsterreichminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019dm Austria has organized the annual dm Festessen (Christmas feast) since 2019, providing organic meals to approximately 2,000 people in need across 30 social facilities in Austria, including Emmaus Kalvarienberg. BIO AUSTRIA supplies ingredients.
• BIO AUSTRIAminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019BIO AUSTRIA partners with dm Austria to provide organic ingredients for the annual dm Festessen program at Emmaus and other social facilities.
• RZ PelletsminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2017RZ Pellets from Ybbs has donated over 70 tons of firewood/pellets to the CityFarm over several years, providing essential heating for the therapeutic garden facility.

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• SOS Kinderdorf Österreich: Austrian arm of SOS Children's Villages, providing residential care, youth services, and family support. Comparable to Emmaus's youth-focused programming (COMePASS) and residential model, with similar reliance on donations and government co-financing.
• Caritas Österreich: Austria's largest Catholic social services organization, operating shelters, counseling, employment programs, and healthcare services nationally. Directly comparable to Emmaus across the housing-work-health stack, with overlapping funding sources (government subsidies, donations) and similar integrated-service philosophy.
• Hilfswerk Österreich: Major Austrian social services provider delivering home care, family support, and social assistance programs. Comparable in scale (~hundreds of employees), mission scope, and diversified funding mix (subsidies + donations + fee-based services).
• Arbeiter-Samariter-Bund Österreich: Austrian non-profit providing social services, healthcare transport, refugee aid, and emergency assistance. Comparable to Emmaus in service breadth, non-profit funding model, and emphasis on direct service delivery to vulnerable populations.
• Volkshilfe Österreich: Austrian non-profit focused on poverty relief, social assistance, and support for disadvantaged families and individuals. Comparable to Emmaus in target population, advocacy orientation, and reliance on donations plus government co-financing.
• Neunerhaus: Vienna-based non-profit providing housing, healthcare, and social enterprise employment for homeless and disadvantaged individuals. Most direct functional peer: similar integration of shelter + medical care + work integration social enterprises under one organizational umbrella.
• Diakonie Österreich: National Protestant social welfare network operating emergency shelters, residential homes, employment services, and refugee support. Closely parallels Emmaus's service mix and reliance on a mix of public funding and donations, with comparable regional chapter structure in Lower Austria.

Broad incumbents

• Österreichisches Rotes Kreuz: Austrian Red Cross, a much larger established humanitarian organization with broad portfolio including emergency response, healthcare, and social assistance. Overlaps with Emmaus on humanitarian mission and partnership-based service delivery, but operates at national scale with far broader scope.

Regional players

• Caritas Niederösterreich: Lower Austrian regional chapter of Caritas, operating shelters, counseling, and family services across the same state where Emmaus operates. Direct regional competitor for government contracts, donations, and skilled staff in St. Pölten and surrounding areas.

Others

• BAWO - Bundesarbeitsgemeinschaft Wohnungslosenhilfe: Austrian national umbrella association for homelessness services and Emmaus peer organizations. Comparable as an ecosystem participant that shapes policy and funding frameworks relevant to Emmaus's shelter and housing operations.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/emmausgemeinschaft
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/emmausgemeinschaft
• Instagraminstagram.com/emmaus_stp

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Subsidiaries3 records

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 Emmaus