What Pro Velo Schweiz does

Pro Velo Schweiz is a non-profit association (Verein) under Swiss Civil Code, founded in 1985 as the national umbrella organization for cycling advocacy in Switzerland. Headquartered in Bern at Birkenweg 61, it coordinates a federated network of approximately 40 regional associations and represents over 44,000 individual members across German and French-speaking Switzerland. Its functional remit spans cycling advocacy and policy influence (championing the Veloweggesetz/Cycling Infrastructure Law, parliamentary petitions, and ASTRA-recognized interlocutor status), nationwide cycling promotion programs (bike to work corporate challenge, Bike2school and DEFI VELO youth programs, Cyclomania municipal challenges, Velofahrkurse cycling courses, Velobörsen second-hand bike markets, Prix Velo infrastructure awards, and the digital LEVEL UP YOUR RIDE platform), and direct services to members including the bilingual Pro Velo Magazine, newsletter, and provelonet intranet.

The organization is led by President Delphine Klopfenstein Broggini (a sitting National Council member) and Secretary General Jürg Buri, supported by a management team of ~30 staff covering cycling promotion, infrastructure and policy, communications and fundraising, services and finance, and CRM/IT. The technology footprint is conventional nonprofit office IT (Microsoft 365, CRM databases, member website, provelonet intranet) with no proprietary platform technology or AI-driven components; product delivery is primarily event-based, in-person, and content-driven rather than software-driven.

Revenue is generated through four streams: membership fees from 44,000+ individual members, donations and fundraising appeals (including the Weltvelotag campaign), program participation fees from companies, schools, and municipalities, and ancillary service revenue (meeting room rental at Bern HQ, publications, Velobörsen and Velofahrkurse fees). The association is politically independent, member-funded, and has no parent company, external investors, or public shareholders — financial scale is not publicly disclosed but is implied to be in the low-tens-of-millions of CHF range based on membership base, corporate program participation (4,072 companies in 2026), and headcount.

Name

Pro Velo Schweiz

Legal name

Pro Velo Schweiz

Website

https://pro-velo.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

1985

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Pro Velo Schweiz is Switzerland's national non-profit cycling advocacy association, coordinating 40 regional associations and 44,000+ members while running programs such as bike to work, Bike2school, Cyclomania, Velofahrkurse, and Velobörsen for companies, schools, municipalities, and individual cyclists.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cycling Advocacy and Promotion

NAICS

Social Advocacy Organizations (8133), Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312)

akta.pro primary industry

Bicycle Programs & Bike Share (Parking, Repair, Rentals) (EDALAKAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Bike Fit, Performance & Training Retail/Studios (CRAMAHAI), Bike Rental, Demo & Tour Operators (Retail-Adjacent) (CRAMAHAJ), Cycling / MTB / E-Bike Guiding & Rentals (THAAALAG)

Keywords

• Cycling advocacy
• Cycling promotion
• Cycling education
• Sustainable mobility
• Bicycle infrastructure

Headquarters

HQ city

Bern

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: Annual membership fees from over 44,000 individual members across 40 regional associations. Members receive magazine, newsletters, and participate in regional activities.
2. Donations and Fundraising: Donations from members and supporters. Active fundraising campaigns including the Weltvelotag appeal and general support appeals.
3. Program Participation Fees: Companies pay to participate in bike to work challenges; schools participate in Bike2school and DEFI VELO programs. These generate revenue while promoting cycling.
4. Service Revenue: Meeting room rental (Birkenweg 61, Bern), sale of publications and guides, and various cycling-related services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Pro Velo Schweiz is a non-profit cycling association that promotes everyday cycling in Switzerland through advocacy campaigns, workplace and school cycling programs (bike to work, Bike2school), cycling courses, second-hand bike markets (Velobörsen), a membership magazine, and policy work for better cycling infrastructure. It operates 40 regional associations and partners with companies, municipalities, and schools to increase cycling uptake nationwide.

Product overview

Pro Velo Schweiz operates as a national cycling advocacy non-profit organization with a broad portfolio of cycling promotion programs. The core offerings include workplace cycling challenges (bike to work), school-based programs (Bike2school, Ecole+velo, DEFI VELO), municipal competitions (Cyclomania), digital training (LEVEL UP YOUR RIDE), cycling awards (Prix Velo for cities and infrastructure), and practical services (over 50 Velobörsen second-hand bike markets and approximately 600 Velofahrkurse cycling courses annually). The organization coordinates 40 regional associations and represents over 44,000 members across Switzerland, supported by internal communication tools (provelonet intranet, member magazine, and newsletter).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• bike to work: National cycling promotion campaign for companies encouraging employees to cycle to work
• Bike2school
• Cyclomania
• DEFI VELO
• LEVEL UP YOUR RIDE
• Prix Velo
• Schule+VELO
• Velobörsen
• Velofahrkurse
• provelonet

Products and services

• bike to work Annual workplace cycling challenge where Swiss companies register teams that log bike commutes during a defined competition period to promote cycling among employees.
• Bike2school National school cycling competition encouraging Swiss schoolchildren to commute to school by bike through a points-based, gamified program run over several weeks.
• Cyclomania Municipal cycling promotion program in which communes collectively compete to log cycling kilometers during a campaign period to win a participation-based prize.
• DEFI VELO School-level cycling challenge program aimed at secondary school classes to encourage regular bike commuting during a fixed campaign window.
• LEVEL UP YOUR RIDE Online cycling knowledge quiz delivered as a digital game with monthly prize draws to teach road-safety and cycling know-how.
• Velobörsen Physical second-hand bicycle markets held across Switzerland, typically organized seasonally (spring/autumn), where used bikes are sold with expert inspection and advice.
• Velofahrkurse Cycling courses for children, adults and companies that teach safe cycling, traffic rules and basic bike-handling skills.
• Schule+Velo (Ecole+vélo) Bilingual (German/French) school cycling program providing teaching materials and activities to integrate cycling into classroom curricula across Swiss language regions.
• Velokiosk Pop-up information and service stand offered to employers and event organizers, providing Pro Velo materials, course sign-ups and basic bike checks on site.
• Prix Velo (infrastructure award) Periodic award program recognizing Swiss municipalities and infrastructure projects for outstanding investments in cycling infrastructure.
• PRO VELO Magazine Print and digital member magazine published periodically covering cycling topics, policy updates, and association news for Pro Velo members and supporters.
• Meeting room rental (Sitzungszimmer) Hourly rental of meeting rooms at Pro Velo's Bern office, available to external organizations such as associations and nonprofit groups.

Quantifiable outcome

• 30.6 million km cycled through bike to work 2026 participants, reducing car trips and associated emissions
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 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

Feature2 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• FHNW (University of Applied Sciences Northwestern Switzerland)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Research partnership on LEVEL UP YOUR RIDE digital cycling education program. FHNW conducted study proving effectiveness of online cycling training.
• Cycla - Alliance suisse du vélocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Cycla is an alliance of over 40 organizations and companies promoting cycling in Switzerland, founded in 2020 and coordinated by Pro Velo. The alliance works on shared policy positions and coordinated advocacy efforts.
• Swiss Bicycle Federation (Velokonferenz)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational conference of cycling infrastructure decision-makers. Pro Velo participates in technical days and shares expertise on cycling planning.
• European Cyclists Federation (ECF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPro Velo is represented on ECF's management committee, connecting Swiss cycling advocacy to European level policy and best practices.
• SuisseMobile FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFoundation managing Switzerland's cycling and hiking route network (SuisseMobile). Pro Velo represented on board of directors.
• MoveSmartminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInitiative providing a three-tier label to help companies make employee mobility more sustainable. Pro Velo supports the initiative.
• Association Vélokiosk (velokiosk.ch)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAssociation promoting bicycle kiosks and mobile cycling services across Switzerland.
• IMBA (International Mountain Biking Association Switzerland)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSwiss branch of IMBA promoting sustainable mountain biking trails and responsible off-road cycling.
• Alliance école+vélocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAlliance founded by Pro Velo in 2014 to improve cycling conditions in schools and coordinate cycling offers. Website: ecole-velo.ch
• Swiss Bike ParkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on MyBikeDay 2026 event bringing together Bike2school, DEFI VELO, and bikecontrol programs. Notable athletes including Nicola Spirig and Natascha Badmann participated.
• Federal Roads Office (ASTRA/mobilité douce)coreOthersPro Velo serves as recognized interlocutor on cycling traffic matters for the Swiss Confederation, contributing to brochures and reports on cycling traffic.
• Fonds für Verkehrssicherheit (Road Safety Fund)minorOthersPro Velo was represented on the administrative commission (1999-2006) and participates in expert committee for road safety.
• SBB/CFF (Swiss Federal Railways)coreOthersOngoing advocacy for improved bike transport on trains. Pro Velo delivered petition with 30,000 signatures (2004) and 54,000 signatures (2021) to SBB demanding better bike transport conditions.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Regional players

• Vélo Québec: Québec-based cycling promotion and advocacy organization running events, training courses, and advocacy campaigns. Comparable as a regional cycling advocacy body with similar program mix (challenges, courses, advocacy) though serving a different national market.
• GRACQ (Les Cyclistes Quotidiens ASBL): Belgian French-speaking cycling advocacy association with comparable member-funded advocacy, training, and policy engagement structure, though operating in Belgium rather than Switzerland.

Direct peers

• PeopleForBikes: US-based cycling advocacy coalition representing thousands of riders and the bicycling industry. Comparable as a national advocacy organization focused on infrastructure policy, member mobilization, and corporate partnership programs analogous to bike-to-work.
• ADFC (Allgemeiner Deutscher Fahrrad-Club): Germany's national cycling advocacy association with similar member-based funding, regional chapters, and policy advocacy focus. Closest large-scale direct peer to Pro Velo in terms of structure and mission.
• Fietsersbond: Dutch cycling advocacy association with similar membership-funded structure, regional organization, and policy advocacy focus. Comparable as one of Europe's most established national cycling member organizations.
• European Cyclists' Federation (ECF): Brussels-based federation coordinating cycling advocacy across Europe. Directly comparable as a multi-national cycling advocacy umbrella organization of which Pro Velo is itself a member and management-committee participant.
• Cycling UK: UK's national cycling charity with cycling promotion campaigns, training courses, and policy advocacy. Comparable as a membership-funded cycling advocacy body offering courses and route-related services similar to Pro Velo's Velofahrkurse and Veloland initiatives.

Others

• Cycla - Alliance suisse du vélo: Swiss alliance of 40+ organizations and companies promoting cycling, founded by Pro Velo in 2020. Adjacent because Pro Velo coordinates Cycla rather than competes with it; included to reflect direct ecosystem relationship.
• SuisseMobile Foundation: Swiss foundation managing national cycling and hiking route network (Veloland Schweiz). Comparable as an adjacent cycling infrastructure organization with overlapping policy goals and board representation overlap with Pro Velo.

Broad incumbents

• Sustrans: UK charity that designs and manages the National Cycle Network and broader active-travel advocacy. Comparable as a broader, established active-mobility charity with overlapping scope to Pro Velo's infrastructure and advocacy work.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/proveloschweiz
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/pro-velo-schweiz
• Instagraminstagram.com/provelo.ch

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 Pro Velo Schweiz