Arche Im Nauen

What Arche Im Nauen does

Arche Im Nauen is one of three community locations operated by L'Arche Suisse, a non-profit association registered under articles 60+ of the Swiss Civil Code with its registered office in Fribourg. Founded in 1985 in Hochwald (now Dornach, canton of Solothurn) and celebrating its 40th anniversary in 2025, Im Nauen provides residential accommodation, daily accompaniment, and workshop activities for adults with intellectual disabilities. Across the three Swiss communities — Im Nauen (Dornach, SO), L'Arche Fribourg (FR), and L'Arche La Corolle (Versoix, GE) — the federation supports 94 people with intellectual disabilities, employing 178 collaborators including part-time staff, alongside 76 trainees, civil servants (Zivildienst), and volunteers.

The core offering is not a product or technology platform but a model of inclusive shared living in which people with and without intellectual disabilities share daily life, activities, and decision-making. Workshop programs produce handcrafted goods (wood items, stationery, pottery, ceramics, weaving) that serve both as skill-building activities for community members and as modest fundraising channels. L'Arche Suisse participates in the international L'Arche Federation, founded in 1964 by Jean Vanier, which now spans 150 communities in 38 countries and over 12,000 members.

The business model is non-commercial. Revenue is generated through three streams: (1) cantonal subsidies, as each community is recognized and financed by its respective Swiss canton (Solothurn, Fribourg, Geneva) as an authorized disability facility; (2) membership dues paid by the three constituent communities to the L'Arche Suisse national association; and (3) tax-deductible donations and fundraising campaigns (e.g., the solidarity hike benefiting L'Arche Tecklenburg). The national association is led by a national leader (Virginie Kieninger, 65% position) and a board chaired by Franziska Suter. Go-to-market is community-led rather than sales-driven: members, volunteers, trainees, civil servants, and donors are recruited through personal relationships, open community events, newsletters ("Yodel"), social media, and international federation gatherings.

Name

Arche Im Nauen

Legal name

Association L'Arche Suisse

Website

https://arche-suisse.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Arche Im Nauen is a Swiss non-profit community in Dornach (canton of Solothurn), part of L'Arche Suisse, providing residential accommodation, daily accompaniment, and workshop activities for adults with intellectual disabilities as one of three Swiss L'Arche communities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Disability Support Services

NAICS

Residential Intellectual and Developmental Disability Facilities (62321), Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (62412), Vocational Rehabilitation Services (624310)

SIC

Services-Nursing & Personal Care Facilities (8050), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Specialized Assisted Living for Developmental/Intellectual Disabilities (Adult) (HLADABAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Disability Services & Independent Living Support (BPAGACAG), Disability Services & Assistive Solutions (Accessibility, Assistive Tech) (BPAGALAM), Disability Services & Independent Living Support (BPAGAEAG)

Keywords

• Disability support services
• Inclusive community living
• Intellectual disability care
• Handcrafted artisan products
• Nonprofit social services

Headquarters

HQ city

Fribourg

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Government Subsidies: L'Arche communities are recognized and financed by their respective cantons as authorized facilities for people with disabilities, fulfilling applicable quality standards.
2. Membership Dues: Communities pay membership fees to the national L'Arche Suisse association.
3. Donations and Fundraising: Tax-deductible donations from individuals and organizations. L'Arche Suisse organizes fundraising campaigns including a solidarity hike benefiting L'Arche communities in countries with limited public support.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Arche Im Nauen operates as one of three community-based residential and day-support homes within L'Arche Suisse, providing shared living, daily accompaniment, and workshop activities for adults with intellectual disabilities in Dornach (canton of Solothurn). The community combines residential care with artisanal workshop programs (woodwork, stationery, pottery, ceramics, weaving) where members with disabilities create handcrafted products, supported by professional staff, trainees, civil servants, and volunteers. The community is financed primarily through cantonal subsidies as an authorized disability facility, with supplementary funding from donations and membership fees paid to the national L'Arche Suisse association.

Product overview

Arche Im Nauen is part of L'Arche Suisse, a Swiss federation of three inclusive communities supporting adults with intellectual disabilities. The organization offers a range of handcrafted products created in workshop settings by community members. The product portfolio includes woodwork, stationery, pottery, ceramics, and weaving items produced by members such as Darryl, Elisabeth, and Tobias. Products are sold to raise awareness about the talents of people with disabilities and support the community's mission. The workshops provide meaningful work, skill development, and social inclusion for participants.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Arche Im Nauen Residential Community (Dornach) Community-based residential and daily support home for adults with intellectual disabilities located in Dornach (Unterdorfstrasse 18, 4143 Dornach), in the Swiss-German speaking region. Provides shared living, daily accompaniment, and participation in workshops; recognized and financed by the canton of Solothurn as an authorized disability facility.
• L'Arche Im Nauen Workshop Products Combined handcrafted products including woodwork, stationery, pottery, ceramics, and weaving creations made by community members such as Darryl, Elisabeth, and Tobias at the Im Nauen workshop. Sold to raise awareness about the talents of people with intellectual disabilities and to support the community's mission.
• Handcrafted Wood Products Handcrafted wood items created by community members in the workshop setting, reflecting the unique artisanal skills of individuals with intellectual disabilities.
• Handcrafted Stationery and Paper Products Stationery and paper items crafted by community members, showcasing artisanal creativity and skills developed in the workshop programs.
• Handcrafted Pottery and Ceramics

Quantifiable outcome

• 87 adults with intellectual disabilities receive daily support across 3 communities in Switzerland
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• L'Arche International FederationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1964L'Arche Im Nauen and the other Swiss communities are part of the international L'Arche federation founded by Jean Vanier in 1964 in France. The federation includes over 150 communities in 38 countries worldwide, uniting more than 12,000 members with and without intellectual disabilities. The Swiss national association holds a membership agreement with the international federation, sharing practices, supporting each other, and building an inclusive world together.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Pro Infirmis: Major Swiss private foundation providing disability services, advocacy, and supported living across all Swiss cantons. Most direct Swiss comparator for L'Arche Suisse in terms of serving adults with intellectual disabilities through residential and community-based programs funded by cantonal contracts.
• Hft (Home Farm Trust): UK charity providing residential, day, and supported living services for people with learning disabilities across England. Closest UK comparator in operating model—small community households, workshops, and lifelong support funded by local authorities—mirroring L'Arche's structure.
• Stiftung Wagerenhof: Swiss foundation operating residential communities, workshops, and schools for people with intellectual disabilities in the Zurich area. Directly comparable as a Swiss non-profit residential disability provider with a similar community-based ethos and workshop production model.
• Stiftung Bernaville: Swiss foundation providing residential and workshop programs for adults with intellectual disabilities in the Biel/Bienne region of canton Bern. Comparable Swiss residential community operator with workshop-based employment, similar size and operating model.
• Camphill Communities International: International federation of intentional communities co-founded by Karl König in 1940, supporting people with intellectual disabilities through shared life and meaningful work in household and craft settings. Operates an almost identical residential community model to L'Arche across multiple countries, including Switzerland.
• Inclusion Handicap: Swiss umbrella association of disability organizations that also runs service programs and advocacy for people with disabilities in Switzerland. Comparable as a Swiss national disability services body, though broader in scope than L'Arche's residential community focus.

Broad incumbents

• Mencap: UK's largest learning disability charity, providing supported living, advocacy, and services across a much broader geographic and operational footprint than L'Arche. Relevant as a scaled incumbent in the same residential disability services category, but operating at significantly larger scale.

Others

• ATD Fourth World: International anti-poverty movement founded in 1957, running community-based programs prioritizing deep relationships with people in extreme poverty. Comparable values-based, community-led operating philosophy and international federation structure, though focused on poverty rather than disability specifically.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCfjE9mBL2IItWo78coRR-3A
• Facebookfacebook.com/archesuisse.ch
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/arche-im-nauen

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries3 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 Arche Im Nauen