Discovering Hands

What Discovering Hands does

Discovering Hands is a German social enterprise founded in 2011 by gynecologist Dr. Frank Hoffmann that trains blind and visually impaired women as Medical Tactile Examiners (MTUs) to perform standardized tactile breast examinations (Taktilographie) for early breast cancer detection. The core methodology exploits the enhanced tactile acuity of visually impaired examiners; clinical studies cited by the company report MTUs detect approximately 30% more and 50% smaller tissue changes than sighted doctors, with an Austrian study finding twice as many tumors detected. Service delivery runs through 130+ gynecological practices and clinics in Germany, a dedicated Hamburg centre opened in February 2025, and partner-organization networks in Austria, Switzerland, India, Nepal, Colombia, and Mexico. Approximately 80+ MTEs have been trained across these six countries.

The company operates a dual-entity structure: a charitable gemeinnützige Unternehmensgesellschaft (gUG) handling donations and the nine-month MTU training program, and a commercial Service GmbH managing operational delivery. Revenue streams include statutory health insurance reimbursement (45+ Betriebskrankenkassen and 30+ additional insurers covering examination costs), corporate workplace health promotion (BGM) services to enterprise clients including Siemens AG, Deutsche Post DHL, Rheinenergie, and LEAG, and donations supporting the training initiative. Distribution channels span direct-to-consumer booking via Doctolib, partner clinics, and corporate B2B contracts. Named customers also include Hôpitaux universitaires de Genève (HUG) for clinical internships and the Hilfsgemeinschaft der Blinden und Sehschwachen Österreichs for Austrian service continuity following a 2024 restructuring.

Recent strategic activity includes the Hamburg centre launch, the first certified MTE in Lausanne via partner pretac+, an India screening milestone of 5,000+ women with NAB India, and content partnership in the Interreg MammAware VR project. Austrian MTE operations were transferred to Hilfsgemeinschaft following discovering hands Austria's financial difficulties, and the managing director of the Service GmbH is Dipl.-Kfm. Arndt Helf. Revenue is not publicly disclosed; the organization has not reported external institutional funding rounds or M&A activity in the available sources.

Name

Discovering Hands

Legal name

discovering hands Service GmbH

Website

https://discovering-hands.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Discovering Hands is a German social enterprise that trains blind and visually impaired women as Medical Tactile Examiners (MTUs) to perform standardized Taktilographie breast examinations for early cancer detection, delivering services through partner clinics in Germany and five additional countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Breast Cancer Screening Services

NAICS

Diagnostic Imaging Centers (621512), Offices of Physicians (6211)

SIC

Services-Health Services (8000)

akta.pro primary industry

Women’s Imaging & Breast Health Centers (HLAFAJAJ)

akta.pro secondary industry

Breast Imaging Centers (Mammography/Tomosynthesis) (HLAFAKAD)

Keywords

• Breast cancer screening
• Tactile medical examination
• Medical tactile examiners
• Corporate health promotion
• Visually impaired workforce training

Headquarters

HQ city

Mülheim

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Health Insurance Reimbursement: MTU examinations are covered by health insurance companies in Germany, with over 45 company health insurance funds (Betriebskrankenkassen) providing cost coverage.
2. Corporate Health Promotion (BGM): Companies pay for workplace health promotion services including webinars, health days, self-examination training, and tactile breast examinations for employees.
3. Donations: Donations support MTU training development and the Ausbildungsinitiative for visually impaired women.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Discovering Hands trains blind and visually impaired women as Medical Tactile Examiners (MTUs/MTEs) and deploys them to perform standardized tactile breast examinations (Taktilographie/TBU) for early breast cancer detection. The core offering is the 30–60 minute Taktilographie examination delivered through partner gynecological practices, clinics, dedicated centres, and corporate health promotion programs, with costs covered by over 45 German company health insurance funds (Betriebskrankenkassen). Complementary services include a 9-month MTU training program, self-examination instruction (ATS), and corporate workplace health packages.

Product overview

Discovering Hands offers a unified service focused on breast cancer early detection through tactile examination. The core offering is Taktilographie (TBU), a standardized breast examination conducted by trained blind Medical Tactile Examiners (MTUs). Complementary services include Anleitung zur taktilen Selbstuntersuchung (ATS) for self-examination training, an MTU Training Program that qualifies blind women for employment, and BGM Leistungen providing corporate health management services. A Praxis-Finder tool enables patients to locate nearby service providers. The service is delivered through partner medical practices, clinics, and dedicated centres, with examination costs covered by approximately 45 health insurance providers in Germany.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Taktilographie (TBU) Tactile Breast Examination

Quantifiable outcome

• MTUs detect 30% more and 50% smaller tissue changes than sighted doctors
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Hilfsgemeinschaft der Blinden und Sehschwachen ÖsterreichscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 October 2024Austrian Association for the Blind and Partially Sighted preserved breast cancer screening services after discovering hands Austria faced financial difficulties. Repositioned MTE activities within their organization.
• pretac+ (Switzerland)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSwiss non-profit organization leading pilot implementation of discovering hands in Switzerland. Manages MTE training, certification, and workplace placement in Geneva/Lausanne region. Received CHF 20,000 innovation prize from Fondation Asile des Aveugles.
• NAB India Centre for Blind Women & Disability StudiescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPioneering organization introducing discovering hands in Asia. Has screened over 5,000 women in India. Provides training for visually impaired women and breast cancer awareness programs.
• Hôpitaux universitaires de Genève (HUG)minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerGeneva University Hospital provided clinical internships for first Swiss MTEs as part of pilot phase.
• Österreichische Fachorganisationen (BSVÖ, Hilfsgemeinschaft, DÖB, etc.)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork of Austrian partners including BSVÖ, Hilfsgemeinschaft, DÖB, Roentgen Wien Nord, Rudolfstiftung, Privatklinik Döbling, MA15, Europa Donna, ÖGGK, Sozialministeriumservice, Essl Foundation, Sinnstifter.
• Latin American Partners (CAF, Manos Que Salvan Vidas)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPilot partners in Colombia and Mexico including medical directors Dr. Luis Olave and Dr. Enrique Martin del Campo. Development bank CAF sponsored efficacy studies.
• Dr. Lily Gutnik / UABminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUS breast surgeon and global health expert serving on pretac+ committee, advising on clinical perspective for Switzerland implementation.
• Zero Project / Essl FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFormer Zero Project awardee; presenting at annual conferences as one of first social franchise systems worldwide.
• 45+ Betriebskrankenkassen (Company Health Insurance Funds)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOver 45 German company health insurance funds cover examination costs for their insured members.
• 30+ Health InsurerscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorApproximately 30 health insurers in Germany covering tactile breast examination costs.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Koning Health: Koning Health develops dedicated 3D breast CT (KonView) as an alternative to mammography. It is an emerging player offering a non-compression alternative screening modality that intersects with Discovering Hands' positioning of breast screening methods outside conventional mammography.
• iCAD: iCAD provides AI-powered breast cancer detection and risk-stratification software used alongside mammography. It is an emerging player whose AI decision-support tools could either complement or compete with tactile examination by improving conventional imaging sensitivity.
• Volpara Health: Volpara Health builds AI-driven breast density assessment and personalized screening software used in mammography programs. Comparable as an emerging technology player pushing personalized, data-driven breast screening — the same direction Discovering Hands targets via its clinical efficacy data.

Broad incumbents

• Breast Cancer Now: Breast Cancer Now is the UK's largest breast cancer research and support charity, funding research and patient services. Comparable as a broad incumbent working on breast cancer outcomes from research and support angles that overlap with Discovering Hands' early-detection focus.
• GE HealthCare: GE HealthCare offers mammography and ultrasound systems for breast screening as part of its broader diagnostic imaging portfolio. Comparable as a broad incumbent competing for breast cancer screening workflows and hospital procurement budgets.
• Hologic: Hologic is a global leader in women's health imaging (mammography, tomosynthesis, Genius 3D). It competes for the same breast cancer screening budget but operates at scale in imaging hardware rather than tactile examination services, making it a broad incumbent in the same disease category.
• Susan G. Komen Foundation: Susan G. Komen is the largest US breast cancer nonprofit, funding research, screening access, and awareness. Comparable as a broad incumbent in the breast cancer ecosystem that competes for the same donor, sponsor, and awareness dollars as Discovering Hands' social mission.
• Siemens Healthineers: Siemens Healthineers manufactures mammography systems (MAMMOMAT) and broader imaging platforms used in breast cancer screening programs. It is a broad incumbent that addresses the same patient population via a different (imaging) modality.

Others

• LightHouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired: LightHouse for the Blind trains and employs visually impaired individuals across multiple career paths. Comparable as an adjacent social enterprise operating in the blindness-employment space that Discovering Hands also serves through its MTU training program.
• National Industries for the Blind (NIB): NIB is a US nonprofit that manufactures products and provides services through a network of associated agencies employing people who are blind. Comparable as an adjacent social enterprise focused on creating meaningful employment for the visually impaired — the same talent pool Discovering Hands draws from for MTUs.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/discoveringhnds
• Facebookfacebook.com/discoveringhands1
• Instagraminstagram.com/discoveringhands_deutschland

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 Discovering Hands