The Signo Foundation
Stiftelsen Signo is a 127-year-old Norwegian non-profit foundation that delivers publicly funded welfare services — housing, healthcare, education, employment support, and sign language training — for deaf, hard-of-hearing, and deaf-blind individuals nationwide through seven specialized units and approximately 1,300 employees.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1898
- HeadquartersOslo, Norway
- Headcount1,001–5,000
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What The Signo Foundation does
The Signo Foundation (Stiftelsen Signo) is an independent Norwegian non-profit diaconal foundation founded in 1898, headquartered in Oslo, Norway. The organization provides comprehensive welfare services — including housing, healthcare, education, vocational rehabilitation, employment services, and sign language training — for deaf, hard-of-hearing, and deaf-blind individuals nationwide. It operates through seven specialized units (Signo kompetansesenter, Signo grunn- og videregående skole AS, Signo Conrad Svendsen senter, Signo Konows senter, Signo Vivo, and three AS subsidiaries: Signo Rycon AS, Signo Dokken AS, Signo Grantoppen AS), employing approximately 1,300 people and serving roughly 700 deaf and 190 deaf-blind individuals.
The foundation's technical competencies center on welfare technology and specialized communication methods including tactile sign language, haptic communication, and Alternative and Supplementary Communication (ASK) for deaf-blind users. Its proprietary "Signomodellen" provides structured internal sign language training through ten modules across courses, self-training, and practice. Services span primary/secondary education with boarding facilities, nursing home care, sheltered and adapted employment (VTA/AFT programs), and career guidance delivered entirely in sign language environments.
Signo's business model is fundamentally publicly funded, with revenue derived from agreements with NAV (Norwegian Labour and Welfare Administration), approximately 60-65 municipalities, and county municipalities, supplemented by minor product sales (fruit delivery, laundry, carpentry, digitization services) through subsidiaries and external sign language courses (e.g., 12,000 NOK for a 2-hour workplace introductory course). The organization holds ISO 9001:2015, Miljøfyrtårn (Environmental Lighthouse), and EQUASS Assurance certifications, complies with Norway's Transparency Act (Åpenhetsloven), and is a member of Ideelt Nettverk. Leadership transitioned in 2025 with Christine Kjøs appointed as CEO in May 2025 following Hege Farnes Hildrum's departure.
The Signo Foundation firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Signo Foundation
- Legal name
- Stiftelsen Signo
- Website
- https://signo.no
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1898
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1,001–5,000 employees
- Short description
- Stiftelsen Signo is a 127-year-old Norwegian non-profit foundation that delivers publicly funded welfare services — housing, healthcare, education, employment support, and sign language training — for deaf, hard-of-hearing, and deaf-blind individuals nationwide through seven specialized units and approximately 1,300 employees.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Signo Foundation industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Disability Welfare and Sign Language Services
- NAICS
- Vocational Rehabilitation Services (62431), Educational Support Services (611710), Employment Services (5613)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Sign Language Learning Programs (ASL/BSL, etc.) (EDAMAFAM)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Deaf/Hard of Hearing & Vision Services (Audiology, Interpreting, Orientation & Mobility) (EDAJAKAI), Note-Taking, Interpreting & Communication Access Services (EDALAGAD)
Keywords
Where The Signo Foundation is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Oslo
- HQ country
- Norway
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices9 records
Markets served
The Signo Foundation business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Others
Revenue model
- Municipal Government Contracts: Signo Vivo and other units receive funding based on agreements with public authorities. Services are funded through contracts with approximately 60 municipalities. Costs are calculated individually depending on the level of follow-up needed for each service user. Annual evaluation meetings are held with municipalities.
- NAV-funded Employment Services: Signo Grantoppen AS and Signo Rycon AS receive funding from NAV for providing vocational rehabilitation services including VTA (varig tilrettelagt arbeid - permanent adapted work) and AFT (arbeidsforberedende trening - work preparation training).
- Product Sales: Subsidiary companies (Signo Rycon AS, Signo Dokken AS) generate revenue through product sales including fruit delivery services, laundry services, carpentry products, and digitization services.
- Sign Language Training Courses: Signo offers sign language courses to external organizations. Introductory courses are priced at 12,000 NOK for 2 hours, with additional travel supplements for locations outside Oslo.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Introductory Sign Language Course - 2 hours |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Short Sign Language Course - 2 hours |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels8 records
The Signo Foundation product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Signo Foundation delivers specialized sign-language-based welfare services for deaf, hard-of-hearing, and deaf-blind individuals across Norway. Its core offerings include housing and healthcare (Signo Vivo, Signo Konows senter), primary and secondary education (Signo grunn- og videregående skole), NAV-funded vocational rehabilitation and sheltered employment (Signo Rycon AS, Signo Dokken AS, Signo Grantoppen AS), workplace inclusion and career guidance (Signo arbeid og deltagelse), and sign language training courses for both individuals and organizations (Signo kompetansesenter).
Product overview
The Signo Foundation operates a multi-unit portfolio of welfare services for deaf, hard-of-hearing, and deaf-blind individuals across Norway. The organization comprises nine distinct operational units: Signo Vivo (housing and healthcare services), Signo kompetansesenter (competence center with counseling and training), Signo grunn- og videregående skole (primary/secondary school), Signo Conrad Svendsen senter (relief care and day center), Signo Konows senter (nursing home and living community), and three subsidiary companies (Signo Rycon AS, Signo Dokken AS, Signo Grantoppen AS) providing employment services. Core offerings span education, healthcare, housing, employment support, and sign language training. The organization provides services nationwide to approximately 700 deaf and 190 deaf-blind persons.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Signo Vivo Housing and Care Services Health and care services providing housing, health services, work and activity programs, and sign language/AAC services for hearing-impaired and deaf individuals, including those with congenital or acquired deaf-blindness. Funded through individual municipal agreements.
- Signo kompetansesenter Competence Center Services Competence center offering counseling, sign language courses, communication courses for adults, part-time education for students with hearing impairments, adult education, and a library serving children, youth, and adults.
- Signo grunn- og videregående skole AS Education Services Primary and secondary school offering general education as well as basic competence programs for work life and daily life skills, including boarding facilities for deaf and hard-of-hearing students.
- Signo Grantoppen AS Employment Services Labor market service in Vestfold for deaf, hard of hearing, and deaf-blind individuals offering permanent adapted work (VTA), work readiness training (AFT), and a woodworking workshop producing garden furniture.
- Signo Rycon AS Employment Services Workplace enterprise in Oslo providing permanent adapted work (VTA), work readiness training (AFT), language practice for minorities, and fruit delivery services (Jobbfrukt) for people with disability benefits.
- Signo Dokken AS Employment Services Growth and rehabilitation enterprise in Bergen area for deaf, hard of hearing, and deaf-blind individuals, offering fruit packaging, laundry services, packaging and assembly work, woodworking, and digitization services.
- Signo arbeid og deltagelse Workplace Inclusion Services Labor market services providing clarification and follow-up programs for deaf, hard of hearing, and deaf-blind individuals, including career guidance in sign language and introductory sign language training for workplaces.
- Introductory Sign Language Course at the Workplace Two-hour introductory sign language course for workplaces with deaf employees, priced at 12,000 NOK. Course content is adapted to company needs and the signing employee's specific workplace vocabulary. Additional travel supplement applies for locations outside Oslo.
- Short Sign Language Course Short 2-hour sign language course priced at 8,000 NOK, including a digital video with everyday signs and workplace-specific signs.
- Se mitt språk Family Sign Language Program National training program in Norwegian sign language for families with children with hearing impairments. The program consists of 40 modules delivered over the child's upbringing, with additional modules provided at Signo. Approximately 70 families participate.
- Hørsel og inkludering på arbeidsplassen Course Course providing insight into how hearing affects work life and how to better interact with colleagues who have hearing challenges, aimed at strengthening communication and creating inclusive work environments.
- Karriereveiledning på tegnspråk (Sign Language Career Guidance) Career guidance service provided in sign language for deaf and hard of hearing individuals in the Oslo area, offering help with CVs, job applications, and discovering competencies.
- KlinOBS Systematic Clinical Observation Project
Quantifiable outcome
- Services provided to 700 deaf and 190 deaf-blind persons nationwide
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use The Signo Foundation
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
The Signo Foundation technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
The Signo Foundation partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Ideelt Nettverk (Ideal Network)coreIdeelt Nettverk brings together central non-profit actors in health and social services. Founded September 2, 2011, it provides a collective voice for non-profit organizations in dialogue with political authorities. Signo is a member organization. The network advocates for long-term framework conditions and full coverage of pension costs.
- Atlas-alliansen (Atlas Alliance)coreSigno is part of Atlas-alliansen, an organization helping people with disabilities in war and poverty internationally. Signo participated in NRK TV-aksjonen 2025 through this alliance to raise funds for education for deaf-blind individuals in Nepal.
- NAV (Norwegian Labour and Welfare Administration)coreNAV funds Signo's employment market services including VTA (permanent adapted work) and AFT (work preparation training) programs. Signo Grantoppen AS and Signo Rycon AS operate as NAV-approved service providers.
- Norwegian MunicipalitiescoreSigno Vivo has service agreements with approximately 60 municipalities. Signo Grantoppen AS cooperates with 65 municipalities. Services are funded by municipalities on behalf of citizens.
- County MunicipalitiescoreSigno provides residential services for hearing-impaired students in videregående skole (upper secondary school). These services are funded by county municipalities, with agreements in Oslo, Bergen, and Trondheim regions.
- GoFrukt/BAMAminorSigno Dokken AS collaborates with GoFrukt to create adapted workplaces for people who need support. They pack and deliver fruit baskets to businesses in Bergen area.
- StatpedcoreStatped, Ål folkehøgskole and Signo collaborate to revise the curriculum for 'Se mitt språk' - a national training program in Norwegian sign language for families with children with hearing impairments. Work continues through summer 2027.
- Nasjonal kompetansetjeneste for døvblinde (NKDB)coreNKDB collaborated with Signo to create the Norwegian version of the guide 'Samspill og medfødt døvblindhet' (Interaction and Congenital Deaf-Blindness) for families and professionals.
- FluxworkminorFluxwork collaborated with Signo Conrad Svendsen senter to create a tactile art exhibition for visually impaired visitors, featuring 3D versions of famous Norwegian and international artworks.
- Norges Blindeforbund (Norwegian Association of the Blind)minorNorges Blindeforbund collaborated with Fluxwork and 3DPhotoWorks on the Felit art project featuring tactile 3D versions of artworks for visually impaired people, exhibited at Signo Conrad Svendsen senter.
- Nasjonal kompetansetjeneste for døvblinde (NKDB)coreSigno and NKDB collaborated on the Norwegian version of 'Samspill og medfødt døvblindhet' guide, developed from an original English version created for Malawi and subsequently used in Zambia, Italy, Indonesia and other countries.
- NRK TV-aksjonencoreSigno participated in NRK TV-aksjonen 2025 as part of Atlas-alliansen. The annual campaign raises funds for humanitarian causes - in 2025 for people with disabilities in war and poverty. The 2024 campaign raised 129 million NOK in two hours.
- Ål folkehøgskole for døvecoreÅl folkehøgskole and coursesenter for døve collaborates with Statped and Signo to revise the 'Se mitt språk' sign language curriculum for families with hearing-impaired children.
- Utviklingssenter for sykehjem og hjemmetjenester (USHT)minorSigno Konows senter adopted the KlinOBS (Systematic Clinical Observation) training model developed by USHT for municipal health and care services to strengthen healthcare personnel competence in clinical observation.
Scale indicators11 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
The Signo Foundation competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- SignHealth (UK): UK charity providing specialist health and social care for deaf people. Operates residential services and sign-language-accessible healthcare comparable to Signo's integrated health, housing, and employment model.
- Communication Service for the Deaf (CSD): US-based nonprofit providing interpreting, employment, advocacy, and community services for deaf and hard-of-hearing people. Operates the broadest US analog to Signo's multi-service welfare model for the deaf community.
- Statped: Norway's state service for special pedagogy including deaf and hard-of-hearing education. Direct peer to Signo's school and competence-center units, providing overlapping specialized educational services for the same deaf/HoH population in Norway.
- Hørselshemmedes Landsforbund (HLF): Norwegian Association of the Hearing Impaired, the primary national advocacy and member-services organization for people with hearing loss. Comparable in mission to Signo's welfare-services work for the Norwegian deaf/HoH community.
- Norsk Døveforbund (NDF): The Norwegian Deaf Association, an advocacy and community-based organization representing deaf Norwegians. While more advocacy- and member-oriented than Signo's service-delivery model, NDF serves the same core constituency and overlaps on sign-language advocacy and cultural programming.
- Sense (UK): UK charity for people with combined deafblindness, providing housing, communication support, and family services. Closest international analog to Signo's deafblind specialty programs at Signo Vivo and Signo Konows senter.
Broad incumbents
- Diakonhjemmet: Norwegian diaconal hospital and welfare organization, sharing Signo's foundation under the Church of Norway. Competes for ideell municipal contracts in the same welfare and elder-care procurement space.
- Kirkens Bymisjon: One of Norway's largest diaconal welfare foundations, running homelessness, refugee, and social-services programs. Shares Signo's Church-of-Norway diaconal heritage and competing for ideell municipal welfare contracts across Norway.
Regional players
- Föreningen Sveriges Dövblinda (FSDB): Swedish national association for deafblind people providing member services, advocacy, and rehabilitation. Operates the comparable Nordic-market peer model to Signo's deafblind service lines, but focused on Sweden.
- Kuurojen Liitto (Finnish Deaf Association): National deaf association in Finland providing advocacy, sign-language services, and community programming. Regional peer with similar mission serving the Finnish deaf community under analogous Nordic welfare-state frameworks.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
The Signo Foundation social profiles
Digital presenceThe Signo Foundation compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance8 records
The Signo Foundation financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Signo Foundation leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
The Signo Foundation subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries9 records
The Signo Foundation funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Signo Foundation 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 The Signo Foundation
What does The Signo Foundation do?
The Signo Foundation delivers specialized sign-language-based welfare services for deaf, hard-of-hearing, and deaf-blind individuals across Norway. Its core offerings include housing and healthcare (Signo Vivo, Signo Konows senter), primary and secondary education (Signo grunn- og videregående skole), NAV-funded vocational rehabilitation and sheltered employment (Signo Rycon AS, Signo Dokken AS, Signo Grantoppen AS), workplace inclusion and career guidance (Signo arbeid og deltagelse), and sign language training courses for both individuals and organizations (Signo kompetansesenter).
Is The Signo Foundation a public or private company?
The Signo Foundation is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was The Signo Foundation founded?
The Signo Foundation was founded in 1898. It employs 1,001 to 5,000 people.
Where is The Signo Foundation based?
The Signo Foundation is headquartered in Oslo, Norway, in the Europe region.
How does The Signo Foundation make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Municipal Government Contracts are the primary driver. The others are NAV-funded Employment Services, product Sales and sign Language Training Courses.
Who are The Signo Foundation's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are SignHealth (UK), Communication Service for the Deaf (CSD), Statped, Hørselshemmedes Landsforbund (HLF), Norsk Døveforbund (NDF) and Sense (UK). Broad incumbents are Diakonhjemmet and Kirkens Bymisjon. Regional players are Föreningen Sveriges Dövblinda (FSDB) and Kuurojen Liitto (Finnish Deaf Association).
Does The Signo Foundation have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Signo Foundation.
What industry is The Signo Foundation in?
The Signo Foundation's product category is Disability Welfare and Sign Language Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAMAFAM, Sign Language Learning Programs (ASL/BSL, etc.), with a secondary code of EDAJAKAI, Deaf/Hard of Hearing & Vision Services (Audiology, Interpreting, Orientation & Mobility). Its NAICS code is 62431 and its SIC code is 8200.