What HERMINE e.V. does

HERMINE e.V. is a registered non-profit charitable association (eingetragener Verein) under German law, headquartered in Würzburg, Germany, and operating since its 2015 origins as Mobile Flüchtlingshilfe. The organization supports refugees and asylum seekers along European migration routes by collecting, sorting, packing, and shipping donated material goods — clothing, sleeping bags, blankets, mats, tents, and hygiene articles — from its Würzburg warehouse to partner NGOs and direct distribution sites in Greece, Italy, France, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Serbia, Croatia, and other locations. To date it has dispatched 132+ numbered aid shipments and shipped over 100,000 items cumulatively.

Its service portfolio comprises five interlocking programs: (1) Hilfslieferungen (humanitarian aid shipments) — the core logistics operation; (2) Hilfsfahrten (aid trips) — volunteer teams delivering goods and assessments on-site in crisis regions; (3) Freeshop — a free, dignity-focused clothing distribution point in Würzburg accessible by appointment; (4) Fahrradwerkstatt — a free bicycle repair workshop operated with Velo Man oto; and (5) Politische Bildungsarbeit — political education workshops, lectures, and a book club on migration, racism, and EU asylum policy, added in 2021.

The business model is donations-only: HERMINE receives in-kind Sachspenden (material donations) and monetary Geldspenden via PayPal and bank transfer, supplemented by a recurring Patenschaft (sponsorship) program. Operations are volunteer-run, organized across four teams, with no disclosed headcount and no revenue figures. The organization is governed by five co-chairs (Anita Fries, Linnea Richter, Paula Ruiz Rodríguez, Andrea Stahl, and Carolina Sinnig) and was awarded the 25th Würzburg Peace Prize (2019) and the 'Ausgezeichnetes Ehrenamt 2022' seal.

Name

HERMINE e.V.

Legal name

HERMINE e.V.

Website

https://hermine.global

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

HERMINE e.V. is a Würzburg-based German nonprofit that collects, sorts, and ships donated humanitarian supplies to refugees and asylum seekers along European migration routes, supported by a volunteer network, partner NGOs, and donations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Humanitarian Aid / Refugee Relief Services

NAICS

Emergency and Other Relief Services (624230)

akta.pro primary industry

Emergency Shelter, Camp Management & Non-Food Items (NFI) (BPAGAAAC)

Keywords

• Humanitarian aid logistics
• Refugee relief services
• Charitable clothing distribution
• Humanitarian supply shipments
• Volunteer-driven nonprofit

Headquarters

HQ city

Würzburg

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Supply Chain, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Donations (Sachspenden & Geldspenden): HERMINE e.V. operates entirely on donated resources. Material donations (clothing, sleeping bags, hygiene products, etc.) are collected, sorted, and shipped to beneficiaries. Financial donations are accepted via PayPal or bank transfer. A sponsorship (Patenschaft) program is also offered for ongoing support.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

HERMINE e.V. is a registered non-profit association that collects, sorts, and ships donated humanitarian goods (clothing, sleeping bags, hygiene items, tents, food) from its Würzburg warehouse to refugees and partner NGOs across Europe. It supplements this logistics operation with volunteer aid trips for on-site distribution, a free dignity-based clothing shop (Freeshop) and bicycle workshop in Würzburg, and a political education program addressing migration, racism, and asylum policy.

Product overview

HERMINE e.V. is a charitable non-profit organization based in Würzburg, Germany, offering humanitarian aid services rather than commercial products. Its portfolio includes a Freeshop for free clothing distribution, a Fahrradwerkstatt (bicycle workshop), Hilfslieferungen (humanitarian aid deliveries) shipping supplies across Europe, Hilfsfahrten (aid trips) providing on-site assistance, and Politische Bildungsarbeit (political education programs). These services work together to support refugees and people in need, from direct material assistance to educational outreach.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Freeshop A free shop in Würzburg, Germany where people in need can obtain clothing and other items at no cost. Visitors select items that meet their needs in a dignified, self-determined shopping experience; access is by appointment. Designed for refugees and socially disadvantaged individuals in the Würzburg area.
• Fahrradwerkstatt (Bicycle Workshop) A bicycle repair workshop operated in cooperation with Velo Man oto, providing free bicycle repairs and maintenance to help people access transportation. Targeted at refugees and people in need in the Würzburg area.
• Hilfslieferungen (Humanitarian Aid Deliveries) Humanitarian supply shipments in which donated goods are sorted, packed into boxes, stacked on pallets, and shipped to crisis hotspots across Europe. As of 2026, over 132 numbered shipments have been dispatched to partner NGOs including IHA (Thessaloniki), Collective Aid (Sarajevo, Lesbos), Khora Free Shop (Athens), JNRC (Rome), Refugee Women's Centre (Calais), Samos Volunteers, and Just Action.
• Hilfsfahrten (Aid Trips) Volunteer trips providing direct on-site assistance, including distribution of food, clothing, sleeping bags, mats, blankets, and hygiene products at refugee camps, as well as supporting local aid organizations and assessing local situations. Trips have been made to Greece, Bosnia, Italy, France, Croatia, Serbia, and other countries.
• Politische Bildungsarbeit (Political Education) Political education and awareness activities including lectures and workshops with BIPoC and other experts on topics such as flight, migration, racism, white saviorism, and critical whiteness. Includes a political book club with literature recommendations. Targeted at volunteers and the general public.

Quantifiable outcome

• 132+ humanitarian aid shipments dispatched to refugee support organizations across Europe
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers7 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

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Joel Nafuma Refugee Center (JNRC), RomcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJNRC is one of the most important referral points for refugees in Rome. HERMINE e.V. has been sending regular shipments of clothing, sleeping bags, tents, and mats to JNRC for several years. JNRC serves nearly 250 asylum seekers daily with food, clothing, counseling, and psychosocial support.
• Refugee Women's Centre (RWC), CalaiscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRWC provides a protected space for women and families on the move in Calais and Dunkirk. HERMINE ships clothing, sleeping bags, blankets, and hygiene products. RWC helped over 15,700 women and families in 2025.
• Khora Free Shop, AthencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKhora operates a free shop in Athens offering clothing, meals, legal advice, and creative workshops. HERMINE has sent multiple shipments including over 500 kg of clothing. The Khora Free Shop enables dignified, self-determined access to goods.
• Collective Aid, SarajevocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollective Aid is active along European borders providing clothing, sleeping bags, hygiene items, and food vouchers. HERMINE redirected a shipment originally planned for Serbia to Sarajevo due to customs complexities, continuing to support Collective Aid's work.
• IHA (Intereuropean Human Aid Association), ThessalonikicoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIHA operates a central warehouse in northern Greece supplying numerous camps including Serres, Lagadikia, Alexandria, and Veria. HERMINE has dispatched multiple shipments to IHA, including the 130th shipment with ~2,000 clothing items on 4 pallets.
• Samos Volunteers / Just Action, SamoscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganizations operating a Free Market on the Greek island of Samos for refugees. HERMINE has sent multiple shipments of winter clothing and supplies to these organizations.
• Caritas WürzburgminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a supporter and cooperation partner. Caritas is a large Catholic social welfare organization active in Würzburg.
• LEONI AGminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFollowing Russia's attack on Ukraine, LEONI AG partnered with HERMINE e.V. to support employees and families of LEONI's two Ukrainian plants.
• Cologne Care e.V., Herzo packt an, Seebrücke Nürnberg, AK Asyl Vaihingen/EnzminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organizations that collected donations for HERMINE's Winter Campaign 'Spende Wärme, Schaffe Zuflucht', contributing items that were included in consolidated shipments.
• Bundesministerium für Familie, Senioren, Frauen und Jugend (BMFSFJ)minorOthersListed as a cooperation partner, particularly in the area of political education.
• Stadt Würzburg (City of Würzburg)minorOthersThe city of Würzburg is listed among HERMINE's supporters.
• Local Supporters Network (Dornheim, Waldgaststätte Dornheim, s.Oliver, Würth, Lush, Posthalle, PSH Stiftung, Dr. Kley, Schilderladen Schmidt, Chambinzky, Fritz-Kola, Casa, NoMad, SameSchYoga, FC, Riedelbau, Auflauf Würzburg)minorOthersNumerous local businesses and organizations in and around Würzburg support HERMINE with donations and sponsorships, as listed on the supporters page.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Caritas Deutschland: Germany's largest Catholic welfare organization, active across social services, refugee aid, and humanitarian logistics. Caritas Würzburg is already a HERMINE supporter and cooperation partner, making Caritas a direct analogue at much larger scale.
• Arbeiter-Samariter-Bund (ASB): German humanitarian and social services organization operating refugee shelters, aid logistics, and civil protection. Comparable in combining professional staff with volunteer engagement and cross-border aid delivery.
• Diakonie Deutschland: National umbrella for Protestant-affiliated social welfare and humanitarian organizations in Germany, with extensive refugee aid, integration, and shelter services. Comparable in mission scope and volunteer-driven delivery model.
• Johanniter-Unfall-Hilfe: Major German humanitarian organization providing emergency relief, refugee aid, and international logistics. Comparable in operating donation-funded humanitarian supply chains with a volunteer base.
• Aktion Deutschland Hilft: Umbrella alliance of German aid organizations coordinating disaster relief and humanitarian fundraising. Comparable as a German-based coordinator of donation-funded humanitarian supply chains supporting international crises.
• Ärzte ohne Grenzen / Doctors Without Borders: International medical-humanitarian organization delivering emergency relief, supplies, and advocacy. Comparable as a globally recognized, donation-funded humanitarian logistics and emergency relief provider.

Direct peers

• ProAsyl: Leading German refugee rights organization providing material aid, advocacy, and political education on asylum policy. Highly comparable mission in combining direct refugee support with political engagement around EU asylum policy.
• Sea-Watch: German-registered NGO operating Mediterranean search-and-rescue and post-rescue support for refugees. Comparable as a Germany-based volunteer-driven organization delivering humanitarian aid along European migration routes.
• Mission Lifeline: German-registered humanitarian NGO operating rescue and relief operations in the Mediterranean and along European migration routes. Comparable as a Germany-rooted, volunteer-supported refugee aid organization.

Emerging players

• SOS Méditerranée: European maritime-humanitarian organization operating rescue vessels and supporting refugees in Southern Europe. Comparable in delivering frontline refugee aid along Mediterranean migration routes, with partial overlap on in-country distribution partners.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/hermine.global
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mfh-global
• Instagraminstagram.com/hermine.global/?hl=de

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 HERMINE e.V.