Hilfsgemeinschaft der Blinden und Sehschwachen Osterreichs

What Hilfsgemeinschaft der Blinden und Sehschwachen Osterreichs does

Hilfsgemeinschaft der Blinden und Sehschwachen Österreichs is Austria's oldest and largest self-help organization for visually impaired and blind individuals, operating as a registered nonprofit association (Verein) under ZVR-Nummer 075310318 since 1932. The organization serves approximately 6,500 members and represents the interests of an estimated 318,000 visually impaired people across Austria, delivering services through four physical offices (Vienna 1200, Vienna 1210, Linz, and Graz) supported by 55 full-time staff and approximately 400 active volunteers. Its service portfolio is organized into three pillars: (1) counseling — social law advice (Pflegegeld, Behindertenpass, concessions), low-vision consultation, and psychological support, delivered both in-person and online; (2) member services — assistive devices (guide dogs, magnifiers, household aids, health devices, labeling aids), orientation and mobility training, visit/escort services, and a leisure program spanning children, youth, arts, courses, and sports; and (3) supplementary offerings including the Lotterie Augenstern charity lottery, the bi-monthly sichtweisen magazine, eye health education resources, and the Access Austria digital accessibility consulting platform.

The underlying technology stack is intentionally non-proprietary and accessibility-focused: a TYPO3-based website with ReadSpeaker webReader for text-to-speech, LookApp for sign language rendering, and full WCAG 2.1 AA compliance validated by WACA Gold certification (Certificate No. 029, valid until October 2027). The organization does not develop or commercialize software products, and no AI/ML capabilities are deployed.

The revenue model is donation-dependent. Primary income comes from individual donations (online, hotline, bank transfer), corporate donations, in-kind donations (Sachspenden), and testamentary bequests (Testamentsspenden). The Lotterie Augenstern functions as a secondary revenue stream via a charity lottery, and supporting memberships (fördernde Mitgliedschaft) provide a recurring contribution. Trust is reinforced by the Austrian Donation Quality Seal (Reg. Nr. 05268) and tax deductibility certification (Reg. Nr. SO 1208). Go-to-market is community-led: free membership serves as the primary acquisition channel for service users, while donations, bequests, and the lottery reach the supporter base. Customer segments are (1) visually impaired and blind individuals (primary), (2) donors and supporters (secondary), and (3) organizations seeking accessibility consulting (secondary, growing via Access Austria).

Name

Hilfsgemeinschaft der Blinden und Sehschwachen Osterreichs

Legal name

Hilfsgemeinschaft der Blinden und Sehschwachen Österreichs

Website

https://hilfsgemeinschaft.at

Company type

Private

Founded year

1932

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Hilfsgemeinschaft der Blinden und Sehschwachen Österreichs is Austria's oldest self-help organization for visually impaired and blind individuals, serving approximately 6,500 members through counseling, assistive devices, training, and accessibility services, funded primarily by donations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Disability Support Services

NAICS

Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (62412), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813), Vocational Rehabilitation Services (624310)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAGALAM

Disability Services & Assistive Solutions (Accessibility, Assistive Tech)

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Social Enterprises & Impact Organizations

SECONDARYBPAGACAG

Disability Services & Independent Living Support

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Health & Medical Nonprofits

SECONDARYMPAKACAH

Disability & Adaptive Sports Organizations (Paralympic, Special Olympics)

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Sports (Leagues, Teams, Events, Venues)/Collegiate & Amateur Sports Organizations (NCAA, Federations, Clubs)

Keywords

• Visual impairment support services
• Nonprofit self-help organization
• Assistive devices for blind
• Social law counseling
• Digital accessibility consulting

Headquarters

HQ city

Vienna

HQ country

Austria

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: The organization is financed primarily through donations. It accepts online donations, corporate donations, and Sachspenden (in-kind donations). A toll-free donation hotline (0800 40 00 10) and dedicated bank account (AT56 6000 0000 0767 0000) facilitate contributions.
2. Testamentsspenden (Testamentary Donations): The organization offers legacy giving programs where supporters can make bequests as part of estate planning. Infomaterial on testamentary giving is available, along with ethical guidelines and FAQ.
3. Lottery Augenstern: The Lotterie Augenstern is a charity lottery where participants can win prizes while supporting the organization. The lottery has its own webpage, prize information, and game conditions.
4. Membership Dues: Vision-impaired and blind individuals can become members free of charge and access numerous services. The organization likely accepts supporting/fördernd memberships as well.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels11 records

Core offering

Hilfsgemeinschaft der Blinden und Sehschwachen Österreichs is a charitable nonprofit self-help organization that provides free counseling (social law, low vision, psychological), assistive devices, orientation and mobility training, visit/escort services, and leisure activities to approximately 6,500 blind and visually impaired members across Austria. It also operates the Lotterie Augenstern charity lottery, the sichtweisen magazine, and the Access Austria digital accessibility consulting platform for external organizations.

Product overview

The Hilfsgemeinschaft der Blinden und Sehschwachen Österreichs is Austria's oldest and largest self-help organization for blind and partially sighted people, serving approximately 318,000 visually impaired individuals through around 6,500 members, with locations in Vienna, Linz, and Graz. Its service portfolio is organized into three interconnected pillars: (1) Counseling services covering social law (Pflegegeld, disability pass, concessions), low vision, and psychological support, available in-person and online; (2) Member services including assistive devices (guide dogs, magnifiers, clocks, household aids, health devices, labeling aids, games), orientation and mobility training, visit/escort services, and leisure activities for children, youth, and adults; and (3) Supplementary offerings such as the Augenstern charity lottery, the 'sichtweisen' magazine, eye health education resources, and digital accessibility consulting via Access Austria. The organization does not operate a unified software product but delivers these services primarily through in-person interactions, a TYPO3-based website, and accessibility tools including ReadSpeaker text-to-speech.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Access Austria: Austrian-wide network and certification initiative focused on digital accessibility for organizations and businesses.
• Lotterie Augenstern
• sichtweisen

Products and services

• Sozialrechtliche Beratung (Social Law Counseling) Advisory service covering social law matters including Pflegegeld (care allowance), Behindertenpass (disability pass), concessions and discounts, and assistive device guidance for blind and visually impaired members.
• Low Vision Beratung Specialized consultation to help partially sighted individuals make the best use of their remaining vision and manage daily activities.
• Psychologische Beratung Psychological counseling for members dealing with emotional and mental health challenges associated with visual impairment.
• Online-Beratung Remote consultation channel allowing members to receive advisory services via digital means, complementing in-person sessions.
• Hilfsmittel (Assistive Devices) Catalog of aids and devices for blind and visually impaired members including guide dogs, labeling aids, clocks and watches, household aids, health devices, magnifiers and reading aids, and games.
• Orientierungs- und Mobilitätstraining Orientation and mobility training to help blind individuals navigate safely and independently in various environments.
• Besuchs- und Begleitdienst Visit and escort service providing social companionship and practical assistance for members who are blind or visually impaired.
• Freizeitangebot (Leisure Activities) Recreation and leisure program including activities for children and youth, arts and culture events, courses and learning opportunities, and sports and social gatherings.
• Digitale Barrierefreiheit – Access Austria Consulting Digital accessibility consulting, training, workshops, and free Quick-Check website assessments for organizations, operated through the Access Austria platform (access-austria.at).
• Lotterie Augenstern Charity lottery where participants can win prizes while supporting blind and visually impaired people in Austria.
• Magazin sichtweisen Bi-monthly organization magazine covering accessibility, inclusion, eye health, and the experiences of blind and visually impaired people, distributed to members and supporters.
• Online-Spenden und Testamentsspenden (Donation Programs) Online donation platform accepting PayPal, Mastercard, Visa, and EPS, plus a structured testamentary giving program (Testamentsspenden) with ethical guidelines and FAQ, supported by the Österreichisches Spendengütesiegel (Reg. Nr. 05268) and tax-deductibility certification (Reg. Nr. SO 1208).

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration15 records

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB): One of the UK's largest charities for blind and partially sighted people, offering advice, products, and advocacy. Highly comparable service portfolio (counseling, assistive devices, accessibility consulting, member benefits, magazine, advocacy) and revenue model, though operating at significantly larger scale.
• American Foundation for the Blind (AFB): US national nonprofit focused on expanding possibilities for people with vision loss through advocacy, research, and services. Comparable mission and advocacy role at national scale, with overlapping programs in accessibility, employment, and public education.
• Caritas Österreich: Largest humanitarian aid and social services organization in Austria, operating across disability, poverty, elderly care, and humanitarian assistance. Comparable as an Austrian nonprofit with social-services breadth, donation-driven revenue model, and multi-office national footprint, though serving a much wider mandate.
• Diakonie Österreich: National federation of Protestant social services organizations in Austria, covering disability, elderly care, refugee support, and family services. Comparable in funding model (donations, tax-deductible), volunteer engagement, and breadth of social services, with disability-related programs that overlap with Hilfsgemeinschaft's mandate.

Regional players

• LightHouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired: San Francisco Bay Area nonprofit serving blind and visually impaired individuals with counseling, training, assistive technology, and adaptive services. Comparable service portfolio and member-support model; geographically distinct (US rather than Austria/DACH).

Direct peers

• Blinden- und Sehbehindertenverband Österreich (BSVÖ): Austrian national umbrella association of blind and visually impaired self-help organizations. Directly comparable as a peer member-organization serving the same constituency in Austria, with overlapping advocacy, counseling, and accessibility mandate (Hilfsgemeinschaft itself is a member organization of BSVÖ).
• Pro Retina Deutschland: German self-help association for people with retinal degenerative diseases (e.g., retinitis pigmentosa, AMD). Comparable as a DACH-region, disease-specific, member-led nonprofit offering counseling, peer support, and advocacy for the visually impaired.
• Deutscher Blinden- und Sehbehindertenverband (DBSV): Germany's national association representing blind and visually impaired people. Directly comparable as the closest geographic and functional peer: member-based self-help organization, counseling, advocacy, accessibility consulting, and assistive device services for the visually impaired in a DACH-region context.
• Licht für die Welt: Austria-based disability and international development nonprofit focused on eye health and inclusion. Directly comparable as an Austrian nonprofit centered on visual impairment and disability services, with overlapping donor base, advocacy role, and brand recognition.

Emerging players

• AccessNow: International digital accessibility organization advocating for an inclusive digital world and supporting accessibility initiatives globally. Comparable as a peer in the digital accessibility and WCAG-aligned consulting/advocacy space, where Hilfsgemeinschaft's Access Austria sub-brand competes for B2B clients.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/diehilfsgemeinschaft
• Facebookfacebook.com/Hilfsgemeinschaft
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hilfsgemeinschaft
• Instagraminstagram.com/hilfsgemeinschaft
• Xx.com/Vogel_Irene

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Hilfsgemeinschaft der Blinden und Sehschwachen Osterreichs