IBOS - Instituttet for Blinde og Svagsynede

What IBOS - Instituttet for Blinde og Svagsynede does

IBOS (Instituttet for Blinde og Svagsynede) is Denmark's national rehabilitation and knowledge center for visual impairment, operating since 1876 with approximately 130 multidisciplinary staff at its Hellerup headquarters under the governance of Copenhagen Municipality. The institution serves citizens aged 14 and older with serious visual disability that cannot be corrected with optics, alongside their families and professional referrers, delivering a full continuum of services: free assessment and counseling, tariff-based specialized rehabilitation (IT, braille, orientation and mobility, ADL), special youth education (STU), residential and day programs under the Social Services Act, vocational mentorship, neuro-optometric and neuropsychological assessment, and music education for blind musicians.

The core technology portfolio combines proprietary software with curated assistive technology. The IBOS Music XML Reader is a free Windows desktop application that renders musical scores on braille displays and screen readers, developed internally by a team of blind musicians and ICT specialists, with a major v4.0.0.0 update in February 2020 adding braille printing and score transfer to devices like Polaris. Two iOS applications (Ledsageteknik and O&M-teknik) deliver sighted-guide and orientation/mobility training content. A national Exhibition of Assistive Aids showcases both classic devices (white canes, magnifiers, tactile markings) and emerging consumer technology (smart speakers, text-recognition glasses, subtitle magnification). Clinical technology includes the standardized Neuro Vision Technology (NVT) training program for hemianopia following brain injury, combining a computer program, light panel, and structured course.

Revenue is generated through two streams: core government appropriation via Copenhagen Municipality for free assessment and counseling, and tariff-based professional services billed at 1,406 DKK/hour for standard consulting and 1,859 DKK/hour for neurological and psychological services (Tariff 2026). Services are funded under multiple Danish statutes including Lov om social service (SEL), Lov om specialundervisning for voksne (LSV), and Lov om aktiv beskæftigelsesindsats (LAB). Distribution is primarily through municipal and regional referrals, with direct citizen contact for guidance and an emergency service for sudden visual impairment. The institution is supported by philanthropic grants such as the VELUX FONDEN research award, and maintains active memberships in international networks including ENVITER, ICEVI, NOVIR, and NorVis.

Name

IBOS - Instituttet for Blinde og Svagsynede

Legal name

Instituttet for Blinde og Svagsynede

Website

https://ibos.dk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1876

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

IBOS is Denmark's national rehabilitation and knowledge center for visual impairment, operating under Copenhagen Municipality with approximately 130 staff delivering assessment, specialized rehabilitation, assistive technology, education, and residential services to citizens with serious vision loss across Denmark.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Visual Impairment Rehabilitation Services

NAICS

Vocational Rehabilitation Services (62431), Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (624120), Educational Support Services (611710), Residential Intellectual and Developmental Disability Facilities (62321)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Nursing & Personal Care Facilities (8050)

akta.pro primary industry

Assistive Technology (AT) & Accessible Learning Tools (EDALAGAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Assistive Technology (AT) Evaluations & Needs Assessments (EDAKAIAA), Vision Assistive Technology (Screen Readers, Braille, Magnification) (EDAKAIAF), AT for Reading, Writing & Learning (Literacy/Executive Function) Tools & Training (EDAKAIAC), Accessibility & Assistive Technology IT Support (EDALAMAJ)

Keywords

• Visual impairment rehabilitation
• Assistive technology services
• Special needs education
• Low vision services
• Vision rehabilitation counseling

Headquarters

HQ city

Hellerup

HQ country

Denmark

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Government-funded services through Copenhagen Municipality: IBOS is administratively a part of Copenhagen Municipality and receives public funding. Services include free assessment and counseling, plus tariff-based (takst) rehabilitation and specialized education services. Municipalities, regions, and the state collaborate with IBOS.
2. Tariff-based services (Takstydelser): IBOS offers specialized services at predetermined tariffs. Standard consultant rate: 1,406 kr per hour. Neurological/psychological services rate: 1,859 kr per hour (Tariff 2026). Services are funded through various legislation including Lov om specialundervisning for voksne (LSV), Lov om social service (SEL), Lov om aktiv beskæftigelsesindsats (LAB), and others.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

IBOS is Denmark's national rehabilitation and knowledge center for people with visual impairment, delivering tariff-based rehabilitation courses, specialized education programs (including STU and music pre-college), psychological and neuropsychological counseling, vocational mentorship, and assistive technology services. It operates a nationwide exhibition of assistive devices and provides free assessment and counseling under Danish social legislation (SEL, LSV, LAB). It also develops proprietary assistive software such as the IBOS Music XML Reader for blind musicians and mobile applications for orientation and mobility instruction.

Product overview

IBOS (Instituttet for Blinde og Svagsynede) is a national knowledge and rehabilitation center for individuals with visual impairment, organized under Copenhagen Municipality. It does not offer a unified software platform but rather a portfolio of specialized services and products spanning assistive technology software, educational programs, rehabilitation services, and counseling. Key products include the IBOS Music XML Reader (a free desktop software for blind musicians), mobile apps (Ledsageteknik, O&M-teknik), and an Exhibition of Assistive Aids. These are complemented by structured service offerings including rehabilitation courses (Rehabiliteringsforløb), a Youth Course (Ungekursus), Special Youth Education (STU), music preparatory programs, visual brain injury rehabilitation, psychological counseling, vocational labor market mentorship, and residential/daily living programs — all delivered directly by IBOS staff at the Hellerup facility or nationally.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Blind lyd: IBOS' podcast channel featuring podcasts on visual impairment topics, including the Synsfaglige Netværksdage series and parent courses.
• IBOSfilm
• Springbrættet

Products and services

• IBOS Music XML Reader (IBOS Nodelæser) A free Windows desktop software program that displays musical scores on a braille display, reads notes aloud as text, and plays back music, enabling blind musicians to access sheet music independently.
• Ledsageteknik App Mobile application providing guidance on sighted guide techniques for accompanying a person with visual impairment.
• O&M-teknik App Mobile application serving as a guide for instructors teaching orientation and mobility (O&M) skills to people with visual impairment.
• Hjælpemiddeludstillingen (Exhibition of Assistive Aids) National exhibition of assistive devices for people with visual impairment, offering free counseling, demonstrations, and guidance on available aids and where to purchase them.
• Rehabiliteringsforløb (Rehabilitation Course) A 13-week, 15-hours-per-week rehabilitation program providing vision-compensating skills in IT, braille, orientation and mobility, and daily living activities, coordinated with the job center.
• Ungekursus (Youth Course) A 6-month to 2-year program for young people aged 16–30 with visual impairment, providing skills assessment, mobility training, ADL training, ICT instruction, academic subjects, and career guidance to prepare for adult life.
• STU – Særlig Tilrettelagt Ungdomsuddannelse (Special Needs Youth Education) A specially designed youth education program for young people with visual impairment and additional cognitive or physical disabilities who cannot complete a standard upper secondary education, covering mobility, ADL, assistive technology, academics, and practical skills.
• Forskoleår til konservatoriet og MGK (Music Pre-College Program) A preparatory year of music instruction for visually impaired students (age 18+) aiming to enter a conservatory, Music Grund Kursus (MGK), or music college, including music theory, main instrument, aural training, and training in music notation software.
• Synshjerneskaderehabilitering (Visual Brain Injury Rehabilitation) A specialized rehabilitation program for individuals with vision impairment caused by brain injury (stroke, trauma, tumors, or progressive neurological conditions), including neuro-optometric rehabilitation, NVT training, neuropsychological assessment, and ADL support.
• Synsfaglig arbejdsmarkedsmentor (Vocational Labor Market Mentor) A 3–15 month employment support program pairing people with visual impairment with a specialized mentor to develop a job or education plan, identify workplace accommodations, and secure practical work experience.
• Psykologsamtaler og kognitiv udredning (Psychological Counseling and Cognitive Assessment) Individual psychological counseling and cognitive assessments conducted by clinical psychologists with specialized knowledge of visual impairment, addressing emotional processing of vision loss, motivation, and learning strategies.
• Botilbud og dagtilbud (Residential and Day Programs) Residential (temporary and long-term) and day program offerings under the Social Services Act (§§103–108), providing accommodation, daily activities, protected employment, and ADL support for people with visual impairment and additional disabilities.
• Springbrættet (The Springboard Youth Housing Community) A youth housing community attached to the Youth Course, offering 6–12 months of independent living training in a shared apartment with three individual rooms and staff support during daytime hours.
• Post Commotio-udredning (Post-Concussion Assessment) A two-session assessment of vision-related symptoms following concussion (post-concussion syndrome), evaluating needs for visual aids, lighting adjustments, workplace adaptations, and ICT accommodations.

Quantifiable outcome

• Rehabilitation course duration: 13 weeks, 15 hours per week
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• ENVITER (European Network for Visually Impaired people for Training, Education and Research)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEuropean network of institutes for the blind established in 2001. IBOS is a member working to improve conditions for blind and partially sighted people and the rehabilitation area through European working parties and knowledge sharing.
• ICEVI (International Council for Education of VIP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal association of individuals and organizations working for equal access to suitable education for children and youth with visual impairment. Purpose is to develop and share information about teaching people with visual handicaps.
• ENVPI (European Network of Psychologists working with visually impaired people)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEuropean network for psychologists that work with people with visual impairment. Purpose is to develop and share experiences between psychologists involved in the network.
• NOVIR (Nordic Visual Impairment Research)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNordic Visual Impairment Research network coordinating and initiating common Nordic scientific and development work in the low-vision area. Develops a scientific and development network at the Nordic level.
• NorVis (Norwegian Stroke in Vision)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNorwegian Vision in Stroke network. Overall purpose is to improve outcomes and quality of life after a stroke through international cooperation.
• DTHS (Danish Knowledge Center for Communication Disabilities)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNationwide umbrella organization of institutions providing special pedagogical and rehabilitative efforts for citizens with disabilities in communication. Maintains professional network for continued knowledge development and method development.
• Vestegnens Sprog- og Kompetencecenter (VSK)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerExternal collaboration partner for Danish language education. VSK assesses the length of training programs and provides specialized Danish instruction for immigrants and refugees with visual impairment.
• Kyiv Center for the BlindminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThree-year knowledge sharing collaboration between IBOS and Kyiv Center for the Blind, concluded in 2025. Ukrainian visual professionals visited Copenhagen to learn about rehabilitation practices for helping veterans and civilians.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Regional players

• Statped: Norway's national service provider for special educational needs, including visual impairment. Comparable mandate and service portfolio (assessment, counseling, assistive technology) under Nordic welfare legislation, but operates under Norwegian governance rather than Danish municipal.
• Specialpedagogiska skolmyndigheten (SPSM): Swedish national agency for special educational needs including visual impairment. Comparable public-sector model with nationwide mandate, but operates in Sweden with its own tariff and legislative framework.
• Valteri: Finnish national center for special education and student welfare services, including visual impairment support. Comparable public-sector Nordic model serving children and adults with visual impairment under Finnish legislation.

Direct peers

• Vista Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired: California-based nonprofit providing low-vision rehabilitation, assistive technology training, and counseling. Comparable scale and service mix, serving a regional US population rather than a national one.
• Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB): UK-based national charity for blind and partially sighted people offering rehabilitation, assistive technology advice, education, and employment support. Most closely mirrors IBOS's national-mandate role in a different geography.
• Visio: Dutch national expertise center for blind and partially sighted people, providing rehabilitation, education, residential services, and assistive technology. Closely comparable continental-European national institution model.
• Lighthouse Guild: US-based nonprofit providing vision rehabilitation, behavioral health, education, and assistive technology services. Direct international peer in vision rehabilitation and assistive technology service delivery, though operating under different funding mechanics.
• Synscenter Refsnæs: Denmark's other national center for the visually impaired, located in Kalundborg. Directly comparable national-mandate institution serving citizens with visual impairment, providing residential courses, assistive technology counseling, and rehabilitation under similar Danish legislation.

Others

• American Printing House for the Blind (APH): US nonprofit producing educational and assistive products for the blind. Comparable in assistive technology R&D (educational tools, braille) for the visually impaired, but primarily a product/publishing organization rather than a service provider.

Emerging players

• HumanWare: Global commercial vendor of assistive technology products for the visually impaired (braille displays, screen readers, magnifiers). Adjacent to IBOS's assistive-device exhibition function but operates as a for-profit hardware/software vendor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/IBOSfilm
• Facebookfacebook.com/Instituttet
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ibos---instituttet-for-blinde-og-svagsynede

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

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 IBOS - Instituttet for Blinde og Svagsynede