Quo Vadis Institute

What Quo Vadis Institute does

Quo Vadis Institute is a charitable think tank registered in Austria (ZVR 941207965) that operates an interdisciplinary dialogue platform at the intersection of theology, ethics, technology, and society, with a stated Europe-wide remit and a primary operational base in Salzburg/Mittersill. The organization structures its community around nine professional guilds (Arts, Business, Education, Government, Healthcare, Law, Media, Religion, Technology) and produces a recurring content portfolio including the #Rethink / Flourishing Stories podcast distributed on Apple, Spotify, and Google Podcasts, multi-part research papers (Social Justice series, Technology and the Biblical Narrative), published books co-produced with academic partners (notably 'The Robot Will See You Now'), a monthly newsletter, and video content from public events and the Annual Consultation. QVI also runs guided cultural and theological tours through European historical sites in France, Austria, and Italy, led by academic theologians Dr Andrzej Turkanik and Dr Jasper Knecht, priced between 799 EUR and 3990 EUR per participant with group sizes of 5-8 attendees.

The business model is donation-led, supplemented by tour fees and book/retail sales. Funding flows through National Christian Foundation for US donors and direct IBAN for European donors, with humanitarian activity channeled through partner churches. The 'Churches Helping Churches Help' initiative, launched in February 2022 in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, raised over 500,000 USD and supported more than 200 refugees via operational partners KWCh Palowice and Good Works Charity Mission in Poland. No revenue figures are disclosed; the organization does not develop proprietary technology products and operates with a small team of 11-50, including Executive Director Dr Turkanik, theology lead Dr Knecht, Executive Assistant Verena Schnitzhofer, and Logistics & IT Officer Stuart Kinniburgh.

Name

Quo Vadis Institute

Legal name

Quo Vadis Institute

Website

https://qvi.eu

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Quo Vadis Institute is an Austria-registered charitable think tank that produces interdisciplinary content and events on theology, ethics, technology, and society, serving thought leaders across nine professional guilds through podcasts, publications, guided European tours, and humanitarian coordination.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Theological Education and Publishing

NAICS

Religious Organizations (8131), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYTHAKAHAM

Religious Retreats & Spiritual Wellness Travel Agencies

Travel & Hospitality/Travel Agencies, Tour Operators & OTAs/Religious & Pilgrimage Travel Agencies

SECONDARYMPAJAHAH

Spirituality & Personal Growth Publishing (Mindfulness, Contemplative, New Age)

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Publishing (Books, News, Magazines)/Religious & Spiritual Publishing

Keywords

• Charitable think tank
• Theological education
• Guided cultural tours
• Humanitarian relief coordination
• Interdisciplinary ethics dialogue

Headquarters

HQ city

Salzburg

HQ country

Austria

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Tour Fees: QVI organizes and charges for cultural/educational guided tours through European historical sites (France, Austria/Italy), led by academic theologians Dr Andrzej Turkanik and Dr Jasper Knecht. Tour fees include accommodation, transport, meals, lectures, and entries.
2. Donations and Charitable Contributions: As a charitable organization registered in Austria (ZVR 941207965), QVI relies on donations, particularly for humanitarian relief efforts like Ukraine support. The organization facilitates fund transfers from US donors via National Christian Foundation and European donors via IBAN.
3. Book Sales and Publications: QVI co-publishes and distributes books on AI, ethics, and theology (e.g., The Robot Will See You Now) through retail outlets and direct sales. Study guides are offered for free download to complement the book.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Quo Vadis Institute is a charitable organization that organizes multi-day guided cultural and theological tours through European historical Christian sites, publishes books and research papers on AI ethics, theology, and social justice, produces the #Rethink podcast, hosts public lectures and an annual consultation, and coordinates humanitarian relief through its Churches Helping Churches Help initiative for Ukraine.

Product overview

Quo Vadis Institute is a charitable organization offering a portfolio of content products, educational events, and community services. Its core offerings include the Podcast Rethink series featuring conversations on AI, ethics, and theology; publications including the co-published book 'The Robot Will See You Now' and multi-part research papers on Social Justice and technology; and guided cultural/theological tours through European sites. Additional offerings include Annual Consultations, public panel events, e-newsletters, video content, and the 'Churches Helping Churches Help' Ukraine relief initiative. The organization positions itself as a thought leadership platform exploring questions of human flourishing in contemporary European society.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• French Christian Culture Tour

Quantifiable outcome

• 500,000 USD raised for Ukraine relief
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Plattform ChristdemokratieminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 November 2023Partnered with QVI to host public lecture on AI ethics with Prof John Wyatt in Vienna, November 2023. Co-produced video interviews as follow-up content.
• Evangelische Allianz WienminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 November 2023Partnered with QVI and Plattform Christdemokratie to host public lecture on AI ethics in Vienna. Contributed to event moderation and video interview production.
• Good Works Charity Mission (Dobroczynic.pl)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 February 2022Polish charity operating since 2006 as agency of the evangelical Church of Christ in Poland, with Public Benefit Organization status (KRS 0000253759). Cooperating with QVI on Churches Helping Churches Help initiative to coordinate humanitarian relief for Ukraine.
• KWCh Palowice (Evangelical Church)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 February 2022Evangelical church in southern Poland that became the operational hub for helping Ukraine. Provides local expertise, volunteers, and practical support for distributing humanitarian supplies across Ukraine. Hands and feet of the Churches Helping Churches Help project.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Cardus: Canadian public policy think tank working at the intersection of faith and society across multiple sectors (education, family, work, religion). Highly comparable model of research-driven, multi-guild approach to faith-based public engagement.
• European Evangelical Alliance: Umbrella network for evangelical movements across Europe, comparable to QVI's regional faith-based engagement and partnerships with evangelical churches (Polish, Ukrainian) for humanitarian coordination.
• L'Abri Fellowship: International Christian study and retreat community offering residential programs combining theological reflection with cultural engagement, conceptually similar to QVI's tours and Annual Consultation model.
• Tearfund: Major Christian relief and development agency coordinating faith-based humanitarian response globally. Directly comparable to QVI's 'Churches Helping Churches Help' Ukraine initiative in mobilizing church networks for relief.
• Theos: UK-based public theology think tank that, like QVI, produces research, podcasts, and events engaging Christianity with contemporary social and ethical questions including AI, technology, and policy. Closest direct peer given similar intellectual mission and European focus.
• Lausanne Movement: Global evangelical movement convening thought leaders on theology, mission, and societal engagement. Comparable in producing research publications, organizing consultations, and building interdisciplinary evangelical networks worldwide.
• Acton Institute: Faith-based think tank producing interdisciplinary research at the intersection of religion, liberty, and economics. Comparable in combining theological framing with contemporary public policy engagement, though substantially larger and better resourced than QVI.

Broad incumbents

• Tyndale House (Cambridge): Cambridge-based biblical research institute where QVI leadership has connections (Faraday Institute, Cambridge academic network). Comparable as an academically rigorous Christian research organization, though focused on biblical scholarship rather than contemporary policy.

Emerging players

• Kairos (Europe): European evangelical initiative focused on engagement with contemporary culture and public life. Comparable in mission (faith shaping European public square) and operational scale to QVI, though distinct geographic footprint.

Regional players

• Plattform Christdemokratie: Austrian Christian-democratic platform that partnered with QVI on the 2023 AI ethics lecture in Vienna. Comparable as a Vienna-based faith-and-policy forum, though focused on political party engagement rather than think-tank research.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors1 record

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 Quo Vadis Institute