DCCV

What DCCV does

DCCV e.V. (Deutsche Morbus Crohn / Colitis ulcerosa Vereinigung) is a German registered non-profit patient self-help organization founded in 1982 in Tübingen and headquartered at Inselstraße 1, 10179 Berlin. It serves the approximately 600,000 people in Germany living with chronic inflammatory bowel diseases (CED), including Morbus Crohn, Colitis ulcerosa, microscopic colitis, and PSC, as well as their families, caregivers, and treating clinicians. The organization delivers its mission through a portfolio of community, education, advisory, advocacy, and digital services rather than a single product: a 174-group nationwide self-help network organized via 13 state associations (Landesverbände), 11 specialized thematic working groups (Arbeitskreise), the quarterly Bauchredner membership journal with 23,500 quarterly circulation, a member portal (meineDCCV) with forum and chat, a podcast series (Crohn, Colitis & Co.), a dedicated pediatric platform (ced-kids.de), psychosocial/surgical/pediatric-gastroenterological/legal telephone consultations, social-court legal protection, a research-funding program via the Deutsche Crohn/Colitis Stiftung, and structured physician-services for gastroenterology clinics.

The underlying technology stack is intentionally lightweight: a TYPO3-based public website, the meineDCCV member portal, an interactive forum and chat for registered users, podcast distribution on Spotify and YouTube, and event pages for digital programming such as CEDdigital. There is no mobile app, no public API, no SDK, and no documented AI/ML component. Distribution combines direct membership enrollment, the regional self-help and state-association network, an online shop (dccv.de/shop and dccv.myspreadshop.de), and healthcare-professional referrals supported by free patient-information mailings (Regelversand) and a roughly 90-member medical and scientific Beirat.

DCCV is financed primarily through tiered annual membership dues (€12/€32/€60/€80 standard; €69 for the DCCV + Deutsche ILCO double membership), statutory health insurance subsidies under §20h SGB V, donations, shop sales, and approximately 4% pharmaceutical sponsorship earmarked for specific events such as Arzt-Patienten-Seminare. As an eingetragener Verein, it has no parent company, no subsidiaries, and no external PE/VC ownership, and its leadership has transitioned from long-time chairman Ditmar Lümmen to current Vorstandsvorsitzender Thomas Leyhe.

Name

DCCV

Legal name

Deutsche Morbus Crohn / Colitis ulcerosa Vereinigung – DCCV – e.V.

Website

https://dccv.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1982

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

DCCV e.V. is a German non-profit patient self-help organization, founded 1982, serving roughly 600,000 people with chronic inflammatory bowel diseases through a nationwide network of 174 self-help groups, 13 state associations, counseling, advocacy, and digital member services including a quarterly journal, member portal, and podcast.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Patient Advocacy and Chronic Disease Support Services

NAICS

Individual and Family Services (6241), Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (62412)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090)

akta.pro primary industry

Non-Communicable Disease Prevention & Chronic Disease Programs (BPAIAJAI)

Keywords

• Patient self-help organization
• Chronic inflammatory bowel disease
• IBD patient advocacy
• Social rights protection
• Medical consultation services

Headquarters

HQ city

Berlin

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Primary revenue source. Members pay annual fees (Normal: €60, Reduced: €32, Minimum: €12, Family: €80). These fees fund core operations, advocacy, and member services.
2. Statutory Health Insurance Funding (GKV): Funding from statutory health insurance providers under §20h SGB V (disease management funding). Supports self-help organization activities.
3. Donations and Endowments: Voluntary donations from members and public. The DCCV is a registered non-profit organization, making donations tax-deductible.
4. Pharmaceutical Sponsorship: Approximately 4% of revenue comes from pharma company sponsorships, typically for specific events like doctor-patient seminars (Arzt-Patienten-Seminare). DCCV emphasizes this is not essential to operations.
5. Shop Sales: Sale of educational materials, brochures, journals (Bauchredner), and merchandise including Euro-WC keys. Members receive discounts.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

DCCV (Deutsche Morbus Crohn / Colitis ulcerosa Vereinigung) is a German non-profit patient self-help organization serving people with chronic inflammatory bowel diseases (CED), including Morbus Crohn, Colitis ulcerosa, microscopic colitis, and PSC. It operates a membership-based model offering information, peer support through local self-help groups, psychosocial/surgical/pediatric gastroenterological consultations, social and labor law legal protection, educational materials (journal, brochures, podcast), and patient advocacy with healthcare policymakers.

Product overview

DCCV (Deutsche Morbus Crohn / Colitis ulcerosa Vereinigung) is a nationwide German patient self-help organization serving approximately 600,000 people with chronic inflammatory bowel diseases (CED). It is not a technology company but a charitable membership organization offering a portfolio of support services. The core offering centers on membership, which provides access to the quarterly journal 'Bauchredner', the online member portal 'meineDCCV' (with forum, chat, and exclusive content), and legal/social rights protection. These are supplemented by counseling services (psychological, surgical, pediatric gastroenterological, and legal consultation), a network of around 174 local self-help groups, and 11 specialized working groups (Arbeitskreise) addressing specific conditions and life stages. DCCV also operates a dedicated online platform for children and youth (Kids & Teens / ced-kids.de), a podcast series ('Crohn, Colitis & Co.'), an online shop for publications and awareness merchandise, physician services (free informational materials), and a research funding program. A joint membership option with Deutsche ILCO is available at a reduced fee.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• 600,000 people in Germany affected by CED served as target population
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments5 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

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Deutsche ILCO e.V.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for double membership allowing DCCV members who also have stoma or colorectal cancer to join Deutsche ILCO at a reduced combined rate of €69/year (instead of €96 separately). Both organizations serve overlapping patient populations and share resources for members with artificial bowel or urinary outlets.
• Kompetenznetz Darmerkrankungen (Competence Network for Bowel Diseases)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDCCV actively participates in the research consortium Kompetenznetz Darmerkrankungen, contributing the patient perspective to research priorities and collaborating on scientific projects related to IBD.
• Deutsche Gesellschaft für Verdauungs- und Stoffwechselerkrankungen (DGVS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with DGVS on guideline development for diagnosis and treatment of CED. DCCV representatives participate in guideline conferences to ensure patient perspectives are incorporated.
• Gastro-Liga e.V.minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint efforts with Gastro-Liga for public education and awareness about digestive diseases including CED.
• Gemeinsamer Bundesausschuss (G-BA)coreOthersDCCV provides advisory input to the Federal Joint Committee (G-BA) on healthcare policy decisions affecting CED patients, including recent success in getting microscopic colitis included in specialized care coverage.
• DAK-Gesundheit Berlin-BrandenburgminorOthersHealth insurance provider funding podcast production under §20h SGB V statutory health insurance support for self-help organizations.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Gastro-Liga e.V. German professional and patient association for digestive diseases. Overlapping disease space with DCCV (already a partner for public education), comparable member services and advocacy mandate in gastroenterology.
• Deutsche Rheuma-Liga Bundesverband e.V. One of Germany's largest patient self-help organizations for people with rheumatism. Highly comparable membership-based model with regional associations, self-help groups, advocacy function, and member journal publishing.
• DiabetesDE – Deutsche Diabetes-Hilfe: National German diabetes advocacy and patient organization. Comparable integrated model combining patient self-help, professional education, advocacy, and public awareness campaigns.
• Deutsche Multiple Sklerose Gesellschaft (DMSG): National German MS patient organization with state associations, counseling services, and advocacy. Strong structural parallel to DCCV in chronic disease self-help with regional networks and member support services.
• Deutsche Herzstiftung e.V. Germany's leading heart disease patient and research foundation. Comparable large-membership patient organization with journals, public education, and research funding programs.
• Deutsche ILCO e.V. German self-help organization for people with stoma/artificial bowel outlets and colorectal cancer. Direct overlap with DCCV in patient population (already a partner via double membership) and operating model as a membership-based chronic disease self-help association.
• ACHSE e.V. (Allianz Chronischer Seltener Erkrankungen): German umbrella alliance for people with chronic rare diseases. Highly comparable mission of representing patient interests in policy and healthcare system, and structurally similar as a network-based advocacy organization.

Regional players

• Crohn's & Colitis UK: UK-based national charity for Crohn's and Colitis — the closest international analog to DCCV in disease focus, with similar services (helpline, local networks, research funding, publications).

Broad incumbents

• Deutsche Krebshilfe: Germany's largest cancer-related non-profit. Compares as a much larger incumbent in the chronic-disease patient organization space with broader mandate, larger fundraising, and similar advocacy/journal/services playbook.
• BAG SELBSTHILFE e.V. Umbrella association of disability and chronic disease self-help groups in Germany. Provides funding coordination and policy advocacy for member organizations including DCCV; comparable mission at the federation level.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/DCCVvideo
• Facebookfacebook.com/dccv.de
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/dccv
• Instagraminstagram.com/dccv.de

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 DCCV