Zlatá rybka

What Zlatá rybka does

Zlatá rybka, z.ú. is a Czech non-profit registered institute (z.ú.) founded in 2015 by Katarína Vlčková and Ondřej Vlček that fulfills one wish per eligible seriously ill child aged 5 to 18 (up to the 19th birthday) in the Czech Republic. Eligibility is physician-confirmed for children with serious, life-limiting, or life-threatening diagnoses, including those who completed treatment within the past year. Beneficiaries apply through the organization's website (www.zlatarybka.cz) and are responded to within five business days, followed by in-person meetings before wish realization. Cumulative output exceeds 1,500 wishes over 10 years, with a current cadence of approximately one wish every 42 hours, spanning gifts, dream-profession experiences, idol meetings, adventures, and altruistic wishes for others.

The business model is donation-funded rather than revenue-generating: there is no pricing for beneficiaries, and the organization collects financial donations from individuals, corporate sponsors, foundations (including the founders' own Vlčkovi Family Foundation), and EU programs (Erasmus+), supplemented by in-kind contributions of products, travel, entertainment, and professional services from a broad partner network. The Vlčkovi couple remain the primary financial supporters since inception, with a tiered roster of major Czech corporate donors (Alza.cz, DHL Supply Chain, Pražská energetika, Škoda Auto, Komerční banka, T-Mobile, Havel and Partners, Allwyn, Der Touristik) and international experience providers (FC Barcelona Foundation, Manchester City, Walt Disney). GTM is community-led: beneficiary acquisition combines self-serve web applications with direct referrals from treating physicians and hospitals, while donor acquisition uses corporate partnerships, birthday fundraising collections, and an annual dragon boat race event. The organization is headquartered in Prague (Na Ořechovce 572/15) with a regional office in Olomouc (Ibsenova 496/19) and is a member of the international Wish Alliance.

Operationally, Zlatá rybka runs a dedicated team of approximately 20 staff organized into production, donor care, family communication, medical-professional liaison, PR/brand, and IT functions, with no disclosed technology product beyond the website, wish application form, and donation portal. There is no app, no public API, no proprietary software, and no AI/ML capability referenced in the source material; the technology stack is effectively a marketing site plus workflow tooling.

Name

Zlatá rybka

Legal name

Zlatá rybka, z.ú.

Website

https://zlatarybka.cz

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Zlatá rybka is a Czech non-profit founded in 2015 by the Vlčkovi couple that fulfills one wish per eligible seriously ill child aged 5-18 in the Czech Republic, funded by individual donations, corporate sponsors, and in-kind experience providers, with over 1,500 wishes completed at a pace of roughly one every 42 hours.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Prague

HQ country

Czechia

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Financial Donations: Individual and corporate financial donations from supporters, including major donors, foundations, and grant providers. The Vlčkovi couple are the primary founders and main financial supporters since the organization's inception.
2. In-kind Gifts and Services: Companies provide products, services, and experiences that enable wish fulfillment. These include travel services, entertainment experiences, products, and professional services that support dream realization.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Zlatá rybka is a Czech non-profit organization that fulfills wishes for seriously ill children aged 5 to 18 in the Czech Republic. Eligible children (or their parents) submit applications through the website; the organization responds within five business days, conducts personal meetings, and grants each child one biggest wish — such as receiving a desired gift, trying a dream profession, meeting an idol, experiencing an adventure, or making someone else happy. All wishes are fulfilled free of charge to beneficiaries and require medical confirmation of a serious or life-limiting diagnosis.

Product overview

Zlatá rybka is a wish-fulfillment charity organization (z.ú.) operating a single unified service focused on granting wishes to seriously ill children. The organization offers a core wish fulfillment service supplemented by fundraising campaign modules including birthday collections and dragon boat racing events. The wish fulfillment process involves application submission, personal consultation meetings, and wish realization. All wishes are one-per-child and require medical certification of life-limiting or life-threatening diagnosis.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Wish Fulfillment Service
• Birthday Fundraising Campaign (Narozeniny se Zlatou rybkou)
• Dragon Boat Race Fundraising Event (Draci lodě)

Quantifiable outcome

• More than 1500 wishes fulfilled over 10 years
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

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 minor.

• Wish AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational network of wish-granting organizations. Zlatá rybka is a member, enabling connection with global wish-fulfillment networks and best practices.
• Alza.czmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorProvides in-kind product donations and services valued at 50,000+ CZK for wish fulfillment.
• Der TouristikmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTravel company providing travel services and experiences for wish fulfillments. Long-term significant supporter.
• Slaninová VokálminorOthersMusical group providing entertainment and cultural experiences for wish fulfillments.
• Hacksmith IndustriesminorOthersProvides unique entertainment experiences and products for wish fulfillments valued at 50,000+ CZK.
• SpaHouse.czminorOthersWellness and spa services provider for wish fulfillments valued at 50,000+ CZK.
• Královská Čokoláda s.r.o.minorOthersPremium chocolate provider for wish fulfillments valued at 50,000+ CZK.
• FC Barcelona FoundationminorOthersFootball club foundation providing experiences and visits for wish fulfillments.
• Manchester CityminorOthersFootball club providing experiences and visits for wish fulfillments.
• The Walt Disney CompanyminorOthersEntertainment company providing experiences and products for wish fulfillments.
• AQUAPALACE, a.s.minorOthersAquapark and leisure facility providing services for wish fulfillments.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Starlight Children's Foundation: International charity delivering wish-granting and play-based programs to seriously ill children. Directly comparable in mission, beneficiary age range, and corporate-partner-driven funding model.
• Dreams Come True: UK-based wish-granting charity for children with serious and life-limiting conditions. Directly comparable mission and operational model — fulfilling personalized wishes — though serving a different national market.
• Make-A-Wish Foundation: The largest international wish-granting charity for children with critical illnesses. Direct comparable in mission, beneficiary profile (seriously ill children aged 3-17), and operating model; serves as the global umbrella of which many national affiliates are part.

Regional players

• Nadace Naše dítě (Our Child Foundation): Czech charitable foundation focused on protecting and supporting at-risk and ill children, including those in hospital care. Comparable beneficiary base and Czech-market fundraising approach, though broader in scope than wish fulfillment alone.
• Kapka naděje (Drop of Hope): Czech charity founded by a leading Czech hematologist, focused on supporting pediatric hematology and oncology patients through hospital equipment and direct family aid. Comparable in serving seriously ill children in the Czech Republic through corporate and individual donations.
• Fond ohrožených dětí (Endangered Children Fund): Czech NGO providing social and psychological support to children in crisis, including those facing serious illness. Comparable as a Czech non-profit serving vulnerable children with similar referral pathways through medical and social services.
• Hvězdy pro děti (Stars for Children): Czech charitable project supporting seriously ill and disabled children through fundraising events and direct aid. Directly comparable as a Czech peer operating in the same beneficiary niche (critically ill children), though its focus is broader than pure wish fulfillment.
• Nadace Dobrý anděl (Good Angel Foundation): One of the largest Czech charitable foundations, providing regular monthly financial contributions to families with seriously ill children. Comparable beneficiary population and Czech-market fundraising model, though distributed as cash aid rather than wish fulfillment.
• Nadace Olgy Havlové (Olga Havel Foundation): Czech charitable foundation supporting people with disabilities and chronic illness. Comparable as a Czech non-profit serving populations with serious health conditions, funded through corporate and individual donations.

Broad incumbents

• Ronald McDonald House Charities: Global charity supporting families with seriously ill children through accommodation, in-hospital services, and family-centered programs. Comparable in serving the same beneficiary population (families of seriously ill children) and operating through corporate partnerships in Czechia and CEE.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/zlata-rybka

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 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 Zlatá rybka