Wunschdirwas E.v.

What Wunschdirwas E.v. does

wünschdirwas e.V. is a Cologne-based, registered charitable association (eingetragener Verein) founded on March 19, 1989, that fulfills personalized 'heart wishes' for chronically and seriously ill children and adolescents throughout Germany. Core operations revolve around coordinating experiences such as celebrity meetings, sports-event attendance (e.g., BVB mascot-child appearances, motocross experiences, farm visits), adventure activities, therapy sessions, and family vacations. The organization works through a referral network of doctors and therapists at over 100 hospitals, children's clinics, and hospices nationwide who identify eligible beneficiaries. A complementary service is the Ferienhaus in Hinte (near the North Sea), comprising two semi-detached houses ('Möwe' and 'Leuchtturm') that accommodate up to six persons each, providing family respite; Pieksekisten comfort boxes are distributed to clinical partners; and the Einpackengel volunteer gift-wrapping program operates seasonally at Rhein-Center Köln-Weiden.

The business model is donation-driven with no product or service sales. Revenue streams include one-time and recurring individual donations (preset tiers of €20, €50, €100 with custom options), Trauerspenden (memorial donations), the Spendenshop, corporate partnerships and sponsorships (RTL, Sparkasse KölnBonn, Volksbank KölnBonn, Ströer, TUI, LBBW, Swiss Life, Dorint, Ford, netcologne and others), foundation grants (Stiftung Playmobil, Jabe Stiftung), and event-based fundraising (United Charity benefit auctions, 'Lach mal was mit wünschdirwas' comedy benefit, cycling fundraiser, gift-wrapping campaign). Donations are tax-deductible under German law; receipts are issued for amounts over €300.

The organization is led by chairwoman Nikolina (Nina) Saure, deputy chairwoman Kerstin Smid, and board member Ulrich Benz, with a small office team of 1–10 employees supported by an extensive volunteer base. It holds the DZI Spenden-Siegel certification (renewed July 2025) and maintains an active presence across Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, a bi-annual print magazine, and a transparency portal. Distribution channels include the online donation portal, physical Spendendosen at retail partners, the Einpackengel retail fundraising program, and benefit auctions via United Charity.

Name

Wunschdirwas E.v.

Legal name

wünschdirwas e.V.

Website

https://wuenschdirwas.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1989

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

wünschdirwas e.V. is a Cologne-based nonprofit founded in 1989 that fulfills personalized heart wishes for chronically and seriously ill children and adolescents across Germany, working through a 100+ hospital partner network and relying on donations, corporate sponsorships, and volunteer campaigns.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Charitable Wish Fulfillment Services

NAICS

Individual and Family Services (6241), Other Individual and Family Services (624190)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Rare Disease & Special Needs Support Organizations (BPAGACAM)

akta.pro secondary industry

Maternal, Newborn, Child & Adolescent Health (MNCAH) NGOs (HLAJAKAG)

Keywords

• Charitable wish fulfillment
• Nonprofit child welfare
• Donation programs
• Family respite services
• Hospital wish grants

Headquarters

HQ city

Köln

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations from Private Individuals: One-time and recurring donations from private individuals supporting the wish fulfillment mission. Donors can give via online portal, bank transfer, or set up regular giving.
2. Corporate Partnerships and Sponsorships: Regular support from corporate partners including RTL, netcologne, Sparkasse KölnBonn, Volksbank KölnBonn, Ströer, TUI, LBBW, Swiss Life, and various foundations. Includes both monetary donations and in-kind support.
3. Fundraising Campaigns and Events: Organized fundraising events including the annual 'Lach mal was mit wünschdirwas' comedy benefit, cycling events, benefit auctions via United Charity, and seasonal gift-wrapping campaigns by Einpackengel volunteers.
4. Spendenshop: A donation shop where supporters can contribute to specific wish fulfillments by purchasing items that fund wishes for children.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

wünschdirwas e.V. is a Cologne-based nonprofit association founded in 1989 that organizes and funds personalized "heart wishes" for chronically and seriously ill children and adolescents across Germany. It also operates a vacation home (Ferienhaus Hinte) near the North Sea for family respite, distributes Pieksekisten joy boxes to hospitals and hospices, and runs volunteer-driven fundraising programs such as the Einpackengel gift-wrapping service.

Product overview

wünschdirwas e.V. is a charitable organization (non-profit Verein) based in Cologne, Germany, founded in 1989, that fulfills heart's wishes of chronically and seriously ill children and adolescents across Germany. The organization operates a centralized wish fulfillment service as its core offering, supplemented by a vacation home in Hinte near the North Sea for family retreats, comfort boxes (Pieksekisten) distributed to hospitals and hospices, and a volunteer-based Christmas gift wrapping service (Einpackengel). The organization also publishes a biannual magazine for supporters and operates online donation platforms and fundraising campaign tools. Funding comes primarily from donations, corporate partnerships, and various fundraising activities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Herzenswünsche (Heart Wish Fulfillment) The organization's flagship service: organizing and funding personalized experiences for chronically and seriously ill children and adolescents in Germany, coordinated through referrals from a network of over 100 partner hospitals, children's clinics, and hospices.
• Ferienhaus Hinte (Vacation Home) A vacation home in Hinte near the North Sea offering families of seriously ill children a week of rest and relaxation, consisting of two semi-detached houses named 'Möwe' and 'Leuchtturm', each accommodating up to six persons.
• Pieksekisten (Comfort Boxes) Boxes containing toys, games, books, and comfort items delivered to hospitals and hospices to bring joy to seriously ill children and adolescents during their treatment, assembled with the support of volunteers including staff from the Förderverein der Sparkasse KölnBonn e.V.
• Einpackengel (Volunteer Gift-Wrapping Service) A volunteer-based Christmas gift-wrapping service operated for approximately six weeks during the pre-Christmas season at Rhein-Center Köln-Weiden, where roughly 35 Einpackengel volunteers wrap shoppers' presents in exchange for donations supporting wish fulfillments, raising approximately €14,000 per season.
• Spendenaktionen (Personal Fundraising Campaigns) Platform allowing supporters to set up personal fundraising campaigns for occasions such as birthdays or anniversaries, channeling the proceeds toward the organization's wish fulfillment mission.
• Benefizauktionen (Benefit Auctions via United Charity) Benefit auctions hosted on the United Charity charity auction platform featuring celebrity experiences and donated items, with 100% of proceeds going to wünschdirwas e.V. for wish fulfillment.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 100 hospitals and children's clinics nationwide participate in referring children for wish fulfillment
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

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

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and supporting.

• Over 100 Hospitals and Children's ClinicscoreStrategic or Co-development Partnerwünschdirwas e.V. works nationwide with doctors and therapists from over 100 hospitals, children's clinics, and hospizes who identify and refer eligible children for wish fulfillment. This is the primary pipeline for wish recipients.
• RTLmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerMajor corporate partner supporting the organization through donations and media visibility.
• StröermajorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate partner providing outdoor advertising support through their plakat initiative, helping raise visibility for the organization.
• TUIsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerTravel company partner that may provide support for wish fulfillments involving travel and vacations.
• Stiftung Playmobil (Kinderförderung)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPlaymobil Foundation that donated over 600 gifts from their popular toy lines for children's joy boxes.
• United CharitycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorEurope's largest charity auction platform where wünschdirwas e.V. conducts benefit auctions featuring celebrity experiences. 100% of proceeds go to the organization.
• Rhein-Center Weiden KölnsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerShopping center that provides free retail space for the Einpackengel volunteer gift-wrapping campaign, enabling the organization to raise approximately €14,000 per season.
• 25hours Hotel Hamburg HafenCitysupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerHotel that provided support for the wish fulfillment involving Lucy meeting YouTuber IsyCheesy.
• Pantheon-Theater BonnsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerBonn theater venue for the annual 'Lach mal was mit wünschdirwas' comedy benefit show, hosting the event for many years.
• Sail United e.V.supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganization focused on inclusive water sports that partnered with wünschdirwas e.V. starting in 2019 for summer camps for children with disabilities.
• Helden für Herzen e.V.supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCharitable organization providing princess character appearances for children's events, co-organizing events like princess parties.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• Ronald McDonald Kinderhilfe Stiftung: Ronald McDonald Haus provides accommodation near hospitals so families can stay close to ill children during treatment. Adjacent mission — improving the experience of seriously ill children and their families — but focused on housing rather than wish fulfillment.

Direct peers

• Make-A-Wish Deutschland: Make-A-Wish is the global leader in wish fulfillment for seriously ill children, with a German chapter operating in the same mission space as wünschdirwas e.V. Direct competitor for the same donor pool and hospital referral network in Germany.
• Kinderherzen e.V. Kinderherzen funds medical care and support for children with congenital heart defects in Germany. Closely aligned beneficiary population (seriously ill children) with a different service model (clinical funding plus wish elements) and competing corporate donor mindshare.

Regional players

• Bundesverband Kinderhospiz e.V. National association for children's hospice and palliative care in Germany. Serves an overlapping beneficiary population (seriously ill children and families) and is a likely referral partner — and a competing donation destination for pediatric palliative care funders.

Broad incumbents

• SOS-Kinderdorf Deutschland: SOS-Kinderdorf operates a broader portfolio of child and family support services across Germany (villages, education, advocacy). Overlaps with wünschdirwas on mission of supporting vulnerable children but at much larger scale and wider scope.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/wuenschdirwas
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/w%C3%BCnschdirwas-e-v-
• Instagraminstagram.com/wuenschdirwas_ev

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Wunschdirwas E.v.