What Aqua Viva does

Aqua Viva is a Swiss non-profit organization (Verein) headquartered in Winterthur, Switzerland, founded in 1960 to protect and renaturate native aquatic habitats. The organization operates approximately 70 active projects across Switzerland focused on removing river barriers, restoring fish migration, revitalizing culverted and channelized village streams, and conserving species such as salmon, kingfisher, and grayling. Its portfolio spans conservation programs (Fluss frei!, Lebendiger Dorfbach, IG Lebendiger Fluss, IG Lebendige Thur), educational offerings (Wasser macht Schule, WASsERLEBEN excursions, Lachs-Erlebnistag school programs), a quarterly specialist journal (aqua viva Zeitschrift), and the annual Gewässer des Jahres water body designation initiative.

The organization serves four primary segments: schools and youth through educational excursions and curriculum modules; families and the general public through guided water-based experiences such as kayaking and diving; municipalities and cantons through technical consulting and seed funding for water body revitalization; and individual supporters through memberships, donations, Flusspatenschaft (river sponsorships), and legacy gifts. Aqua Viva holds Verbandsbeschwerderecht (associational complaint right), allowing it to legally enforce Swiss water protection standards—a standing demonstrated in its Federal Court win in the May 2026 Reuss ruling.

Aqua Viva's revenue model is entirely non-commercial and donation-driven, drawing from membership subscriptions, individual donations, river sponsorships, event fees for excursions and educational programs, and publication sales of the quarterly journal. The organization delivers programs through direct website bookings, on-site field activities, a multi-channel presence across Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, email newsletter, and earned media/PR. It maintains a small team of approximately 11-50 staff led by Geschäftsleiterin (Managing Director) Salome Steiner and partners with WWF Schweiz, BirdLife Schweiz, Pro Natura, Mountain Wilderness, Feldschlösschen AG, Somaha Stiftung, FIBER, and the Schweizerischer Fischerei-Verband to deliver joint conservation and education programs.

Name

Aqua Viva

Legal name

Aqua Viva

Website

https://aquaviva.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

1960

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Aqua Viva is a Swiss non-profit organization (founded 1960) that protects and renatures aquatic habitats across Switzerland through approximately 70 restoration projects, school and public education programs, and direct advocacy, serving individual members, Swiss schools, families, and municipalities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Environmental Conservation Services

NAICS

Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (71219)

akta.pro primary industry

Water Resources & Watershed Protection (BPAGAGAK)

Keywords

• Water habitat protection
• Aquatic ecosystem restoration
• River renaturation projects
• Environmental education programs
• Freshwater biodiversity conservation

Headquarters

HQ city

Winterthur

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donations: Individual donors contribute to fund Aqua Viva's approximately 70 active projects for water protection and habitat restoration. Donations are collected via their website and dedicated donation forms.
2. Membership fees: Aqua Viva generates revenue through membership subscriptions, offering individuals the opportunity to support the organization's mission of protecting Swiss water bodies and biodiversity.
3. Event and excursion fees: Revenue generated from educational events, school programs, family excursions, and adventure activities such as kayak tours and diving excursions.
4. Publication sales: Sales of the aqua viva specialist journal (Zeitschrift) covering topics on water protection, biodiversity, and aquatic life.
5. River sponsorship (Flusspatenschaft): Corporate or individual sponsors can adopt a river section, supporting ongoing conservation efforts.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Aqua Viva is a Swiss non-profit association (Verein) that protects and renaturates aquatic habitats in Switzerland. It runs approximately 70 active conservation projects (river barrier removal, village stream revitalization, river biodiversity initiatives), delivers environmental education programs to schools, families, and the public (Erlebnis & Bildung, Wasser macht Schule, WASsERLEBEN excursions), publishes a quarterly specialist journal (Zeitschrift aqua viva), and designates an annual Water Body of the Year.

Product overview

Aqua Viva is a Swiss water protection organization offering a portfolio of environmental education programs, a quarterly professional journal (aqua viva), and river conservation projects. The core offerings include Erlebnis & Bildung (school excursions, teacher training, family outings, and discovery programs for children), the quarterly aqua viva magazine covering aquatic biodiversity and conservation topics, and the annual WASsERLEBEN excursion program. Conservation projects include Fluss frei! (river barrier removal), Lebendiger Dorfbach (village stream revitalization), IG Lebendiger Fluss and IG Lebendige Thur (river biodiversity initiatives), and Wasser macht Schule (school water education). Supplementary offerings include the Gewässer des Jahres annual water body designation, Mission B biodiversity campaign, river sponsorship, membership/donation programs, and the aqua viva magazine subscription.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• aqua viva (Zeitschrift): Aqua Viva's specialist journal covering aquatic biodiversity, water protection topics, and environmental education.
• WASsERLEBEN Exkursionsprogramm
• Fluss frei!
• Lebendiger Dorfbach
• Wasser macht Schule

Products and services

• Erlebnis & Bildung (Experience & Education) Environmental education programs for Swiss children, youth, and adults, including school excursions, kindergarten activities, family outings, and teacher training. Programs explore water worlds at local streams, rivers, and lakes and allow participants to research water quality and aquatic habitats.
• Zeitschrift aqua viva (Specialist Journal) Quarterly specialist journal covering water protection topics, aquatic biodiversity, restoration projects, fish species, and glacier forefield conservation in Switzerland, available by subscription and single-issue purchase.
• WASsERLEBEN Excursion Program Annual program of guided water exploration experiences, including kayaking, diving, and ecological discovery days at Swiss waterways, open to the general public.
• Fluss frei! (River Free!) Program dedicated to identifying and removing unnecessary barriers from Swiss rivers and streams to restore fish migration and natural sediment dynamics.
• Lebendiger Dorfbach (Living Village Stream) Project providing Swiss municipalities with expert consulting and startup funding to revitalize culverted and channelized village streams.
• IG Lebendiger Fluss Initiative with the Somaha Foundation to network regional actors and increase biodiversity along Swiss rivers under a common umbrella.
• IG Lebendige Thur Aqua Viva-led interest group working to preserve and restore near-natural river-typical processes and structures within sustainable Thur development.
• Wasser macht Schule (Water Goes to School) School program in which children and youth discover and research the water world at their local stream, drawing conclusions about water quality and riparian space, and including teacher training.
• Lachs-Erlebnistag (Salmon Experience Day) School program developed under the Fluss frei! and WWF Switzerland's Lachs Comeback projects, offering students a day at local waterways to learn about migratory fish species.
• Gewässer des Jahres (Water Body of the Year) Annual designation program recognizing outstanding Swiss water bodies and their conservation value; the Auenlandschaft Pfynwald was named Water Body of the Year 2026.
• Flusspatenschaft (River Sponsorship) Sponsorship program that enables individuals and organizations to adopt and support specific Swiss river sections for ongoing conservation.
• Mitgliedschaft (Membership) Annual membership supporting Aqua Viva's approximately 70 active water protection projects across Switzerland.
• Naturerlebnis schenken (Gift Nature Experience) Gift certificates for water exploration experiences and educational outings that can be presented as gifts.

Quantifiable outcome

• 97.5% of aquatic habitat types in Switzerland are threatened, demonstrating the urgent need for Aqua Viva's work
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 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

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• Somaha StiftungcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on the 'IG Lebendiger Fluss' (IG Living River) project, working together to increase biodiversity along Swiss rivers. The partnership networks and supports regional actors and combines efforts for the benefit of water bodies under a common umbrella.
• WWF SchweizcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership on 'Lachs Comeback' project and joint salmon experience days for schools. Also collaborated on the 'Gewässerperle' (Water Jewel) labeling initiative.
• BirdLife SchweizcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-developer of the 'Gewässerperle PLUS' label with WWF and partners, recognizing valuable water bodies and local engagement.
• Mountain WildernessmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-organized the expert conference 'Gletschervorfelder zwischen Schutz und Nutzung' (Glacier Forelands between Protection and Use) on November 26, 2024.
• Pro NaturamajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-organized the expert conference on glacier forelands and advocated for protection of these areas from hydroelectric development.
• FIBER (Schweizerische Fischereiberatungsstelle)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on fish biodiversity research and educational content. FIBER scientists contributed to the FIBER seminar 'Die erstaunliche Biodiversität der Schweizer Fische' and the aqua viva journal edition 1/2024.
• Schweizerischer Fischerei-Verband (SFV)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on fish biodiversity and fishing topics. SFV Executive Director David Bittner contributed insights on biodiversity and angling to Aqua Viva.
• Feldschlösschen AGcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership on the 'Lebendiger Dorfbach' (Living Village Stream) project, providing municipalities with technical consultation and start-up funding for revitalizing smaller water bodies.
• IG Lebendige ThurcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAqua Viva is part of the interest group working for natural river habitats and Thur biodiversity. The goal is the preservation and restoration of river-typical processes and structures within sustainable Thur development.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• American Rivers: US-focused river conservation nonprofit combining policy advocacy, on-the-ground restoration, and public engagement. Strong analogue to Aqua Viva's combination of Fluss frei! barrier removal, municipal advisory, and education work.
• WWF Switzerland: Largest Swiss environmental NGO with overlapping water, biodiversity, and climate programs. WWF is one of Aqua Viva's named strategic partners (Lachs Comeback, Gewässerperle PLUS) and most directly comparable in mission, partner structure, and donor base.
• Riverkeeper: US-based nonprofit dedicated to protecting the Hudson River and other waterways through enforcement, education, and advocacy. Highly comparable in mission focus (water habitat protection) and nonprofit model.
• Mountain Wilderness: Swiss NGO focused on protecting alpine and mountain landscapes. Partnered with Aqua Viva on the November 2024 glacier forefields conference, sharing a similar advocacy-driven Verein structure and Verbandsbeschwerderecht usage.
• Pro Natura: Switzerland's oldest and largest nature conservation NGO. Co-organizes expert conferences with Aqua Viva and shares a comparable membership, donation, and advocacy model focused on Swiss habitats.
• BirdLife Schweiz: Swiss bird and biodiversity conservation NGO that co-developed the Gewässerperle PLUS label with Aqua Viva and partners. Directly comparable in nonprofit structure, member-supported model, and habitat conservation focus.
• Naturschutzbund Deutschland (NABU): Germany's largest nature and biodiversity NGO. Closest international analogue to Aqua Viva in operating model: member-supported nonprofit delivering freshwater, river, and species conservation plus education programs at scale.

Broad incumbents

• The Nature Conservancy: Largest global conservation nonprofit with major freshwater and river restoration programs. Comparable at the portfolio level (conservation, education, advocacy, member-supported) but operates globally rather than Switzerland-only.

Emerging players

• Wetlands International: Global nonprofit dedicated to wetland and waterbird conservation. Adjacent in subject matter (freshwater habitats) but operates internationally rather than as a national NGO with recreational education programs.
• Stiftung Natur & Wirtschaft: Swiss foundation promoting biodiversity-rich natural areas on corporate and private land. Comparable Swiss nonprofit structure with a focus on habitat protection and partnership-based project delivery.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCcXJjkpLygd9gzqCp4KlkmQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/aquavivagewaesserschutz
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/aquavivaschweiz
• Instagraminstagram.com/aquavivagewaesserschutz

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 Aqua Viva