Nederlands Gebarencentrum

What Nederlands Gebarencentrum does

Nederlands Gebarencentrum (Stichting Nederlands Gebarencentrum) is the Dutch national expertise center and officially designated Lexicographic Institute for Dutch Sign Language (NGT) and Dutch with Signs (NmG), founded in 1996 and based in Amersfoort. The organization operates a small team of roughly 12-14 deaf and hearing staff and maintains a national sign-language database of over 22,000 records, from which the Online Gebarenwoordenboek (online dictionary) and a mobile app deliver 20,000+ video-recorded standard, regional, and international signs on a freemium model with 1,300+ signs free and 17,000+ on subscription. It also runs the Gebarenatelier, a standing group of deaf NGT users that develops and standardizes new signs, and produces educational content such as the 'NGT-uitgelegd' video series and the annual 'Gebaar van het Jaar' election.

The business is a hybrid of subsidized public-interest operations and modest commercial activity. The Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture and Science (OCW) provides partial subsidy for lexicographic, public-information, and applied-research activities, while additional revenue is generated through B2G translation services (Rijksoverheid, NPO public broadcaster), professional studio recordings, workshops priced at €70 per session, a webshop selling Gebarenflipper card systems and themed educational sets (€14.95-€62.50), annual subscriptions to the Gebaren-oefenprogramma sign-practice platform, and structured course modules for general audiences, educators, and parents of deaf infants (developed in partnership with Kentalis). Distribution is omnichannel: an owned e-commerce storefront, an in-person workshop venue in Amersfoort, direct B2G service delivery, and owned media on YouTube and Facebook.

The organization's strategic position rests on the 2021 legal recognition of NGT as an official language in the Netherlands and on a long-running network of institutional partnerships spanning education, healthcare, public broadcasting, deaf advocacy, agriculture, and EU-funded research consortia (SignON). New product activity has been concentrated in 2024-2025, with launches spanning educational video, farm-based signage, picture-book translations, and refreshed educator modules.

Name

Nederlands Gebarencentrum

Legal name

Stichting Nederlands Gebarencentrum

Website

https://gebarencentrum.nl

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Nederlands Gebarencentrum is the Dutch national expertise center and government-designated Lexicographic Institute for Dutch Sign Language, founded in 1996 in Amersfoort. It maintains a 20,000+ sign online dictionary, develops educational modules and translations, and serves deaf and hard-of-hearing citizens, educators, parents, and Dutch public-sector clients.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sign Language Education and Lexicographic Services

NAICS

Language Schools (611630), Translation and Interpretation Services (541930)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Sign Language Learning Programs (ASL/BSL, etc.) (EDAMAFAM)

akta.pro secondary industry

Communication & Family Engagement Platforms (Messaging, Portals, Translation) (EDAJAMAI)

Keywords

• Sign language education
• Sign language dictionary
• Sign language translation
• Deaf community resources
• Dutch Sign Language

Headquarters

HQ city

Amersfoort

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Product Sales (Webshop): Sale of educational materials including sign flippers, card sets for various themes (Animals, Celebrations, Fruit, Feelings, Games), and training materials. Products are sold directly through their webshop with shipping via PostNL.
2. Online Subscriptions (Gebaren-oefenprogramma): Subscription-based access to the sign practice program with specially selected groups of signs for practice. Subscriptions are available via organization subscriptions or personal subscriptions, lasting one year from payment.
3. Dictionary Subscriptions: Online sign dictionary with free access to basic signs (1,300+) and premium subscription access to more than 17,000 signs including standard, regional, and international sign language variants.
4. Workshop Fees: Fees for workshops including NmG workshops and NGT lexicon workshops for interpreters. Pricing at €70.00 per workshop session.
5. Translation Services: Professional video translations from Dutch to NGT or NmG for various clients, including government bodies, using their own professional studio with deaf presenters and interpreters.
6. Government Subsidy: Partial subsidy from the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science (OCW) for lexicographic institute activities, public information, multimedia educational materials, and applied scientific research.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Nederlands Gebarencentrum operates as the national expertise center for Dutch Sign Language (NGT) and Dutch with Signs (NmG), maintaining a database of more than 20,000 standardized signs accessible through an online dictionary and mobile app. The organization develops and sells sign language course materials, a subscription-based online sign practice program, physical educational products such as the Gebarenflipper card system, and delivers professional video translation services from Dutch into NGT/NmG. It also conducts in-person workshops and training for educators, interpreters, and parents of deaf children.

Product overview

Nederlands Gebarencentrum operates as a comprehensive platform for Dutch Sign Language (NGT) and Dutch with Signs (NmG) education and resources. The core offering centers on the Online Gebarenwoordenboek (free online dictionary with 20,000+ signs) and the Gebaren-oefenprogramma (subscription-based practice program). The product portfolio spans structured course materials organized by audience: NmG AB courses for the general public, NmG Onderwijs modules for educators, and NGT Module Kijk ik Gebaar for parents of deaf infants. The organization provides professional translation services for picture books and government information, facilitates new sign development through the Gebarenatelier, and sells physical educational products like the Gebarenflipper card system. Workshops under the 'Praten met je Handen' brand offer hands-on training, while the SignON European project explores mobile translation technology across sign languages.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Online Gebarenwoordenboek (Online Sign Dictionary) An online dictionary with more than 20,000 standard signs of Dutch Sign Language (NGT), plus regional variants and signs from other sign languages. Includes free access to 1,300+ basic signs and premium subscription access to 17,000+ signs, with video demonstrations, example sentences, hand shapes, sign locations, and user favorites.
• Gebaren-oefenprogramma (Sign Practice Program) An online subscription-based practice program with themed sign lexicons, offering multiple exercise types (multiple choice, sign yourself, open questions, and combinations) and a review function for incorrectly answered questions. Available via organization or personal annual subscriptions.
• Vertalingen (Translation Services) Professional video translations from Dutch into Dutch Sign Language (NGT) and Dutch with Signs (NmG) for picture books, websites, government information, and the Wilhelmus national anthem, using an in-house studio with deaf presenters and interpreters.
• Workshops Praten met je Handen In-person workshops teaching Dutch with Signs (NmG) for beginners, including sessions for young children (1-4), VSO students (1-5), and Iconic Signs workshops. Priced at €70.00 per workshop session, including coffee and tea.
• Gebarenflipper Educational Card System A physical educational card stand displaying sign language drawings with QR codes linking to video demonstrations. Available in themes: Animals (Dieren), Parties (Feesten), Fruit, Feelings (Gevoel), and Games (Spelen), each with 22 A4-sized cards. Priced at €29.95 (standalone), €35.00 (4-theme set), or €62.50 (5-theme set).
• NGT and NmG Course Materials Online and offline course materials for Dutch Sign Language (NGT) and Dutch with Signs (NmG) for various target groups including the general public, educators (NmG Onderwijs modules), parents of deaf children (Kijk ik Gebaar), and healthcare workers.

Quantifiable outcome

• More than 22,000 sign records maintained in the national database
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• KentaliscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with Kentalis for developing NGT modules 'Kijk ik Gebaar' for parents of deaf children aged 0-12 months. The modules teach parents to communicate effectively with their deaf children using Dutch Sign Language alongside communication prerequisites for language development.
• SignON Project ConsortiumminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEuropean SignON project developing a mobile translation application between different sign languages, spoken languages, and written languages. The consortium includes European Union of the Deaf (EUD), Vlaams Gebarentaalcentrum, and other partners working on translation between Dutch, Flemish, Irish, British, and Spanish Sign Languages with respective spoken languages.
• Stichting KinderboerderijenactiefminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with illustrator Alex Stuifbergen and Stichting Kinderboerderijenactief for the 'Signs at the Farm' project. The project creates educational materials with sign language illustrations for farm animals, distributed to farms across the Netherlands.
• Alex StuifbergenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIllustrator who creates sign language illustrations for various educational products including the Gebarenflipper themed cards and farm animal signs.
• National Institute for the Deaf - Worcester, South AfricaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational collaboration with NID Worcester in South Africa to create educational videos showing differences and similarities between South African Sign Language and Dutch Sign Language.
• BerengroepminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorIntermediary for sign language interpreters providing interpretation services for Dutch Parliament Question Hours and debates, with coaching support from the Gebarencentrum.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Dovenschap: The Dutch national association representing people with a hearing disability. Dovenschap is a named stakeholder and customer of the Gebarencentrum for advocacy and NGT recognition, with directly overlapping community and policy mandates.
• Vlaams Gebarentaalcentrum (VGTC): Flemish Sign Language Centre, the Belgium/Flanders counterpart of the Nederlands Gebarencentrum. It performs the same lexicographic and educational mandate for Flemish Sign Language (VGT) and is also a SignON consortium partner, making it the closest functional peer.
• Signbank: Online dictionary platforms for multiple sign languages (Auslan, BSL, NZSL, ASL). Signbank is a directly comparable product offering — searchable video-based sign lexicons — making it a close functional peer for the Online Gebarenwoordenboek.
• Kentalis: Dutch organization supporting deaf and hard-of-hearing people through education, communication, and care. Kentalis is a direct collaboration partner on the NGT modules 'Kijk ik Gebaar' for parents of deaf children and serves overlapping customer segments in education and healthcare.
• ASLU / Lifeprint: Free online ASL dictionary and instructional resource operated by Dr. Vicars. ASLU offers a comparable free dictionary + curriculum model to the Gebarenwoordenboek and educational modules offered by the Gebarencentrum.
• Signing Savvy: Subscription-based online ASL dictionary and learning platform. Signing Savvy is a directly comparable consumer-facing video sign dictionary product, with the freemium dictionary model used by the Gebarenwoordenboek.

Regional players

• British Deaf Association (BDA): National representative organization for the deaf community in the UK. BDA operates as a community and advocacy counterpart to Dovenschap and pursues comparable linguistic recognition goals for British Sign Language, making it a relevant UK regional peer.
• Deutscher Gehörlosen-Bund (DGB): The German national association of deaf people. DGB pursues BSL-equivalent recognition for German Sign Language (DGS) and operates in the same advocacy + linguistic recognition lane, making it a relevant German regional peer.

Broad incumbents

• Gallaudet University: The pre-eminent university for the deaf and hard-of-hearing community in the US. Gallaudet offers a much broader portfolio (higher education, research, ASL services) but addresses the same underlying language and accessibility mission.
• European Union of the Deaf (EUD): Supranational federation representing deaf organizations across Europe, including through the SignON consortium. EUD operates at a broader pan-European level rather than as a single-country language institution.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/nederlands-gebarencentrum

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 Nederlands Gebarencentrum