Telethon

What Telethon does

Deutsche Gesellschaft für Muskelkranke e.V. (DGM), accessed via telethon.de, is a registered charitable association (eingetragener Verein, e.V.) headquartered in Freiburg, Baden-Württemberg, Germany, dedicated to serving people affected by neuromuscular diseases. The organization operates a nationwide self-help network covering 20+ neuromuscular conditions — including ALS, SMA, Duchenne/Becker muscular dystrophy, CMT, FSHD, myositis, mitochondrial diseases, and post-polio syndrome — through 15 regional state associations (Landesverbände) and over 370 volunteer contact persons who deliver peer support, local discussion groups, and personalized counseling. It also operates a federal Patient Navigator program (DGM-Patientenlotse), social and assistive-device counseling, and serves as an advocacy and information clearinghouse for patients, families, healthcare professionals, and researchers.

Its service platform is built around a content-rich website (dgm.org) integrated with an e-commerce shop, a CRM for member and donor management, and a member-only forum. Operational technology is largely procured rather than proprietary: donation processing is handled via twingle GmbH's donation form technology, web hosting is provided by Hetzner Online GmbH, and CRM operations and development are supported by Ecoplan GmbH under a German GDPR Art. 28 data processing agreement. Content output includes the quarterly Muskelreport magazine, disease-specific handbooks and brochures (e.g., ALS handbook dated 2025, Post-polio-Syndrom brochure dated 2025), practical aids such as the emergency pass for muscular disease patients, and co-developed educational materials such as the SMA children's book "ZAC macht einen Ausflug" produced jointly with Biogen, Cure SMA, and SMA Europe.

The revenue model is that of a typical German gemeinnütziger Verein: income is derived from individual donations (one-time and recurring, via PayPal and bank transfer, with purpose-restricted options), annual membership fees (subscribers receive the Muskelreport and free publications), and a small-margin e-commerce shop selling greeting cards (€1.20–€1.60), Christmas cards (€1.20), informational brochures, and practical aids. Fifteen paid staff (per firmographics) support the federal headquarters; the broader reach is delivered primarily through volunteer labor and regional associations. The entity is not publicly traded, not venture-backed, has no disclosed funding rounds, and has no parent company or subsidiaries.

Name

Telethon

Legal name

Deutsche Gesellschaft für Muskelkranke e.V.

Website

https://telethon.de

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Deutsche Gesellschaft für Muskelkranke e.V. (DGM), operating via telethon.de, is a German nonprofit self-help organization supporting people with neuromuscular diseases through peer support networks, counseling, patient navigation, research funding, and educational content, delivered across 15 regional state associations nationwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Freiburg

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donations: The organization primarily relies on donations from supporters. Donations can be made online through PayPal or bank transfer, with options for one-time or recurring donations. Donors can designate their donation to specific purposes such as research, ALS research, counseling, youth work, or general purposes.
2. Membership Fees: DGM generates revenue through annual membership contributions. Members receive benefits including free publications and the Muskelreport magazine.
3. Shop Sales: The organization operates an online shop selling greeting cards, Christmas cards, printed materials, information brochures, and aids for people with neuromuscular diseases. Some products are free for members.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Telethon (DGM) operates as a German nonprofit self-help organization providing social counseling, assistive device counseling, patient navigation, disease-specific information materials, peer support networks, and research funding for individuals affected by 20+ neuromuscular diseases including ALS, SMA, Duchenne/Becker muscular dystrophy, CMT, FSHD, and myositis. Revenue is generated through membership fees, donations, and merchandise sales (greeting cards, brochures, handbooks) via its online shop.

Product overview

DGM operates a non-profit e-commerce shop offering greeting cards, Christmas cards, printed informational materials, and practical aid products. The product portfolio consists of multiple categories: (1) Greeting cards and Christmas cards featuring artwork by members and supporters, (2) Printed materials including patient handbooks, practice guides, and knowledge brochures covering specific neuromuscular diseases (ALS, SMA, DMD, Myositis, mitochondrial diseases, and others), (3) Practical aid materials such as emergency passes, communication aids, and disability-related stickers, and (4) The quarterly Muskelreport magazine. Most products are available as free digital downloads or for a nominal fee to support DGM's charitable mission.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• DGM Online Shop (Greeting Cards, Christmas Cards, Printed Materials) Online shop selling greeting cards, Christmas cards, printed materials, informational brochures, and aids for people with neuromuscular diseases. Products include cards, brochures, handbooks, and disability aids.
• Muskelreport Magazine Quarterly association magazine containing information from self-help activities, event announcements, news from science and research, and contributions about living with neuromuscular diseases. Annual subscription €20.00 (free for members).
• DGM Membership Annual membership program providing supporters with benefits including free Muskelreport magazine, free emergency passes, and discounted or free access to printed informational materials.
• Online Donation Platform Online donation platform allowing supporters to make one-time or recurring donations via PayPal or bank transfer, with options to designate funds to specific causes (research, ALS research, counseling, youth work, or general purposes).
• Social Counseling (Sozialberatung) Counseling service providing guidance on social benefits, healthcare navigation, and support systems for people with neuromuscular diseases and their families.
• DGM-Patientenlotse (Patient Navigator Program) Dedicated patient navigator program helping individuals with neuromuscular diseases navigate the healthcare system and access appropriate care, services, and support.
• Peer Support and Regional Contact Network Peer support network with 370+ volunteer contact persons across Germany providing personal conversations, local discussion groups, and community connection for people with neuromuscular diseases.
• Research Funding Program Research funding program supporting scientists and researchers studying neuromuscular diseases, with research quality overseen by the Medical-Scientific Advisory Board (Medizinisch-Wissenschaftlicher Beirat).
• DGM-Forum (Online Member Community) Online forum for members to connect, share experiences, and exchange information about living with neuromuscular diseases.
• Assistive Device Counseling (Hilfsmittelberatung) Specialized counseling service for assistive devices and barrier-free living, helping individuals with neuromuscular diseases access appropriate aids and adapt their living environments.
• Continuing Education for Healthcare Professionals (Fortbildungen) Professional continuing education programs for neurologists, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, speech therapists, and other healthcare professionals specializing in neuromuscular diseases.

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles8 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• BiogencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBiogen collaborated with DGM and other SMA self-help organizations (Cure SMA, SMA Europe) to create educational materials for the SMA community, including the children's book 'ZAC macht einen Ausflug'. This partnership supports DGM's mission of providing comprehensive information to people affected by spinal muscular atrophy.
• twingle GmbHcoreTechnology or IntegrationDGM uses twingle GmbH's donation form technology to process online donations. Twingle provides the technical platform for the donation process, with data processed on servers in Germany. DGM has a data processing agreement with twingle.
• Ecoplan GmbHminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerEcoplan GmbH provides temporary access to DGM's CRM data for the purpose of operating and developing DGM's customer relationship management system, under a data processing agreement per Art. 28 GDPR.
• Cure SMAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCure SMA collaborated with DGM, Biogen, and SMA Europe to develop the children's book 'ZAC macht einen Ausflug' for the SMA community.
• SMA EuropecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSMA Europe collaborated with DGM, Biogen, and Cure SMA to develop the children's book 'ZAC macht einen Ausflug' for the SMA community.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Deutsche Gesellschaft für Muskelkranke (DGM) is the subject itself; excluded.
• AFM-Téléthon: France's national neuromuscular disease nonprofit and telethon fundraiser. Directly comparable mission (patient support, research funding, peer networks) for the same disease population; primary international counterpart to DGM.
• ALS Association (US): US national ALS-focused nonprofit. Highly comparable for the ALS portion of DGM's disease portfolio — research funding, care services, advocacy, and local chapter network.
• Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA): US-based leading national nonprofit dedicated to muscular dystrophy, ALS, and related neuromuscular diseases. Closest English-language functional analogue — research funding, care center network, advocacy, and patient services.
• Cure SMA: US-based SMA-specific patient advocacy and research-funding organization. Direct collaboration partner of DGM, focused on the same SMA population with comparable service mix (research funding, family support, education).
• SMA Europe: European umbrella federation of SMA patient organizations, of which DGM is an active member and content co-developer (per the ZAC children's book partnership). Same disease focus with a cross-country coordination overlay.

Emerging players

• ACHSE (Allianz Chronischer Seltener Erkrankungen): German umbrella association for chronic rare diseases. Comparable as a domestic peer/coalition partner to DGM on advocacy and rare-disease policy, with broader (non-NMD-specific) scope.
• TREAT-NMD Alliance: International neuromuscular research and care network. Functionally adjacent — patient registry curation, standards of care, research coordination — and a potential collaboration counterparty for DGM's research arm.

Broad incumbents

• EURORDIS – Rare Diseases Europe: European-level umbrella for all rare-disease patient organizations. Relevant as a broader peer and policy-ally layer above DGM's disease-specific remit.

Regional players

• Deutsche Hirnstiftung: Germany-based brain-disease patient nonprofit. Adjacent (neurological, not specifically neuromuscular) domestic peer relevant to DGM's caregiver-information and policy advocacy positioning.

Market position

Strengths1 record

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@DGM_eV
• Facebookfacebook.com/DeutscheGesellschaftfuerMuskelkranke.DGM
• Instagraminstagram.com/dgm_ev
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/telethon

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 Telethon