Portion
Parc Ela (Verein Parc Ela) is Switzerland's oldest nature park, a non-profit association managing conservation, sustainable regional development, and tourism across six municipalities in Graubünden, serving tourists, local residents, schools, and partner businesses.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2005
- HeadquartersTiefencastel, Switzerland
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Portion does
Parc Ela (legal entity: Verein Parc Ela) is a non-profit nature park association founded in 2005 and headquartered in Tiefencastel, Switzerland. It is the oldest federally recognized nature park in Switzerland, covering six municipalities in Mittelbünden (central Graubünden) and named after the Piz Ela between the Albula Valley and Oberhalbstein. Despite occupying approximately 1% of Switzerland's area, the park hosts one-third of the country's insect species, and a 2022 wood beetle survey documented 737 beetle species in the Albula Valley portion alone.
The organization's core activities span four domains: biodiversity and landscape conservation (including citizen science, species protection projects, and neophyte management); sustainable regional economic development through the Ela Genusswelt initiative (CHF 3.7M project investment channeling capital into local agriculture, including the Mazlareia Ela cooperative slaughterhouse and Verein Bergobst Ela for fruit cultivation); education and outreach (outdoor education, nature camps, exhibitions, and school programs); and tourism infrastructure (the Parc Ela Trek multi-day hiking route, Savurando guided experiences starting at CHF 59, and 24 certified partner businesses). There is no proprietary technology platform; operations rely on a website (parc-ela.ch), social media channels, tourism platform partnerships (outdooractive.com, guidle.com), and physical touchpoints including the Tiefencastel information center and the buteia regiunala retail store in Savognin.
Revenue is generated through a diversified mix: membership fees and donations, event and activity fees, partner network coordination, and substantial government grants (federal and cantonal sources contributed CHF 2.5M to the PRE Ela Genusswelt project alone). The organization employs 11–50 staff and is led by Managing Director Linda Netzer (appointed September 2025), with Patrizia Zanini as President of the board. Ownership rests with member municipalities and individual members; there are no external shareholders or venture investors.
Portion firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Portion
- Legal name
- Verein Parc Ela
- Website
- https://parc-ela.ch
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2005
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Parc Ela (Verein Parc Ela) is Switzerland's oldest nature park, a non-profit association managing conservation, sustainable regional development, and tourism across six municipalities in Graubünden, serving tourists, local residents, schools, and partner businesses.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Portion industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Nature Park Management and Conservation
- NAICS
- Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (712190), Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (71219), Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (712), Historical Sites (712120)
- SIC
- Forestry (800), Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Conservation Parks & Private Nature Reserves (Visitor Operations) (THAAAFAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Recreation & Activity Services (Hiking, Boating, Climbing, Fishing—Guided/Authorized) (THAAAGAF), Land Trusts & Protected Areas (BPAGAGAC), Citizen Science & Conservation Volunteer Tourism Programs (On-Site) (THAAAFAH)
Keywords
Where Portion is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Tiefencastel
- HQ country
- Switzerland
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Portion business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Membership fees and donations: The association generates revenue through member subscriptions and donations from supporters of the park's conservation and development mission.
- Event and activity fees: Revenue from booking organized activities such as the Savurando Parc Ela hiking experience (from CHF 59), group offers, and nature intervention programs. Prices include VAT and follow specified cancellation policies.
- Partner network: Regional development projects like Ela Genusswelt support local producers and craftspeople, with the park acting as coordinator and facilitator rather than direct revenue generator. Investment of CHF 3.7 million channeled into the region through various sub-projects.
- Government funding: As a recognized Swiss nature park, the association receives governmental support. The PRE Ela Genusswelt project includes CHF 2.5 million from federal and cantonal sources (Bund und Kanton).
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Savurando Parc Ela - guided puzzle hiking experience |
| Other | Multi-year contract | Group bookings and nature interventions |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
Portion product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Verein Parc Ela is a non-profit association that manages Switzerland's oldest nature park (founded 2005) across six municipalities in Mittelbünden, Graubünden. Its core offering is the conservation of Alpine landscapes, flora and fauna, combined with sustainable regional development, environmental education, and bookable visitor experiences such as guided hikes, wildlife observation tours, nature camps, exhibitions, and a partner business network promoting regional products.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Savurando Parc Ela (guided puzzle hike)
Quantifiable outcome
- 737 beetle species documented, including 3 new records for Switzerland and 7 Red List species
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Portion
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Portion technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Portion partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
16 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- Archäologischer Dienst Graubünden (ADG)minorCantonal archaeology department co-producing the RömerZeitReisen exhibition in Bivio about Roman military routes through the Septimer Pass, showcasing archaeological findings from the CVMBAT research project.
- Ela Genusswelt (Trägerverein)coreSeparate association established to manage the regional development project for regional products. Parc Ela acts as initiator and coordinator. Projects include Mazlareia Ela (slaughterhouse), Bergobst Ela (fruit trees), mobile alp dairy, and milk processing facilities.
- Pro Natura GraubündencoreConservation organization collaborating on the Stängel-Blattschneiderbiene (Megachile genalis) protection project, contributing to habitat preservation for this endangered wild bee species endemic to Graubünden.
- Pro Terra EngadinaminorRegional conservation organization partnering on biodiversity protection initiatives.
- Amt für Natur und Umwelt Graubünden (ANU)coreCantonal government office collaborating on multiple conservation and research projects including wood beetle surveys and species protection programs.
- Rhätische Bahn (Rhaetian Railway)minorRegional railway collaborating on the Stängel-Blattschneiderbiene protection project.
- Service Civil International (SCI)coreAnnual collaboration organizing international workcamps in the park. Volunteers from multiple countries participate in conservation work including dry stone wall restoration, fence repair, and pasture maintenance. SCI Switzerland coordinates the program, with Parc Ela providing supervision and project coordination.
- Bergün FilisurcoreMunicipal tourism partner within the park region, collaborating on regional development and visitor services.
- Val SursescoreMunicipal tourism partner within the park region, collaborating on regional development and visitor services.
- SwisstainableminorNational sustainability certification program that Parc Ela participates in, aligning with Swiss tourism sustainability standards.
- AlparcminorAlpine parks network connecting nature parks across the Alps for knowledge sharing and collaborative initiatives.
- Ortsmuseum BergünminorLocal museum in Bergün collaborating on the Nossa Mega exhibition series about wild bees in the park, running from June to October 2025.
- Hof Cadras (Salouf)minorLocal farm participating in the Ela Genusswelt project, building a processing room to produce yogurt, quark, and other dairy products from their own milk starting autumn 2025.
- Alpgenossenschaft AlvaneuminorAlpine farming cooperative in detailed planning for establishing a certified organic alpine dairy as part of the Ela Genusswelt project.
- Swiss National Park and other Graubünden parks (Bündner Pärke)minorNetwork of Graubünden nature parks collaborating on joint initiatives such as the Biodiversitätstage biodiversity awareness event series.
- Netzwerk Schweizer PärkeminorNational association of Swiss nature parks, led by National Council member Stefan Müller-Altermatt, advocating for Swiss parks and publishing policy documents.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Portion competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Schweizerischer Nationalpark: Switzerland's only national park and a direct peer in the Swiss protected-area ecosystem. Comparable on visitor operations, biodiversity programs, and government-backed funding; both operate under the Netzwerk Schweizer Pärke.
- UNESCO Biosphäre Entlebuch: Another recognized Swiss nature park with similar nonprofit governance, regional development goals, and visitor experience offerings — directly comparable on scale, mission, and funding model to Parc Ela.
- Jurapark Aargau: Another Swiss regional nature park operating under the same federal recognition regime, with comparable visitor programs, partner businesses, and regional development mandate.
- Naturpark Gantrisch: A fellow Swiss regional nature park with similar Verein structure, partner business network, and emphasis on sustainable regional development and visitor experiences.
- Naturpark Thal: Recognized Swiss nature park operating with comparable nonprofit structure, partner ecosystem, and focus on landscape conservation paired with regional product development.
Regional players
- Nationalpark Hohe Tauern (AT): Largest Alpine national park in Europe with comparable alpine biodiversity mission, regional development role, and mixed public/private funding — a relevant regional benchmark outside Switzerland.
- Stiftung Naturzentrum Eifel / Nationalpark Eifel (DE): A German national park operating under similar federal-state recognition with comparable nonprofit park-management structure, visitor programs, and biodiversity monitoring — a useful cross-border peer despite different geography.
- Parco Nazionale dello Stelvio: Italian Alpine national park with overlapping Alps tourism market and similar visitor-economy dynamics, though state-managed rather than association-led; useful as a regional cross-border benchmark.
Emerging players
- Pro Natura Graubünden: Conservation organization collaborating with Parc Ela on species-protection projects (e.g. Stängel-Blattschneiderbiene); comparable as a regional conservation peer overlapping on biodiversity programs in the same canton.
Others
- Alparc: The Alpine parks network of which Parc Ela is a member; not a competitor but an enabling/ecosystem peer that connects Parc Ela to peer parks across the Alps for knowledge sharing and joint initiatives.
Market position
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Portion social profiles
Digital presencePortion financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Portion leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
Portion funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Portion M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Portion
What does Portion do?
Verein Parc Ela is a non-profit association that manages Switzerland's oldest nature park (founded 2005) across six municipalities in Mittelbünden, Graubünden. Its core offering is the conservation of Alpine landscapes, flora and fauna, combined with sustainable regional development, environmental education, and bookable visitor experiences such as guided hikes, wildlife observation tours, nature camps, exhibitions, and a partner business network promoting regional products.
Is Portion a public or private company?
Portion is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Portion founded?
Portion was founded in 2005. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Portion based?
Portion is headquartered in Tiefencastel, Switzerland, in the Europe region.
How does Portion make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Membership fees and donations are the primary driver. The others are event and activity fees, partner network and government funding.
Who are Portion's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Schweizerischer Nationalpark, UNESCO Biosphäre Entlebuch, Jurapark Aargau, Naturpark Gantrisch and Naturpark Thal. Regional players are Nationalpark Hohe Tauern (AT), Stiftung Naturzentrum Eifel / Nationalpark Eifel (DE) and Parco Nazionale dello Stelvio. Pro Natura Graubünden is listed as an emerging player. Alparc is listed as an others.
Does Portion have an API?
No public API is recorded for Portion.
What industry is Portion in?
Portion's product category is Nature Park Management and Conservation. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAAAFAB, Conservation Parks & Private Nature Reserves (Visitor Operations), with a secondary code of THAAAGAF, Recreation & Activity Services (Hiking, Boating, Climbing, Fishing—Guided/Authorized). Its NAICS code is 712190 and its SIC code is 800.