ABQ
ABQ is a Bern-based Swiss non-profit that runs in-person LGBTQ+ educational workshops in schools across German-speaking Switzerland, serving secondary students via volunteer facilitators and aligning content with the Lehrplan 21 curriculum.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2023
- HeadquartersBern, Switzerland
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What ABQ does
ABQ is a non-profit association (Verein) headquartered in Bern, Switzerland, that delivers in-person educational workshops on sexual and gender diversity to schools across German-speaking Switzerland. Its core offering, Schulworkshops, consists of three-lesson sessions led by teams of two to three LGBTQIA+ volunteers and family members, providing secondary-school students (ages 12-16) with direct encounters and open dialogue aligned with the mandatory Lehrplan 21 curriculum. The organization is supported by approximately 50 active volunteer workshop leaders, ranging from age 17 to 70, whose personal stories are positioned as the central differentiator against purely theoretical instruction. Adjacent to the workshops, ABQ operates the Lehrplan Q platform (lehrplanq.ch) — a consortium-built resource hub for teaching materials and educator professional development, maintained jointly with COMOUT, queeres ah&oh, TGNS, du-bist-du, Aids-Hilfe Schweiz, LOS, and Pink Cross — and a structured facilitator training program (ABQ-Workshopleiter:in-Ausbildung).
ABQ's go-to-market is field-based: schools request workshops through an online form, and ABQ dispatches volunteer teams across nearly all of German-speaking Switzerland, with regional partners queeres ah&oh and COMOUT covering Basel-Stadt/Basel-Landschaft and St. Gallen/Appenzell respectively. The business model mixes fee-for-service (CHF 780 standard workshop rate, typically realized at CHF 390-550 due to cantonal and foundation subsidies), recurring patron memberships (Gönner:innenschaft tiers at CHF 75, CHF 150+, and CHF 500+ per year), institutional grants from the Cantons of Bern and Zug and the Stiftung Mercator foundation, and individual donations. The organization was formed in 2023 through the merger of ABQ Schulprojekt (founded 1999 in Bern) and GLL (founded 2000 in Zürich), and operates as a Verein with a voluntary board and a small paid office.
ABQ firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- ABQ
- Legal name
- Verein ABQ
- Website
- https://abq.ch
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2023
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- ABQ is a Bern-based Swiss non-profit that runs in-person LGBTQ+ educational workshops in schools across German-speaking Switzerland, serving secondary students via volunteer facilitators and aligning content with the Lehrplan 21 curriculum.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where ABQ is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Bern
- HQ country
- Switzerland
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
ABQ business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Workshop Fees: Schools pay workshop fees for educational sessions on sexual and gender diversity. Standard rate is CHF 780 per workshop, though many schools pay reduced rates of CHF 390-550 due to regional funding, foundation contributions, and volunteer work.
- Membership/Sponsorship (Gönner:innenschaft): ABQ offers three membership tiers: A at CHF 75/year, B from CHF 150/year, and Q from CHF 500/year. Members receive newsletters, event invitations, and optionally experience a workshop.
- Institutional Funding: ABQ receives financial support from public institutions including the cantons of Bern and Zug, as well as Stiftung Mercator.
- Donations: Individual donations are accepted, with IBAN provided for contributions. Donors can request donation receipts for tax purposes.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Standard Workshop - CHF 780 per workshop (3 lessons) |
| Subscription | Annual | Membership Tier A - CHF 75 per year |
| Subscription | Annual | Membership Tier B - from CHF 150 per year |
| Subscription | Annual | Membership Tier Q - from CHF 500 per year |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels7 records
ABQ product offering
Product offeringCore offering
ABQ delivers in-person Schulworkshops at schools across German-speaking Switzerland, where teams of 2-3 trained volunteer workshop leaders conduct three-lesson sessions on sexual and gender diversity for secondary school students (ages 12-16). Workshops center on direct personal encounters with LGBTQ+ individuals and family members, age-appropriate content for primary school 5th-6th graders, and tailored programs for gymnasiums, vocational schools, and special education institutions, all aligned with the mandatory Lehrplan 21 curriculum.
Product overview
ABQ is a non-profit organization operating in German-speaking Switzerland that delivers educational services to schools rather than a traditional software product. Its core offering is the ABQ Schulworkshops — in-person workshops at schools conducted by queer individuals and family members, lasting three lessons and designed to promote dialogue on sexual and gender diversity. Adjacent to the workshops, ABQ operates the Lehrplan Q platform (lehrplanq.ch), which serves as a resource hub for teaching materials and professional development. The organization also runs a structured training program for prospective workshop facilitators (ABQ-Workshopleiter:in-Ausbildung) and offers a patronage/membership program (Gönner:innenschaft) for supporters. The portfolio is primarily service-oriented rather than software-based.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Schulworkshops (School Workshops)
Quantifiable outcome
- ABQ contributes to violence and suicide prevention through LGBTQ+ education
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use ABQ
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
ABQ technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
ABQ partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.
- Lehrplan Q ConsortiumcoreABQ is part of the Lehrplan Q project consortium, a collaborative initiative with COMOUT, queeres ah&oh, TGNS, du-bist-du, Aids-Hilfe Schweiz, LOS, and Pink Cross. The consortium maintains a shared Code of Conduct and educational platform (lehrplanq.ch) for LGBTQ+ school education materials.
- du-bist-ducorePartner organization offering professional development training for teachers and youth workers on LGBTQ+ topics. Also provides coaching services for educators and social workers.
- COMOUTcoreRegional partner responsible for LGBTQ+ school workshops in the cantons of St. Gallen and Appenzell.
- queeres ah&ohcoreRegional partner responsible for LGBTQ+ school workshops in the cantons of Basel-Stadt and Basel-Landschaft.
- Sexuelle Gesundheit SchweizmajorABQ is a member of Sexuelle Gesundheit Schweiz (Sexual Health Switzerland), the umbrella organization for sexual health in Switzerland.
- TGNS ( Transgender Network Switzerland)corePartner in the Lehrplan Q consortium, contributing expertise on transgender issues to school education.
- Aids-Hilfe SchweizcorePartner in the Lehrplan Q consortium, contributing expertise on sexual health and HIV prevention to school education.
- LOS (Lesbenorganisation Schweiz)corePartner in the Lehrplan Q consortium, representing lesbian visibility in Swiss schools.
- Pink CrosscorePartner in the Lehrplan Q consortium, contributing to gay and bisexual men's visibility in education.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
ABQ competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Gender Spectrum: US-based organization working with schools and families to create gender-inclusive environments, providing training and resources for K-12 educators. Directly comparable in its focus on gender-identity education in school settings.
- du-bist-du: Swiss organization delivering LGBTQ+ professional development for educators and youth workers, and a Lehrplan Q consortium partner. Directly comparable as a Swiss LGBTQ+ education and training provider in ABQ's immediate ecosystem.
- Maggie's: Toronto Sex Workers Action Project: Canadian organization providing LGBTQ+ youth support and educational programming with school-based resources and training. Comparable as a nonprofit delivering LGBTQ+ education to schools and youth.
- TGNS (Transgender Network Switzerland): Swiss transgender advocacy and education organization within the Lehrplan Q consortium, contributing transgender-focused content to Swiss school education. Directly comparable as a specialist LGBTQ+ educational NGO.
- GLSEN: The leading US K-12 LGBTQ+ educational nonprofit, providing teacher training, curricular resources, and student programs on inclusive education. The most directly comparable mission-aligned NGO delivering LGBTQ+ education into schools.
- Welcoming Schools (HRC Foundation): HRC Foundation's K-12 inclusive education program offering lesson plans and professional development on LGBTQ+ inclusion, family diversity, and anti-bullying. Directly comparable in its curriculum-aligned, in-school LGBTQ+ education focus.
- Pink Cross: Swiss gay, bi, and queer men's organization and Lehrplan Q consortium partner contributing educational content on gay and bisexual visibility to Swiss schools. Directly comparable as a Swiss LGBTQ+ educational NGO in the same consortium.
Regional players
- queeres ah&oh: Swiss LGBTQ+ organization delivering school workshops specifically in the cantons of Basel-Stadt and Basel-Landschaft. Directly comparable as a regional partner performing the same LGBTQ+ school-education service in adjacent Swiss territories.
- COMOUT: Swiss LGBTQ+ educational organization covering the cantons of St. Gallen and Appenzell with school workshops. Directly comparable as a regional partner of ABQ within the Lehrplan Q consortium.
Broad incumbents
- Aids-Hilfe Schweiz: Swiss umbrella organization addressing sexual health including HIV, with school-based educational programming on sexuality and identity. Comparable as a broader incumbent in Swiss sexual-health education with overlapping curriculum mandate.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
ABQ social profiles
Digital presenceABQ financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
ABQ leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
ABQ funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
ABQ 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 ABQ
What does ABQ do?
ABQ delivers in-person Schulworkshops at schools across German-speaking Switzerland, where teams of 2-3 trained volunteer workshop leaders conduct three-lesson sessions on sexual and gender diversity for secondary school students (ages 12-16). Workshops center on direct personal encounters with LGBTQ+ individuals and family members, age-appropriate content for primary school 5th-6th graders, and tailored programs for gymnasiums, vocational schools, and special education institutions, all aligned with the mandatory Lehrplan 21 curriculum.
Is ABQ a public or private company?
ABQ is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was ABQ founded?
ABQ was founded in 2023. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is ABQ based?
ABQ is headquartered in Bern, Switzerland, in the Europe region.
How does ABQ make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Workshop Fees are the primary driver. The others are membership/Sponsorship (Gönner:innenschaft), institutional Funding and donations.
Who are ABQ's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Gender Spectrum, du-bist-du, Maggie's: Toronto Sex Workers Action Project, TGNS (Transgender Network Switzerland), GLSEN, Welcoming Schools (HRC Foundation) and Pink Cross. Regional players are queeres ah&oh and COMOUT. Aids-Hilfe Schweiz is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does ABQ have an API?
No public API is recorded for ABQ.