Silea, Stiftung für integriertes Leben und Arbeiten

What Silea, Stiftung für integriertes Leben und Arbeiten does

SILEA, Stiftung für integriertes Leben und Arbeiten, is a Swiss non-profit foundation established in 1983 and headquartered in Gwatt (Thun), Canton of Bern. The foundation delivers integrated living and working support services for adults with cognitive, psychological, or multiple disabilities, operating across multiple locations in the Thun and Gwatt area with a workforce of approximately 35 employees. Its service portfolio spans residential housing (Wohnen), workshops and ateliers (Arbeiten & Ateliers), vocational integration (Berufliche Integration), ancillary support services (Dienstleistungen), a retail Shop, and delivery operations conducted through a partnership with Collectors Thun. SILEA is ISO 9001:2015 and IQNet certified for its production operations and is a recognized service provider under Switzerland's federal and cantonal disability insurance frameworks.

The organization's business model is built on managed-services delivery funded primarily through the Swiss cantonal disability insurance (IV) and is currently being repositioned for the new Behinderungsleistungsgesetz (BLG) subject-based financing regime. SILEA supplements its core disability-services revenue with earnable-wage activities (workshop output, retail, and Collectors Thun delivery) and with vocational integration placements that connect service users to corporate internship partners such as Theiler Ingenieure, amalama.ch, and Swiss Military Kitchen. Its go-to-market is essentially public-sector procurement combined with B2B partnership development within a defined Socialraum Thun catchment. Revenue concentration is high, with the Canton Bern IV system representing the dominant payor, and the entity's near-term strategic agenda is dominated by BLG transition readiness, vocational integration expansion, and partnership ecosystem buildout.

Name

Silea, Stiftung für integriertes Leben und Arbeiten

Legal name

Stiftung für integriertes Leben und Arbeiten SILEA

Website

https://stiftung-silea.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

1983

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

SILEA is a Swiss non-profit foundation that provides integrated housing, workshop, and vocational integration services for adults with cognitive, psychological, or multiple disabilities across multiple sites in the Thun and Gwatt region, funded primarily through cantonal disability insurance.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Thun

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Cantonal disability insurance funding (BLG/IV): SILEA is a federally and cantonally recognized service provider. As of 2025, the foundation is undergoing transition to the new Disability Benefits Act (Behindertenleistungsgesetz, BLG) with subject-based financing. Revenue derives substantially from cantonal disability insurance contributions.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

SILEA is a Swiss foundation providing integrated residential, work/atelier, and vocational integration services for adults with cognitive, psychological, or multiple disabilities in the Thun region of Canton Bern. The foundation operates six locations across Thun and Gwatt, offering supported housing, employment in ateliers and production, professional integration through internship placements with partner companies, and community programming. As a federally and cantonally recognized disability service provider, SILEA is funded primarily through Swiss disability insurance (IV) contributions under the BLG framework and also operates an online shop (SILEA Shop) selling handcrafted products made by participants.

Product overview

SILEA is a Swiss foundation providing integrated living and working support for adults with cognitive, psychological, or multiple disabilities. The organization operates a multi-service portfolio centered on three core pillars: Wohnen (residential/living services), Arbeiten & Ateliers (work and atelier programs), and Berufliche Integration (vocational integration). Supporting services include a retail shop selling workshop products, a sustainable house delivery service (Collectors Thun), cultural programming (klein & fein), and external work integration services for businesses. The foundation is recognized by federal and cantonal authorities as an authorized service provider in the Bern canton and Thun region.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• klein & fein: A cultural series featuring small-format arts and entertainment events within SILEA, open to residents, employees, and external visitors.
• JobScout
• Speedys

Products and services

• Wohnen (Living) Residential services for adults with disabilities, including supervised living groups (Wohngruppen mit Begleitung) and supported independent apartments (Eigene Wohnung mit Unterstützung) with assistance.
• Arbeiten & Ateliers (Work & Ateliers) Work and atelier services providing employment opportunities for people with cognitive or psychological impairments, including production, household (Hauswirtschaft), and technical services (Technischer Dienst).
• Dienstleistungen (Services) External services offered to third parties, including rentals of bath, gymnasium, and meeting rooms, plus external work integration support (Personalverleih) for businesses.
• Berufliche Integration (Professional Integration) Vocational integration programs offering Eingliederungsprogramme and internship placements (Praktikumsplätze) with partner companies for job market entry.
• SILEA Shop Online shop offering handcrafted products (including wooden toys) produced by people with disabilities in SILEA workshops.
• Collectors Thun - Hauslieferdienst Sustainable house delivery service operated in partnership between SILEA and Collectors Thun, providing cargo-bike based local delivery services while offering participants meaningful work in logistics and delivery.
• Projekt Restwert Project focused on extracting residual value from discarded materials, providing meaningful work and environmental value.
• klein & fein Cultural series featuring small-scale arts and entertainment events within SILEA, open to residents, employees, and external visitors.
• JobScout Job scouting service within SILEA's Professional Integration department that supports people with psychological impairments in finding and maintaining employment.
• Speedys Specialized production/work unit within SILEA's atelier and production services.

Quantifiable outcome

• Since summer 2023, SILEA has worked with IV offices of Canton Bern to provide vocational integration measures

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• IV-Stellen des Kantons BerncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSince summer 2023, SILEA has collaborated with the disability insurance (IV) offices of Canton Bern to provide vocational integration measures (Eingliederungsmassnahmen) as part of professional integration programs.
• Collectors ThuncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSILEA and Collectors Thun jointly operate a house delivery service (Hauslieferdienst), with SILEA participants engaged in delivery and logistics work, and Collectors providing the operational infrastructure.
• Theiler Ingenieure AG ThunminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe firm provided its storefront window to SILEA for decorative display, featuring wooden toys made by SILEA participants and highlighting the Stockhorn Arena construction project that Theiler Ingenieure supported.
• amalama.chminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAmalama.ch provides llama therapy visits to SILEA, offering animal-assisted activities for participants that promote relaxation and social interaction.
• Swiss Military Kitchen (Militärköche)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMilitary chef trainees conducted multiple visits to SILEA, preparing meals for participants and engaging in joint activities such as cookie-baking sessions, building community connections.
• Various partner companies for internship placementscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSILEA actively recruits Swiss companies to host unpaid internships (1–6 months) for participants completing internal vocational training, as a bridge to regular employment. Job coaches provide ongoing support to both intern and employer.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Stiftung Lebenshilfe Schweiz: National umbrella and service organization for people with intellectual disabilities in Switzerland. Operates as a broader advocacy and service body covering Wohnen, Arbeit, and Integration themes similar to SILEA, but at nationwide scale.
• Pro Infirmis: Switzerland's largest disability service organization, providing Wohnen, Arbeit, Bildung, and Beratung nationwide. Overlaps with SILEA's service pillars and shares the Leistungserbringer framework, but at significantly larger scale and broader geographic reach.
• Insieme Schweiz: National association for people with intellectual disabilities, with affiliated cantonal Insieme organizations operating Wohnheime and Werkstätten. Comparable target population and integration focus to SILEA, with federation-style governance rather than a single-site foundation.
• Inclusion Handicap: Swiss umbrella organization of disability service providers and self-advocacy groups. Comparable in mission and IV-policy engagement to SILEA, but operates at advocacy and federation level rather than as a direct service provider.

Direct peers

• Stiftung Wagerenhof: Swiss foundation operating an integrated campus in Uster combining Wohnen, Arbeiten, and Ateliers for adults with cognitive disabilities. Closely comparable to SILEA in mission, service pillars (living/work/integration), and recognized-provider status under Swiss disability law.
• Werkheim Basel: Basel-based foundation providing workshops and supported housing for people with disabilities. Comparable service portfolio (ateliers, residential, vocational) under Swiss disability-insurance framework, with similar multi-site operating model.
• Stiftung MBF (Schweiz): Swiss foundation providing vocational integration and supported employment for people with disabilities. Directly comparable to SILEA's Berufliche Integration / JobScout functions under the IV framework.

Regional players

• Stiftung Tannacker: Foundation in the Bern region offering Wohnen, Ateliers and Tagesstätten for people with disabilities. Strongly comparable service pillars to SILEA but located in a different sub-region of Canton Bern, providing partial geographic overlap rather than head-to-head competition.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/SILEA-Stiftung-f%C3%BCr-integriertes-Leben-und-Arbeiten-284539211682895
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/silea-stiftung-f%C3%BCr-integriertes-leben-und-arbeiten

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Silea, Stiftung für integriertes Leben und Arbeiten