Stiftung Bergwacht

What Stiftung Bergwacht does

Stiftung Bergwacht is a charitable civil-law foundation (rechtsfähige Stiftung bürgerlichen Rechts) established to fund and support Bergwacht Bayern, the Bavarian Mountain Rescue Service. Founded in 1920 (over 100 years ago, on 14 June 1920 at the Hofbräuhaus München), Bergwacht Bayern operates as a Körperschaft des öffentlichen Rechts (public law corporation) under the Bayerisches Rotes Kreuz (Bavarian Red Cross), holding statutory responsibility for mountain rescue across Bavaria. The organization delivers free 24/7 emergency mountain rescue through a network of more than 100 local Bereitschaften (rescue units) organized into 6 regions — Allgäu, Bayerwald, Chiemgau, Franken, Hochland Ost, and Hochland West — covering the Bavarian Alps, low mountain ranges, and bordering Austria and the Czech Republic. Core technical capabilities include rope rescue, helicopter operations (pioneered in 1964 with the first nocturnal helicopter rescue at Daumen-Nordwand by Udo Zehetleitner), cave and canyon rescue, ski patrol, avalanche rescue, and crisis intervention, supported by proprietary equipment such as the Bergwacht-Ackja rescue stretcher.

The foundation's business model is donation-led rather than commercial. Stiftung Bergwacht raises funds through private one-time and recurring donations (Dauerspende), corporate and foundation grants, court-assigned fines (Geldauflagen/Bußgelder), donated advertising space from media partners, and an annual Förderer membership (€30/year minimum) bundled with a free Rückholdienst (repatriation service). Donations are processed via bank transfer, QR code, and the twingle GmbH online platform, with full GDPR compliance and tax-exempt status confirmed until 2030. Beyond rescue operations, the foundation supports the Bergwacht-Zentrum für Sicherheit und Ausbildung (BW-ZSA) training center in Bad Tölz and is developing the Bayerisches Zentrum für Alpine Sicherheit, a strategic capital project for future alpine rescue infrastructure. Governance rests with a three-member board (Josef Niedermaier, Roland Ampenberger, Tobias Vogl) under supervision of the Regierung von Oberbayern.

Name

Stiftung Bergwacht

Legal name

Stiftung Bergwacht

Website

https://bergwacht-bayern.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1920

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Stiftung Bergwacht is a charitable foundation funding Bergwacht Bayern, a Bavarian Red Cross mountain rescue organization serving the general public since 1920 with 100+ volunteer rescue units across the Bavarian Alps.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Mountain Rescue and Emergency Services

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Private Foundations (BPAGAKAA)

Keywords

• Mountain rescue services
• Emergency rescue operations
• Volunteer rescue organization
• Alpine safety training
• Crisis intervention services

Headquarters

HQ city

Bad Tölz

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Private Donations: One-time and recurring donations from private individuals. The foundation offers direct bank transfers, QR code payments, and online donation forms via twingle GmbH. Minimum annual supporter contribution is 30 euros.
2. Corporate and Foundation Grants: Support from companies and other foundations to fund the Bergwacht-Zentrum für Sicherheit und Ausbildung (Training Center) and general rescue operations.
3. Geldauflagen und Bußgelder (Court-assigned fines): Courts and public prosecutor's offices can assign fines and penalties to the Stiftung Bergwacht as an alternative sentencing option, supporting the organization's rescue mission.
4. Advertising Space Donations: Companies, publishers, and media organizations donate advertising space (print, digital, broadcast) to promote the Bergwacht's mission and fundraising campaigns.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Stiftung Bergwacht is a charitable foundation that raises funds to support Bergwacht Bayern's mountain rescue operations across Bavaria. Its core offerings include 24/7 mountain rescue from steep terrain, ski slopes, canyons, caves, and cable cars; crisis intervention; nature and environmental protection; and training services through the Bergwacht-Zentrum für Sicherheit und Ausbildung. The foundation sustains these operations through donations, corporate grants, court-assigned fines, and a sponsorship membership program.

Product overview

Stiftung Bergwacht is a charitable foundation that supports Bergwacht Bayern (Bavarian Mountain Rescue Service). The organization operates as a unified service portfolio centered on mountain rescue operations (Bergrettung), supplemented by training services through the Bergwacht-Zentrum für Sicherheit und Ausbildung, crisis intervention, and environmental protection activities. The foundation also runs strategic initiatives like the Bayerisches Zentrum für Alpine Sicherheit and offers membership/sponsorship programs that provide repatriation services to supporters.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Bergrettung (Mountain Rescue) 24/7 professional mountain rescue service operating in Bavarian Alps and low mountain ranges, providing emergency rescue from steep terrain, ski slopes, canyons, caves, and cable cars. Available free of charge to the general public.
• Bergwacht-Zentrum für Sicherheit und Ausbildung (Training Center) Training and education center for rescue operations under real conditions, offering innovative and intensive training to high standards for mountain rescue, air rescue, water rescue, police, and firefighting organizations across Bavaria, Germany, and Europe.
• Bayerisches Zentrum für Alpine Sicherheit (Bavarian Center for Alpine Safety) Strategic project investing in a capable mountain rescue service of the future, developing infrastructure and capabilities for alpine safety across Bavaria.
• Krisenintervention (Crisis Intervention) Psychological crisis intervention services for victims and relatives of mountain rescue incidents.
• Natur- und Umweltarbeit (Nature and Environmental Protection) Environmental protection activities including conservation work, habitat management, and nature monitoring in mountain and wilderness areas.
• Fördermitgliedschaft (Sponsorship/Membership) Long-term sponsorship program where supporters fund local rescue teams. Minimum annual contribution is 30 euros. Includes free repatriation service (Rückholdienst) for sponsors and family members from domestic and international locations.
• Rückholdienst (Repatriation Service) Free repatriation service from domestic and international locations for sponsors and family members of Förderer members.

Quantifiable outcome

• Founded in 1920 — over 100 years of continuous mountain rescue operations in Bavaria.
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• BLKA (Bayerisches Landeskriminalamt)coreTechnology or Integration · 1 July 2026Bergwacht Bayern and BLKA signed a follow-up contract for site management in digital radio (Digitalfunk). This partnership ensures reliable digital radio communication infrastructure for Bergwacht rescue operations across Bavaria.
• Lions Club GermeringminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 8 June 2026Lions Club Germering donated two high-quality Cosinuss earbuds worth 5,500 euros to Stiftung Bergwacht. This donation supports the foundation's rescue and safety mission.
• Bayerisches Zentrum für Alpine Sicherheit (Bavarian Center for Alpine Safety)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStiftung Bergwacht is developing the Bayerisches Zentrum für Alpine Sicherheit, a flagship project to build a state-of-the-art mountain rescue facility in Bad Tölz. This initiative aims to create a future-ready alpine rescue system with modern training, equipment, and operations capabilities. The project requires public support and donations.
• twingle GmbHcoreTechnology or Integrationtwingle GmbH provides the online donation platform for Stiftung Bergwacht. The Berlin-based company handles payment processing for donations, ensuring secure transactions on servers in Germany, in compliance with GDPR and German data protection standards.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Bergrettung Südtirol: South Tyrolean mountain rescue service providing alpine rescue across the Italian Alps adjacent to Bergwacht Bayern's territory. Comparable as a regional alpine-rescue peer with similar volunteer model, fundraising foundations, and training center operations.
• Stiftung Deutsche Luftrettung: German Air Rescue Foundation supporting ADAC Luftrettung and DRF helicopter operations. Directly comparable as a German charitable foundation that funds air-rescue and emergency-medical services through donations and corporate partnerships.
• Schweizer Bergrettung (Rega): Swiss Air-Rescue Guard foundation operating alpine helicopter rescue and funded through donations. Directly comparable as a charitable foundation funding mountain and air rescue operations across a German-speaking Alpine geography.
• Bergrettung Tirol: Austrian Tyrolean mountain rescue organization operating across the same Alpine geography that Bergwacht Bayern covers. Directly comparable in mission, volunteer-base structure, helicopter rescue operations, and training delivery for alpine emergencies.
• Deutsche Bergwacht: National German Mountain Rescue federation that Bergwacht Bayern belongs to. Directly comparable as a peer mountain-rescue umbrella that coordinates funding, training, and rescue operations across Germany's other federal states.

Broad incumbents

• Deutscher Alpenverein (DAV): German Alpine Club with associated Alpenvereinsstiftung funding alpine infrastructure, safety, and training. Comparable as a peer German charitable organization supporting alpine safety, training, and outdoor-recreation infrastructure across Bavaria and beyond.
• Bayerisches Rotes Kreuz (BRK): Bavarian Red Cross is the umbrella KdöR (public law corporation) under which Bergwacht Bayern operates. Highly comparable as the parent organization with overlapping emergency-services, training, and fundraising infrastructure across Bavaria.
• Malteser Hilfsdienst: German Order of Malta emergency-services organization providing rescue, first aid, and crisis intervention. Comparable as a peer KdöR-adjacent German emergency-services nonprofit with a similar volunteer-base and donation-driven revenue model.
• Johanniter-Stiftung: German St John Order foundation supporting emergency medical services, rescue, and humanitarian aid. Comparable as a peer German charitable foundation funding emergency-services and volunteer-driven relief programs.
• DRK-Stiftung (German Red Cross Foundation): National German Red Cross foundation supporting welfare, rescue, and emergency-services programs. Comparable as a parent-affiliated charitable foundation in the same Red Cross ecosystem as Stiftung Bergwacht.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/bergwacht.bayern.de
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/stiftung-bergwacht

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Stiftung Bergwacht