What Sairaalaklovnit ry does

Sairaalaklovnit ry (Swedish: Sjukhusclowner rf) is a Finnish non-profit association founded in January 2002 that delivers professional hospital clown services to children and families in pediatric wards. Operations began at Helsinki Children's Clinic and have been nationwide at all five Finnish university hospitals (Helsinki, Tampere, Turku, Kuopio, Oulu) since 2012, with additional monthly visits to three central hospitals. The organization runs roughly 1,590 clown work days annually, achieving 65,333 patient/family/staff encounters in 2022 with a roster of 28 clowns (six permanent and approximately 20 freelance), and has reached 77,000+ individuals in a single year pre-pandemic.

The core offering is in-person clown visits conducted on the child's terms and in close cooperation with hospital staff, supplemented by an elderly care program (IKIKLOVNIT) and a multi-year EU-funded ClowNexus project (launching 2026) developing specialized techniques for children on the autism spectrum. Digital extensions include the Klovni-äppi mobile application, the Sairaalahiiren leikkisivusto play website, and the Klovnipuoti online store selling intangible gifts. Quality credentials include full membership in the European Federation of Healthcare Clown Organizations (EFHCO) since 2017 and a five-star THL HYTE health-promotion evaluation in 2023.

The business model is donation-funded: services are provided free of charge to patients, with revenue drawn from individual one-time and monthly donations, Facebook-hosted personal fundraising campaigns, corporate donations (Veikkaus, SanaSol/Orkla, City of Helsinki), foundations (Petrelius, Sundell, Konstsamfundet, multiple Swedish-language Finnish cultural funds), EU grants, and merchandise proceeds. A valid collection permit (RA/2020/833) underpins fundraising activities. Leadership comprises Artistic Director Kari Jagt (since 2002) and Executive Director Aino Viertola.

Name

Sairaalaklovnit ry

Legal name

Sairaalaklovnit ry, Sjukhusclowner rf

Website

https://sairaalaklovnit.fi

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Sairaalaklovnit ry is a Finnish non-profit association founded in 2002 that provides free professional hospital clown visits to children in all five Finnish university hospitals and three central hospitals, employing 28 clowns and reaching tens of thousands of patients and families annually through donations and grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Hospital Clown Services

NAICS

Child and Youth Services (624110), Offices of Physical, Occupational and Speech Therapists, and Audiologists (62134), Other Individual and Family Services (624190)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Pediatric Rehabilitation & Developmental Therapy Centers (PT/OT/SLP) (HLAFAJAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Sick Child & Mild-Illness Babysitting (HSAAAAAH), Behavioral Support & Positive Behavior Intervention Childcare (HSAAAIAF)

Keywords

• Hospital clown services
• Pediatric ward entertainment
• Nonprofit healthcare programs
• Therapeutic clown performances
• Children's hospital visits

Headquarters

HQ city

Helsinki

HQ country

Finland

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: Primary revenue stream. One-time and monthly donations from individuals (monthly donors), corporate donations, Facebook fundraising campaigns (Omakeräykset), and collections for celebrations or milestones. Collection permit RA/2020/833.
2. Merchandise and Intangible Gifts: Online store (Klovnipuoti) selling intangible gifts such as wonder, giggles, and silliness. Proceeds fund operations.
3. Grants and Subsidies: Operations are fully enabled by grants and donations. No public funding streams are explicitly detailed, but the organization is a registered nonprofit association.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Sairaalaklovnit ry provides professional hospital clown visits to pediatric wards in all Finnish university hospitals, with clowns working on the child's terms and in cooperation with hospital staff. The organization supplements its core in-person service with digital engagement products (the Klovni-äppi mobile app and Sairaalahiiren leikkisivusto play website), an online store (Klovnipuoti) selling intangible gifts, and specialized programs including IKIKLOVNIT for elderly care and the ClowNexus EU research project for autism-spectrum children.

Product overview

Sairaalaklovnit ry is a Finnish non-profit association providing hospital clown services as its core offering. The organization operates in all Finnish university hospitals, with professional clowns performing regular visits to pediatric wards. Beyond the core service, the organization has expanded into digital products including the Klovni-äppi mobile app for virtual clown experiences, an online shop (Klovnipuoti) for intangible gifts, and specialized programs such as IKIKLOVNIT for elderly care and the ClowNexus EU research project for autism spectrum children.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Klovnipuoti: The organization's online store selling intangible gifts such as wonder, giggling, and silliness, with proceeds supporting Sairaalaklovnit ry's operations.
• ClowNexus
• IKIKLOVNIT

Products and services

• Sairaalaklovnit Hospital Clown Services Professional hospital clown visits to pediatric wards in all five Finnish university hospitals (Helsinki, Tampere, Turku, Kuopio, Oulu) plus monthly visits to three central hospitals. Clowns work according to each child's preferences in close cooperation with hospital staff, providing therapeutic play and joyful distraction during hospitalization.
• IKIKLOVNIT Program Hospital clowns extend their work to elderly people in care facilities, bringing moments of joy, laughter, and human connection to address loneliness and reduced quality of life in institutional elderly care.
• Klovni-äppi (Clown App) Free mobile application offering fun activities and enabling virtual clown joy for children. Users can download the app and create their own personalized clown character. Available on iOS.
• Sairaalahiiren leikkisivusto (Hospital Mouse Play Website) Online play website featuring games and activities for children, providing accessible entertainment content anytime.
• Klovnipuoti (Clown Shop) Online store selling intangible gifts (wonder, giggles, silliness) for gifting to loved ones, with proceeds funding Sairaalaklovnit ry operations.
• ClowNexus EU Project EU-funded three-year research and development project involving hospital clown organizations from seven European countries, developing specialized tools and techniques for interacting with children on the autism spectrum in neurological wards.

Quantifiable outcome

• 65,333 patient/family/staff encounters in 2022 across 1,590 clown work days (record year)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 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

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• EFHCO – European Federation of Healthcare Clown OrganizationscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 September 2017Full membership granted at EFHCO's annual meeting in Copenhagen. EFHCO was founded in 2011 by 8 European organizations and maintains shared quality standards, promotes European-level development and research, and now has 14 members. Membership required meeting administrative and artistic criteria and evaluation of hospital collaboration.
• ClowNexus EU Project Consortium (7 European Countries)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThree-year EU-funded pan-European project launched in 2026 to develop professional art integration into social and healthcare services, specifically targeting children on the autism spectrum in neurological wards. Includes hospital clown organizations from 7 European countries working on tools and techniques for interaction.
• All Finnish University Hospitals (Helsinki, Tampere, Turku, Kuopio, Oulu)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOngoing operational partnerships at all five Finnish university hospitals, with each having a dedicated local clown team. Work conducted in close cooperation with nursing staff, always on the child's terms.
• Three Finnish Central HospitalsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMonthly clown visits to three central hospitals, in addition to university hospital rounds.
• VeikkausminorOthersFinnish gaming company listed as a supporter of Sairaalaklovnit ry operations.
• SanaSol (Orkla)minorOthersListed as a supporter, part of Orkla group.
• Petreliuksen säätiö (Petrelius Foundation)minorOthersSwedish-speaking Finnish foundation listed among supporters.
• Sundellin säätiö (Sundell Foundation)minorOthersFoundation listed among supporters.
• Eschnerska FrantsälskapetminorOthersFoundation/cultural organization listed among supporters.
• Kulturfonden för svensk litteraturminorOthersCultural fund listed among supporters.
• Brita Maria Renlunds minnesfondminorOthersFoundation listed among supporters.
• City of HelsinkiminorOthersMunicipal supporter of operations.
• Lastenklinikoiden kummit ryminorOthersAssociation supporting children's clinics, listed as a supporter.
• Tampereen Lastenklinikan tuki ryminorOthersSupport association for Tampere Children's Hospital.
• KonstsamfundetminorOthersFinnish Swedish-language arts fund listed among supporters.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Theodora Children's Charity: Switzerland-founded but operating internationally, Theodora deploys professional artists (including clown doctors) in hospitals for children, with similar donation and volunteer-driven funding model and EFHCO standing.
• Lachtränen: Austrian healthcare clown organization operating in pediatric wards. Similar donation-financed, professional-artist delivery model and EFHCO membership; comparable to Sairaalaklovnit's scale.
• Le Rire Médecin: Leading French hospital clown non-profit operating in pediatric wards across numerous French hospitals. Closely comparable mission, delivery model (professional artists in healthcare settings), and EFHCO membership profile.
• Cliniclowns (CliniClowns Nederland): Dutch hospital clown organization providing professional performers in pediatric (and increasingly adult/elderly) care settings. Closely matched operational model and EFHCO member, with a comparable founder-era-and-expansion trajectory.
• Rote Nasen (Red Noses): Austrian-founded international hospital clown charity active in numerous countries. Highly comparable mission, donor-funding model, and EFHCO standing, with a broader geographic footprint than Sairaalaklovnit.

Broad incumbents

• Healthy Humor: US-based non-profit that originated Big Apple Circus's Clown Care program and deploys professional performers (clowns and other artists) in pediatric hospital settings, including through affiliated healthcare laureate programs. Comparable mission and delivery model across a much larger US healthcare footprint.

Emerging players

• Clowns Without Borders (Clowns Sans Frontières): International NGO using clown performance to bring joy to children in crisis zones (refugee camps, disaster zones). Overlapping artistic/performative mission and child-focused impact, but a different delivery context (humanitarian rather than hospital-ward pediatric care).

Others

• Lastenklinikoiden kummit ry: Finnish nonprofit supporting children's clinics with funding and family services. Adjacent enabler/ecosystem player in Finnish pediatric hospital care — formally listed as a supporter of Sairaalaklovnit, and a natural candidate for partnership or co-funding rather than direct competition.
• Tampereen Lastenklinikan tuki ry: Support association for Tampere Children's Hospital, listed as a supporter of Sairaalaklovnit. Adjacent enabling organization in the Finnish pediatric hospital ecosystem rather than a direct competitor, useful for understanding regional partner dynamics.

Regional players

• Danske Hospitalsklovne (Hospital Clowns Denmark): Danish hospital clown non-profit operating in pediatric wards across Denmark. Closely comparable peer in size and scope, and a fellow Nordic/EFHCO member; provides a direct regional analogue within the broader Finnish/Danish healthcare systems.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutu.be/_cOxppce7wo
• Facebookfacebook.com/Sairaalaklovnit
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sairaalaklovnit-ry

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Sairaalaklovnit ry