IAPB Italia ETS

What IAPB Italia ETS does

IAPB Italia ETS (Ente del Terzo Settore) is a nonprofit foundation headquartered in Rome, Italy, and the Italian national section of the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB), a global nonprofit network that coordinates blindness-prevention efforts with the World Health Organization. Founded in 1977 and led by President Avv. Giuseppe Castronovo, the organization delivers free public-health services aimed at preventing blindness and rehabilitating visually impaired individuals in Italy. Its beneficiary base spans the general Italian population, visually impaired persons requiring rehabilitation support, children who benefit from school screening programs, and elderly patients at higher risk of age-related eye diseases, alongside referral partnerships with hospitals, eye clinics, and individual ophthalmologists.

The organization's core operational asset is the Polo Nazionale Riabilitazione Visiva (National Visual Rehabilitation Center), located at Policlinico A. Gemelli in Rome and inaugurated in October 2007, which delivers in-person visual rehabilitation and research. Its service portfolio also includes a toll-free ophthalmological consultation hotline (Numero Verde 800-068-506) available Monday-Friday 10:00-13:00, mobile ophthalmic units that travel throughout Italy for screening campaigns, a moderated online forum where ophthalmologists answer patient questions, an email newsletter, video content tied to awareness events, and the 'Oftalmologia Sociale' quarterly public health journal first launched in 2008 and distributed in print and digital formats.

IAPB Italia ETS operates as a charitable third-sector entity rather than a commercial business. Funding is generated through individual donations (channel: Sostienici), allocations from Italy's 5xmille tax designation mechanism, legacy gifts and bequests (Lasciti), and recurring subscriptions to Oftalmologia Sociale. The organization employs approximately 17 staff and coordinates with a broad institutional network that includes the Ministero della Salute, the Società Oftalmologica Italiana (SOI), the Unione Italiana dei Ciechi e degli Ipovedenti, IRIFOR, the Istituto dei Ciechi di Milano, and international partners such as WHO. All patient-facing services are provided free of charge.

Name

IAPB Italia ETS

Legal name

IAPB Italia ETS Fondazione Sezione Italiana dell'Agenzia Internazionale per la Prevenzione e della Cecità

Website

https://iapb.it

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

IAPB Italia ETS is the Italian section of the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness, providing free blindness-prevention and visual rehabilitation services across Italy through a national hotline, mobile screening units, and the Polo Nazionale rehabilitation center at Policlinico A. Gemelli in Rome.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Blindness Prevention and Visual Rehabilitation Services

NAICS

Offices of Optometrists (62132), Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (62412)

SIC

Services-Specialty Outpatient Facilities, Nec (8093), Services-Health Services (8000), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYHLALAGAL

Ophthalmology & Vision Telemedicine Platforms

Healthcare & Life Sciences/Telehealth Platforms/Specialty Telemedicine Platforms (e.g., dermatology, cardiology, neurology)

SECONDARYBPADANAJ

Health, Pharmaceuticals & Medical Devices Regulatory Cooperation

Business & Public Services/International Organizations & Development/International Standards, Policy & Regulatory Cooperation

Keywords

• Blindness prevention services
• Visual rehabilitation programs
• Ophthalmological consultation hotline
• Eye health public education
• Mobile eye screening campaigns

Headquarters

HQ city

Rome

HQ country

Italy

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Support (Sostienici): The organization raises funds through donations from individuals and supporters. The website features a dedicated donation page (Sostienici) encouraging contributions for visual rehabilitation and the fight against blindness.
2. 5xmille Tax Designation: The organization receives funds through Italy's 5xmille tax designation mechanism, where taxpayers can allocate a portion of their income tax to the organization.
3. Legacies and Bequests (Lasciti): The organization accepts legacy donations and bequests from supporters.
4. Newsletter and Magazine Subscriptions: The organization publishes 'Oftalmologia Sociale', a quarterly public health journal, available both digitally and in print. The magazine covers ophthalmology topics, research, and prevention initiatives.

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

IAPB Italia ETS is an Italian nonprofit foundation that delivers free blindness prevention and visual rehabilitation services, including a national toll-free ophthalmological consultation hotline, the operation of the Polo Nazionale Riabilitazione Visiva at Policlinico A. Gemelli in Rome, mobile eye-screening units deployed across Italy, an online ophthalmologist-moderated forum, and publication of the quarterly journal Oftalmologia Sociale. All services and resources are provided at no charge to Italian citizens as part of its public-health mission.

Product overview

IAPB Italia ETS operates primarily as a non-profit health foundation focused on blindness prevention and visual rehabilitation in Italy. Its core public-facing product is the publication of Oftalmologia Sociale, a quarterly public health journal covering ophthalmology, eye disease prevention, visual rehabilitation, and related scientific research. Additional services include a toll-free ophthalmology consultation hotline (Numero Verde 800-068-506), mobile ophthalmic units (Unità mobili oftalmiche) for screenings, an online forum where ophthalmologists answer public questions, and a newsletter. The organization also operates the Polo Nazionale di Riabilitazione Visiva, a national visual rehabilitation center located at Policlinico A. Gemelli in Rome. All these services are free public health information and support offerings rather than a commercial technology product.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Oftalmologia Sociale: A quarterly public health journal published by IAPB Italia ETS covering ophthalmology, visual health, and blindness prevention topics.

Products and services

• Numero Verde - Free Ophthalmological Consultation Hotline (800-068-506) Free nationwide Italian ophthalmological consultation hotline (800-068-506) staffed to answer eye-care questions and provide advice. Available to all Italian residents Monday through Friday, 10:00 to 13:00.
• Polo Nazionale Riabilitazione Visiva (National Visual Rehabilitation Center) National hub for visual rehabilitation services for visually impaired individuals, located at Policlinico A. Gemelli in Rome and operated by IAPB Italia ETS. The center provides low-vision rehabilitation, training in the use of low-vision aids, and research into blindness prevention and visual rehabilitation.
• Oftalmologia Sociale (Quarterly Public Health Journal) Quarterly public health journal covering ophthalmology, eye disease prevention, visual rehabilitation, and related scientific research. Distributed in print and digital formats via the website archive. Available to subscribers and the general public.
• Unità mobili oftalmiche (Mobile Ophthalmic Screening Units) Fleet of mobile ophthalmic units deployed across Italy to conduct free eye-screening campaigns and prevention events for the general public, children, and elderly populations. The units enable field-based vision examinations and outreach for blindness-prevention initiatives.
• L'Oculista Risponde (Online Forum with Ophthalmologists) Online community forum where Italian users can post ophthalmology-related questions anonymously and receive answers from qualified ophthalmologists, free of charge. Open to the Italian public for eye-care information and guidance.
• Newsletter di IAPB Italia Periodic email newsletter providing updates on IAPB Italia ETS's activities, eye health information, and blindness-prevention initiatives to Italian subscribers.

Quantifiable outcome

• Free medical consultations available Monday-Friday 10:00-13:00 via hotline
• +1 more outcomes

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIAPB Italia ETS is the Italian section (Sezione Italiana) of the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness, operating as part of the global IAPB network dedicated to preventing blindness worldwide. The international organization coordinates global efforts with WHO for the Vision 2020 initiative.
• Policlinico A. Gemelli di RomacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Polo Nazionale Riabilitazione Visiva is located at the Policlinico A. Gemelli hospital in Rome. This is the primary facility where IAPB Italia ETS provides visual rehabilitation services.
• World Health Organization (WHO/OMS)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIAPB Italia collaborates with WHO on global blindness prevention initiatives. WHO experts participate in IAPB Italia events, and the organization references WHO data and guidelines for eye health programs.
• Società Oftalmologica Italiana (SOI)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIAPB Italia participates in SOI congresses with symposia and maintains an exhibition stand. SOI President Matteo Piovella is cited in World Glaucoma Week events. Collaboration includes joint awareness campaigns and professional education.
• Unione Italiana dei Ciechi e degli Ipovedenti onlusmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerItalian Union of the Blind and Visually Impaired - a major stakeholder organization in the Italian eye care and disability sector that is referenced as a useful link and collaborative partner.
• Ministero della Salute (Ministry of Health)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Ministry of Health works with IAPB Italia on national eye health policies. IAPB Italia participates in conferences and events organized by the Ministry, and the Ministry's representatives attend World Sight Day events.
• IRIFORminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIRIFOR is referenced as a useful partner organization for rehabilitation and social integration of visually impaired individuals.
• Istituto dei Ciechi di Milano - Progetto Dialogo nel buiominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Milan Institute for the Blind, known for the 'Dialogue in the Dark' project, is referenced as a partner organization in the blindness prevention and rehabilitation sector.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• IRIFOR: Italian reference organization for rehabilitation and social integration of visually impaired people, identified by IAPB Italia as a partner. Directly comparable in the Italian visual rehabilitation and social assistance segment.
• Unione Italiana dei Ciechi e degli Ipovedenti (UICI): Italy's leading advocacy and service organization for blind and visually impaired people, collaborating directly with IAPB Italia. Operates in the same Italian blindness prevention and rehabilitation space with complementary services for visually impaired individuals.
• Società Oftalmologica Italiana (SOI): Italy's principal professional society of ophthalmologists, with whom IAPB Italia jointly organizes awareness campaigns, symposia, and World Glaucoma Week. A peer professional organization in the Italian ophthalmology ecosystem.

Broad incumbents

• Lions Clubs International Foundation (Sight Programs): Global service organization with flagship sight programs including vision screenings, eyeglass collections, and blindness prevention. Comparable as a blindness prevention and eye health nonprofit ecosystem participant.
• Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB): UK national sight loss charity providing advice, support, and campaigns for blind and partially sighted people. Comparable as a national-scale nonprofit focused on vision impairment, rehabilitation, and public health advocacy.
• International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB): IAPB Italia is the Italian national section of IAPB, the global umbrella organization coordinating blindness prevention efforts with WHO. IAPB operates globally across many countries, making it the broader parent equivalent in the same mission and category.
• Sightsavers: International NGO working to prevent avoidable blindness and support equality for people with disabilities. Operates in the same global blindness prevention space as IAPB and is a peer ecosystem participant in Italian-funded international initiatives.
• Orbis International: International nonprofit focused on eye care and blindness prevention, including training, screening, and treatment programs. Comparable as a global sight-saving nonprofit with similar mission and programs.
• American Foundation for the Blind (AFB): US national nonprofit focused on vision loss services, advocacy, and research. Comparable as a national blindness organization addressing rehabilitation, accessibility, and public awareness for visually impaired individuals.

Regional players

• Vision Australia: Australian national blind and low-vision services organization providing rehabilitation, advocacy, and research. Operates as a national-scale charitable entity in the vision-impairment space, comparable to IAPB Italia's role in Italy.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/IAPB_Italia
• Facebookfacebook.com/iapbitalia
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/iapb-italia-onlus-agenzia-italiana-per-la-prevenzione-della-cecit%C3%A0

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about IAPB Italia ETS