What I.S.A.R. Germany does

I.S.A.R. Germany Stiftung gGmbH is a charitable nonprofit humanitarian organization headquartered in Duisburg, Germany, specializing in international disaster response. The organization was founded in 2010 as I.S.A.R. Germany Stiftung gUG and converted to a gemeinnützige GmbH in 2015; the rescue team itself has been operationally active since 2003, when it was first deployed. It operates three integrated service lines: Search-and-Rescue (USAR) for collapsed structures, Medical Emergency Response (Medizinische Soforthilfe) operating under WHO Emergency Medical Teams standards, and Humanitarian Aid (Nothilfe) covering post-disaster supply and water-treatment support.

The organization is certified as a "Medium Team" by INSARAG under the United Nations — the first rescue team worldwide to receive this certification in 2007, and currently the only INSARAG-certified Medium Team in Germany. INSARAG certification requires demonstrable self-sufficient operational capability for at least 10 days at a disaster site, with re-certification every five years. Core technical capability includes rubble search-and-rescue operations, medical emergency care under WHO EMT standards, and rescue dog units through a long-standing partnership with BRH Bundesverband Rettungshunde e.V.

I.S.A.R. Germany is funded entirely through charitable donations, corporate partnerships (Lions Clubs International, TARGOBANK, RTL-Stiftung), and supporting memberships starting at €5/month. It maintains an active international deployment footprint, with missions and training exercises documented in Nepal (2015), Haiti (2016), Ecuador (2016), Venezuela (2026), Poland (2026), Indonesia, and Iraq. Donations are processed via an online portal and four separate bank accounts. Specific annual revenue figures are not publicly disclosed. Staffing is small — approximately 4 full-time positions, 6 minor-employed staff, and 1 part-time position — supported by a broader volunteer base.

Name

I.S.A.R. Germany

Legal name

I·S·A·R Germany Stiftung gGmbH

Website

https://isar-germany.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

I.S.A.R. Germany is a Duisburg-based charitable nonprofit providing international search-and-rescue, medical emergency response, and humanitarian aid, certified by the UN as the only INSARAG Medium Team in Germany since 2007.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

International Humanitarian Aid and Disaster Response

NAICS

Emergency and Other Relief Services (62423), Emergency and Other Relief Services (624230)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Disaster Response & Search and Rescue (SAR) (BPADADAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Humanitarian Health & Emergency Medical Relief NGOs (HLAJAKAE), Disaster Recovery, Reconstruction & Resilience Programs (BPAGAAAK)

Keywords

• Disaster response services
• Search and rescue operations
• Humanitarian aid coordination
• Medical emergency response
• International relief missions

Headquarters

HQ city

Duisburg

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: I.S.A.R. Germany generates revenue through charitable donations from individuals, corporations, and foundations. The organization accepts one-time donations, monthly contributions, and testamentary bequests. Various fundraising events and partnership campaigns support their operations.
2. Membership Fees (Förderer/Sponsors): The organization offers supporting membership (Fördermitgliedschaft) with monthly or annual contributions starting at 5 EUR per month, providing ongoing financial support to the organization.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

I.S.A.R. Germany is a charitable nonprofit foundation (Stiftung gGmbH) that provides international disaster response services through three integrated core capabilities: Search-and-Rescue operations in collapsed structures, Medical Emergency Response, and Humanitarian Aid. The organization is certified by the United Nations as an INSARAG Medium Team, enabling self-sufficient deployment for at least 10 days at international disaster sites.

Product overview

I.S.A.R. Germany operates as a unified humanitarian disaster relief organization offering three integrated core services: Search-and-Rescue operations for rubble and collapse scenarios, Medical Emergency Response, and Humanitarian Aid provision. The organization is INSARAG-certified as a Medium Team by the United Nations and is the only German humanitarian organization with this certification. Services include international deployment capabilities, trained rescue dog units, medical teams, and coordination with global humanitarian networks under UN frameworks.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Search-and-Rescue Expert rubble search-and-rescue operations following natural disasters, certified as a UN INSARAG Medium Team capable of autonomous operations for at least 10 days at disaster sites. Provides specialized rescue capabilities for collapsed structures and earthquake-affected areas.
• Medical Emergency Response (Medizinische Soforthilfe) Medical teams providing immediate medical assistance in disaster zones, operating under WHO Emergency Medical Teams (EMT) standards. Provides quality-assured medical emergency care during international humanitarian crises.
• Humanitarian Aid (Nothilfe) Comprehensive humanitarian assistance including provision of essential supplies, water treatment, and recovery support following catastrophes. Supports affected populations during humanitarian crises with logistics and essential services.

Quantifiable outcome

• First worldwide UN-certified rescue team (2007)
• +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

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt (DLR)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 November 2016DLR and I.S.A.R. Germany signed a cooperation agreement on November 18, 2016, to work together on new developments and applications in crisis and disaster management. The partnership focuses on rapid rescue technologies and innovative solutions for humanitarian operations.
• BRH Bundesverband Rettungshunde e.V.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing partnership for search and rescue dog operations. BRH provides trained rescue dogs for deployment during international missions. Both organizations conduct joint training exercises regularly, including in Hünxe at BRH's training center.
• action medeor e.V.minorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner organization for medical supplies and humanitarian aid coordination.
• betterplace.orgminorGTM or Marketing PartnerOnline donation platform partnership for charitable giving.
• International Search and Rescue Advisory Group (INSARAG)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal network of over 90 civil protection organizations coordinated under the UN. I.S.A.R. Germany is a member and the only INSARAG-certified 'Medium Team' in Germany. INSARAG sets standards for international USAR operations.
• Lions Clubs InternationalminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate partner supporting humanitarian efforts through donations and fundraising.
• startsocial e.V.minorGTM or Marketing PartnerAwarded I.S.A.R. Germany a consulting grant in 2025/26 for professional communication development, selected from 300 applicants.
• Niederrheinische Akademie für medizinische Fort- und WeiterbildungminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMedical training academy partnership for continuing education of medical personnel.
• Türkisch-Deutsche Industrie- und HandelskammerminorGTM or Marketing PartnerTurkish-German Chamber of Industry and Commerce partnership for bilateral humanitarian cooperation.
• World Health Organization (WHO) Emergency Medical TeamscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWHO EMT initiative certification for medical emergency response capabilities. I.S.A.R. Germany supports partner organizations in achieving WHO EMT certification.
• D-A-CH-L Working Group on Disaster ReliefcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCooperation with disaster relief partners from Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and Luxembourg for joint training exercises and standard harmonization.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Technisches Hilfswerk (THW): Germany's federal agency for technical relief and civil protection. Operates internationally in USAR and disaster response but is a government agency rather than a charity; comparable as a German heavy-weight USAR provider that I.S.A.R. Germany complements rather than directly competes with.
• Malteser Hilfsdienst: German humanitarian aid organization with international disaster response and emergency medical services. Comparable as a German nonprofit delivering emergency medical and humanitarian aid abroad, with overlapping mission types.
• Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF): Global medical humanitarian organization delivering emergency medical care in disaster and conflict zones. Comparable in delivering medical emergency response worldwide, though much larger and focused on medical care rather than integrated USAR.
• Johanniter-Unfall-Hilfe: German humanitarian organization with international disaster relief and emergency medical services. Comparable in combining medical and disaster response capabilities within a German nonprofit structure, though substantially larger.
• Deutsches Rotes Kreuz (German Red Cross): Germany's largest humanitarian organization, part of the International Red Cross/Red Crescent movement. Comparable because it conducts international disaster response and domestic rescue/medical operations, although at vastly larger scale and broader scope.

Others

• International Search and Rescue Advisory Group (INSARAG) Network Teams: The UN-coordinated network of 90+ USAR organizations worldwide. I.S.A.R. Germany operates within this network; comparable INSARAG-certified Medium Teams (e.g., rescue teams in Switzerland, Austria, the UK) are direct functional peers in mission capability.
• World Health Organization Emergency Medical Teams (WHO EMT): WHO's initiative coordinating quality-assured medical teams for disaster response. I.S.A.R. Germany is certified under this framework; comparable peer organizations include other WHO-classified EMTs operating in international disaster zones.

Emerging players

• Rescue Global: UK-registered international search and rescue charity deploying USAR and medical teams globally. Comparable as a non-state, donor-funded USAR organization with international deployment experience, though smaller and younger than I.S.A.R. Germany.
• SARAID: UK-based international disaster response charity specializing in search and rescue and humanitarian relief. Comparable as a volunteer-driven international USAR and humanitarian NGO operating in disaster zones, similar in scale and operating model to I.S.A.R. Germany.

Direct peers

• @fire – Internationaler Katastrophenschutz: German nonprofit specializing in international disaster relief and USAR operations. Closely comparable to I.S.A.R. Germany in mission scope (USAR + medical) and German origin, though I.S.A.R. Germany is distinguished by its INSARAG Medium Team and WHO EMT certifications.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/isar_germany
• Facebookfacebook.com/ISARGermany
• Instagraminstagram.com/i.s.a.r._germany
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/i-s-a-r-germany

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 I.S.A.R. Germany