DEAF

What DEAF does

DEAF, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2008 and headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri. It provides communication-access services to Deaf, hard of hearing, and DeafBlind individuals and their families, primarily across the Midwest region. Its service portfolio is organized around four pillars: Access Services (ASL interpreting, DeafBlind Support Service Provider / SSP program, Visdio video-based access, and live captioning / CART), Community Programs (advocacy, Pink Wings of Hope, Youth & Family initiatives such as the annual Breakfast with Signing Santa), Education (ASL classes and sensitivity training), and Outreach (Deaf Awareness Days, Deaf Visual Arts, Inclusive Events, and the Stronger Than Ever giclée art series). The organization was founded by Deaf individuals and positions cultural authenticity and community roots as a core element of its identity.

The core operational technology is human-mediated: staff interpreters, contracted ASL interpreters, DeafBlind SSPs, and real-time captioners deliver services in person across medical, workplace, educational, and community-event settings in Missouri. The 2025 acquisition of CART services and launch of the Visdio video channel extend the service surface into remote and real-time-text modalities. The organization maintains no public APIs, no proprietary software products, and no disclosed AI/ML capability; its web presence uses third-party accessibility tooling (accesiBe).

DEAF, Inc. operates a hybrid nonprofit revenue model combining donations and charitable contributions (from individuals, corporations, and foundations) with fee-for-service revenue from interpreting, SSP, and CART engagements. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed. The organization has 11–50 employees, holds BBB accreditation, and is recognized by the National Association of the Deaf. Distribution is regional and direct, with no equity funding rounds, parent company, or institutional investors disclosed in the source data.

Name

DEAF

Legal name

DEAF, Inc.

Website

https://deafinc.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

DEAF, Inc. is a St. Louis-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit, founded in 2008, that provides ASL interpreting, DeafBlind Support Service Provider, and CART captioning services alongside community, education, and outreach programs for the Deaf, hard of hearing, and DeafBlind community in Missouri.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

St Louis

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: DEAF, Inc. operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization accepting charitable donations from individuals, corporations, and foundations to support its mission of empowering Deaf communities and providing access services.
2. Fee-for-Service Access Services: The organization generates revenue through fee-for-service arrangements for ASL interpreting services, Support Service Provider (SSP) programs, and live captioning/CART services provided to individuals and organizations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

DEAF, Inc. is a nonprofit organization that delivers communication access services for the deaf, hard of hearing, and DeafBlind communities in the St. Louis and Missouri region. Its core offerings include American Sign Language (ASL) interpreting, DeafBlind Support Service Provider (SSP) services, Visdio video-based access, live captioning/CART, ASL classes, sensitivity training, advocacy, and community programs such as Pink Wings of Hope and Youth & Family events.

Product overview

DEAF, Inc. is a nonprofit service organization offering a portfolio of communication access and community programs for the Deaf, hard of hearing, and DeafBlind community. The core offerings are organized into four pillars: Access Services (ASL interpreting, DeafBlind SSP program, Visdio, and live captioning/CART services), Community Programs (Advocacy, Pink Wings of Hope, Youth & Family), Education (ASL Classes and Sensitivity Training), and Outreach (Deaf Awareness Days, Deaf Visual Arts, Inclusive Events, and the Stronger Than Ever Giclée art series). This is a service-based nonprofit organization rather than a software technology platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• ASL Interpreting Services American Sign Language interpreting services delivered by staff and contract interpreters to provide communication access for Deaf and hearing individuals across medical, workplace, educational, and community settings.
• DeafBlind Support Service Provider (SSP) Program Support Service Provider (SSP) services for DeafBlind individuals in Missouri, offering communication access, visual guidance, and environmental information.
• Visdio Video-based access service providing remote communication accessibility for Deaf and hard of hearing individuals.
• Live Captioning and CART Services Real-time captioning and Communication Access Real-time Translation (CART) services acquired in 2025 to provide written communication access in settings where ASL or spoken interpretation is not suitable.
• ASL Classes American Sign Language instruction and learning opportunities offered to community members, families, and professionals seeking to learn ASL.
• Sensitivity Training Training programs for organizations and individuals designed to promote understanding of Deaf culture, communication etiquette, and inclusive practices.
• Advocacy Services

Quantifiable outcome

• Strong growth in 2025 across all programs including ASL interpreting expansion, SSP program ramp-up, and CART services acquisition

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, minor and moderate.

• Gallaudet UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2012Stronger Than Ever giclée series placement at Gallaudet University (Chapel Hall), Washington, D.C. One of five official giclées placed at significant Deaf education institutions nationwide.
• National Technical Institute for the Deaf (NTID)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2012Stronger Than Ever giclée series placement at NTID in Rochester, New York. One of five official giclées placed at significant Deaf education institutions nationwide.
• Alabama School for the DeafcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2012Stronger Than Ever giclée series placement at Alabama School for the Deaf in Talladega, Alabama. One of five official giclées placed at significant Deaf education institutions nationwide.
• California School for the Deaf - RiversidecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2012Stronger Than Ever giclée series placement at California School for the Deaf in Southern California. One of five official giclées placed at significant Deaf education institutions nationwide.
• Rick Rush (Artist)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2012World-renowned sports painter commissioned in 2012 to create the Stronger Than Ever giclée series highlighting Deaf culture. Rush created the artwork through collaboration with DEAF, Inc. leadership and Deaf community stakeholders.
• The Sight CollectiveminorOthersA partner organization focused on visual arts and creative community initiatives. Listed on DEAF, Inc.'s website footer alongside other organizational partners.
• National Association of the Deaf (NAD)moderateOthersThe National Association of the Deaf is the premier civil rights organization of, by, and for Deaf and hard of hearing individuals in the United States. Listed as a partner organization on DEAF, Inc.'s website.
• Better Business Bureau (BBB)minorOthersDEAF, Inc. holds BBB accreditation, demonstrating commitment to ethical practices and transparency as a nonprofit organization.
• Websters Shrewsbury Chamber of CommerceminorOthersLocal chamber of commerce membership supporting business networking and community connections in the St. Louis region.
• Nonprofit Marketers NetworkminorOthersProfessional network for nonprofit marketing professionals, supporting best practices and professional development for DEAF, Inc.'s communications team.
• Explore St. LouisminorOthersRegional tourism and visitor organization for St. Louis, supporting inclusive events and accessibility awareness in the region.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Communication Service for the Deaf (CSD): National 501(c)(3) nonprofit delivering interpreting, SSP, advocacy, and community programs for Deaf and hard of hearing individuals. Closely comparable mission, service mix, and funding model to DEAF, Inc., though operating at national scale.
• Convo Communications: Deaf-owned VRS and VRI provider delivering on-demand ASL interpreting services. Directly comparable business model and target customer base (Deaf consumers and institutions needing ASL access).
• AI-Media Technologies: Provider of live captioning, CART, and accessibility services to broadcasters, enterprises, and events. Directly comparable to DEAF, Inc.'s newly acquired CART/live captioning line of business.

Broad incumbents

• Sorenson Communications: Large national provider of video relay services (VRS), on-demand ASL interpreting (VRI), and captioning serving Deaf and hard of hearing customers. Overlaps directly with DEAF, Inc.'s interpreting and captioning services but at a much larger, technology-enabled scale.
• ZVRS: National video relay and interpreting services provider competing for the same Deaf consumer and institutional interpreting dollars. Comparable core service category (ASL interpreting/access) with broader geographic and platform reach.
• Language Line Solutions: Largest U.S. provider of interpretation and translation services across spoken languages; also offers ASL interpreting. Comparable in serving institutional buyers needing communication access, though broader in scope and not Deaf-community-led.

Others

• National Association of the Deaf (NAD): Premier U.S. civil rights organization of, by, and for Deaf and hard of hearing individuals. Listed as a partner of DEAF, Inc.; comparable advocacy mission and overlapping community, but not a direct service provider.
• Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID): National professional association certifying ASL/English interpreters. Functions as an ecosystem enabler for DEAF, Inc. by setting standards and credentialing the interpreter labor pool the organization depends on.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/deaf_inc
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/deafinc
• Facebookfacebook.com/DEAFInc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/deafinc
• Instagraminstagram.com/deafinc
• TikToktiktok.com/@deaf_inc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 DEAF