Association Théodora

What Association Théodora does

Association Théodora, legally constituted as Fondation Théodora, is a Swiss charitable foundation established in 1993 by André and Jan Poulie. It deploys a workforce of 75 professional artists ("Giggle Doctors") to deliver therapeutic clowning visits to hospitalized children. The foundation operates seven distinct programs including the flagship Giggle Doctors program, Operation Dreams, Emergency Giggles, Planet of Dreams, Mr and Ms Dream, Little Orchestra for the Senses, and The Lil' Champs. The primary service modality is in-room hospital visits by trained artists.

The organization serves 62 institutional partners and conducts approximately 119,000 child visits annually, with operational infrastructure spanning a headquarters in Lonay and a secondary office in Hunzenschwil. It is registered as Swiss tax-exempt (CHE-107.613.291) and has participated in clinical research, including a CIBM study examining the neurological effect of hospital clown interventions on children's brain activity. Training partnerships with EFHCO, Academia Teatro Dimitri, and école la source underpin the artist pipeline. The foundation operates exclusively within Switzerland.

Revenue mechanics rest on four pillars: individual donations, corporate partnerships (named partners include Helsana, ŠKODA Switzerland in a 20-year relationship, Volg, Fnac Switzerland, and Novartis added in May 2026), webshop merchandise sales, and legacy giving. A new consumer product line, "Play for Smiles" developed in collaboration with Panini, launched in March 2026, marking the foundation's first major branded consumer product. Leadership transition is underway, with Patricia Bohle appointed Executive Director effective June 1, 2026.

Name

Association Théodora

Legal name

Fondation Théodora

Website

https://fr.theodora.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1993

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Swiss charitable foundation operating since 1993 that deploys 75 professional Giggle Doctors to conduct 119,000 therapeutic visits annually for hospitalized children across 62 Swiss institutions, funded through donations, corporate partnerships, and merchandise.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Therapeutic Clowning & Pediatric Emotional Support Services

NAICS

Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Individual and Family Services (6241)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Health Services (8000)

akta.pro primary industry

Palliative Care, Hospice & Serious Illness Support (BPAGACAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Community Health, Prevention & Health Education (BPAGACAC), Special Education, Disability Support & Inclusive Education Nonprofits (BPAGADAH)

Keywords

• Therapeutic clowning services
• Hospital child visits
• Pediatric emotional support
• Healthcare clowning programmes
• Charitable foundation services

Headquarters

HQ city

Lonay

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Individual donors contribute through the website, by post, and by bank transfer. Donations are tax-deductible in Switzerland.
2. Corporate Partnerships: Corporate partners including Helsana, ŠKODA, Volg, Fnac Switzerland, and Novartis provide financial support, sponsorship, and cause-marketing collaborations.
3. Webshop Sales: The Foundation operates a webshop selling merchandise including the Panini collectable card game 'Play for Smiles', with 25% of proceeds supporting the Giggle Doctors programme.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Theodora Foundation operates therapeutic clowning programmes delivered by 75 professional artists ("Giggle Doctors") who conduct approximately 119,000 weekly visits per year across 62 hospitals and specialist care institutions in Switzerland, providing emotional support and distraction therapy to children facing illness, surgery, emergency care, disability, and end-of-life care. All programmes are provided free of charge to beneficiary institutions and children, funded through individual donations, corporate sponsorships, and merchandise sales via an own webshop. The Foundation also co-markets the Panini "Play for Smiles" collectable card game, with 25% of proceeds supporting the Giggle Doctors programme.

Product overview

The Theodora Foundation operates a portfolio of therapeutic clowning programs designed to bring joy to children in hospitals, specialist care centers, and children's hospices. The core offering consists of seven distinct programs: The Giggle Doctors (standard hospital visits), Operation Dreams (surgical accompaniment), Emergency Giggles (emergency department support), Planet of Dreams (hospice care), Mr and Ms Dream (specialist care center visits), Little Orchestra for the Senses (multi-sensory music sessions), and The Lil' Champs (special needs support). All programs are delivered by 75 professional artist-clowns who conduct approximately 119,000 child visits annually across 62 institutions. The Foundation also has a collaborative product partnership with Panini for the 'Play for Smiles' collectable card game.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The Giggle Doctors: Professional artists who visit children in hospitals and specialist care centres, bringing joy and magical moments.

Products and services

• The Giggle Doctors Weekly visits by professional clowns (Giggle Doctors) to hospitals, bringing joy and emotional support to hospitalised children in Switzerland. Delivered by 75 artists across 62 institutions, reaching approximately 119,000 child visits per year.
• Operation Dreams Surgical accompaniment programme where Giggle Doctors support children through operating theatre experiences, easing fear and providing distraction during surgery.
• Emergency Giggles Emergency department support programme providing laughter and distraction for children in urgent care situations.
• Planet of Dreams Programme bringing Giggle Doctors to children's hospices for specialised end-of-life and palliative care support, creating magical moments for children with serious illness.
• Mr and Ms Dream Visits to specialist care centres for children with disabilities, providing therapeutic clowning experiences.
• Little Orchestra for the Senses Multi-sensory music programme for children in specialist care centres, engaging auditory and sensory experiences.
• The Lil' Champs Special programme supporting children with additional needs through therapeutic clowning activities.
• Play for Smiles Collectable card game jointly launched with Panini, where 25% of proceeds support the Giggle Doctors programme.

Quantifiable outcome

• 119,000 child visits per year
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

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

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• NovartiscoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 May 2026Global pharmaceutical company Novartis partners with Theodora Foundation as a corporate partner, announced in May 2026.
• HelsanaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSwiss health insurance company Helsana partners with Theodora Foundation as a corporate sponsor supporting the Giggle Doctors programme.
• ŠKODA SwitzerlandcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerŠKODA Switzerland has maintained a 20-year partnership with Theodora Foundation, providing smiles for children. ŠKODA is a flagship corporate partner supporting the Foundation's mission.
• VolgminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSwiss retail chain Volg supports Theodora Foundation as a corporate partner.
• Fnac SwitzerlandminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSwiss retailer Fnac Switzerland partners with Theodora Foundation as a corporate supporter.
• PaninicoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPanini and Theodora Foundation jointly launched the collectable card game 'Play for Smiles' in March 2026. 25% of proceeds from sales support the Giggle Doctors programme.
• European Federation of Healthcare Clown Organizations (EFHCO)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTheodora Foundation cooperates with EFHCO, the European umbrella organisation for healthcare clowning, contributing to international standards and collaboration in the field.
• Academia Teatro DimitricoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTheodora Foundation partners with Academia Teatro Dimitri, a physical theatre academy, for artistic training and development of Giggle Doctor skills.
• école la sourceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTheodora Foundation cooperates with école la source, a healthcare training institution, for professional development and training programmes.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Red Noses International: Austria-based international network of healthcare clowning organisations active across 11+ countries, with core programmes in hospitals and care facilities. Comparable to Theodora as a peer EFHCO member operating the same therapeutic clowning model with professionally trained artists.
• The Humour Foundation: Australian charitable foundation running Clown Doctor programmes in paediatric hospitals since 1996. Directly comparable in structure (charity-funded performer visits to hospitals), scope, and operational maturity to Theodora's Giggle Doctors programme.
• Tommy’s Fund / Dream Doctors (Israel): Israeli medical-clowning programme embedded in hospital teams, with academic research underpinning its work. Comparable to Theodora's Giggle Doctors, with particularly strong overlap given Theodora's emphasis on clinical evidence (CIBM study) and HCIM hosting.
• Hearts & Minds (UK): UK healthcare clowning charity providing therapeutic clown visits to children's hospitals and hospices. Closely comparable mission and delivery mechanism to Theodora, especially to its Planet of Dreams hospice programme.
• Le Rire Médecin: France's leading healthcare clown organisation, operating since 1991 with trained performers visiting hospitalised children. Directly comparable to Theodora in mission, delivery model, and target population (paediatric inpatients), differing primarily in geography (France vs Switzerland) and slightly later founding.
• CliniClowns Netherlands: Dutch healthcare clowning foundation operating across hospitals and care institutions for children, with a similar donation-funded non-profit structure. Closely comparable in mission and operating model to Theodora, differentiated mainly by national market.

Others

• European Federation of Healthcare Clown Organizations (EFHCO): Umbrella organisation for healthcare clowning groups across Europe, of which Theodora is a member. Indirect peer as an ecosystem enabler rather than service provider; useful comparator for industry standards and international collaboration frameworks.

Broad incumbents

• Make-A-Wish Foundation: Global charity fulfilling wishes for children with critical illnesses — partially overlaps with Theodora's Planet of Dreams and Operation Dreams programmes. Much larger scale and broader mission (travel, gifts, experiences) makes it an adjacent incumbent rather than direct competitor.
• Ronald McDonald House Charities: Large international charity supporting families of hospitalised children through accommodation, family rooms, and care programmes. Adjacent to Theodora's mission (child-welfare during illness) but operates a much broader platform of family-support services rather than direct therapeutic visits.

Regional players

• Healing Arts Switzerland: Swiss network advancing arts-in-health programmes, co-organiser of the Flourishing Minds Conference where Theodora participates. Operates in the same Swiss geography and adjacent therapeutic-arts category, though focused on advocacy/network-building rather than direct service delivery.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/association-th%C3%A9odora

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Association Théodora