CIPRA
CIPRA is a non-profit association founded in 1952, headquartered in Schaan, Liechtenstein, dedicated to protecting the Alps across 8 countries. It operates a federated network of national offices delivering policy advocacy, environmental projects, publications, and youth programs funded by membership fees, donations, and EU project grants.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1952
- HeadquartersSchaan, Liechtenstein
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What CIPRA does
CIPRA (International Alpine Protection Commission, legal entity: Verein CIPRA International) is a non-governmental non-profit association founded in 1952 and headquartered in Schaan, Liechtenstein. The organization is dedicated to protecting the Alps as a natural, cultural, and living space through advocacy, projects, publications, and policy engagement spanning all 8 Alpine countries — Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, France, Slovenia, Liechtenstein, and South Tyrol. CIPRA coordinates a federated network of national and regional offices (CIPRA Deutschland, Österreich, Schweiz, Liechtenstein, Südtirol, Italien, Frankreich, Slowenien), each led by a national director and supported by member environmental organizations, with CIPRA Südtirol alone reporting ~30 member associations and ~1,500 supporters.
The organization's portfolio consists of information, advocacy, and project services rather than commercial products. Core offerings include the multilingual cipra.org platform (German, English, French, Italian, Slovenian) serving as a knowledge hub, the alpMedia newsletter, the SzeneAlpen thematic magazine, the ALPENRAUSCHEN podcast, position papers, and an annual conference cycle. Active programs include the FLOW-BIOS nature-based flood protection project with BOKU University and UNESCO biosphere reserves, the BodenZukunft soil literacy project, youth engagement via YOALIN and Via Alpina Youth, the Alpine Changemaker Network, and a Good Practices database. CIPRA also hosts the Alpine Convention Office in Austria and runs the CIPRA International Lab as an innovation unit.
CIPRA's revenue model is non-commercial: it depends on membership fees from member organizations, individual donations processed via Donorbox, project grants from EU programs and foundations, and government funding. It holds a quasi-institutionalized role in the Alpine Convention framework and various national advisory bodies, giving it regulatory influence disproportionate to its modest headcount (firm-wide 11–50, with combined network staffing estimated in the 50–80 range). Governance is exercised through a President, multiple Vice Presidents, a Treasurer, and elected member-organization delegates, with no equity ownership structure.
CIPRA firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- CIPRA
- Legal name
- Verein CIPRA International
- Website
- https://cipra.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1952
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- CIPRA is a non-profit association founded in 1952, headquartered in Schaan, Liechtenstein, dedicated to protecting the Alps across 8 countries. It operates a federated network of national offices delivering policy advocacy, environmental projects, publications, and youth programs funded by membership fees, donations, and EU project grants.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
CIPRA industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Environmental Advocacy Services
- NAICS
- Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Environmental Consulting Services (54162)
- SIC
- Services-Membership Organizations (8600)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Environmental Education, Capacity Building & Community Engagement (BPADALAO)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Environment, Climate & Sustainable Development IGOs (BPADAAAI), Donor Coordination & Aid Effectiveness (BPADAOAA), Environmental Conservation & Sustainability Volunteering (EDAIAGAB)
Keywords
Where CIPRA is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Schaan
- HQ country
- Liechtenstein
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices5 records
Markets served
CIPRA business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Donations and Membership Contributions: CIPRA relies on donations from individuals and organizations, membership fees from member organizations across Alpine countries, and supporter contributions. The website features a Donorbox integration for online donations.
- Project Funding: CIPRA receives funding for specific projects such as FLOW-BIOS (with universities and biosphere parks), youth programs like YOALIN and Via Alpina Youth, and various environmental initiatives. Funding comes from EU programs, foundations, and government sources.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels7 records
CIPRA product offering
Product offeringCore offering
CIPRA International is a non-governmental, membership-based organization that protects the Alps through policy advocacy, cross-border projects, publications, events, and a network of national offices in eight Alpine countries. It convenes member environmental NGOs, runs youth engagement programs (YOALIN, Via Alpina Youth, Alpine Changemaker Network), and participates in the Alpine Convention and other policy processes focused on climate, biodiversity, soil, water, mobility, and sustainable development. It also delivers nature-based solution projects such as FLOW-BIOS with universities and UNESCO biosphere reserves.
Product overview
CIPRA International (International Alpine Protection Commission) is a non-governmental organization dedicated to protecting the Alps as a natural and living environment. Rather than offering a unified software product, CIPRA's portfolio consists of information and communication services: the CIPRA Website Platform serves as the central digital hub featuring news, project databases, publications, and event listings. Supporting this are newsletters (alpMedia), thematic publications (SzeneAlpen), podcasts (ALPENRAUSCHEN), and youth programs (YOALIN, Via Alpina Youth, Alpine Changemaker Network). The organization also conducts environmental projects such as FLOW-BIOS on nature-based flood protection, BodenZukunft on soil literacy, and maintains a Good Practices database showcasing sustainable Alpine initiatives.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- CIPRA International Lab: Project development and innovation unit within CIPRA
- CIPRA Jugendbeirat (CYC)
- YOALIN
- Via Alpina Youth
- Alpine Changemaker Network
- Alpen in Bewegung
- AlpWeek
Products and services
- Newsletter alpMedia
- Podcast ALPENRAUSCHEN
- Themenheft SzeneAlpen
- YOALIN (Youth Alpine Interrail)
- Via Alpina Youth
- Alpine Changemaker Network
- JobMail
- FLOW-BIOS Research project examining how nature-based solutions for flood protection can be successfully implemented on private land, conducted in collaboration with the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna (BOKU) and UNESCO biosphere reserves in Austria and Switzerland.
- Future Soil Literacy (BodenZukunft) Project conveying knowledge and tools about healthy soils and their role in climate protection, addressing decision-makers and the public in the Alpine region.
- Alpine Youth on the Move Project strengthening participation of young people in sustainability, mobility, and political processes through youth-organized actions, meetings, and engagement across the Alpine region.
- Good Practices Database Database showcasing positive examples of sustainable practices from the Alpine region, covering topics including nature, soil quality, energy, climate, agriculture, spatial development, and tourism.
Companies that use CIPRA
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
CIPRA technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
CIPRA partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna (BOKU)coreCIPRA International collaborates with BOKU in the FLOW-BIOS project to research how nature-based solutions can be successfully implemented on private land in Alpine regions, working with Austrian and Swiss UNESCO biosphere reserves.
- UNESCO Biosphere Reserves (Austrian and Swiss)coreFive biosphere parks collaborate with BOKU and CIPRA International in the FLOW-BIOS project to advance nature-based flood protection solutions on private land.
- Gebietsbetreuerin Margret HüttminorCooperation partner in the first CIPRA Alpine Pasture Training (Almlehrgang) focused on how Alpine pastures can maintain their diverse functions despite climate change.
- CIPRA National and Regional OfficescoreNetwork of national offices including CIPRA Deutschland, CIPRA Österreich, CIPRA Schweiz, CIPRA Italia, CIPRA France, CIPRA Slovenija, CIPRA Liechtenstein, and CIPRA Südtirol working together on cross-border Alpine protection.
- Cycling 4 ClimateminorCycling 4 Climate organizes the Glorious Glacier Ride, a cycling tour through the Alps to raise awareness about glacier retreat and climate change, with CIPRA involvement.
- Legambiente (Italy)minorItalian environmental organization that presented the Nevediversa report on ski tourism conditions, with CIPRA Italia participation.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
CIPRA competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- EuroNatur: European nature conservation foundation operating cross-border projects and advocacy across multiple European landscapes, structurally analogous to CIPRA's transnational Alpine project model.
- Legambiente: Italy's leading environmental association, delivering campaigns, projects, and policy advocacy across regions including the Alps — comparable to CIPRA Italia in mission and member-based advocacy model.
- NABU (Naturschutzbund Deutschland): Germany's largest nature and environmental association, operating through state branches, member organizations, and policy advocacy — structurally analogous to CIPRA Deutschland and its pan-Alpine peer-network model.
- Mountain Wilderness: International NGO dedicated to the protection of mountains and mountain regions, with a comparable advocacy-and-projects model focused specifically on alpine and mountain environments across Europe.
- Pro Natura (Switzerland): Switzerland's oldest and largest nature conservation organization, running projects, advocacy, and a member-supported model comparable to CIPRA Schweiz in scope and operating approach.
Regional players
- Alpine Convention Secretariat: Intergovernmental body implementing the Alpine Convention across the same eight Alpine states — adjacent policy institution with overlapping remit, hosted in Innsbruck and operationally distinct from CIPRA but tightly coupled via the Alpine Convention Office.
Broad incumbents
- IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature): Global conservation authority convening governments, NGOs, and experts for nature policy — overlaps with CIPRA's convening and policy-influence role but at a much larger global scale and broader mandate.
- WWF (World Wide Fund for Nature): Global environmental NGO with active Alpine programs and policy offices across the same Alpine states — a broader-incumbent comparator competing for the same donor and grant pools as CIPRA.
- Friends of the Earth Europe: European-wide federation of national environmental NGOs running campaigns and policy advocacy across EU institutions — overlapping CIPRA's advocacy footprint but with broader thematic scope than Alpine protection alone.
Others
- EURAC Research: Research center in Bolzano/Bozen studying Alpine regions across environment, governance, and sustainability — adjacent comparator as a knowledge and policy partner in the same Alpine ecosystem as CIPRA.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
CIPRA social profiles
Digital presenceCIPRA compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
CIPRA financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
CIPRA leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles10 records
CIPRA subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries8 records
CIPRA funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
CIPRA 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 CIPRA
What does CIPRA do?
CIPRA International is a non-governmental, membership-based organization that protects the Alps through policy advocacy, cross-border projects, publications, events, and a network of national offices in eight Alpine countries. It convenes member environmental NGOs, runs youth engagement programs (YOALIN, Via Alpina Youth, Alpine Changemaker Network), and participates in the Alpine Convention and other policy processes focused on climate, biodiversity, soil, water, mobility, and sustainable development. It also delivers nature-based solution projects such as FLOW-BIOS with universities and UNESCO biosphere reserves.
Is CIPRA a public or private company?
CIPRA is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was CIPRA founded?
CIPRA was founded in 1952. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is CIPRA based?
CIPRA is headquartered in Schaan, Liechtenstein, in the Europe region.
How does CIPRA make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Donations and Membership Contributions are the primary driver. The others are project Funding.
Who are CIPRA's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are EuroNatur, Legambiente, NABU (Naturschutzbund Deutschland), Mountain Wilderness and Pro Natura (Switzerland). Alpine Convention Secretariat is listed as a regional player. Broad incumbents are IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature), WWF (World Wide Fund for Nature) and Friends of the Earth Europe. EURAC Research is listed as an others.
Does CIPRA have an API?
No public API is recorded for CIPRA.
What industry is CIPRA in?
CIPRA's product category is Environmental Advocacy Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPADALAO, Environmental Education, Capacity Building & Community Engagement, with a secondary code of BPADAAAI, Environment, Climate & Sustainable Development IGOs. Its NAICS code is 813312 and its SIC code is 8600.