SoCentral
SoCentral is a Norwegian employee-owned non-profit that operates Norway's largest social innovation community, facilitating cross-sector collaboration projects and citizen engagement methodology for municipalities, businesses, and civil society organizations.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2012
- HeadquartersOslo, Norway
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
SoCentral firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- SoCentral
- Legal name
- SoCentral AS
- Website
- https://socentral.no
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2012
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- SoCentral is a Norwegian employee-owned non-profit that operates Norway's largest social innovation community, facilitating cross-sector collaboration projects and citizen engagement methodology for municipalities, businesses, and civil society organizations.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
SoCentral industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Social Innovation Services
- NAICS
- Social Advocacy Organizations (8133), Civic and Social Organizations (813410)
- SIC
- Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Social Services (8300)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Community Engagement & Participatory Planning (BPAHAKAO)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Community Hosting & Membership Platforms (MPACAJAF), Infrastructure, Housing & Community Development (BPAGABAL)
Keywords
Where SoCentral is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Oslo
- HQ country
- Norway
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
SoCentral business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Membership fees: SoCentral operates a membership-based community for social innovators with tiered pricing (Mini, Fleks, Fast, and Annual options) providing access to workspace, networking, and knowledge sharing at Sentralen in Oslo
- Project-based collaboration: The organization initiates, drives and coordinates collaborative projects with municipalities, businesses, and civil society partners, funded through various project grants and co-financing arrangements
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | Mini - Part-time flexible membership |
| Subscription | Monthly | Fleks - Full-time flexible membership |
| Subscription | Monthly | Fast - Dedicated desk membership |
| Subscription | Annual | Årskort - Annual pass |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
SoCentral product offering
Product offeringCore offering
SoCentral operates a community and co-working environment for social innovators in Oslo, with tiered memberships providing workspace, networking, and access to Norway's largest social innovation network of 230+ members. Beyond the community, SoCentral initiates, drives, and coordinates collaborative cross-sector projects (citizens' assemblies, neighborhood house initiatives, school-sport programs, circular construction economy platforms) on behalf of municipalities, businesses, and civil society partners.
Product overview
SoCentral operates as a social innovation intermediary organization offering a portfolio of collaborative projects, community spaces, and democratic participation tools. The core offering is the Miljø for samfunnsutviklere (Community for Social Innovators) - a co-working and networking space with tiered membership. Adjacent products include Folkepanel (citizens' assembly methodology), Idrettshoder (school-sports collaboration), and Fremtidens nabolagshus (neighborhood house toolkit). The SoMembers portal provides member directory access. These products share a focus on cross-sector collaboration to address societal challenges, functioning as services rather than software platforms.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Folkepanel: An internationally recognized and research-based citizen engagement method recommended by OECD for involving citizens in democratic decision-making processes.
- Idrettshoder
- Fremtidens Nabolagshus
- Pådriv
- Impact Startup
- BUA
- Nasjonal kunnskapsarena for nabolagshus
- Mikroutdanning for samfunnsutviklere
- SoMembers
Products and services
- Miljø for samfunnsutviklere (Community for Social Innovators) Workplace community for social innovation professionals offering tiered memberships (Mini, Fleks, Fast, Årskort) with co-working space, meeting rooms, events, and access to Norway's largest social innovation network.
- Folkepanel (Citizens' Assembly Methodology) OECD-recommended research-based citizen engagement methodology enabling citizens to deliberate on complex societal issues and deliver recommendations to decision-makers, used by Norwegian municipalities.
- Idrettshoder (Sports Heads) Program connecting schools and sports clubs to provide free sports activities for children in grades 1-4 at selected schools, reducing barriers to participation in athletics.
- Fremtidens Nabolagshus (Future Neighborhood Houses Toolkit) Toolkit project helping to develop and operate community centers (nabolagshus) across Norway, converting empty buildings into inclusive neighborhood meeting places.
- Kunnskapsarena for nabolagshus (National Knowledge Arena for Neighborhood Houses) Free national knowledge-sharing platform for neighborhood house operators across Norway, providing resources, networking, and individual consulting for those who run or want to develop community houses.
- Pådriv Tool enabling individuals, businesses, organizations, and municipalities to contribute to sustainable change through action-oriented engagement in projects like the Oslo Fjord Initiative.
- Sirkulær Ressurssentral (Circular Resource Center) Knowledge hub and marketplace for reuse of building materials in the construction industry, including one of Europe's largest marketplaces for construction reuse and a national knowledge arena.
- Impact Startup Accelerator program for social entrepreneurs, developed in collaboration with Ferd Sosiale Entreprenører.
- Mikroutdanning for samfunnsutviklere (Micro-education for Social Developers) Interdisciplinary micro-education program developed with NMBU, Kybri, and Pådriv, teaching collaboration skills for solving complex societal challenges, with academic framework and accreditation.
- Semja (Co-financing Model) Co-financing model between public and private actors for solutions that achieve significant societal impact.
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 50 new solutions developed in collaboration with more than 100 different partners
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use SoCentral
Customer profileNamed customers10 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
SoCentral technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
SoCentral partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
23 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- NMBU (Norwegian University of Life Sciences)coreCollaboration to develop and deliver micro-education (mikroutdanning) for social developers. NMBU provides academic framework and accreditation for the 'Handlingskompetanse for samfunnsutvikling' course that trains participants in cross-sector collaboration and social innovation.
- PådrivcoreCollaborative partner in developing micro-education for social developers. Pådriv is a tool for individuals, businesses, and municipalities to contribute to sustainable change, and shares office space at SoCentral.
- KybriminorPartner in the micro-education collaboration for social developers, bringing expertise in facilitation and collaboration methodologies.
- OBOScoreCollaboration on a guide for community centers and shared facilities (veileder for nabolagshus og felleslokaler). Jointly developed knowledge and methodology for creating successful meeting places in neighborhoods, combining OBOS's housing development experience with SoCentral's social innovation expertise.
- NMBU - Norwegian University of Life SciencescoreAcademic partner developing a micro-education program in social development for professionals seeking to build cross-sector collaboration skills.
- Pådriv OslocorePartner organization for sustainable urban development that collaborates on micro-education and shares the SoCentral workspace.
- Kybri ASminorPartner bringing expertise in facilitation and collaboration methodology to the micro-education program.
- OBOScoreCo-creator of the National Knowledge Arena for Community Houses (Nasjonal kunnskapsarena for nabolagshus), bringing together experiences from OBOS Samfunnsarena, OBOS Living Lab and the Future Community Houses project.
- Noregs UngdomslagcorePartner in the National Knowledge Arena for Community Houses, contributing expertise in community building and rural development.
- NIBR/OsloMetcoreResearch partner providing academic expertise and research capabilities for the National Knowledge Arena for Community Houses initiative.
- We Do DemocracycoreDanish partner that collaborated with SoCentral in conducting the first national citizens' assembly (folkepanel) on sustainable consumption in Norway.
- LNU (Landsrådet for Norske Barne- og Ungdomsorganisasjoner)coreOne of seven commissioning organizations for Framtidspanelet (Future Panel), representing a coalition of youth organizations working on future-oriented policy questions.
- Caritas NorgecoreCommissioning organization for Framtidspanelet, contributing to discussions about Norway's wealth and how it can benefit current and future generations.
- Fremtiden i våre hendercoreCommissioning organization for Framtidspanelet focused on future-oriented sustainability issues.
- Kirkens NødhjelpcoreCommissioning organization for Framtidspanelet bringing humanitarian and development perspectives.
- LangsiktcoreCommissioning organization for Framtidspanelet focused on long-term thinking and policy.
- Redd BarnacoreCommissioning organization for Framtidspanelet bringing child rights and welfare perspectives.
- WWFcoreCommissioning organization for Framtidspanelet contributing environmental and sustainability expertise.
- Miljødirektoratet (Norwegian Environment Agency)coreGovernment partner collaborating on the Climate and Nature Knowledge Arena for planners in Norwegian municipalities, along with the Ministry of Government and District Affairs.
- Kommunal- og distriktsdepartementet (Ministry of Local Government and Disticts)coreGovernment ministry collaborating with SoCentral and Miljødirektoratet on capacity building for climate and nature planning in municipalities.
- Ferd Sosiale EntreprenørercoreCollaborated with SoCentral in 2018 to develop an accelerator program for social entrepreneurs, now known as Impact Startup.
- Norsk LandbrukssamvirkeminorCollaborated with SoCentral from 2018-2020 to gather interdisciplinary expertise for finding agricultural innovation solutions through the Landbrukets innovasjonscamp.
- SentralencoreHost venue for SoCentral's community space, providing the physical location on the two top floors where the social innovation environment operates.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights6 records
SoCentral competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Impact Hub: Global network of impact-focused coworking and innovation spaces for social entrepreneurs. Closely comparable to SoCentral's Miljø for samfunnsutviklere membership community in Oslo and shares the cross-sector convening mission.
- Nesta: UK innovation foundation running programs in social innovation, democratic participation, and civic engagement. Highly comparable as a mission-driven intermediary that designs and tests new solutions to societal challenges, including deliberative democracy methods parallel to Folkepanel.
- We Do Democracy: Danish organization that designs and facilitates citizens' assemblies and democratic deliberation projects, and is a named SoCentral partner on the first national Folkepanel: Bærekraftig forbruk. Directly comparable methodology and Nordic footprint.
Broad incumbents
- Purpose: Social impact agency that builds movements, campaigns, and civic engagement projects for organizations and governments. Comparable in designing deliberative and citizen-participation initiatives (like Folkepanel) and working across public and private sectors.
- Ashoka: Global organization supporting social entrepreneurs through fellowship, convening, and ecosystem-building. Comparable in mission and target beneficiaries (social innovators and impact organizations), but operates at global scale rather than as a single-country community hub.
Others
- Sentralen: Oslo cultural and meeting venue that hosts SoCentral's workspace on its two top floors. Comparable as a community/venue operator in Oslo and a key infrastructure partner rather than a competitor.
- Ferd Sosiale Entreprenører: Norwegian social-entrepreneurship program that co-developed Impact Startup with SoCentral. Comparable mission (supporting social innovators) and a named strategic partner rather than a direct competitor.
Regional players
- Demokratihuset: Norwegian hub promoting democratic participation and civic engagement. Directly comparable thematic overlap with SoCentral's Folkepanel and Framtidspanelet work on citizens' assemblies and democratic deliberation.
- Tankesmien Agenda: Norwegian independent think tank working on social, cultural, and democratic-policy questions. Comparable as a Norwegian mission-driven intermediary producing research and convening public debate, but operates as a think tank rather than a membership workspace.
- Civita: Norwegian think tank focused on freedom, innovation, and civil society. Comparable as a Norwegian intermediary organization producing ideas and convening across sectors, though with a more policy-oriented rather than community/membership model.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
SoCentral social profiles
Digital presenceSoCentral financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
SoCentral leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles12 records
SoCentral funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
SoCentral 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 SoCentral
What does SoCentral do?
SoCentral operates a community and co-working environment for social innovators in Oslo, with tiered memberships providing workspace, networking, and access to Norway's largest social innovation network of 230+ members. Beyond the community, SoCentral initiates, drives, and coordinates collaborative cross-sector projects (citizens' assemblies, neighborhood house initiatives, school-sport programs, circular construction economy platforms) on behalf of municipalities, businesses, and civil society partners.
Is SoCentral a public or private company?
SoCentral is a private company. It is classified as management employee owned and is currently operating.
When was SoCentral founded?
SoCentral was founded in 2012. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is SoCentral based?
SoCentral is headquartered in Oslo, Norway, in the Europe region.
How does SoCentral make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Membership fees are the primary driver. The others are project-based collaboration.
Who are SoCentral's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Impact Hub, Nesta and We Do Democracy. Broad incumbents are Purpose and Ashoka. Others are Sentralen and Ferd Sosiale Entreprenører. Regional players are Demokratihuset, Tankesmien Agenda and Civita.
Does SoCentral have an API?
No public API is recorded for SoCentral.
What industry is SoCentral in?
SoCentral's product category is Social Innovation Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAHAKAO, Community Engagement & Participatory Planning, with a secondary code of MPACAJAF, Community Hosting & Membership Platforms. Its NAICS code is 8133 and its SIC code is 8600.