Danske Hospitalsklovne

What Danske Hospitalsklovne does

Danske Hospitalsklovne is a Danish charitable association (forening) founded in 2003, with roots in the 2000-2001 "Humor og Helbred" initiative, that deploys professionally trained hospital clowns to support the well-being of hospitalized children, child and adolescent psychiatric patients, hospice residents, special-institution users, and people with dementia across Denmark. The organization maintains a roster of 83 trained clowns who complete a 1.5-year formal education program, with cohorts limited to 8-12 candidates, and delivers 8,575 clown shifts annually to Danish hospitals, hospices, and care institutions. Operations are coordinated from Copenhagen with training centralized in Aarhus, and the organization is a member of EFHCO and ISOBRO.

The association funds its operations through a diversified nonprofit revenue model: individual memberships at 100 kr/month, donations, corporate sponsorships, foundation grants, and event-based fundraising, most notably Klovneløb, a network of running events that has cumulatively raised 12 million kr and now spans 100+ annual occurrences. Sub-brands include Klovnbulancen, a 2025 mobile initiative extending clown presence beyond hospitals into chronic and community care, and a new MR-scanner collaboration with Aarhus Universitetshospital aimed at reducing pediatric patient anxiety during diagnostic procedures. Since 2024, the organization has operated under the royal patronage of H.M. Queen Mary, which strengthens its institutional standing. Core "technology" is the trained performer and the long-tenured relationships with public healthcare providers; no AI/ML or software product is part of the offering.

Name

Danske Hospitalsklovne

Legal name

Danske Hospitalsklovne

Website

https://danskehospitalsklovne.dk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Danske Hospitalsklovne is a Danish charitable association founded in 2003 that deploys 83 professionally trained hospital clowns to support hospitalized children, psychiatric patients, and people with dementia across Denmark, funded by memberships, donations, and corporate sponsorships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Healthcare Support Services

NAICS

Ambulatory Health Care Services (621), Offices of Other Health Practitioners (6213)

SIC

Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090), Services-Health Services (8000)

akta.pro primary industry

Outpatient Mental Health & Counseling Clinics (HLAFABAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Palliative Care Clinics & Outpatient Programs (HLADAHAF)

Keywords

• Hospital clown services
• Pediatric emotional support
• Healthcare clown training
• Charitable fundraising events
• Corporate CSR partnerships

Headquarters

HQ city

Copenhagen

HQ country

Denmark

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations

Revenue model

1. Membership subscriptions: Monthly membership at 100 kr per month (100 kr/month). Members receive voting rights at the general assembly. Not tax-deductible.
2. Recurring donations (fast bidrag): Monthly recurring donations with tax deductibility from the first krone. Tax reports submitted to SKAT using CPR numbers.
3. Klovneløb event participation: 80 kr per participant for Klovneløb running events. Of this, at least 73 kr goes directly to hospital clown work. 7 kr covers local organizer expenses.
4. Corporate sponsorships: Five different clown sponsorship tiers with associated benefits. Sponsorship obligations constitute taxable delivery and VAT applies.
5. CSR partnerships: Long-term partnerships with companies based on CSR strategy, time-limited marketing campaigns, or other arrangements.
6. One-time donations: One-time donations via website, SMS (KLOVN 100 to 1918), MobilePay (13040), or bank transfer. Corporate donations up to 17,700 kr annually are tax-deductible.
7. Legacies and testaments: Bequests and testamentary gifts. Danske Hospitalsklovne pays no estate or additional estate duties. Covers up to 5,000 kr incl. VAT for attorney fees for testaments benefiting the organization.
8. Online fundraising platforms: Supporters can create personal online fundraising pages. Corporate and private fundraisers can collect donations through the organization's website.
9. Foundation grants: Project-based funding from foundations such as Ole Kirk's Fond for the Klovnbulancen mobile initiative.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Danske Hospitalsklovne is a Danish charitable association that employs 83 professionally trained hospital clowns to visit hospitalized children, young people in psychiatric care, and people with dementia across Danish hospitals, hospices, special institutions, and care facilities. The organization conducts approximately 8,575 clown shifts annually, delivers the MR-Scanner Preparation collaboration with radiographers, runs the mobile Klovnbulancen initiative for chronically ill families, and operates a 1.5-year hospital clown training program. All direct services are provided free of charge to patients and families.

Product overview

Danske Hospitalsklovne operates as a unified non-profit organization offering hospital clownery services primarily to hospitalized children, young people, and people with dementia. The core offering is the hospital clown visit program, delivered by 83 trained hospital clowns who conduct approximately 8,575 shifts annually across Danish hospitals, psychiatric wards, and institutions. Supporting the core service is the 1.5-year Hospitalsklovneuddannelsen (Hospital Clown Training), a master-apprenticeship program that recruits and trains new clowns. The organization runs supplementary programs including Klovnbulancen (a mobile initiative for chronically ill children), Klovneløb (family running events for fundraising), and provides digital fundraising tools through its online platform. Corporate engagement is facilitated via clown sponsorships, CSR partnerships, and legacy giving programs. The portfolio is unified under one organizational mission rather than a modular platform architecture.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Klovnbulancen: A mobile wellness initiative bringing joy, play, and positive experiences to children and families with chronic and long-term illness outside of hospital settings. Klovnbulancen is a cross-disciplinary collaboration between Danske Hospitalsklovne, Aarhus Universitetshospital, Designskolen Kolding, Volkswagen Erhvervsbiler, and Clever, funded by Ole Kirk's Fond and running as a development project until 2027.
• Klovneløb

Products and services

• Hospitalsklovnebesøg (Hospital Clown Visits) Trained hospital clowns visit hospitalized children, young people in psychiatric care, and people with dementia across Danish hospitals, hospices, special institutions, and care facilities to create moments of joy, imagination, and respite from illness. The service is provided free of charge to patients, families, and healthcare institutions.
• Hospitalsklovneuddannelsen (Hospital Clown Training Program) A 1.5-year master-apprenticeship program that recruits and trains individuals to become professional hospital clowns. The program combines module residencies conducted primarily in Aarhus, workshops, and clinical practice placements, producing graduates equipped to deliver the Klovnemetoden methodology in healthcare settings.
• Klovnbulancen (Mobile Well-being Initiative) A mobile initiative bringing play, presence, and positive experiences to children with long-term and chronic illness and their families outside hospital settings. The program uses a specially equipped vehicle to meet families in their everyday environments as an extension of hospital clown visits.
• Klovneløb (Charity Running Events) Family running events held nationwide where participants of all ages and abilities walk, run, or roll 1–3 km routes to raise funds for hospital clownery. Participation costs 80 kr per person and includes a start number, red nose, water bottle, and snack; all children under 18 receive a medal. At least 73 kr per participant goes directly to hospital clown work.
• Klovnesponsorat (Corporate Clown Sponsorship)

Quantifiable outcome

• Reduction in anesthesia use during MRI scans from 57% to 5% for children aged 4-6 after implementing Children Centered Care approach with hospital clowns at Kolding Hospital
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• EFHCO (European Federation of Healthcare Clown Organizations)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2011Danske Hospitalsklovne is a member of EFHCO, which encompasses 22 hospital clown organizations across Europe. Membership ensures international certification and recognition that the organization meets the highest standards for professional hospital clowns. The federation develops and supports hospital clown work at European level.
• ISOBRO (Indsamlingsorganisationernes Brancheorganisation)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDanske Hospitalsklovne is a member of ISOBRO, the industry association for fundraising organizations. All member organizations are approved under the Tax Assessment Act § 8a. The organization's accounting procedures and ethical guidelines follow ISOBRO recommendations.
• Aarhus UniversitetshospitalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the Klovnbulancen mobile initiative and in MR-scanner preparation projects. Collaborates with hospital clowns and radiographers to reduce anesthesia use in children during medical imaging.
• Volkswagen ErhvervsbilersupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the Klovnbulancen mobile well-being initiative, providing vehicles for the mobile clown program.
• Designskolen KoldingsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerDesign school partner in Klovnbulancen initiative, developing materials such as memory books for families.
• CleversupportingTechnology or IntegrationPartner in the Klovnbulancen mobile initiative, providing charging infrastructure for the mobile program.
• Klovneløb partnerssupportingChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCorporate partners supporting the annual Klovneløb running events. Includes Creative Company, GLS, Castus, Lirum Larum Leg, HelloFresh, and Spring Copenhagen. Provide financial support and in-kind contributions for events.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Humor Helps (Stichting Humor)\: Dutch hospital clown and healthcare humor organization, EFHCO member. Directly comparable in operating model, professional training approach, and fundraising channels.
• Healthy Humor: US nonprofit deploying trained performers to pediatric hospitals with similar methodology (red-nose work, hospital-based visits). Comparable in mission and operations though operating in a different healthcare system.
• Die Clown Doktoren: German hospital clown organization with comparable professional training program and EFHCO membership. Same target population (hospitalized children) and similar donor-funded nonprofit structure.
• Theodora Children's Charity: Founded in 1993 in Switzerland and now operating in multiple countries, sends professionally trained performers to visit hospitalized children. Closely comparable in mission, nonprofit structure, and target population to Danske Hospitalsklovne.
• Red Noses International: Austria-founded umbrella organization running professional hospital clown programs across multiple European countries. Member of the same EFHCO federation and structurally analogous in training standards and donor dependency.
• Le Rire Médecin: One of the oldest and largest hospital clown organizations in Europe, founded in 1991 in France. Operates professional hospital clowns visiting pediatric wards with multi-year training programs, structurally identical to Danske Hospitalsklovne's model.

Regional players

• Clownvisiten: Norwegian hospital clown organization with similar mission, training rigor, and donor-supported nonprofit model. Operates in the same Nordic healthcare ecosystem and serves as a strong comparable for fundraising effectiveness.
• Sjukhusclownerna: Swedish hospital clown organization operating in the same Nordic welfare context with comparable funding models (donations, corporate partnerships). Directly comparable peer operating just across the Øresund from Denmark.

Broad incumbents

• Big Apple Circus - Clown Care: US hospital clown program, one of the pioneers of the model in North America. Broader entity but its Clown Care unit is directly comparable in service model and clinical integration approach.

Emerging players

• Hôpiclowns: French hospital clown organization focused on pediatric oncology and palliative care. More narrowly specialized than Danske Hospitalsklovne but directly comparable in working with seriously ill children and hospice populations.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/danskeklo
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@DanskeHospitalsklovne
• Facebookfacebook.com/danskehospitalsklovne
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/danske-hospitalsklovne
• Instagraminstagram.com/danskehospitalsklovne

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Danske Hospitalsklovne