Digital Humanitarian Network
Digital Humanitarian Network is a volunteer-based coordination network connecting formal humanitarian organizations with digitally-enabled volunteer and technical communities for disaster response; it operates without commercial revenue and currently runs in a reduced posture focused on occasional publications and informal matchmaking.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2011
- HeadquartersGeneva, Switzerland
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Digital Humanitarian Network does
Digital Humanitarian Network (DHN) is a volunteer-based, non-commercial coordination network founded in late 2011 to connect formal humanitarian organizations, including UN agencies, international NGOs, and government disaster response bodies, with newly emerging digitally-enabled volunteer and technical communities (V&TCs). The network comprises approximately 22 member organizations spanning cartography, social media monitoring, data analytics, translation, GIS, satellite imagery, open-source software development, and crisis mapping. DHN's core service was activation coordination: when a formal humanitarian actor (most commonly UNOCHA) required surge digital capacity during a disaster, DHN would route the request to the appropriate member organizations, which contributed their services on a volunteer basis.
The network supported high-profile activations including Super Typhoon Yolanda in the Philippines, Cyclone Pam in Vanuatu, the West Africa Ebola response, Hurricane Harvey, and the 2016 World Humanitarian Summit. Its three current offerings are the DHN Partner Network (the member directory and routing function), DHN Guidance (practical frameworks for digital humanitarian collaboration), and DHN Publications (an open library of research on AI, blockchain, big data, cybersecurity, and earth observation in humanitarian contexts). No proprietary software is developed; DHN operates as a thin coordination layer rather than a technology vendor.
By 2023, DHN formally stood down its activation teams as formal humanitarian organizations internalized digital capacity and funded alternatives (H2H Network, FEMA Crowdsourcing) emerged. The network continues in a reduced posture, publishing occasional papers and serving as an informal connector, with no commercial revenue, no disclosed funding, no headcount, and no legal agreements governing member participation.
Digital Humanitarian Network firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Digital Humanitarian Network
- Legal name
- Digital Humanitarian Network
- Website
- https://digitalhumanitarians.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2011
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Digital Humanitarian Network is a volunteer-based coordination network connecting formal humanitarian organizations with digitally-enabled volunteer and technical communities for disaster response; it operates without commercial revenue and currently runs in a reduced posture focused on occasional publications and informal matchmaking.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Digital Humanitarian Network industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Humanitarian Coordination Services
- NAICS
- Emergency and Other Relief Services (624230)
- SIC
- Services-Membership Organizations (8600)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Humanitarian Coordination, Information Management & Needs Assessment (BPADADAL)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Digital Development & ICT4D / GovTech Technical Assistance (BPADAEAL)
Keywords
Where Digital Humanitarian Network is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Geneva
- HQ country
- Switzerland
- HQ region
- Europe
Markets served
Digital Humanitarian Network business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Others
Revenue model
- Coordination Services (Volunteer-Based): DHN operates as a volunteer coordination network. All collaboration is done on a volunteer basis versus any legal agreement. Member organizations volunteer their time or technology in disaster response. No formal revenue streams exist as DHN is not a commercial entity.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels2 records
Digital Humanitarian Network product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Digital Humanitarian Network (DHN) is a volunteer-based coordination network that connects formal humanitarian organizations—such as UN agencies, NGOs, and government disaster response bodies—with digitally-enabled volunteer and technical communities. It facilitates collaboration during disasters by mobilizing member organizations to provide information management support, crisis mapping, translation services, social media monitoring, and technical assistance on a volunteer basis, without formal legal agreements or commercial transactions.
Product overview
The Digital Humanitarian Network (DHN) operates as a coordination and knowledge-sharing network rather than a traditional software product company. The organization offers three interconnected service pillars: (1) the DHN Partner Network, which connects formal humanitarian organizations with volunteer and technical communities for disaster response coordination; (2) DHN Guidance, providing practical frameworks and best practices for digital humanitarian collaboration; and (3) DHN Publications, an extensive library of research papers addressing emerging technologies in humanitarian contexts. The network was established in late 2011 to facilitate collaboration between traditional humanitarian actors and digitally-enabled volunteer groups.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- DHN Partner Network A coordination network connecting formal humanitarian organizations with digitally-enabled volunteer groups and technical communities for disaster response, providing activation services and collaborative coordination on a volunteer basis.
- DHN Guidance
Companies that use Digital Humanitarian Network
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Digital Humanitarian Network technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Digital Humanitarian Network partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
30 partnerships are on record, tiered member.
- CartONGmemberHumanitarian mapping and data management organization; member of DHN network providing volunteer capacity in disaster response.
- Connected Development (CODE)memberSocial enterprise focused on empowerment and community development; DHN member organization.
- CrisisCommonsmemberTechnology community for disaster response; DHN member organization.
- DataKindmemberNonprofit that brings together data scientists with humanitarian organizations; DHN member.
- Digital GlobememberSatellite imagery provider; DHN member organization providing geospatial data support.
- Disaster Tech Lab (DTL)memberProvides internet access and communication services in disaster-hit areas; DHN member.
- ESRI Disaster Response ProgrammemberProvides ArcGIS platform for mapping products; supports DHN activations with GIS technology.
- Geeks Without Bounds (GWOB)memberAccelerator for humanitarian projects; DHN member organization.
- GeoThingsmemberGeospatial technology organization; DHN member.
- GNUCOOPmemberCooperative for free software in humanitarian work; DHN member.
- Google Crisis ResponsememberProvides crisis mapping, Person Finder, and alerts; DHN member.
- Help Earth Foundation (HEF)memberNonprofit leveraging artistic content for charitable efforts; DHN member.
- Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team (HOT)memberCreates maps for humanitarian response using OpenStreetMap; core DHN member providing mapping services.
- Humanity RoadmemberNonprofit providing disaster response information; DHN member with social media monitoring capabilities.
- ICT4PeacememberOrganization focusing on ICT for peace and humanitarian response; DHN member.
- Info4DisastersmemberProvides emotional support for digital volunteers; DHN member.
- International Network of Crisis MappersmemberNetwork for crisis mapping practitioners; DHN member.
- MapActionmemberDeploys GIS volunteers to humanitarian crises; DHN member.
- Pacific Disaster CentermemberDisaster management research center; DHN member.
- PeaceGeeksmemberNonprofit leveraging ICT for peace and human rights; DHN member.
- Relief 2.0memberHumanitarian technology initiative; DHN member.
- Sahana Software FoundationmemberProvides open source disaster management software; DHN member.
- Standby Task Force (SBTF)memberOrganizes digital volunteers into crisis response network; core DHN member.
- Statistics Without Borders (SWB)memberProvides statistical expertise to humanitarian organizations; DHN member.
- TechCHANGEmemberTraining organization for technology in humanitarian work; DHN member.
- Translators without Borders (TWB)memberProvides translation services in crises; DHN member providing language support.
- URISA's GISCorpsmemberCoordinates volunteer GIS services; DHN member.
- UshahidimemberOpen source crisis mapping platform; DHN member.
- World Food Programme's VAM (DataViz)memberWFP's vulnerability analysis and mapping team; DHN member.
- WorldPopmemberPopulation mapping research group; DHN member.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights2 records
Digital Humanitarian Network competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Ushahidi: A DHN member and broader crisis-mapping platform organization with a longer-running open-source product footprint (Crowdmap, CrisisNET). Comparable to DHN's crisis-mapping ecosystem role but more productized and operationally active than DHN today.
Emerging players
- DataKind: A DHN member nonprofit that pairs data scientists with humanitarian and development organizations. Comparable as a digital humanitarian capacity broker, but focused on data science expertise rather than cross-functional coordination.
- CartONG: A DHN member organization specializing in humanitarian mapping, data management, and GIS capacity-building. Comparable as a digital humanitarian service provider, though with a narrower mapping-focused scope than DHN's broader coordination remit.
- MapAction: A DHN member that deploys volunteer GIS specialists to humanitarian crises to produce maps for decision-makers. Comparable as a specialized digital humanitarian response organization, though focused exclusively on GIS rather than DHN's broader coordination mandate.
- Translators without Borders: A DHN member that provides translation and language services in humanitarian crises. Comparable as a digital humanitarian volunteer organization but specialized in language support rather than DHN's coordinating role.
- CrisisCommons: A DHN member community of technologists focused on disaster response applications and civic hacking. Comparable as a digital humanitarian volunteer community, but oriented around technical build events rather than DHN's institutional coordination role.
- Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team (HOT): A DHN member organization that crowdsources OpenStreetMap data for humanitarian response globally. While mission-aligned with DHN, HOT focuses specifically on community mapping rather than cross-functional coordination across the digital humanitarian ecosystem.
Direct peers
- Standby Task Force: A core DHN member that operates a digital volunteer network for humanitarian crisis response, providing live mapping, social media analysis, and remote sensing tasks — directly comparable as a digital volunteer coordination body, though narrower in scope than DHN.
- NetHope: A nonprofit consortium of leading humanitarian and development organizations that collaborates on technology solutions, including digital response and information management — operating in the same tech-for-humanitarian coordination space as DHN but with a more enterprise NGO membership model.
- H2H Network: Humanitarian-to-Humanitarian Network is the most direct comparable to DHN, providing a funded coordination layer connecting humanitarian organizations with digital volunteer and technical capacity — explicitly named by DHN as a successor service that has absorbed part of its original role.
Market position
Strengths3 records
Weaknesses3 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights5 records
Customer concentration
Digital Humanitarian Network social profiles
Digital presenceDigital Humanitarian Network financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Digital Humanitarian Network leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Digital Humanitarian Network funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Digital Humanitarian Network 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 Digital Humanitarian Network
What does Digital Humanitarian Network do?
Digital Humanitarian Network (DHN) is a volunteer-based coordination network that connects formal humanitarian organizations—such as UN agencies, NGOs, and government disaster response bodies—with digitally-enabled volunteer and technical communities. It facilitates collaboration during disasters by mobilizing member organizations to provide information management support, crisis mapping, translation services, social media monitoring, and technical assistance on a volunteer basis, without formal legal agreements or commercial transactions.
Is Digital Humanitarian Network a public or private company?
Digital Humanitarian Network is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Digital Humanitarian Network founded?
Digital Humanitarian Network was founded in 2011. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Digital Humanitarian Network based?
Digital Humanitarian Network is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, in the Europe region.
How does Digital Humanitarian Network make money?
One revenue line is on record: coordination Services (Volunteer-Based).
Who are Digital Humanitarian Network's main competitors?
Ushahidi is listed as a broad incumbent. Emerging players are DataKind, CartONG, MapAction, Translators without Borders, CrisisCommons and Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team (HOT). Direct peers are Standby Task Force, NetHope and H2H Network.
Does Digital Humanitarian Network have an API?
No public API is recorded for Digital Humanitarian Network.
What industry is Digital Humanitarian Network in?
Digital Humanitarian Network's product category is Humanitarian Coordination Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPADADAL, Humanitarian Coordination, Information Management & Needs Assessment, with a secondary code of BPADAEAL, Digital Development & ICT4D / GovTech Technical Assistance. Its NAICS code is 624230 and its SIC code is 8600.