What Oslo Freedom Forum does

The Oslo Freedom Forum (OFF) is an annual global human rights conference founded in 2009 and organized by the Human Rights Foundation (HRF), a 501c(3) nonprofit headquartered at 350 5th Ave #4202, New York. OFF convenes dissidents, pro-democracy advocates, journalists, artists, technologists, philanthropists, and policymakers — with a primary audience of human rights defenders from authoritarian and closed societies — around recorded talks, panels, workshops, and award ceremonies. Over 18 years, the Forum has held 28 events across Oslo (its flagship venue), New York, San Francisco, Miami, Mexico City, Johannesburg, and Taipei, hosting 390+ speakers from 100+ countries and 26,000+ cumulative attendees. Its content layer consists of a WordPress website, a YouTube archive with 20M+ cumulative views, and social channels with 580k+ combined followers.

The core product is the flagship Oslo conference itself, supported by the Václav Havel International Prize for Creative Dissent and the Thulani Maseko Justice Prize, a Freedom Tech track, and digital archives of OFF Talks, OFF Books, and an OFF Speakers directory. OFF generates revenue through tiered ticket sales ($250-$25,000 across Forum Pass, Standard Pass, Patron Pass, President's Circle, and Scandinavian Day Pass tiers), corporate sponsorships (Amazon, Meta, X, Jigsaw/Google, Norwegian MFA, Konrad Adenauer Stiftung, The Reynolds Foundation, and others), and tax-deductible donations channeled through HRF. Press Passes are free but application-gated.

Distribution runs through direct-to-buyer online ticket sales, an HRF-administered application process that functions as a selectivity gate rather than a sales funnel, free global YouTube/X livestreaming, and a partner ecosystem co-hosting satellite editions (e.g., Taiwan Foundation for Democracy and Taipei City Government for OFF Taiwan). Corporate sponsorships are negotiated via [email protected], and registration, donations, and press are routed through dedicated HRF email handles.

Name

Oslo Freedom Forum

Legal name

Oslo Freedom Forum Norway (OFFN)

Website

https://oslofreedomforum.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Oslo Freedom Forum is an annual human rights conference founded in 2009 and organized by the Human Rights Foundation, convening dissidents, journalists, artists, technologists, philanthropists, and policymakers in Oslo and satellite cities worldwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Human Rights Conference and Advocacy Events

NAICS

Human Rights Organizations (813311), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133)

akta.pro primary industry

Human Rights & Anti-Discrimination Organizations (BPAGAFAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Legal, Justice & Human Rights Congresses (THAHAJAM), Digital Rights, Privacy & Free Expression Advocacy (BPAGAFAL)

Keywords

• Human rights conference
• Democracy advocacy events
• Dissident platform
• Freedom technology summit
• Creative dissent awards

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales — Event Admissions: Revenue is generated primarily through tiered ticket sales to the annual conference. Ticket tiers range from discounted Scandinavian Day Passes ($50-$100) and Forum Passes ($250-$500) for general admission, to Standard Passes ($1,000) and Patron Passes ($5,000) with broader access, up to President's Circle packages ($25,000) with VIP perks, concierge service, and two tickets to all dinners and receptions. A portion of Patron and President's Circle passes is treated as a tax-deductible gift to the Human Rights Foundation (501c3). Ticket refunds are accepted until May 30, 2027.
2. Corporate Sponsorship: Corporate sponsors (including Amazon, Meta, Twitter/X, Jigsaw, Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Konrad Adenauer Stiftung, and others) support the event, providing financial backing in exchange for recognition. Sponsorship tiers and benefits are negotiated directly via [email protected].
3. Tax-Deductible Donations (Patron/Circle Pass Portion): A portion of Patron Pass and President's Circle purchases is classified as a tax-deductible donation to the Human Rights Foundation, the organizing nonprofit. Donors can request tax receipts via [email protected].

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Oslo Freedom Forum is an annual international human rights conference organized by the Human Rights Foundation, bringing together dissidents, journalists, artists, technologists, and policymakers to share stories of courage and explore ideas to advance freedom. It operates as an in-person event (held primarily in Oslo with satellite editions in New York, Taipei, San Francisco, Miami, Johannesburg, and Mexico City) supplemented by a digital content library of recorded talks, the Václav Havel International Prize for Creative Dissent, and the Thulani Maseko Justice Prize.

Product overview

The Oslo Freedom Forum (OFF) is a global conference series organized by the Human Rights Foundation, not a traditional tech product. The offering consists of the core annual conference event supplemented by award programs (Václav Havel International Prize for Creative Dissent and Thulani Maseko Justice Prize), digital content libraries (OFF Talks and OFF Books), and multiple ticket tiers (Standard Pass, Patron Pass, President's Circle, Forum Pass, Scandinavian Day Pass, and Press Pass). The organization hosts events in Oslo, New York, Taipei, Johannesburg, and other cities, featuring talks from human rights defenders, journalists, artists, and policymakers united by a vision of a world free from tyranny.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Václav Havel International Prize for Creative Dissent: Award celebrating those who unmask the lie of dictatorship through art, given in honor of Václav Havel.
• Thulani Maseko Justice Prize

Products and services

• Oslo Freedom Forum Conference Annual international human rights conference featuring talks, panels, and workshops from dissidents, journalists, artists, technologists, and policymakers, with associated award ceremonies and networking events.
• OFF 2027 Ticket Packages Tiered ticketed access packages to attend the Oslo Freedom Forum conference, ranging from discounted Scandinavian Day Passes ($50–$100) and Forum Passes ($250–$500) to Standard Passes ($1,000), Patron Passes ($5,000), and President's Circle packages ($25,000), with a free Press Pass for qualifying journalists.
• Václav Havel International Prize for Creative Dissent Annual award presented at the Oslo Freedom Forum celebrating artists who unmask the lie of dictatorship through creative expression, honoring the legacy of Václav Havel.
• Thulani Maseko Justice Prize Award presented at the Oslo Freedom Forum recognizing courageous human rights lawyers who risk their lives and freedom to defend the rule of law and democracy in authoritarian regimes, named in honor of Thulani Maseko.
• OFF Talks Digital Archive Publicly accessible digital archive of talks, panels, and performances recorded across 18 years of Oslo Freedom Forum events, with 20M+ total video views on YouTube.
• OFF Satellite Events Regional editions of the Oslo Freedom Forum held in Taipei, New York, San Francisco, Miami, Johannesburg, and Mexico City to extend the human rights and democracy conversation beyond Oslo.
• OFF Books Collection Curated collection of books authored by Oslo Freedom Forum past and present speakers and community members.

Quantifiable outcome

• 26,000+ cumulative attendees across all events since 2009
• +4 more outcomes

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

28 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• AmazonminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAmazon is listed as a sponsor of the Oslo Freedom Forum. Sponsorship level and specific deliverables are not detailed on the public supporters page.
• Cash AppminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCash App is listed as a sponsor of the Oslo Freedom Forum, providing financial support in exchange for brand visibility.
• Jigsaw (Google)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerJigsaw (Google's technology incubator focused on digital threats) is a sponsor, aligning with OFF's Freedom Tech track on privacy, censorship resistance, and digital rights.
• MetaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMeta is listed as a sponsor of the Oslo Freedom Forum. The specific nature of the partnership is not publicly detailed beyond sponsorship.
• Twitter (X Corp.)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerTwitter/X is listed as a sponsor, providing financial support for the event and aligning with OFF's social media and communications strategy.
• Norwegian Ministry of Foreign AffairscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerAs the host country's foreign affairs ministry, the Norwegian government is a key sponsor, providing institutional legitimacy and diplomatic support to the Forum held in Oslo.
• Oslo MunicipalitycoreGTM or Marketing PartnerThe City of Oslo is listed as a sponsor, providing local government support for the event hosted in the Norwegian capital.
• Friedrich Naumann StiftungminorGTM or Marketing PartnerGerman political foundation affiliated with the FDP party, focused on liberal democracy promotion. Listed as a sponsor supporting the Forum's mission.
• Konrad Adenauer StiftungminorGTM or Marketing PartnerGerman political foundation affiliated with the CDU, focused on democracy and freedom. Listed as a sponsor.
• Taiwan Foundation for DemocracycoreGTM or Marketing PartnerTaiwan's democracy foundation has co-hosted OFF Taiwan satellite events since 2018, making it a key regional partner for the Forum's Asia programming.
• Taipei City GovernmentcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCo-host of OFF Taiwan, providing venue, logistical support, and institutional backing for the Taipei satellite events since 2018.
• The Reynolds FoundationcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerThe Reynolds Foundation is a significant supporter and sponsor. Dr. Álvaro Salas-Castro, President & CEO of The Reynolds Foundation, is a featured mainstage speaker at OFF 2026. The foundation supports freedom and democracy causes.
• Fritt OrdminorGTM or Marketing PartnerNorwegian freedom of expression foundation. Listed as a sponsor supporting OFF's mission aligned with free speech advocacy.
• The Freedom FundminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHuman rights and anti-slavery organization. Nick Grono, CEO of Freedom Fund, is a featured workshop speaker at OFF 2026. Listed as a sponsor.
• Amnesty InternationalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAmnesty International is listed as a partner. Agnes Callamard (Secretary General of Amnesty International) has been a featured speaker at OFF. The organizations share the human rights advocacy space and collaborate on overlapping issues.
• Norwegian Helsinki CommitteeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNorwegian human rights organization focused on compliance with Helsinki Accords. Listed as a partner organization for the Oslo Freedom Forum.
• Plan InternationalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal organization advancing children's rights and equality for girls. Listed as a partner organization for the Oslo Freedom Forum.
• PEN NorwayminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNorwegian branch of the international writers' association PEN, focused on freedom of expression. Listed as a partner for the Forum.
• CivitaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNorwegian liberal think tank. OFF's registered address is c/o Civita AS at Akersgata 20, Oslo. Listed as a partner.
• Human Rights Foundation (HRF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHRF is the organizing body of the Oslo Freedom Forum. HRF founder Thor Halvorssen hosts conversations at OFF; HRF staff coordinate all OFF programming, speaker selection, press, and registration. HRF is the parent nonprofit organization of OFF.
• SignalminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSignal is listed as an in-kind supporter, providing its encrypted messaging application for use by OFF attendees. Consistent with OFF's Freedom Tech emphasis on privacy tools.
• Bitcoin MagazineminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBitcoin Magazine is listed as an in-kind supporter, aligning with the OFF Freedom Tech track's focus on Bitcoin for human rights and financial privacy.
• Impct CoffeeminorGTM or Marketing PartnerImpct Coffee is listed as a sponsor, aligning with OFF's broader mission of supporting human rights and social impact.
• EverGiveminorGTM or Marketing PartnerIsmael Dainehine, Co-Founder and CEO of EverGive, is listed as a workshop speaker at OFF 2026 on the topic of philanthropy. EverGive is listed as a sponsor.
• MeltwaterminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMedia intelligence company listed as a sponsor. Likely provides media monitoring services for OFF's earned media tracking.
• YubicominorGTM or Marketing PartnerSecurity key company listed as a sponsor. Consistent with OFF's Freedom Tech track's emphasis on digital security tools for activists.
• BitrefillminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBitcoin and cryptocurrency service listed as an in-kind supporter. Aligns with OFF's Freedom Tech track on financial privacy and censorship-resistant money.
• PaxfulminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPeer-to-peer Bitcoin marketplace listed as an in-kind supporter, aligning with OFF's Freedom Tech programming on Bitcoin for human rights.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Sundance Film Festival: Sundance is a flagship curated cultural festival with tiered passes, premium sponsor packages, and a global audience of creators and press. Like OFF, it uses selection/application gates to maintain prestige and monetizes awards (e.g., Havel Prize vs. Sundance Awards) and year-round digital content from its archive.
• Aspen Ideas Festival: Aspen Ideas Festival is a high-prestige curated ideas conference with a similar mix of policymakers, journalists, artists, and thought leaders. Its operating model — application/tiered passes, HNW donor underwriting, and broadcast media partnerships — closely resembles OFF's structure.
• Munich Security Conference: Munich Security Conference is the leading annual gathering on geopolitics, defense, and international security. Like OFF, it brings together policymakers, dissident voices, journalists, and thought leaders in a single high-profile forum with strong sponsorship and significant press coverage.
• TED Conference: TED is the leading premium ideas-conference brand, with tiered ticket access, a curated speaker lineup, and a massive YouTube content library. OFF mirrors TED's playbook of charging premium prices for high-signal talks and monetizing a digital archive, though OFF is narrowly focused on human rights versus TED's broader ideas remit.
• World Economic Forum (Davos): The World Economic Forum's annual Davos meeting is the closest analogue as a high-prestige, invitation-driven global leadership summit. Both rely on tiered access, premium sponsor packages, and curated attendees; WEF operates at significantly larger scale and across broader topics, but the operating model (curation, sponsorship flywheel, earned media) is closely comparable.

Direct peers

• DefCon: DefCon is the world's largest hacker and security research conference, with overlapping themes of digital privacy, censorship resistance, and freedom tech. It shares OFF's Freedom Tech sponsor ecosystem (Yubico, Bitcoin-adjacent firms) and parts of its audience, particularly around surveillance, encryption, and cybersecurity for activists.
• RightsCon (Access Now): RightsCon is Access Now's annual summit on digital rights, internet freedom, and emerging technology — directly comparable to OFF's Freedom Tech track. Both convene activists, technologists, journalists, and policymakers on human rights in the digital age, and they share sponsors, speakers, and audience overlap.

Emerging players

• Amnesty International: Amnesty International is a core OFF partner (Agnes Callamard has spoken at the Forum) and operates in the same human-rights advocacy space. Both rely on individual donors, run global campaigns, and convene activists and policymakers, but Amnesty is a large permanent membership NGO while OFF is an annual event program.
• Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ): CPJ is a leading press-freedom NGO that overlaps OFF's journalist and freedom-of-expression segments. CPJ runs advocacy, awards, and convenings for journalists at risk — a programmatic analogue to OFF's Maseko Justice Prize and press programming — though OFF remains an event-first brand.

Regional players

• Stockholm Internet Forum: Stockholm Internet Forum is the Swedish government's annual conference on internet freedom and digital rights — a regional peer that overlaps OFF's Freedom Tech track. It convenes a similar mix of activists, technologists, and policymakers, but with a narrower Scandinavian/governmental orientation versus OFF's broader global dissident focus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks1 record

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/OsloFF
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/OsloFreedomForum
• Facebookfacebook.com/oslofreedomforum
• Instagraminstagram.com/osloff
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/oslo-freedom-forum

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 Oslo Freedom Forum