Mission Lifeline International e.V.

What Mission Lifeline International e.V. does

Mission Lifeline International e.V. is a German-registered humanitarian non-profit association (eingetragener Verein) founded in May 2016, with legal seat in Hamburg (Amtsgericht Hamburg, VR25259) and postal address in Dresden. Its core mission is civilian sea rescue in the Central Mediterranean, conducted via a rotating fleet of converted vessels: LIFELINE (2017-2018), ELEONORE (2019-2021), RISE ABOVE (2020-2023, over 3,000 rescued across 10 missions), MARWA on the Atlantic route (2021-2024), and the newly acquired LIFELINE SAR (October 2024), a former German customs patrol boat currently in shipyard conversion for a planned summer 2026 Mediterranean deployment. The organization has conducted 24 rescue operations since 2017 and complements sea rescue with land-based humanitarian projects supporting internally displaced persons in Ukraine (Odesa region, active since February 2022), Afghan local staff and protection seekers (since August 2021), and LGBTQI+ refugees through a Safe House on Lesbos (now operated via Welcome Office Lesvos since 2024).

The underlying technology footprint is conventional non-profit web infrastructure rather than a proprietary platform: a WordPress-based website on Host Europe GmbH hosting, donation processing via Wikando's Fundraisingbox with Stripe as payment service provider, email outreach through Cleverreach, web analytics through Google Analytics (Universal Analytics with IP anonymization) and self-hosted Matomo, cookie consent via Real Cookie Banner, and content delivery through CreateJS, Google Fonts, Vimeo, and YouTube. Physical operational technology centers on the rescue vessels themselves (medical stations, RHIBs, navigation and communication equipment) and on drone observation in the Atlantic route program.

Mission Lifeline is funded entirely through donations and operates on a non-commercial, subscription-style giving model. Revenue streams include one-time individual donations with suggested tiers (€15, €30, €60, €100), recurring monthly donations from €10/month (Dauerspenden), gift donations (Geschenkspende), ship sponsorship (Schiffspat:in) with naming rights and certificates, supporter-created fundraising pages, and strategic major-donor/corporate fundraising. The organization holds confirmed gemeinnützig (charitable) tax-exempt status via Freistellungsbescheid from Finanzamt Hamburg Nord covering tax periods 2020-2022, and is governed by a five-member board led by Nolte Bauer as Chair. Headcount is approximately nine, split between a six-person fundraising and communications team and the five-person board, with operations relying materially on volunteers, local partners, and a Ukrainian team in Odesa.

Name

Mission Lifeline International e.V.

Legal name

Mission Lifeline International e.V.

Website

https://mission-lifeline.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Mission Lifeline International e.V. is a German humanitarian non-profit founded in 2016 that conducts civilian sea rescue in the Mediterranean and Atlantic via converted rescue vessels, while running land-based aid projects supporting Ukrainian IDPs, Afghan evacuees, and LGBTQI+ refugees on Lesbos, funded entirely through individual donations and ship sponsorship.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Humanitarian Aid Services

NAICS

Emergency and Other Relief Services (624230), Community Food and Housing, and Emergency and Other Relief Services (6242)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Water Transportation (4400)

akta.pro primary industry

Refugee, IDP & Migration Humanitarian Assistance (BPAGAAAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Emergency Response, Assistance & Medical Evacuation Services (THACAEAC), Refugee, Migration & Displacement Support (BPAGABAH), Humanitarian Health & Emergency Medical Relief NGOs (HLAJAKAE)

Keywords

• Civil sea rescue
• Humanitarian aid
• Refugee support
• Disaster relief
• Charitable fundraising

Headquarters

HQ city

Dresden

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: One-time and recurring donations from individual supporters via online donation forms, ship sponsorship programs, standing order donations (Dauerspenden), and gift donations (Geschenkspende) for special occasions.
2. Corporate and Major Donor Fundraising: Strategic fundraising targeting major donors (HNWIs), foundations, and corporate partners for long-term engagement and legacy/bequest programs.
3. Community Fundraising Campaigns: Online fundraising campaigns allowing supporters to create personal fundraising pages for birthdays, weddings, events, or activities to raise money collectively.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Mission Lifeline International e.V. is a German non-profit registered association that conducts civil sea rescue operations in the Mediterranean and delivers humanitarian aid projects in Ukraine, Afghanistan, and on the Greek island of Lesbos. It operates rescue vessels and a Safe House for LGBTQ+ refugees, funding these activities through individual donations, recurring giving, ship sponsorships, and community fundraising campaigns.

Product overview

Mission Lifeline International e.V. operates as a humanitarian organization focused on civil sea rescue in the Mediterranean and Atlantic. The organization conducts rescue operations using dedicated rescue vessels (LIFELINE SAR, RISE ABOVE, MARWA, ELEONORE, LIFELINE), supplemented by land-based humanitarian projects in Ukraine, Afghanistan, and Lesbos. Funding comes primarily through donations, ship sponsorship programs, and various donation options including one-time, recurring, gift donations, and supporter-initiated fundraising campaigns. The LIFELINE SAR is currently under conversion and expected to launch in summer 2026.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Sea Rescue Services Civil search-and-rescue operations in the Mediterranean Sea, conducted from dedicated rescue vessels, providing immediate life-saving assistance to people in distress at sea.
• Ship Sponsorship Program Donor program in which individual supporters or groups sponsor a specific rescue vessel (such as LIFELINE, RISE ABOVE, or SEA-EYE) to fund its operational costs.
• Ukraine Humanitarian Aid Projects
• Safe House Lesbos
• Afghanistan Support Programs
• Donation Programs

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 3,000 people rescued from the Mediterranean by Rise Above alone (2021-2023)
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration10 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered major, minor and core.

• United4Rescue – Gemeinsam Retten e.V.majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Supported acquisition of new RHIB (Rigid-Hulled Inflatable Boat) for rescue ship operations. United4Rescue is a German sea rescue alliance supporting civilian maritime rescue efforts.
• 46 Humanitarian Organizations (Joint Statement on EU-Tunisia)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Coalition including Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, Sea-Watch, SOS MEDITERRANEE, and others issuing joint statement against EU-Tunisia migration deal and demanding human rights protections. Mission Lifeline is a signatory among 46 organizations.
• Welcome Office LesvoscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024After Starfish Foundation ended operations, Welcome Office Lesvos took over coordination of Safe Houses on Lesbos. They accompany refugees to government appointments, help with document translation, provide asylum procedure information, and assist with job and housing searches.
• Apotheker ohne Grenzen (Pharmacists Without Borders)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Partnership since 2022 for medical transport operations. Mission Lifeline executes medical transports on behalf of Apotheker ohne Grenzen, primarily to the Lviv region in Ukraine.
• Starfish Foundation (Lesbos)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Partnership with local Lesbos-based organization for Safe House operation providing shelter for single women and children. Mission Lifeline provided financial support while Starfish handled operations including legal/medical accompaniment, facility maintenance, and coordination. Partnership ended December 2023 due to Starfish's financial constraints.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Proactiva Open Arms: Spanish-founded NGO operating rescue vessels in the Central Mediterranean with similar direct-to-donor model and documented exposure to ship seizures and legal proceedings.
• Sea-Watch: German NGO operating civilian sea rescue vessels in the Mediterranean with comparable direct-to-donor fundraising model and similar exposure to Italian regulatory pushback (e.g., Sea-Watch 5 seizure).
• Sea-Eye: German sea rescue NGO operating in the Mediterranean with comparable funding model and direct-to-donor engagement; shares coalition and political exposure with Mission Lifeline.
• SOS MEDITERRANEE: European NGO operating the Aquarius rescue vessel in the Central Mediterranean with similar mission, donor base, and joint advocacy on EU migration policy.
• Apotheker ohne Grenzen (Pharmacists Without Borders): German humanitarian NGO partner of Mission Lifeline since 2022 for medical transports in Ukraine; comparable size, structure, and donation-based funding model.
• United4Rescue – Gemeinsam Retten e.V. German sea rescue alliance and direct partner of Mission Lifeline (supported RHIB acquisition); functions as both a peer and an umbrella donor network for civilian rescue operations.

Broad incumbents

• Malteser International: Larger German humanitarian organization with comparable Germany-based donor base and operations in Ukraine, Afghanistan, and Mediterranean-adjacent regions; potential partner or competitor for donor dollars.
• Caritas Germany: Large German Catholic humanitarian organization with active refugee assistance programs, Ukraine operations, and Afghan resettlement work; overlaps with Mission Lifeline's land-based humanitarian verticals.
• International Rescue Committee (IRC): Major international humanitarian organization active in Afghanistan evacuation (Federal Admission Program pathway), Ukraine, and refugee resettlement; serves as a benchmark for the scale Mission Lifeline could pursue.
• Ärzte ohne Grenzen / Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF): Global humanitarian medical NGO with Mediterranean search-and-rescue operations (e.g., Geo Barents) and broader humanitarian footprint overlapping with Mission Lifeline's rescue and Ukraine/Afghanistan programs.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/seenotrettung
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/missionlifeline
• Instagraminstagram.com/missionlifeline

Compliance2 records

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 Mission Lifeline International e.V.