Verein Als Schweiz

What Verein Als Schweiz does

Verein ALS Schweiz is a Swiss non-profit association (Verein) founded in 2007 and headquartered in Olten (relocated from Basel in 2024), operating under Swiss Civil Code articles 60 et seq. with public-utility status and ZEWO certification. It is the leading Swiss organization dedicated exclusively to Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), serving a structurally capped beneficiary population of roughly 600-650 people living with ALS across Switzerland and a comparable number of family caregivers, plus healthcare professionals (neurologists, nurses, therapists) as a secondary audience.

Its service portfolio spans twelve core offerings: free equipment lending (wheelchairs, care beds delivered and instructed in-home); Voice Banking for digital preservation of a patient's own voice; moderated Austauschtreffen (exchange meetings) delivered regionally in cities such as Bern and online; Entlastungsangebote (day trips and short-stay relief); Direkthilfe direct financial support; personal Beratung (counseling); professional Weiterbildungen (training); the biennial Nationaler ALS-Tag (since 2010, next on 16 October 2026 in Olten); Switzerland's first ALS podcast "SLA" (launched June 2025); Pflegeberatung (care counseling transferring from ParaHelp by autumn 2026); Kinder und Jugendliche children/youth programs including Kids Story-Lab; and Sozialberatung (social counseling). Voice Banking is the most differentiated technical asset, allowing patients to retain their identity on electronic devices after losing natural speech.

The business model is donation-dependent: revenue streams include individual donations, memorial/Trauerspenden, named legacies and inheritances (e.g., Lieberherr, Plattner, Lamon, Pfiffner, Senn, Stern-Wyss, Stirnemann, Theuerkauf), institutional subsidies from foundations/charities/parishes/companies, and third-party charitable fundraising campaigns (Wildstrubel Trail runners, ThumbUpRun 884km run, hockey matches, swimming events). Training events use nominal tiered pricing (CHF 120-200 professional, free for patients/companions). Go-to-market is community-led and event-driven (National ALS Day biennial, International ALS Day on 21 June, International Congress on ALS/MND, regional exchange meetings), with awareness supported by digital channels (als-schweiz.ch, email newsletter, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube) and earned media in Swiss outlets. Distribution is direct office-based from Olten with referral partnerships across the Myosuisse neuromuscular centers in Basel, Bern, Geneva, Lausanne, Lugano, St. Gallen, Zurich, and Sion. Governance is by an elected Vorstand (President Martin Knoblauch appointed May 2025) with a small operational team.

Name

Verein Als Schweiz

Legal name

Verein ALS Schweiz

Website

https://als-schweiz.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Verein ALS Schweiz is a Swiss non-profit founded in 2007, headquartered in Olten, providing counseling, equipment loans, Voice Banking, financial aid, exchange meetings, training, and care coordination to approximately 600-650 people living with ALS in Switzerland, their families, and healthcare professionals, funded primarily by donations, legacies, and institutional subsidies.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Neuromuscular Disease Patient Support Services

NAICS

Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (62412)

SIC

Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090)

akta.pro primary industry

Disease-Specific Research & Support (e.g., Cancer, Diabetes, ALS) (BPAGACAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Parkinson’s & Movement-Disorder Personal Care Support (HSABABAJ)

Keywords

• ALS patient support
• Medical equipment lending
• Caregiver counseling services
• Neuromuscular disease support
• Nonprofit healthcare services

Headquarters

HQ city

Olten

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: General donations from private individuals supporting the organization's mission to help people with ALS and their families. The organization is recognized as a public utility and donations are tax-deductible.
2. Memorial/Death Donations: Donations made in memory of deceased loved ones, often requested in lieu of funeral flowers. Families receive a list of donors upon request.
3. Legacies and Inheritances: Bequests and inheritances from supporters who have included ALS Schweiz in their wills. The organization has received several such donations from named individuals including Katharina Lieberherr, Nelly Pajarola Plattner, Charles and Maurine Lamon, Jolanda Pfiffner, Ruth Senn, Gertrud Stern-Wyss, Irene Stirnemann, and Peter Theuerkauf.
4. Charitable Fundraising Campaigns: Third-party fundraising events organized by individuals and companies, including birthday celebrations, company anniversaries, sporting events, and wedding donations. Examples include Wildstrubel Trail runners, ThumbUpRun (884km run from Switzerland to Netherlands), hockey matches, and swimming events.
5. Institutional Subsidies: Funding from foundations, charitable organizations, and companies. ALS Schweiz has benefited from subsidies from various institutions including donor foundations, charitable organizations, parishes, and companies.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

ALS Schweiz is a Swiss non-profit association that provides comprehensive support services to people living with ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis) and their families. Core offerings include free lending of medical equipment (wheelchairs, care beds) with home delivery, Voice Banking to digitally preserve patients' own voices, moderated exchange meetings, relief offerings such as day trips and short stays, direct financial assistance, personalized counseling, professional training, and biennial National ALS Day events. Services are delivered free of charge to approximately 600-650 people with ALS in Switzerland.

Product overview

ALS Schweiz is a Swiss non-profit association (Verein) founded in 2007 that provides comprehensive support services for people with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) and their relatives. Rather than a technology product company, it offers a portfolio of core support services including equipment lending (Hilfsmittel), Voice Banking for digital voice preservation, moderated exchange meetings (Austauschtreffen), relief offerings like day trips (Entlastungsangebote), direct financial assistance (Direkthilfe), personal counseling (Beratung), professional training (Weiterbildungen), care counseling, and support for children and youth. The organization also organizes Switzerland's first ALS podcast and the biennial National ALS Day event. These services work together to provide holistic support across the disease trajectory.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Hilfsmittel (Equipment Lending)
• Voice Banking
• Austauschtreffen (Exchange Meetings)
• Entlastungsangebote (Relief Offerings)
• Direkthilfe (Direct Financial Assistance)
• Beratung (Counseling)
• Weiterbildungen (Training)
• Nationaler ALS-Tag (National ALS Day)
• Podcast: SLA
• Pflegeberatung (Care Counseling)
• Kinder und Jugendliche (Children and Youth Support)
• Sozialberatung (Social Counseling)

Quantifiable outcome

• Support for 600-650 people with ALS in Switzerland through comprehensive services
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

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

• International Alliance of ALS/MND AssociationscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerALS Schweiz is a member of the International Alliance of ALS/MND Associations, the global umbrella organization for ALS organizations worldwide. Through this membership, ALS Schweiz participates in annual international congresses, accesses global research networks, and contributes to international advocacy efforts. The International Symposium on ALS/MND is the world's largest medical and scientific event on ALS, attended by 1,500+ participants from 40+ countries.
• MND AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe UK-based Motor Neurone Disease (MND) Association organizes the annual International Symposium on ALS/MND, the world's largest scientific conference on ALS. ALS Schweiz participates in and benefits from this global research exchange.
• ENCALS (European Network to Cure ALS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEuropean network of ALS researchers and clinicians that coordinates research efforts across Europe. ALS Schweiz participates in this network to stay connected to cutting-edge European ALS research.
• EUpALS (European Organization for Professionals and Patients with ALS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEuropean umbrella organization representing ALS patients and professionals. ALS Schweiz is a member and participates in European advocacy and awareness initiatives.
• Myosuisse (Swiss Network of Neuromuscular Centers)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational network of Swiss neuromuscular centers including Basel, Bern, Geneva, Lausanne, Lugano, St. Gallen, and Zurich, plus the competence center in Sion. ALS Schweiz works closely with these centers to provide coordinated care and referrals for people with ALS throughout Switzerland.
• ParaHelpmajorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerParaHelp currently provides specialized nursing consultation for people with ALS in Switzerland. ALS Schweiz is gradually taking over responsibility for this service starting autumn 2026, creating a unified point of contact for all ALS-related support including social counseling, psychological support, equipment, and nursing care.
• CIPA (Schweizerische Patientenorganisation)minorOthersSwiss patient organization that advocates for patient rights. ALS Schweiz is a member, benefiting from shared advocacy efforts and policy engagement.
• FSCMA (Forum Suisse des Maladies Chroniques)minorOthersSwiss forum for chronic diseases. ALS Schweiz participates to connect with other disease organizations and share best practices.
• palliative chminorOthersSwiss palliative care association. ALS Schweiz works with palliative.ch to improve access to palliative care for people with ALS, which is often accessed too late in the disease trajectory.
• ProRarisminorOthersAlliance for rare diseases in Switzerland. ALS is classified as a rare disease, and ALS Schweiz collaborates with ProRaris on advocacy for rare disease policies and support.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA): A large US neuromuscular disease nonprofit whose mission covers ALS among many conditions. Comparable in supporting ALS patients and funding ALS research, but operates as a broad neuromuscular umbrella rather than an ALS-exclusive organization.
• Schweizerische Multiple Sklerose Gesellschaft: Switzerland's principal MS nonprofit, comparable in structure and service mix (counseling, regional groups, advocacy, donations-funded) but serving a larger, broader patient population than ALS Schweiz.

Emerging players

• Parkinson Schweiz: Swiss nonprofit focused on Parkinson's disease, a related movement disorder. Highly comparable in operating model (Swiss-domiciled disease-specific patient organization, counseling, exchange meetings, professional training, donations-funded) but focused on a different (though adjacent) disease.

Direct peers

• ALS Nederland: The Dutch national ALS foundation, comparable to ALS Schweiz as a small-country, disease-specific ALS charity with a focus on patient support, equipment provision, and research funding.
• MND Association (Motor Neurone Disease Association, UK): The UK's principal ALS/MND patient support and research charity and a confirmed direct partner of ALS Schweiz through the International Alliance. It is the most directly comparable organization in terms of mission, service mix, and international network position.
• The ALS Association (US): The largest US-based ALS-dedicated nonprofit, providing care services, advocacy, and research funding. Directly comparable to ALS Schweiz in disease-specific mission, service breadth (equipment, support, advocacy), and reliance on community fundraising.
• ALS Liga België / Ligue SLA Belgique: Belgium's national ALS patient organization, closely comparable in scale, mission, and service offering to ALS Schweiz, and operating in a neighboring market with overlapping language and healthcare-system context.
• ARSLA (Association pour la Recherche sur la SLA, France): France's primary ALS research and patient support association. Comparable as a French-speaking European counterpart focused exclusively on ALS with similar service and fundraising models.

Others

• Myosuisse (Swiss Network of Neuromuscular Centers): Swiss clinical network of neuromuscular centers in Basel, Bern, Geneva, Lausanne, Lugano, St. Gallen, Zurich, and Sion. Confirmed partner of ALS Schweiz for patient referrals; adjacent rather than competitive, representing the clinical counterpart to ALS Schweiz's social-support role.
• ProRaris: Swiss alliance for rare diseases of which ALS Schweiz is a member. Comparable as a Swiss rare-disease advocacy counterpart that ALS Schweiz collaborates with on policy and visibility — more ecosystem partner than direct competitor.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCUhNubFt1NqwaAC1P9rI-mg
• Facebookfacebook.com/alsschweiz
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/verein-als-schweiz

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Verein Als Schweiz