DRK

What DRK does

Bavarian Red Cross (BRK) is a non-profit public-law corporation (Körperschaft des öffentlichen Rechts) under Bavarian state law and a state chapter of the German Red Cross (Deutsches Rotes Kreuz e.V.), one of 19 state chapters. Founded in 1912, it serves Bavaria's residents through emergency medical and rescue services, disaster response, water and mountain rescue, social care, childcare, transport, home emergency response (Hausnotruf), nursing-home services, and volunteer programs. Its operating network comprises 5 regional associations and 73 district associations, with 31,000 full-time employees and 200,000 active volunteers, and it is supervised by the Bavarian State Ministry of the Interior.\n\nBRK's service model combines supporting-member fees, donations, public funding, government contracts, and service fees; no specific revenue figure, funding total, or valuation is publicly disclosed. Its technology initiatives include the Notruf+ emergency app with Vodafone and NG-SOS, the TEAM BAYERN Lebensretter (lifesaver) alerting app, emergency response vehicles (Rettungseinsatzfahrzeug, REF), Trinity drone systems developed with DLR and the mountain-rescue division (Bergwacht Bayern), the TEMA multi-modal emergency-management project, and a Navel social-interactive robot deployed in a nursing home. BRK reports an approximately 80% share of the Bavarian rescue-services market, operates 126 nursing homes, and runs 428 childcare facilities serving about 24,700 children.

Name

DRK

Legal name

Bayerisches Rotes Kreuz

Website

https://brk.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1912

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Bavarian Red Cross (BRK), a non-profit public-service organization, provides emergency medical, rescue, social care, childcare, water and mountain rescue, and disaster-response services to Bavaria's residents through 73 district associations, supported by 31,000 full-time employees and 200,000 active volunteers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Humanitarian and Emergency Services

NAICS

Ambulance Services (62191), Emergency and Other Relief Services (624230)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Critical Care Transport (CCT) & Specialty Transport Teams (HLAFANAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Transportation & Errands (Non-Emergency) (HLADAGAF), Home & Community-Based Services (HCBS) Coordination & Case Management (HSABAIAM)

Keywords

• Emergency medical services
• Humanitarian aid services
• Social care services
• Rescue operations
• Disaster response

Headquarters

HQ city

Nürnberg

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: Approximately 750,000 supporting members pay annual fees that fund BRK operations
2. Donations: Public donations support disaster relief, equipment purchases like the Landesvorhaltung specialized vehicles, and ongoing operations
3. Government Contracts: Contracts with public entities for emergency services, ambulance transport, nursing care, and kindergarten services
4. Social Services Fees: Fees for services including home emergency call (Hausnotruf), meal delivery, transportation, and care services

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Bayerisches Rotes Kreuz (BRK) is the Bavarian state branch of the German Red Cross. It fundamentally delivers emergency medical services (Rettungsdienst), water and mountain rescue (Wasserwacht, Bergwacht), volunteer emergency response (Bereitschaften), a wide spectrum of elderly care services (outpatient, day, short-term, inpatient and assisted living), child daycare (Kindertageseinrichtungen), Meals on Wheels (Essen auf Rädern), transport for people with mobility needs (Fahrdienste), an in-home emergency-call system (Hausnotruf) with the Notruf+ app, the TEAM BAYERN Lebensretter first-responder app, migration counseling, voluntary social-year services, and second-hand clothing stores.

Product overview

DRK operates as a comprehensive humanitarian services organization offering emergency response, healthcare, and social care services across Bavaria. The core offerings include emergency medical services (ambulances, rescue vehicles, air rescue via Christoph 14 helicopter, integrated control centers), water and mountain rescue services, disaster response units, and civil protection capabilities. The social services portfolio spans home emergency call systems, outpatient care, meals on wheels, transport services, assisted living, inpatient elderly care, and childcare facilities. Technology products include the Notruf+ emergency call app, TEAM BAYERN first responder app, and drone technology for population protection. Over 1,500 voluntary service placements are offered annually through BFD and FSJ programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• TEAM BAYERN: Initiative of BRK promoting voluntary engagement, quick help, and social cohesion in Bavaria.
• Wasserwacht Bayern
• Bergwacht Bayern
• Jugendrotkreuz Bayern

Products and services

• Emergency Medical Services [Rettungsdienst] Pre-hospital emergency medical care and ambulance transport service responding to 112 calls across Bavaria, coordinated via integrated dispatch centers. Intended for any member of the public experiencing a medical emergency.
• Home Emergency-Call System [Hausnotruf] Subscription-based in-home emergency-call system for elderly and vulnerable individuals, linking a base station and wearable trigger to BRK's response center.
• Notruf+ Mobile Application [Notruf+ App] Mobile application that extends the in-home emergency-call service onto a smartphone so users can summon help while away from home.
• TEAM BAYERN Lebensretter App Smartphone-based first-responder alerting app that mobilizes trained volunteer responders to nearby cardiac arrests and medical emergencies before the ambulance arrives.
• Water Rescue [Wasserwacht] Specialized water rescue and drowning-prevention service operating on Bavarian lakes and rivers, providing lifeguarding, rescue diving, and water-ambulance services.
• Mountain Rescue [Bergwacht] Specialized alpine rescue service in Bavarian mountain regions, providing rope rescue, avalanche response, and air-rescue coordination.
• Volunteer Emergency Response Units [Bereitschaften] Local volunteer units that provide supplementary emergency medical standby at events, major incidents, and disaster response.
• Outpatient Nursing Care [Ambulante Pflege] Nursing care delivered in the patient's own home, including wound care, medication management, and personal care.
• Day Care for the Elderly [Tagespflege] Structured daytime care and socialization service for seniors who live at home but need supervised activities and care during the day.
• Assisted Living [Betreutes Wohnen] Independent housing for elderly residents with on-site support services and emergency-call coverage.
• Inpatient Elderly Care [Stationäre Altenpflege] Residential nursing home care for elderly residents who can no longer live independently.
• Short-term Elderly Care [Kurzzeitpflege] Time-limited residential care for elderly individuals, often used during family caregiver recovery or transitional periods.
• Meals on Wheels [Essen auf Rädern] Hot meal delivery service for elderly or mobility-impaired individuals living at home.
• Transport Services for People with Reduced Mobility [Fahrdienste] Door-to-door transport service for individuals with mobility limitations, including trips to medical appointments and day care.
• Child Daycare Centers [Kindertageseinrichtungen] Pedagogically staffed daycare centers operated by BRK for infants, toddlers, and pre-school children.
• Second-hand Clothing Stores [Kleiderläden] Charity retail outlets selling donated second-hand clothing and household goods at low prices, with proceeds funding humanitarian work.
• Migration Counseling [Migrationsberatung] Counseling, orientation and integration support service for migrants, refugees and their families in Bavaria.
• Voluntary Service Programs [Freiwilligendienste] Structured voluntary social year (Freiwilliges Soziales Jahr) and similar programs placing young people into BRK social-service placements.

Quantifiable outcome

• REF reduces unnecessary ambulance transport - over 71% of cases would otherwise have required ambulance transport
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Technische Hochschule Ingolstadt (THI)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 March 2026Academic partnership for drone technology research and innovation. Joint hosting of Fachtagung Drohnen im Bevölkerungsschutz (drone symposium) and collaboration on TTZ Open Lab for hands-on demonstrations.
• Stiftung AKB (Stammzellspenderdatei)minorOthers · 26 March 2026Stem cell donor registry for blood cancer patients. BRK members in need of stem cell transplants are referred to Stiftung AKB for typing and donor matching.
• Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt (DLR)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 March 2026Collaboration on drone technology for disaster response. DLR provides technical support for Trinity drone system camera operations and rapid data processing. Partnership enables infrared mapping and satellite data integration for emergency management through ZKI (Zentrum für satellitengestützte Kriseninformation).
• Malteser BayerncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 March 2026Joint advocacy for civil protection and disaster preparedness. Both organizations call for strengthening civil defense, self-help capabilities, and reliable structures in population protection. Partnership through Arbeitsgemeinschaft Bevölkerungsschutz.
• Bergwacht BayerncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Mountain rescue service operating as part of BRK. Collaborates on drone operations, search and rescue, and disaster response. Joint operations include infrared mapping during wildfires using drone technology.
• VodafonecoreTechnology or Integration · 5 November 2025Partnership for the Notruf+ emergency app development. Vodafone provides 5G technology, SMS gateway connecting all mobile networks, and enables second-precise location tracking for emergency calls. App enables direct connection to 112 with precise GPS location and optional health data sharing.
• NG-SOScoreTechnology or Integration · 5 November 2025Czech technology company whose SOS platform is used across multiple countries. Provides the underlying emergency call technology for the Notruf+ app used in Bavaria. App already deployed in Austria, Czech Republic, Hungary, and Slovakia with 5 million downloads and 250,000 emergency calls.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Malteser Hilfsdienst e.V. Germany's largest Catholic-affiliated humanitarian organization operating ambulance, emergency medical, disaster relief, refugee aid, and social services. It competes directly with BRK in Bavaria and other German states under overlapping auxiliary-function mandates.
• Johanniter-Unfall-Hilfe e.V. Protestant humanitarian organization providing ambulance, rescue, disaster relief, social services, first-aid training, and youth work across Germany; the closest direct competitor to BRK on the rescue-and-care service portfolio.
• Arbeiter-Samariter-Bund Deutschland e.V. National humanitarian association operating ambulance, rescue, social care, and civil protection services across Germany. ASB competes with BRK in municipal rescue contracts and overlapping social service categories.

Broad incumbents

• Deutsches Rotes Kreuz e.V. National umbrella organization for all 19 German Red Cross state chapters including BRK; operates broader national mandate in international humanitarian aid, blood services, and search services. Comparable as the broader incumbent within which BRK is the Bavaria chapter.
• Deutscher Caritasverband e.V. Germany's largest welfare organization running elderly care, disability services, refugee aid, and family services. Directly comparable to BRK on the social services and care portfolio, although Caritas is not focused on rescue/emergency medical operations.
• Diakonie Deutschland: Protestant welfare umbrella coordinating hospitals, nursing homes, disability, and social services across Germany. Overlaps with BRK on inpatient elderly care (BRK's 126 nursing homes) and social welfare operations.

Emerging players

• Arbeiterwohlfahrt Bundesverband e.V. (AWO): German welfare association providing elderly care, family support, youth, and social services. Partial overlap with BRK's elderly care and family services portfolio but materially smaller scale and not focused on emergency medical response.

Regional players

• ADAC e.V. Germany's largest automobile club operating ADAC Luftrettung air ambulance services and roadside emergency response. Comparable to BRK in the rescue/transit domain though focused on air rescue and member roadside services rather than BRK's full humanitarian portfolio.
• St John Ambulance: UK-based first-aid and ambulance organization analogous to the international Red Cross family mission; provides comparable volunteer-led emergency, training, and community health services though operating primarily in the United Kingdom rather than Germany.
• American Red Cross: U.S. chapter of the International Red Cross/Red Crescent movement providing disaster response, emergency services, blood donation, and training. Comparable as a peer Red Cross society but operating in a different geography and regulatory environment than BRK.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/brknue
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCQNqq16B-S1YsfpnKqJoHpw
• Facebookde-de.facebook.com/brklgst
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bayerischesroteskreuz
• Instagraminstagram.com/bayroteskreuz

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries3 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 DRK