Sos Humanity E.v
SOS Humanity E.V. is a Berlin-based nonprofit founded in 2015 that conducts civil sea rescue operations in the central Mediterranean for refugees and migrants, operating two vessels (Humanity 1 and Humanity 2), funded entirely by donations, and advocating against illegal pushbacks.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2015
- HeadquartersBerlin, Germany
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Sos Humanity E.v does
SOS Humanity E.V. is a Berlin-registered nonprofit association (eingetragener Verein) founded in 2015 that conducts civil search-and-rescue operations in the central Mediterranean Sea, one of the world's deadliest migration routes. The organization operates two rescue vessels, the primary ship Humanity 1 and the sailing vessel Humanity 2 (acquired November 2025 and undergoing conversion at a shipyard in Licata, Italy), which conduct SAR missions, provide immediate medical and psychological care to survivors, and transport rescued persons to assigned safe ports under Italian coordination. A Berlin headquarters in Kreuzberg houses approximately 30 full and part-time staff, with an operations support base in Syracuse, Sicily, and rotating marine crews on board both ships. Since inception, SOS Humanity reports rescuing approximately 40,000 people from distress at sea.
The organization's revenue model is entirely donation-based, comprising regular monthly donations starting from €25, one-time donations (€18-€360 tiers), corporate donations, legacy/testamentary gifts, and, most recently, a crowdfunding investment channel via the GLS Crowd platform with €250 minimum investments to finance Humanity 2. As a civil society actor, SOS Humanity supplements direct rescue with documentation of human rights violations (illegal pushbacks, violence by the so-called Libyan Coast Guard) and policy advocacy, including petition submissions to the German Bundestag and a memorandum delivered to the prospective federal government in June 2026. In November 2025, SOS Humanity co-founded the Justice Fleet, a coalition of 13 sea rescue organizations coordinating legal defense against ship detentions under Italy's Piantedosi Law (in effect since January 2, 2023), which has immobilized 41 civil rescue vessels for a cumulative 1,075 days.
SOS Humanity's operating environment has deteriorated materially in 2025-2026. The German government under Chancellor Friedrich Merz cancelled all civil sea rescue funding in June 2025, removing approximately €785,000 in planned grants, and broader humanitarian sector cuts produced a total financing gap of €2.1 million, prompting a public emergency donation appeal branded "Rettung in Gefahr." Separately, Italian authorities have repeatedly detained Humanity 1 under the Piantedosi regime, including a 20-day detention on December 9, 2025 and a 60-day detention with €10,000 fine on February 13, 2026, materially constraining mission tempo. The organization is governed by a board chaired by Laura Gorriahn with deputy chairs Lisa Bogerts and Johannes Remy, treasurer Klaus Linsenmeier, and managing director (Geschäftsführer) Till Rummenhohl.
Sos Humanity E.v firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Sos Humanity E.v
- Legal name
- SOS Humanity e.V.
- Website
- https://sos-humanity.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2015
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- SOS Humanity E.V. is a Berlin-based nonprofit founded in 2015 that conducts civil sea rescue operations in the central Mediterranean for refugees and migrants, operating two vessels (Humanity 1 and Humanity 2), funded entirely by donations, and advocating against illegal pushbacks.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Sos Humanity E.v industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Maritime Humanitarian Search and Rescue
- NAICS
- Emergency and Other Relief Services (624230), Community Food and Housing, and Emergency and Other Relief Services (6242)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Disaster Response & Search and Rescue (SAR) (BPADADAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Search & Rescue (Urban/Water/Wilderness) Coordination (HLAJAGAJ), Refugee, IDP & Migration Humanitarian Assistance (BPAGAAAH), Protection Services (GBV, Child Protection, Safeguarding) (BPADAHAF)
Keywords
Where Sos Humanity E.v is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Berlin
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
Sos Humanity E.v business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Individual Donations: The organization is financed entirely by donations from supporters. Regular donations provide planning security and enable long-term life-saving operations.
- Crowdfunding Investment: Through GLS Crowd platform, individuals can invest starting from €250 to support the purchase, retrofit, and initial operations of the Humanity 2 rescue ship.
- Corporate Partnerships: Corporate donations as one of several donation mechanisms available on the website.
- Testamentary Donations: Legacy giving through testamentary donations.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Donation/ grant-funded | Monthly | Regular monthly donations for sustainable funding |
| Donation/ grant-funded | One time | One-time donations for specific campaigns |
| Other | One time | Crowdfunding investment in rescue ship |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels7 records
Sos Humanity E.v product offering
Product offeringCore offering
SOS Humanity E.V. conducts civil search-and-rescue operations in the central Mediterranean Sea using two vessels (Humanity 1 and Humanity 2), rescuing refugees and migrants from distress at sea and providing immediate humanitarian assistance including water, food, hygiene items, medical care, and psychological support. The organization also documents human rights violations, advocates for refugee protection policies, and submits petitions to decision-makers. All services are delivered free of charge to beneficiaries and funded entirely by donations.
Product overview
SOS Humanity E.V. is a humanitarian sea rescue organization operating rescue ships in the central Mediterranean Sea. The core offering consists of two rescue vessels: Humanity 1 (the primary rescue ship conducting search and rescue operations) and Humanity 2 (a sailing ship being converted for rescue operations near Tunisia). The organization also offers support services including donation mechanisms (one-time, regular, corporate, and legacy donations), an online merchandise shop, and a petition platform for advocacy. All services are funded through donations and public support, with no commercial revenue model.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Humanity 1: The primary rescue ship of SOS Humanity operating in the central Mediterranean
- Humanity 2
Products and services
- Humanity 1 Sea Rescue Operations Search-and-rescue operations in the central Mediterranean Sea, providing emergency rescue, water, food, hygiene items, medical care, psychological support, and safe transport to a European port for refugees and migrants in distress at sea.
- Humanity 2 Sailing Rescue Operations Sailing-vessel-based search-and-rescue operations targeting the Tunisia corridor in the central Mediterranean, filling a rescue gap where the so-called Libyan Coast Guard intercepts refugees and boat accidents often go unnoticed. Designed to be flexible, environmentally friendly, and able to reach safe ports such as Lampedusa quickly.
- Advocacy and Petition Services Documentation of human rights violations in the central Mediterranean, witness testimony, and operation of an online petition platform that submits demands — such as opposing German and European support for Libyan militias — to the German Bundestag and other decision-makers.
Quantifiable outcome
- Nearly 40,000 people rescued from distress at sea since 2015
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Sos Humanity E.v
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Sos Humanity E.v technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
Sos Humanity E.v partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Justice FleetcoreJustice Fleet is a coalition of 13 sea rescue organizations founded in November 2025 to defend international law. The alliance challenges the unlawful detention of rescue ships in Italy and criticizes the outsourcing of search and rescue responsibilities to illegitimate and violent actors in Libya.
- Alarm PhonecoreAlarm Phone is a watch service that receives emergency calls from boats in distress at sea and coordinates with rescue organizations like SOS Humanity to respond to emergencies.
- Sea-WatchminorPartner organization in joint advocacy and rescue operations. Part of the Justice Fleet coalition.
- Mediterranea Saving HumansminorPartner organization in joint advocacy and rescue operations. Part of the Justice Fleet coalition.
- Doctors Without Borders (MSF)minorPartner organization in joint advocacy. Part of the Justice Fleet coalition.
- Sea-EyeminorPartner organization in joint advocacy. Mentioned in joint press conferences for 10 years of civil sea rescue.
- United4RescueminorPartner organization in joint advocacy. Mentioned in joint press conferences for 10 years of civil sea rescue.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Sos Humanity E.v competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Italian Red Cross / Croce Rossa Italiana: Italian humanitarian organization involved in migrant reception at ports and emergency relief operations in the Mediterranean migration context. Overlaps in humanitarian mission and Italy-based operations; broader mandate across health, emergency, and social assistance.
- Doctors Without Borders / Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF): Large international humanitarian medical organization that has conducted Mediterranean search and rescue operations (e.g., aboard the Aquarius and Geo Barents) and provides medical care to rescued migrants. Overlaps in mission and coalition advocacy; broader medical mandate.
Direct peers
- Sea-Watch e.V. German-based civil sea rescue organization operating rescue ships in the central Mediterranean, providing search and rescue for refugees and migrants. Direct peer in mission, geography, advocacy focus, and Justice Fleet coalition membership.
- Proactiva Open Arms: Spanish civil sea rescue organization operating the Open Arms rescue vessel primarily in the central Mediterranean. Comparable in mission, vessel operations, and exposure to Italian regulatory actions.
- Mediterranea Saving Humans: Italian civil sea rescue NGO operating the Mare Jonio rescue vessel in the central Mediterranean. Direct peer in SAR operations, advocacy, and Justice Fleet coalition membership.
- Sea-Eye e.V. German civil sea rescue organization operating ships such as the Sea-Eye 4 in the central Mediterranean. Direct peer in rescue operations, advocacy on refugee rights, and Justice Fleet coalition participation.
- MOAS (Migrant Offshore Aid Station): International civil sea rescue organization that has operated rescue vessels in the central Mediterranean since 2014. Comparable in mission, donor-funded model, and SAR operations for migrants at sea.
- SOS Mediterranée: European civil sea rescue NGO operating the Aquarius rescue vessel in the central Mediterranean; SOS Humanity was originally founded as SOS Mediterranée's German branch before becoming independent. Directly comparable in operations, advocacy, and donor-funded model.
Others
- United4Rescue: German civil-society coalition that funds and supports civil sea rescue organizations including SOS Humanity. Comparable in advocacy and funding-pooling mission; differs as a coordinating/funding entity rather than direct SAR operator.
- Watch The Med – Alarm Phone: 24/7 emergency hotline for boats in distress in the Mediterranean, run by a network of activist organizations. Direct operational partner of SOS Humanity (distress call handoff), enabling peer comparability around the central Mediterranean SAR ecosystem rather than direct vessel competition.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Sos Humanity E.v social profiles
Digital presenceSos Humanity E.v financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Sos Humanity E.v leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles8 records
Sos Humanity E.v funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Sos Humanity E.v M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Sos Humanity E.v
What does Sos Humanity E.v do?
SOS Humanity E.V. conducts civil search-and-rescue operations in the central Mediterranean Sea using two vessels (Humanity 1 and Humanity 2), rescuing refugees and migrants from distress at sea and providing immediate humanitarian assistance including water, food, hygiene items, medical care, and psychological support. The organization also documents human rights violations, advocates for refugee protection policies, and submits petitions to decision-makers. All services are delivered free of charge to beneficiaries and funded entirely by donations.
Is Sos Humanity E.v a public or private company?
Sos Humanity E.v is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Sos Humanity E.v founded?
Sos Humanity E.v was founded in 2015. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Sos Humanity E.v based?
Sos Humanity E.v is headquartered in Berlin, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does Sos Humanity E.v make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Individual Donations are the primary driver. The others are crowdfunding Investment, corporate Partnerships and testamentary Donations.
Who are Sos Humanity E.v's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Italian Red Cross / Croce Rossa Italiana and Doctors Without Borders / Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF). Direct peers are Sea-Watch e.V., Proactiva Open Arms, Mediterranea Saving Humans, Sea-Eye e.V., MOAS (Migrant Offshore Aid Station) and SOS Mediterranée. Others are United4Rescue and Watch The Med – Alarm Phone.
Does Sos Humanity E.v have an API?
No public API is recorded for Sos Humanity E.v.
What industry is Sos Humanity E.v in?
Sos Humanity E.v's product category is Maritime Humanitarian Search and Rescue. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPADADAA, Disaster Response & Search and Rescue (SAR), with a secondary code of HLAJAGAJ, Search & Rescue (Urban/Water/Wilderness) Coordination. Its NAICS code is 624230 and its SIC code is 8300.