The Signals Foundation

What The Signals Foundation does

The Signals Foundation, operating publicly as The Signals Network (TSN), is a 501c3 nonprofit incorporated in Delaware (The Signals Network, Inc.) that provides comprehensive protection and support services to whistleblowers globally. The organization delivers a six-level Whistleblower Protection Program covering legal support, confidentiality, psychological support, media relations management, advocacy, and temporary retreat, and it has supported dozens of named and unnamed whistleblowers across industries including technology (Twitter's Anika Navaroli, Facebook's Frances Haugen, Theranos' Tyler Shultz), finance (UBS's Stéphanie Gibaud, Luxleaks' Antoine Deltour), and government/intelligence (NSA's Edward Snowden, in his advisory capacity). The foundation also publishes Tech Worker Handbooks tailored to the U.S., U.K., and Ireland jurisdictions, and partners with the Reynolds Journalism Institute to offer free online training for journalists working with sensitive sources. Underlying technology consists of secure communication and encrypted messaging infrastructure supporting confidential intake, though specific architectural details are not publicly disclosed.

The foundation serves three primary constituencies: individual whistleblowers requiring protection, journalists and media organizations needing source protection support, and policy makers and advocates working on whistleblower legislation. Distribution is community-led: whistleblowers reach TSN through referrals from journalists, legal professionals, partner media outlets, and the organization's website (thesignalsnetwork.org), with all services provided at no charge to beneficiaries. The organization coordinates with major international media partners including The Washington Post, The Guardian, Mediapart, Le Monde, Der Spiegel, Die Zeit, The Globe and Mail, and the Freedom of the Press Foundation, and maintains operational offices in San Francisco (268 Bush Street #4216) and New York (151 1st Ave #214).

The business model is nonprofit and donation-funded. Revenue derives from charitable contributions and foundation grants, with the Knight Foundation publicly acknowledged as a funder. The organization runs its donor CRM and newsletter infrastructure on Keela, accepts donations via PayPal and KeelaPay, and relies on organic channels (website, blog, social media) and earned media rather than paid acquisition. Operating geographies span North America, South America, Europe, Africa, Asia, and Oceania, with named activity in at least 20 countries. Notable named advisors include Edward Snowden (President of the Board of the Freedom of the Press Foundation) and Tyler Shultz (Theranos whistleblower), lending brand credibility but not operational management roles.

Name

The Signals Foundation

Legal name

The Signals Network, Inc.

Website

https://thesignalsnetwork.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Signals Foundation (The Signals Network) is a 501c3 nonprofit that provides legal, psychological, and media support to whistleblowers globally through its six-level Whistleblower Protection Program and Tech Worker Handbooks, funded by donations and grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Whistleblower Protection Services

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Ethics, Integrity & Whistleblowing Program Advisory (BPAHAFAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

Policy Management, Training & Ethics/Whistleblowing (BPAEAPAI)

Keywords

• Whistleblower protection services
• Nonprofit advocacy organization
• Source protection training
• Investigative journalism support
• Policy reform advocacy

Headquarters

HQ city

San Francisco

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: The organization relies on charitable donations from individuals and organizations to fund its operations and support services for whistleblowers.
2. Foundation Grants: The Signals Foundation receives grants from foundations such as the Knight Foundation to support its global operations and training programs.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Signals Foundation delivers free, comprehensive support services to whistleblowers worldwide through a six-level Whistleblower Protection Program covering legal support, confidentiality, psychological assistance, media relations management, advocacy, and temporary retreat. It also publishes regional Tech Workers Guides to Whistleblowing (U.S., U.K., Ireland editions), provides training and support to investigative journalists on safe source handling (partnered with RJI), and coordinates cross-border media collaborations to amplify whistleblower-reported stories.

Product overview

The Signals Network is a nonprofit whistleblower support organization that operates as a coordination and support platform rather than a traditional software product. The organization provides a Whistleblower Protection Program as its core offering, complemented by Tech Worker Handbooks (available in U.S., U.K., and Ireland editions) that empower tech workers to report wrongdoing safely. Additional services include journalist training and support, and coordination of global media collaborations to amplify whistleblower-reported stories in the public interest. The organization functions as a 501c3 nonprofit funded by donations, not a technology product company.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Whistleblower Protection Program

Quantifiable outcome

• Protected dozens of whistleblowers globally through the Whistleblower Protection Program
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• RJI (Reynolds Journalism Institute)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Signals Foundation partnered with RJI to create a free, practical online training program to help protect whistleblowers and sensitive sources. This collaboration focuses on journalist training and source protection.
• Washington PostminorGTM or Marketing PartnerThe Washington Post is one of the media organizations that The Signals Network works with to coordinate investigations and support whistleblowers in bringing important stories to light.
• The GuardianminorGTM or Marketing PartnerThe Guardian is one of the media organizations that The Signals Network collaborates with for whistleblower cases and investigations.
• MediapartminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFrench investigative news outlet Mediapart works with The Signals Network on whistleblower cases in France and Europe.
• Le MondeminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFrench newspaper Le Monde collaborates with The Signals Network on investigative journalism involving whistleblowers.
• Der SpiegelminorGTM or Marketing PartnerGerman news magazine Der Spiegel works with The Signals Network on whistleblower-related investigations.
• Die ZeitminorGTM or Marketing PartnerGerman newspaper Die Zeit collaborates with The Signals Network on investigations involving whistleblowers.
• The Globe and MailminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCanadian newspaper The Globe and Mail works with The Signals Network on whistleblower cases in Canada.
• Freedom of the Press FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEdward Snowden serves as President of the Board of the Freedom of the Press Foundation, which works closely with The Signals Network on protecting sources and whistleblowers.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• SecureDrop: Open-source whistleblower submission system maintained by the Freedom of the Press Foundation. Addresses the technical intake layer TSN relies on; potential disintermediation risk for the secure-submission use case.
• Forbidden Stories: International journalism collaborative that continues the work of threatened and imprisoned reporters. Operates as a coordination layer for high-impact investigative stories, including the Morocco/Pegasus case cited on TSN's own news feed.

Others

• The Intercept: Investigative outlet that has operated secure tiplines and source-protection tooling. Referenced on TSN's own site regarding the Signal tipline breach — illustrates both partnership potential and the security-incident risk in the category.
• WikiLeaks: High-profile whistleblower publishing platform. Operates in the same ecosystem for source intake and amplification but uses a confrontational publication model rather than a protection-and-support model.

Broad incumbents

• Transparency International: Global coalition against corruption with advocacy, policy, and legal programs touching whistleblowing. Operates at a broader anti-corruption scale but shares the policy-reform and accountability mission.
• International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ): Global network coordinating cross-border investigative journalism, including major leaks (Pandora Papers, etc.). Comparable scale and coordination model, though focused on journalism output rather than whistleblower protection services.

Direct peers

• Government Accountability Project: U.S.-based nonprofit that provides legal assistance, advocacy, and protection for whistleblowers across federal and corporate sectors. Direct functional overlap in legal representation and policy advocacy for protected disclosures.
• Protect (Public Concern at Work): UK whistleblowing charity that advises whistleblowers, shapes UK policy, and runs a helpline. Comparable mission and service model, with overlapping UK/EU jurisdiction where TSN also operates.
• Whistleblowing International Network: Global network of whistleblower support organizations that TSN could plausibly partner with or sit alongside. Coordinates cross-border whistleblower cases and policy advocacy across multiple jurisdictions.
• Freedom of the Press Foundation: Nonprofit focused on protecting press freedom and securing journalist-source communications. Edward Snowden serves as President of its board, and it actively collaborates with The Signals Network on source-protection training and infrastructure — making it the closest operational peer.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-signals-network

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 The Signals Foundation