Swiss League Against Epilepsy

What Swiss League Against Epilepsy does

The Swiss League Against Epilepsy (Schweizerische Liga gegen Epilepsie) is a non-profit association (Verein) founded in 1931 and headquartered in Zürich, Switzerland. It functions as the Swiss national chapter of the International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE) and serves three distinct constituencies: epilepsy patients and their families, medical professionals in neurology, and clinical researchers. With a small staff of approximately six employees led by Director Julia Franke (Dr. phil.), the organization operates as a coordinating and advocacy body rather than a clinical provider.

The League's core offerings include a multilingual patient information platform (10+ languages), co-publication of the peer-reviewed journal Clinical Epileptology jointly with the German (DGfE) and Austrian (ÖGfE) epilepsy societies, and operation of the SERENE research network — established in 2019 and linking 16+ Swiss clinical institutions for multi-center epilepsy research. It also administers four scientific recognitions: the Alfred Hauptmann Award (€20,000, biennial), the Research Promotion Award (CHF 25,000), the Prize for Best Dissertation (CHF 1,000), and the Tissot Medal.

The business model is a hybrid non-profit funding structure combining membership fees (professionals and patient supporters), tax-deductible donations processed through RaiseNow, corporate sponsorships from a roster of 13+ pharmaceutical and medical-device companies, publication revenue, and targeted grants (e.g., the Wohlfahrtsstiftung des Vereins Zürcher Brockenhaus funding a recent website restructure). Recent additions include an e-commerce shopping cart function developed with sponsor UCB-Pharma, and member-facing content products such as an inheritance guide issued in response to the January 2023 Swiss inheritance law revision.

Name

Swiss League Against Epilepsy

Legal name

Schweizerische Epilepsie-Liga (Swiss League Against Epilepsy)

Website

https://epi.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

1931

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Swiss League Against Epilepsy is a Zürich-based non-profit founded in 1931 and the Swiss national ILAE chapter, serving epilepsy patients and families, neurology professionals, and clinical researchers through patient information, scientific publishing, awards, and the SERENE research network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Medical Association & Patient Advocacy Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Health Services (8000), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYHLAKAIAB

Epilepsy & Seizure Disorders

Healthcare & Life Sciences/Specialist Medical Practice/Neurology

Keywords

• Epilepsy professional association
• Neurology patient education
• Epilepsy research network
• Medical society publishing
• Nonprofit health advocacy

Headquarters

HQ city

Zürich (Zurich)

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

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. Membership fees: Annual membership dues that provide access to journals, event discounts, and member benefits. General membership data (name, postal and email address) is shared with the International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE) and organizers of the three-country conference unless the member objects.
2. Donations and sponsorships: The organization accepts donations via its website using debit/credit cards and TWINT, processed through RaiseNow. Corporate sponsors including pharmaceutical companies provide financial support without influence on content.
3. Publications sales: Sale of publications including annual reports, seizure calendars, SOS cards, flyers, and journal subscriptions. The organization publishes the Clinical Epileptology journal in collaboration with German and Austrian epileptology societies.
4. Research grants and foundation funding: Funding for research activities including grants to researchers and prizes for outstanding research. The organization awards the Alfred Hauptmann Award (€20,000), Research Promotion Award (CHF 25,000), and Prize for Best Dissertation (CHF 1,000).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Swiss League Against Epilepsy is a nonprofit professional association that supports people with epilepsy, their families, and healthcare professionals through patient education, research funding, professional development, and the publication of epilepsy-related material. It serves as the Swiss national chapter of the International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE) and the International Bureau for Epilepsy (IBE), delivering services in German, French, Italian, and English across Switzerland.

Product overview

The Swiss League Against Epilepsy (Schweizerische Epilepsie-Liga) operates primarily as a nonprofit professional organization rather than a software product company. Its offerings consist of educational and support services for epilepsy patients and healthcare professionals. The core portfolio includes educational publications (Annual Report, flyers, seizure calendars, SOS cards), the Clinical Epileptology specialist journal published by Springer Medizin, a comprehensive guide on inheritance and testament matters, and various health tools including the seizure calendar (Anfallskalender) available as interactive PDF and the credit card-sized SOS emergency card. Research support is provided through the SERENE research network, the triennial Prize for Best Dissertation (CHF 1,000), the biennial Alfred Hauptmann Award (EUR 20,000, jointly with German and Austrian societies), and the Tissot Medal for honorary recognition. The organization also operates an online publication shop using WooCommerce for ordering materials and accepts donations via payment slips and online payment processing. Services extend to information and specialist finder tools for patients and healthcare professionals in multiple languages.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• SERENE: Swiss Epilepsy Research Network - a network founded by the Swiss League Against Epilepsy in 2019, open to all members who conduct scientific research into epilepsy in Switzerland.

Products and services

• Clinical Epileptology Journal Peer-reviewed scientific journal on epilepsy and epileptology published for neurologists, epileptologists, and clinical researchers in Switzerland and the international community.
• SERENE Epilepsy Research Network Coordinated national research network connecting Swiss clinical and academic researchers to support multi-site epilepsy studies and collaboration.
• Patient Information and Self-Help Guides Free multilingual patient education booklets and self-help guides in German, French, Italian, and English for people with epilepsy and their families.
• Professional Membership Program Annual membership program for Swiss neurologists, epileptologists, neuropsychologists, epilepsy nurses, and supporting members, providing journal access, professional benefits, and community.
• Swiss Epilepsy Day Conference Annual continuing medical education conference bringing together Swiss and international epilepsy specialists for clinical updates and networking.

Quantifiable outcome

• SERENE network includes 16+ Swiss research institutions
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

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

19 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Swiss League Against Epilepsy is the Swiss national chapter of the International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE). General membership data (name, postal and email address) is shared with ILAE unless members object, enabling members to benefit from ILAE discounts for events and subscriptions.
• German Society for Epileptology (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Epileptologie)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborates jointly on the Alfred Hauptmann Award (€20,000) and co-publishes the Clinical Epileptology journal. Also co-organizes the Dreiländertagung (three-country conference) with Austrian society.
• Austrian Society for Epileptology (Österreichische Gesellschaft für Epileptologie)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborates jointly on the Alfred Hauptmann Award and co-publishes the Clinical Epileptology journal. Also co-organizes the Dreiländertagung (three-country conference) with German society.
• SERENE Participating Institutions (16+ Swiss hospitals and universities)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSERENE (Swiss Epilepsy Research Network) includes: University Hospital Basel, University Children's Hospital Basel, Inselspital Bern (Neuroradiology, Sleep-Wake-Epilepsy Center), HUG Geneva (Epileptology/EEG, Neuropediatrics), CHUV Lausanne (Neurology, Neuropediatrics), Institution de Lavigny, Neurocentro della Svizzera Italiana Lugano, Hôpital du Valais Sion, Kantonsspital St. Gallen, Ostschweizer Kinderspital St. Gallen, Klinik Bethesda Tschugg, Swiss Epilepsy Clinic Klinik Lengg Zürich, University Children's Hospital Zürich, University Hospital Zürich (Neurology and Neurosurgery).
• Jazz PharmaceuticalsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor of the Swiss League Against Epilepsy. Sponsors have no influence on organizational content as stated on the website.
• Eisai Pharma AGminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor of the Swiss League Against Epilepsy. Sponsors have no influence on organizational content as stated on the website.
• UCB-Pharma AGminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor that helped implement the shopping cart and ordering functionality on the website. Also supports the Alfred Hauptmann Award. Sponsors have no influence on content.
• Desitin Pharma GmbHminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor of the Swiss League Against Epilepsy. Also supports the Alfred Hauptmann Award. Sponsors have no influence on organizational content.
• Angelini PharmaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor of the Swiss League Against Epilepsy. Also supports the Alfred Hauptmann Award. Sponsors have no influence on organizational content.
• UNEEG medicalminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor of the Swiss League Against Epilepsy. Sponsors have no influence on organizational content.
• NightWatch (Epilepsy seizure detection)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor of the Swiss League Against Epilepsy. Sponsors have no influence on organizational content.
• EASEE/Precisis GmbHminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor of the Swiss League Against Epilepsy. Sponsors have no influence on organizational content.
• Lundbeck (Schweiz) AGminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor of the Swiss League Against Epilepsy. Sponsors have no influence on organizational content.
• BIAL S.A.minorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor of the Swiss League Against Epilepsy. Sponsors have no influence on organizational content.
• Kanso (ketogenic nutrition)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor of the Swiss League Against Epilepsy, specializing in ketogenic nutrition for epilepsy. Sponsors have no influence on organizational content.
• LivaNova PLCminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor of the Swiss League Against Epilepsy. Sponsors have no influence on organizational content.
• Neuraxpharm Switzerland AGminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor of the Swiss League Against Epilepsy. Sponsors have no influence on organizational content.
• Springer Medizin VerlagminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPublisher of the Clinical Epileptology journal (appears 4x yearly). The journal is a joint organ of Swiss, German, and Austrian epileptology societies.
• Wohlfahrtsstiftung des Vereins Zürcher BrockenhausminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerSupported the update and restructuring of the website in 2025/2026.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Parkinson Schweiz: Another Swiss national neurological-disease non-profit with a parallel structure (membership, donations, multilingual content, professional resources), illustrating the competitive landscape for Swiss neurology-charitable funding.
• Schweizerische Multiple Sklerose Gesellschaft: Comparable Swiss national neurological-disease patient/professional organization with a similar operating model (non-profit, donations, multilingual content, research funding) but focused on multiple sclerosis rather than epilepsy.

Others

• Epilepsie-Liga (Swiss Epilepsy Patient Association): Note: this is the same organization under its patient-facing German name. Listed here only for completeness to confirm identity rather than as a separate peer.

Broad incumbents

• Epilepsy Society (UK): One of the largest and oldest national epilepsy charities globally; provides comparable patient information, research funding, and professional resources but at materially greater scale and with broader public reach.
• International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE): The global parent body of which the Swiss League is the Swiss national chapter. Operates worldwide and sets the overarching epilepsy guidelines, congresses (International Epilepsy Congress), and research frameworks that the Swiss League implements locally.
• Epilepsy Foundation (USA): The largest US-based epilepsy patient and research advocacy organization; offers similar patient education, professional resources, and research programs but at much greater scale and a different regulatory/funder context.

Direct peers

• Deutsche Gesellschaft für Epileptologie (DGfE): German national professional epilepsy society and direct strategic partner — co-publishes Clinical Epileptology, jointly awards the Alfred Hauptmann Award, and co-organizes the Dreiländertagung three-country conference with the Swiss League.
• Österreichische Gesellschaft für Epileptologie (ÖGfE): Austrian national epilepsy society and direct partner of the Swiss League on the Alfred Hauptmann Award, Clinical Epileptology journal, and the Dreiländertagung conference.
• Lega Italiana contro l'Epilessia (LICE): Italian national epilepsy society analogous to the Swiss League; both serve Italian-speaking communities and operate within closely linked healthcare systems, making them natural counterparts for Italian-speaking Switzerland (Ticino).
• Ligue Française Contre l'Épilepsie: French national epilepsy association that operates with a comparable mandate — patient information, professional education, research promotion, and advocacy — and competes for French-speaking Swiss audiences in the same linguistic region.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/epi.ch
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/epiliga

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Swiss League Against Epilepsy