What collaboratio helvetica does

Collaboratio helvetica is a Swiss non-profit association (Verein) founded in early 2017 and headquartered in Bern, operating with a small core team of 13 staff. The organisation delivers awareness-based facilitation, training, and Social Innovation Lab programs designed to build capacity for systemic change in alignment with the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Its core products include the multi-module Catalyst Lab training program (delivered across 5 cohorts producing 177 trained Catalysts), customised workshops for organisations across private, public, and non-profit sectors, themed labs such as the Gender Lab and Beyond Waste Lab, a Project Nursery incubator for Catalysts, an open-source Toolbox of methods, and a self-organised Learning Community connecting 92 official partner organisations. Methodologies are adapted from external frameworks including Theory U (MIT Presencing Institute), Art of Hosting, Sociocracy 3.0, Social Labs, and Dialogue facilitation, and content is delivered trilingually in German, French, and English.

The business model combines fee-based professional services (workshops and training programs for organisations and individuals) with donations as a registered Swiss Verein. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed; distribution is primarily direct-to-client, supplemented by self-organised community engagement through LinkedIn and international network integration via partnerships with the Presencing Institute, UN SDSN Switzerland, and Catalyst2030. There is no proprietary technology, no patents or trademarks, no venture funding, and no public revenue disclosure; operations are Switzerland-focused with reach into international social-innovation ecosystems through partner networks. Governance is provided by a Steward Circle led by President Pius Leutenegger, with Co-Founder Nora Wilhelm serving as a public-facing Catalyst recognised by the Swiss government, UNESCO, and Forbes 30 Under 30.

Name

collaboratio helvetica

Legal name

collaboratio helvetica

Website

https://collaboratiohelvetica.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Collaboratio helvetica is a Swiss non-profit association in Bern that runs awareness-based training programs, Social Innovation Labs, and workshops on systems change and sustainability for organisations, individuals, and a network of 92 partner organisations aligned with the UN SDGs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Systems Change Facilitation and Sustainability Training Services

NAICS

Social Advocacy Organizations (8133), Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312), Educational Support Services (61171), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Environmental Education, Capacity Building & Community Engagement (BPADALAO)

akta.pro secondary industries

Research, Monitoring, Evaluation & Learning (MEL) Partnerships (EDADALAK), International Grantmaking & Development Foundations (BPAGAKAH), Community Engagement & Service-Learning Partnerships (EDALAOAI)

Keywords

• Systems change facilitation
• Sustainability training programs
• Social innovation labs
• Organizational transformation workshops
• Transformation consulting services

Headquarters

HQ city

Bern

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Workshop and Training Services: Revenue generated from customised learning programs and workshops delivered to organisations across private, public, and non-profit sectors. Programs are tailored to specific organisational needs around systems change, sustainability, and stakeholder engagement.
2. Catalyst Lab Program: Training program for individuals seeking to become catalysts for systems change. The multi-module journey equips participants with facilitation skills, systemic thinking tools, and community connections to drive transformation initiatives.
3. Donations and Support: As a registered association (Verein) in Switzerland, collaboratio helvetica accepts donations and support from individuals and organisations committed to their mission of systems change aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

collaboratio helvetica delivers customised learning programs, workshops, and Social Innovation Labs for organisations seeking to build capacity for sustainability and systems change, alongside the Catalyst Lab and Learning Journeys for individuals. The organisation facilitates multi-stakeholder processes using awareness-based methodologies (Theory U, Art of Hosting, Sociocracy 3.0, Social Labs, Dialogue) and supports transformation projects through its Project Nursery. As a Swiss non-profit association, it also cultivates a cross-sectoral community of changemakers and partners, with its work aligned to the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Product overview

collaboratio helvetica offers a comprehensive ecosystem of programs, labs, and community resources for systems change. The portfolio includes flagship training initiatives (Catalyst Lab, Learning Journeys, Dialogue Training), specialized innovation labs addressing specific themes (Gender Lab, Beyond Waste Lab, Social Innovation Labs), practical resources through the Toolbox, project development support via Project Nursery, organizational capacity building through customized Workshops for Organisations, and community connection via the Learning Community. The Impact Films Retreat offers experiential offerings. All offerings are unified by methodologies grounded in Theory U, Art of Hosting, Sociocracy 3.0, and Social Innovation Lab approaches, designed to empower individuals and organizations as catalysts for systemic transformation in alignment with the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Catalyst Lab A flagship multi-month training program that prepares participants to become agents of systemic change, teaching awareness-based systems change interventions and how to apply systemic change methods in their own contexts. Delivered through multiple cohorts.
• Learning Journeys Awareness-based journeys designed for individuals to develop skills and understanding of systems change and transformation.
• Workshops for Organisations Customised learning programs and courses for organisations including system thinking, awareness-based system change, and systems mapping approaches. Delivered across private, public, and non-profit sectors in Switzerland.
• Social Innovation Labs Collaborative laboratory processes for addressing complex societal challenges, combining Theory U, Art of Hosting, and diverse methods to create prototype solutions with systemic impact.
• Learning Community A cross-sectoral community of changemakers including Catalysts, team members, supporters, partners, and individuals committed to collaboration and mutual learning for a sustainable world.
• Toolbox An open-source collection of practical tools, frameworks, and approaches for systems transformation including stakeholder mapping, dialogue facilitation, and social innovation methods.
• Project Nursery A project incubator for Catalysts offering coaching, context mapping, system thinking, interventions planning, strategy development, team dynamics, and network building support.
• Gender Lab A multi-module innovation lab addressing gender equality challenges through personal transformation and collective action, exploring topics such as inclusive language, power dynamics, and education.
• Beyond Waste Lab A Circular Resources Lab focused on exploring ecosystem awareness and co-creating solutions for circular economy transformation, addressing waste reduction and sustainable production patterns.
• Impact Films Retreat Immersive retreat experiences combining film and dialogue to inspire transformative change toward sustainability.
• Dialogue Facilitation and Training Facilitated dialogue processes creating authentic conversation spaces for personal and collective transformation, including regular Dialogue Evenings and training programs for holding space for different dialogue formats.

Quantifiable outcome

• 177 Catalysts trained across multiple cohorts
• +2 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

18 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Presencing InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational network partner connected through Theory U methodology. The Presencing Institute (MIT) provides the foundational framework for awareness-based systems change that underpins collaboratio helvetica's core approaches.
• UN SDSN SwitzerlandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSustainable Development Solutions Network Switzerland - an official UN-supported initiative mobilising scientific and technical expertise for SDG implementation. Collaboratio helvetica contributes to SDG awareness and action in Switzerland.
• Catalyst2030coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal community of social entrepreneurs and innovators working to achieve the SDGs. Collaboration on systems change methodologies and cross-border changemaker activation.
• Impact Hub Network (Zurich, Basel, Bern, Geneva, Lausanne)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork of innovation hubs across Swiss cities. Collaborative spaces for changemakers and shared programming including Social Labs and community events.
• Sociocracy 3.0 (S3)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganisational governance methodology licensed under Creative Commons. S3 patterns inform collaboratio helvetica's internal structures and are shared with clients and community as part of the facilitation toolkit.
• GreenBuzz ZurichmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSustainability networking organisation in Zurich. Joint workshop series on employee engagement and sustainability topics. Partnership announced via Instagram for collaboration toward SDGs.
• Bern University of Applied Sciences (BFH)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partnership for Children's Food Education Lab collaboration. Research collaboration bringing together academic rigour with community-based systems change approaches.
• ZHAW (Zurich University of Applied Sciences)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLeading Swiss university committed to sustainable society. Exciting collaboration announced to combine academic expertise with systems change facilitation methodologies.
• Sentience PoliticsmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPolitical organisation advocating for non-human animal interests. Partnership through Protein Lab project - a collaborative initiative with BFH and collaboratio helvetica to develop sector-crossing solutions for food system transformation.
• Sustainable Living Lab (Impact Hub Lausanne & Geneva)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-organised the Beyond Waste | Circular Resources Lab (2018) - a four-month Social Innovation Lab on circular economy transformation in Canton de Vaud region.
• EPFL Living Lab LausannemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner for Beyond Waste Lab collaboration, bringing together EPFL's innovation ecosystem with community-based sustainability transformation.
• HEKS TransformAction LabmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDiakonie Protestant Church Switzerland's development and migration organisation. Network partner contributing to transformation and social cohesion initiatives.
• Swiss Youth for Climate (SYFC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerYouth climate organisation mobilising young people for climate action in Switzerland. Network partner in the broader changemaker ecosystem.
• oikos InternationalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational student organisation for sustainability in economics and management. Network partner connecting future business leaders with systems change approaches.
• Let's Talk WasteminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEnvironmental employee engagement company founded by Catalyst Julia Bodin. Joint workshop series with GreenBuzz on waste reduction and circular economy topics.
• Ashoka SwitzerlandminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal network of social entrepreneurs. Connection through shared commitment to systems change and social innovation in Switzerland.
• Climate FreskminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerClimate awareness tool and workshop format. Network partner providing accessible climate education within the broader changemaker ecosystem.
• Future of WasteminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInitiative focused on creating conditions for addressing waste challenges and triggering change toward resilient consumption patterns. Founded by Catalyst Boryana Milova.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Presencing Institute: MIT-founded organisation that developed Theory U, the core methodology adapted by collaboratio helvetica. Both deliver awareness-based systems change training programs and operate international facilitator networks.
• Sociocracy 3.0: Open-source governance and collaboration methodology used by collaboratio helvetica. Both operate as open, community-driven ecosystems promoting self-organisation and adaptive governance.
• School of System Change: European-based learning programme developing skills for systems change. Directly comparable as a training provider delivering cohort-based learning journeys, fellowships, and applied practice in systems change.
• Catalyst2030: Global community of social entrepreneurs and innovators advancing the SDGs. Collaboratio helvetica is a network partner; both focus on catalysing collaborative action for systems change toward the SDGs.
• Art of Hosting: Global community of practitioners offering hosting and harvesting conversations for change. Directly comparable as a methodology provider and community of facilitators used in systems change work.
• Ashoka Switzerland: Swiss affiliate of the Ashoka global network supporting leading social entrepreneurs. Comparable in supporting systems change and changemaker development in Switzerland through community and capacity-building.

Broad incumbents

• Forum for the Future: International sustainability non-profit working with business, government, and civil society on systems change. Comparable as an established player offering sustainability transformation programs and tools.
• Impact Hub: Global network of innovation hubs for social enterprises across Swiss cities (Zurich, Basel, Bern, Geneva, Lausanne). Network partner of collaboratio helvetica; operates a broader ecosystem of events, programs, and incubation alongside systems change work.
• Reos Partners: International social enterprise that designs and facilitates multi-stakeholder processes for systemic change. Comparable in providing Theory U-informed facilitation and Social Innovation Lab methodology to organisations and foundations.

Regional players

• GreenBuzz Zurich: Zurich-based sustainability networking organisation and partner of collaboratio helvetica. Comparable as a regional sustainability community engaging professionals around systems change and SDG-aligned action.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/results?search_query=collaboratio+helvetica
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/collaboratio-helvetica
• Instagraminstagram.com/collaboratiohelvetica

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 collaboratio helvetica