Verein Surprise

What Verein Surprise does

Verein Surprise is a Basel-based Swiss non-profit association (Verein), founded in 1998, that supports people affected by poverty, homelessness, and social exclusion through an integrated portfolio of programs. Its core product is the Surprise street magazine (Strassenmagazin), sold by 525 vendors who purchase each issue at CHF 4.30 and resell it at CHF 8.00, retaining CHF 3.70 per copy; in 2025, 433,942 copies were sold, generating approximately 1.8 million CHF in seller wages. The organization complements magazine sales with lived-experience social city tours (Soziale Stadtrundgänge) across Basel, Bern, and Zürich — 1,148 tours and 17,933 visitors in 2025 — and additional community programs including street football (Strassenfussball, 300 participants across 38 teams), a street choir (Strassenchor, 30 active singers, 18 performances), Café Surprise (145 partner venues), opportunity workplaces (Chancenarbeitsplätze), and the FrauenRäume women's project.

The organization's commercial model blends earned income with philanthropic support. Earned revenue comes from magazine retail, fixed-price subscriptions (auto-renewing after 25 issues), online shop sales, and tour fees paid via credit card, PayPal, Twint, invoice, or cash. Institutional revenue comes from a diversified base of Swiss foundations and government lottery funds (UBS Stiftung, Christoph Merian Stiftung, Max Geldner Stiftung, Asuera Stiftung, Migros Kulturprozent, Swisslos-Fonds, and others), supplemented by corporate sponsors such as Roche. Marketing combines the magazine, podcast content, social media (Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn), 259 earned media placements in 2025, and word-of-mouth through the participant network. Underlying technology is a digital publishing platform with podcast production, an e-commerce shop, and a tour booking system; no proprietary AI or advanced technology is disclosed.

Total organizational revenue for FY2025 was 6.42 million CHF. Operationally, Verein Surprise runs three regional offices (Basel headquarters, plus Bern and Zürich), employs a 37-person coordination and social work team, and is governed by a board (Vereinsvorstand) chaired independently. The organization has no parent company, no external shareholders, and operates entirely on a non-profit basis with reinvestment into programs. It is a member of the international street magazine network and the Homeless World Cup community, positioning it as a long-tenured, mission-driven social enterprise rather than a venture-scalable entity.

Name

Verein Surprise

Legal name

Verein Surprise

Website

https://surprise.ngo

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Verein Surprise is a Basel-based Swiss non-profit (founded 1998) that supports people affected by poverty through an integrated portfolio: a street magazine sold by 525 vendors, lived-experience walking tours, street football and choir programs, and partner cafés across Basel, Bern, and Zürich.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Social Services and Non-profit Social Enterprise

NAICS

Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813), Emergency and Other Relief Services (624230)

SIC

Services-Mailing, Reproduction, Commercial Art & Photography (7330)

akta.pro primary industry

Travel & Outdoors Magazines (MPAJAEAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Incentive Travel Programs & Retreat Events (Offsites) (MPAGAHAH)

Keywords

• Social services
• Street magazine publishing
• Social walking tours
• Poverty alleviation programs
• Community employment

Headquarters

HQ city

Basel

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Street Magazine Sales: Core revenue stream from street magazine sales. Sellers purchase magazines at CHF 4.30 and sell for CHF 8.00, earning CHF 3.70 per copy. CHF 0.30 is paid as social contributions. In 2025, 433,942 magazines were sold generating approximately 1.8 million CHF in wages for sellers.
2. Social Walking Tours: Revenue from guided social walking tours in Basel, Bern, and Zürich. Tours are offered as open tours for individuals and group bookings. 17,933 visitors participated in 1,148 tours in 2025.
3. Subscriptions and Shop Sales: Revenue from magazine subscriptions and online shop sales including gift certificates for tours. Annual subscription auto-renews after 25 issues.
4. Donations and Foundation Support: Total organization revenue of 6.42 million CHF in 2025 comes from a mix of own revenue and foundation/government support. Multiple foundations provide funding for specific programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Verein Surprise supports socially disadvantaged people in Switzerland by operating a street magazine sold by income-poor sellers, social walking tours led by people with lived experience of poverty, street football and street choir community programs, and part-time workplace (Chancenarbeitsplatz) opportunities at its own offices. Revenue is generated through magazine sales, subscriptions, tour fees, donations, and grants from foundations and government funds.

Product overview

Verein Surprise operates a social enterprise with multiple interconnected programs centered around its street magazine 'Surprise'. The organization provides employment opportunities (Strassenmagazin selling, Chancenarbeitsplätze), social integration programs (Soziale Stadtrundgänge, Strassenfussball, Strassenchor), and community spaces (Café Surprise, FrauenRäume). All offerings work together to support people affected by poverty and homelessness in achieving financial independence, social participation, and personal development.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• 525 sellers earned 1.8 million CHF in wages in 2025
• +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

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Sport BaselcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-organizer of Fussball für Alle event. Supports sports promotion in Basel-Stadt.
• FC BaselcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Fussball für Alle, organizing blind football training and providing venue support.
• Fussballverband NordwestschweizcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organizing Walking Football tournament at Fussball für Alle event.
• Rheinbow Sport BaselcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Fussball für Alle, promoting LGBTQ+ inclusion in sports.
• Homeless World CupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational organization; Surprise organizes Swiss participation and hosted Women's Streetfootball EURO 2025.

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• Megaphon: Austrian street magazine headquartered in Graz, sold by people affected by poverty. Comparable DACH-region peer operating the same vendor-based magazine model and social support programs.
• Hinz&Kunzt: Hamburg-based German street magazine that sells through formerly homeless vendors and reinvests proceeds in social services. Comparable in vendor model, social-mission framing, and DACH-region context.
• Obdach: Austrian street magazine in Linz sold by homeless vendors, providing direct income and social services. Closely comparable DACH peer in the street paper and social reintegration space.
• Trott-War: A Swiss street magazine based in Winterthur, also covering social issues and sold by socially disadvantaged vendors. Direct Swiss competitor in the street-paper category with an almost identical mission and revenue model.
• The Big Issue: The UK's most prominent street newspaper, employing a similar model where vendors purchase magazines at a discount and resell them, earning income. Operates a much larger international network of street papers under the INSP (International Network of Street Papers) umbrella, of which Surprise is a member.
• L'Itinéraire: Montreal-based Canadian street magazine with the original vendor model. Sister publication within the INSP network and benchmark organization for the street-paper social enterprise model.
• Straatnieuws: Dutch street magazine sold by homeless vendors in Amsterdam and other cities, providing comparable income and social integration. European peer with similar vendor-based street-paper model.
• fiftyfifty: Street magazine sold in Düsseldorf and other German cities by homeless and marginalized vendors, providing similar income and social reintegration pathways. Direct peer in the German-speaking street paper network.
• Homeless World Cup: International organization using football to address social exclusion. Verein Surprise is an established partner and organizer of national street football teams, making Homeless World Cup a natural peer in the street-football programming vertical.

Broad incumbents

• Caritas Schweiz: Larger Swiss charitable organization addressing poverty and social exclusion through multiple programs. While operating a different model (broader service delivery vs. street paper), Caritas is a comparable Swiss non-profit working with overlapping beneficiary populations.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/surprise_ngo
• Facebookfacebook.com/SurpriseNGO
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/surprisewirkt
• Instagraminstagram.com/surprise_ngo

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Verein Surprise