EDUCA SWISS
EDUCA SWISS is a Swiss nonprofit foundation, founded in 2015, that provides affordable educational loans (average 1.6% interest) and free volunteer coaching to nearly 1,000 motivated Swiss residents annually seeking funding for further education or training.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2015
- HeadquartersLuzern, Switzerland
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What EDUCA SWISS does
EDUCA SWISS is a Swiss nonprofit foundation (Schweizerische Stiftung für Bildungsförderung und -finanzierung) founded in 2015 and headquartered in Lucerne with a Zurich office. The foundation is Switzerland's largest private educational financing initiative, addressing the gap between commercial loan rates and the limited availability of affordable education funding for motivated learners. It supports nearly 1,000 individuals annually through two core products: need-based educational loans (Bildungsdarlehen) at non-commercial interest rates averaging 1.6% (maximum 3.25%), with typical loan sizes of CHF 5,000 to CHF 30,000, and free personalized coaching by a network of approximately 50 volunteer coaches. Loans are repaid flexibly during or after the education period, and repayments recycle into new loans, creating a revolving capital pool.
The organization's technology platform is educaplan.ch, a self-service web portal where candidates register, build structured application dossiers (including CV, motivational letter, and budget plans), and track their education financing journey. The foundation is supported by an ecosystem of 29+ funding foundations and corporate partners (including Rothschild & Co Foundation, Stiftung Mercator Schweiz, Ernst Göhner Stiftung, Rising Tide Foundation, and Vontobel) and by referral partnerships with 15+ Swiss universities and universities of applied sciences such as Universität Basel, Universität St. Gallen, ZHAW, Berner Fachhochschule, Hochschule Luzern, and Université de Lausanne. Coaching is delivered pro bono by volunteer professionals, with a dedicated Co-Lead (Imelda Beer) coordinating the volunteer pool.
EDUCA SWISS operates a hybrid revenue model: donor and philanthropic grant income (all donations are tax-deductible under Swiss law), interest margin on educational loans (which it intermediates between socially-motivated lenders and borrowers), and free coaching services funded by the foundation. Governance is provided by a Board of Trustees (Stiftungsrat) chaired operationally by Managing Director Simon Merki, with an advisory board that includes former PwC CEO Peter F. Weibel, ETH Zurich emeritus professor Dr. Theo Wehner, and multiple Swiss federal Councillors of States, lending institutional credibility. The foundation reports that 19 of 20 (95%) applicants with a realistic educational plan receive financing, and demand currently exceeds available capital, with new applications temporarily paused.
EDUCA SWISS firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- EDUCA SWISS
- Legal name
- Schweizerische Stiftung für Bildungsförderung und -finanzierung
- Website
- https://educaswiss.ch
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2015
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- EDUCA SWISS is a Swiss nonprofit foundation, founded in 2015, that provides affordable educational loans (average 1.6% interest) and free volunteer coaching to nearly 1,000 motivated Swiss residents annually seeking funding for further education or training.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
EDUCA SWISS industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Educational Loan Financing
- NAICS
- Educational Support Services (611710), Educational Support Services (6117), Educational Support Services (61171)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Education Access & EdTech for Equity (Low-cost Learning, Skills Platforms) (BPAGALAH)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- University/Institutional Scholarships & Tuition Waivers (EDAIAOAG), Degree-Level Scholarships (Undergrad/Masters/PhD/Postdoc) (EDAIAOAE), Education Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAK)
Keywords
Where EDUCA SWISS is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Luzern
- HQ country
- Switzerland
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
EDUCA SWISS business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others
Revenue model
- Educational Loans: EDUCA SWISS provides educational loans at non-profit conditions with average interest rates of 1.6% (maximum 3.25%). The organization acts as an intermediary, connecting borrowers with private lenders. This is the core service offering, with loans typically ranging from CHF 5,000 to CHF 30,000.
- Donations and Philanthropic Support: The foundation receives donations from individuals and organizations. All donations to EDUCA SWISS are tax deductible. The organization also receives support from foundations and corporate partners.
- Free Coaching Services: Free coaching services provided by volunteer coaches to help candidates create dossiers and financial plans. This service is provided at no cost to the applicant, supported by the foundation's fundraising efforts.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Educational Loans with interest rates of 1.6% average, max 3.25% |
| Freemium | Monthly | Free Coaching and Dossier Preparation |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
EDUCA SWISS product offering
Product offeringCore offering
EDUCA SWISS is a Swiss non-profit foundation that provides need-based educational loans at non-profit interest rates (average 1.6%, maximum 3.25%) ranging from CHF 5,000 to CHF 30,000, accompanied by free personal coaching from approximately 50 volunteer coaches who help candidates prepare application dossiers, develop realistic education plans, and identify alternative funding such as scholarships. The offering is delivered through the Educaplan online platform (educaplan.ch) and supported by referrals from 15+ Swiss universities and partnerships with multiple Swiss foundations.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Bildungsdarlehen (Educational Loan) Need-based educational loan offered at non-commercial interest rates (average 1.6%, maximum 3.25%), ranging from CHF 5,000 to CHF 30,000, to bridge financing gaps for individuals pursuing recognized education or training programs in Switzerland. Loans are repayable flexibly during or after the education period.
- Free Career and Financial Planning Coaching Free-of-charge personal coaching provided by approximately 50 volunteer coaches to help candidates prepare application dossiers, develop realistic education and financial plans, and identify alternative funding sources such as scholarships.
- Educaplan Online Planning Platform Free online planning platform accessible at educaplan.ch that enables users to create a financial plan for their education, log income and expenses, manage education budgets over a defined planning period, and submit applications. Integrated into the loan application process.
Quantifiable outcome
- 95% of applicants with realistic educational plans receive financing
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use EDUCA SWISS
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
EDUCA SWISS technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration5 records
Feature2 records
EDUCA SWISS partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
17 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Stipendium.chcorePartnership for scholarship search services. Stipendium.ch provides scholarship database access for EDUCA SWISS applicants. For CHF 80, they search for suitable foundations for educational projects.
- Budgetberatung.chminorPartnership for budget counseling services, helping applicants with financial planning.
- Berner Fachhochschule (BFH)coreUniversity of Applied Sciences recommending EDUCA SWISS to students needing financial support.
- Universität BaselcoreLeading Swiss university recommending EDUCA SWISS to students.
- Universität St. GallencoreLeading Swiss university recommending EDUCA SWISS to students.
- ZHAW (Zürcher Hochschule für Angewandte Wissenschaften)coreUniversity of Applied Sciences recommending EDUCA SWISS to students.
- Hochschule LuzerncoreUniversity of Applied Sciences in Lucerne recommending EDUCA SWISS.
- Fernfachhochschule (FFHS)minorDistance learning university recommending EDUCA SWISS to students.
- Fachhochschule Nordwestschweiz (FHNW)coreUniversity of Applied Sciences recommending EDUCA SWISS to students.
- Fachhochschule Graubünden (FHGR)minorUniversity of Applied Sciences recommending EDUCA SWISS to students.
- Universität BerncoreSwiss university recommending EDUCA SWISS to students.
- Université de NeuchâtelminorSwiss university recommending EDUCA SWISS to students.
- Universität LuzerncoreSwiss university recommending EDUCA SWISS to students.
- Université de LausannecoreSwiss university recommending EDUCA SWISS to students.
- Pädagogische Hochschule Zürich (PH Zürich)minorTeacher training university recommending EDUCA SWISS to students.
- Pädagogische Hochschule Bern (PH Bern)minorTeacher training university recommending EDUCA SWISS to students.
- Pädagogische Hochschule Schwyz (PH Schwyz)minorTeacher training university recommending EDUCA SWISS to students.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
EDUCA SWISS competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- SoFi (Social Finance): US-based non-profit focused on expanding access to higher education through financing, scholarship administration, and college-success programs. Comparable as a peer non-profit education-access organization intermediating between funders and student borrowers, though operating in the US market at significantly larger scale.
- BAföG (Germany): German federal student financial aid program providing needs-based grants and loans to students. Comparable as a major national education-financing mechanism addressing the same affordability gap EDUCA SWISS targets, but at state-policy scale rather than non-profit scale.
- KfW Student Loan (KfW-Studienkredit): German government-promoted student loan offering below-market interest rates. Comparable because it offers need-friendly educational financing with a non-commercial rate structure aimed at the same student borrower segment, though at much larger scale and run by a state-backed bank.
Regional players
- myStipendium.de: Germany-focused scholarship search and information platform. Comparable as a regional education-financing information platform serving DACH students, similar to Stipendium.ch for the Swiss market and overlapping with EDUCA SWISS's applicant funnel.
Direct peers
- Schweizerische Studienstiftung (Swiss Study Foundation): Switzerland's main merit-based scholarship foundation for university students. Comparable because it is a Swiss non-profit foundation providing financial support and mentoring to motivated students, addressing the same equity-in-education mission as EDUCA SWISS, although it focuses on merit rather than need-based loans.
- Stipendium.ch: Swiss scholarship search and advisory platform that is already an explicit partner of EDUCA SWISS. Highly comparable because it serves the same Swiss applicants seeking education financing, focuses on scholarship discovery rather than loans, and overlaps in coaching/advising content.
Others
- Fondation Philanthropique Famille Sandoz: Swiss family foundation supporting humanitarian and educational initiatives, and a major financial partner of EDUCA SWISS. Comparable as a Swiss philanthropic funder in the same education-access space, but operates purely as a grantmaker.
- Budgetberatung.ch: Swiss budget and debt-counseling service that is already a partner of EDUCA SWISS. Comparable because it provides financial-planning support to individuals including those with constrained means, overlapping with EDUCA SWISS's coaching and budget-planning value proposition.
- Stiftung Mercator Schweiz: Swiss foundation funding education and social projects, and one of EDUCA SWISS's major financial partners. Comparable as a peer funder in the same Swiss philanthropic ecosystem focused on education access, but operates as a grantmaker rather than a direct lender.
Emerging players
- Propel Center / Bottom Line: US non-profit supporting low-income and first-generation students from college access through graduation. Comparable as a peer in the education-equity non-profit space combining coaching, mentoring, and financial guidance, similar to EDUCA SWISS's combined coaching-plus-financing model.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights8 records
Customer concentration
EDUCA SWISS social profiles
Digital presenceEDUCA SWISS compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
EDUCA SWISS financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
EDUCA SWISS leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles11 records
EDUCA SWISS funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
EDUCA SWISS 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 EDUCA SWISS
What does EDUCA SWISS do?
EDUCA SWISS is a Swiss non-profit foundation that provides need-based educational loans at non-profit interest rates (average 1.6%, maximum 3.25%) ranging from CHF 5,000 to CHF 30,000, accompanied by free personal coaching from approximately 50 volunteer coaches who help candidates prepare application dossiers, develop realistic education plans, and identify alternative funding such as scholarships. The offering is delivered through the Educaplan online platform (educaplan.ch) and supported by referrals from 15+ Swiss universities and partnerships with multiple Swiss foundations.
Is EDUCA SWISS a public or private company?
EDUCA SWISS is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was EDUCA SWISS founded?
EDUCA SWISS was founded in 2015. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is EDUCA SWISS based?
EDUCA SWISS is headquartered in Luzern, Switzerland, in the Europe region.
How does EDUCA SWISS make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Educational Loans are the primary driver. The others are donations and Philanthropic Support and free Coaching Services.
Who are EDUCA SWISS's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are SoFi (Social Finance), BAföG (Germany) and KfW Student Loan (KfW-Studienkredit). myStipendium.de is listed as a regional player. Direct peers are Schweizerische Studienstiftung (Swiss Study Foundation) and Stipendium.ch. Others are Fondation Philanthropique Famille Sandoz, Budgetberatung.ch and Stiftung Mercator Schweiz. Propel Center / Bottom Line is listed as an emerging player.
Does EDUCA SWISS have an API?
No public API is recorded for EDUCA SWISS.
What industry is EDUCA SWISS in?
EDUCA SWISS's product category is Educational Loan Financing. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGALAH, Education Access & EdTech for Equity (Low-cost Learning, Skills Platforms), with a secondary code of EDAIAOAG, University/Institutional Scholarships & Tuition Waivers. Its NAICS code is 611710 and its SIC code is 8300.