DRK-Blutspendedienst

What DRK-Blutspendedienst does

DRK-Blutspendedienst NSTOB is the non-profit (gemeinnützige GmbH) blood donation service jointly owned by the German Red Cross regional associations of Niedersachsen, Sachsen-Anhalt, Thüringen, Oldenburg, and Bremen. It recruits voluntary unpaid blood, plasma, platelet, and stem cell donors across five German federal states, processes approximately 650,000 donations per year at 11 institutes and teamstandorte plus ~10,000 mobile blood donation appointments annually, and supplies the resulting blood products (erythrocyte concentrates, platelet concentrates, plasma) to hospitals and medical practices 365 days a year on a cost-recovery basis. Its service area covers ~390,000 active donors. The organization runs an active donor base of voluntary unpaid donors and maintains an immunohematology reference laboratory with molecular biology capabilities (MALDI-TOF, Sanger/Nanopore sequencing), and houses the German Stem Cell Donor Registry (DSD) at its Dessau institute.

The technology stack supporting the donor and operations side includes a GMP-compliant pharmaceutical manufacturing operation, the Blutspende-App (iOS/Android) and Digitaler Spenderservice web portal for appointment booking, digital donor ID, donation history, and gamification, and a marketing/communications layer using SendinBlue (EU-hosted email), Matomo and Google Analytics, and HERE Maps for location services. The company operates under the German Transfusion Act (Transfusionsgesetz) and the Arzneimittelgesetz (AMG), holds ISO 27001-adjacent information security practices, and is GDPR-compliant. Recent product investments include a major Blutspende-App relaunch in June 2026 and the miteinander referral program running May–December 2026, alongside the nationwide #missingtype awareness campaign.

The business model is non-profit cost-recovery: blood products are sold to hospitals and medical practices at prices that reflect only the expenses of donor recruitment, mobile event logistics, transport, laboratory testing, processing, storage, and delivery. No surplus is generated or distributed; any residual is reinvested in infrastructure, safety, and operations. Revenue is therefore a function of volume (donations collected × cost-recovery unit price), and pricing is explicitly noted as the lowest in Europe — up to 50% below comparable EU products. Customer segments are two-sided: ~390,000 individual voluntary donors on the supply side, and a fragmented base of hospitals and physician practices on the demand side. The German non-profit blood system accounts for ~70% of national supply, of which NSTOB is one of five regional DRK services.

Name

DRK-Blutspendedienst

Legal name

Blutspendedienst der Landesverbände des Deutschen Roten Kreuzes Niedersachsen, Sachsen-Anhalt, Thüringen, Oldenburg und Bremen g.G.m.b.H.

Website

https://blutspende-leben.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1952

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

DRK-Blutspendedienst NSTOB is the German Red Cross non-profit blood donation service for five German states, processing ~650,000 donations annually into blood products supplied to hospitals and medical practices on a cost-recovery basis.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Blood Banking Services

NAICS

Blood and Organ Banks (621991), Biological Product (except Diagnostic) Manufacturing (325414)

SIC

Biological Products, (No Disgnostic Substances) (2836), Services-Medical Laboratories (8071)

akta.pro primary industry

Blood, Organ & Tissue Donation Organizations (BPAGACAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Plasma Collection & Donor Services (Plasmapheresis Centers) (HLAIAHAH), Transfusion Medicine & Immunohematology (Blood Bank) (HLAFAMAG), Blood Bank, Transfusion Medicine & Immunohematology (HLAHAAAH), Cell & Tissue Banking (biobanking, cord blood/tissue) (HLAAAGAE)

Keywords

• Blood donation services
• Transfusion medicine
• Plasma donation
• Blood product manufacturing
• Immunohematology diagnostics

Headquarters

HQ city

Springe

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices12 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Blood Product Sales (Cost-Recovery Pricing): The DRK-Blutspendedienst NSTOB is a non-profit (gGmbH). It does not sell donated blood; instead, it sells blood products at cost-recovery prices that reflect only the expenses incurred for recruiting donors, organizing mobile donation events, transport, laboratory testing, processing, storage, and delivery. No financial surplus is generated or distributed. Revenue covers operating costs and necessary infrastructure investments.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

DRK-Blutspendedienst NSTOB recruits voluntary blood donors, collects whole blood, plasma, and platelets at mobile appointments and fixed plasma centers, and processes them into blood component preparations (erythrocyte concentrates, platelet concentrates, plasma) at its institutes. These products are delivered to hospitals and medical practices across five German states at cost-recovery prices, with no financial surplus generated. Supporting services include immunohematological reference diagnostics, stem cell collections via the German Stem Cell Donor Registry (DSD), research and development in transfusion medicine, and continuing medical education.

Product overview

DRK-Blutspendedienst NSTOB operates as a non-profit blood service providing comprehensive blood and plasma donation services across five German states (Niedersachsen, Sachsen-Anhalt, Thüringen, Bremen, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern). The core offering centers on the Blutspende-App and Digitaler Spenderservice, which serve as digital platforms for donor engagement including appointment scheduling, digital donation certificates, and donation history tracking. The service portfolio includes Vollblutspende (whole blood donation), Plasmaspende (plasma donation), and Thrombozytenspende (platelet donation), processed into blood products for hospital supply. Supporting services include an immunohematology reference laboratory, research and development in transfusion medicine, and professional training programs. The organization processes approximately 650,000 blood donations annually across 11 institutes and coordinates around 10,000 mobile blood donation events yearly.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Blutspende-App: Digital blood donation companion app for scheduling appointments, tracking donation history, and accessing digital donor cards
• Digitaler Spenderservice
• Stiftung Blutspendedienst

Products and services

• Blutspende-App (Blood Donation App) Free mobile application for iOS and Android providing digital donor ID, appointment booking, donation history, blood group information, action notifications, and a donor community forum. Acquired directly by individual donors.
• Digitaler Spenderservice (Digital Donor Service) Web-based digital donor service portal at spenderservice.net providing appointment management, donation history, and digital certificates for individual blood donors.
• Vollblutspende (Whole Blood Donation) Standard whole blood donation service where approximately 500ml of blood is collected at mobile donation events or fixed centers. The blood is processed into various blood component preparations for hospital supply.
• Plasmaspende (Plasma Donation) Plasma donation service available at dedicated plasma donation centers in Neubrandenburg, Dessau, and Rostock. Plasma is used for manufacturing medications and blood products for hospitals.
• Thrombozytenspende (Platelet Donation) Platelet (thrombocyte) donation service where platelets are collected via apheresis for patients requiring platelet transfusions, particularly cancer patients. Prepared at the Institute Bremen-Oldenburg (Standort Oldenburg).
• Immunhämatologisches Labor (Immunohematology Reference Laboratory) Reference laboratory providing immunohematology diagnostics including complex antibody cases, antibodies against high-prevalent antigens, and complicated constellations. Connected to modern molecular biology laboratories for MALDI-TOF, Sanger/Nanopore sequencing.
• Stammzellspende (Stem Cell Collection Service) Stem cell collection service operated via the German Stem Cell Donor Registry (DSD) housed at the Dessau Institute, handling stem cell collections for hematologic patient care in cooperation with large oncology departments.
• Forschung & Entwicklung (Research & Development) Scientific research in transfusion medicine focusing on new manufacturing processes and blood product quality. Projects span infection safety and novel blood product development from preclinical to clinical trials.
• Fortbildungen (Continuing Medical Education) Training and professional development offerings for medical professionals in transfusion medicine, including regular events with national and international partners.
• Blutspende in Unternehmen (Corporate Workplace Blood Drives) Organized blood donation events at partner companies' workplaces. The organization coordinates the mobile team, equipment, and logistics, while the company promotes participation among employees.
• Blood Product Supply to Hospitals (Erythrocyte, Platelet, and Plasma Concentrates) GMP-compliant manufacturing and direct supply of blood and blood component preparations — erythrocyte concentrates, platelet concentrates, and plasma — to hospitals and medical practices, 365 days a year, around the clock, at cost-recovery prices.

Quantifiable outcome

• 15,000 blood donations are needed daily in Germany — eleven donations per minute
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration10 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• DRK-Stiftung (DRK Foundation)coreOthersThe DRK-Stiftung des Blutspendedienstes NSTOB was established to fund innovative projects related to blood donation and healthcare. It has approved approximately 9.5 million EUR for around 3,800 qualifying projects since its founding over 14 years ago, with a foundation capital of 12 million EUR. DRK-affiliated organizations and those supporting blood donation in the NSTOB service area can apply for project funding.
• World Health Organization (WHO)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe WHO initiated World Blood Donor Day (June 14), which the DRK-Blutspendedienst NSTOB observes annually. The WHO's ethical principles for blood donation align with the DRK's values of voluntary, unpaid donation.
• Celebrity/Influencer Ambassadors (Jana Wosnitza, Thore Schölermann, Loris Karius, Stefano Zarrella)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerProminent public figures support the #missingtype campaign to raise awareness about blood shortages. Sport presenter Jana Wosnitza, TV presenter Thore Schölermann, football professional Loris Karius, and influencer Stefano Zarrella lend their reach to motivate especially younger people to donate blood.
• Facebook Ireland, X (Twitter International), New Work SE (Xing)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerSocial media platforms used for communicating with donors and promoting blood donation campaigns. The organization maintains fanpages on Facebook, X (Twitter), and Xing. Data processing for page insights is governed by Facebook's data sharing arrangements.
• WhatsApp Ireland Ltd.minorGTM or Marketing PartnerWhatsApp sharing button on the website allows donors to share articles and blood donation appointments via the WhatsApp messenger service.
• DRK-Landesverbände (DRK Regional Associations)coreOthersDRK-Blutspendedienst NSTOB gGmbH is the blood donation service of the DRK regional associations of Niedersachsen, Sachsen-Anhalt, Thüringen, Oldenburg, and Bremen. The company is jointly owned by these regional Red Cross associations.
• Deutsche Stammzellspenderdatei (DSD) — German Stem Cell Donor RegistrycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe German Stem Cell Donor Registry (DSD) is housed at the Dessau Institute. The organization handles stem cell collections in cooperation with large oncology departments at multiple hospitals. This is a key strategic service provided in partnership with the DSD network.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/blutspende_de
• Facebookfacebook.com/drk.blutspendedienst.nstob
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/drk-blutspendedienst-nstob

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 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 DRK-Blutspendedienst