I.Ri.Fo.R. Onlus

What I.Ri.Fo.R. Onlus does

I.Ri.Fo.R. Onlus (now I.Ri.Fo.R. ETS) is the Italian Institute for Research, Training and Rehabilitation, a nonprofit organization established on 22 February 1991 by the Unione Italiana dei Ciechi e degli Ipovedenti (UICI) to deliver training, rehabilitation, and assistive technology services for people with visual disabilities. Headquartered at Via Borgognona 38 in Rome, the organization operates a national headquarters plus 20 regional and provincial territorial offices covering all of Italy, with a 24-person staff and statutory recognition under Italian Law 23 September 1993 which provides an annual parliamentary contribution. Its core technology assets consist of two platforms: (1) EDICO, a proprietary scientific editor software adapted from ONCE Spain via UICI, which enables blind users to create and edit mathematics, physics, and chemistry content through synchronized linear, graphic, and Braille output modes with NVDA and JAWS screen reader integration; and (2) a Moodle-based e-Learning platform at training.irifor.eu providing distance learning courses. The organization also maintains seven National Professional Registries (Albi) covering computer instructors, accessibility experts, typhlological scientists, communication assistants, orientation/mobility instructors, aquatic rehabilitation therapists, and Braille transcribers, with over 1,000 registered professionals.

Name

I.Ri.Fo.R. Onlus

Legal name

I.RI.FO.R. ONLUS

Website

https://irifor.eu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1991

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

I.Ri.Fo.R. is an Italian nonprofit founded in 1991 by UICI that provides training, rehabilitation, assistive technology, and professional registries for people with visual disabilities across all 20 Italian regions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Disability Rehabilitation and Training Services

NAICS

Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (62412), Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (624120), Educational Support Services (611710), Educational Services (611), Vocational Rehabilitation Services (62431)

SIC

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

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAGALAM

Disability Services & Assistive Solutions (Accessibility, Assistive Tech)

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Social Enterprises & Impact Organizations

SECONDARYEDALAGAB

Assistive Technology (AT) & Accessible Learning Tools

Education/Student Services & Campus Operations/Disability Services & Accessibility

SECONDARYEDAKAIAD

Computer Access & Alternative Input (Switch, Eye Gaze, Head/Mouse, Keyboards)

Education/Special Education & Learning Support Services/Assistive Technology (AT) Assessment, Devices & Training

SECONDARYEDAKAIAJ

AT Funding, Procurement & Compliance Support (IEP/504 Documentation)

Education/Special Education & Learning Support Services/Assistive Technology (AT) Assessment, Devices & Training

SECONDARYEDAGAEAJ

Special Education & Accessibility-Optimized Digital Content

Education/Educational Publishing & Learning Content/Digital Learning Content & eLearning Modules

SECONDARYEDALAFAN

Accessibility, Accommodations & Assistive Services

Education/Student Services & Campus Operations/Student Health, Counseling & Wellness Services

Keywords

• Visual disability rehabilitation
• Assistive technology training
• Professional disability courses
• Blind and low vision support
• Nonprofit rehabilitation services

Headquarters

HQ city

Rome

HQ country

Italy

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Public Funding: Annual contribution recognized by the Italian Parliament via law 23 September 1993, providing ongoing public financial support to the organization.
2. Course Fees: Revenue from professional training courses, such as the teacher training course at €150 per participant, with some courses payable via the national Carta del Docente teacher voucher system.
3. Project Grants (Bandi): Competitive grant programs funding specific initiatives for visual disability services. Budgets include €200,000 for early intervention, €100,000 for assistive technology courses, €100,000 for caregiver training, €55,000 for parent support programs, and €200,000 for youth autonomy programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

I.Ri.Fo.R. Onlus is an Italian nonprofit institute that designs and delivers research, training, and rehabilitation services for people with visual disabilities. It operates the EDICO scientific editor software, a Moodle-based e-learning platform, an annual program of competitive grants (Bandi) covering early intervention, assistive technology, caregiver and parent support, and youth autonomy, plus seven national professional registries (Albi) of qualified specialists such as braille transcribers, orientation and mobility instructors, and accessibility experts.

Product overview

I.Ri.Fo.R. Onlus operates as a multi-service organization for visual disability, offering technology-based products, training programs, and professional registries. Its primary technology product is EDICO, a scientific editor enabling blind users to work with mathematical and scientific content. The organization also runs a Moodle-based e-Learning platform (training.irifor.eu) offering structured distance learning courses. Complementing these are approximately 20+ specialized grant programs (Bandi) covering assistive technology training, early intervention, parent support, caregiver training, and recreational stays, plus 7 National Professional Registries (Albi) for specialized personnel in typhlo-informatics, accessibility, typhlology, communication assistance, orientation/mobility instruction, aquatic rehabilitation, and Braille transcription. The e-Learning platform and EDICO software are the most directly technology-integrated products, while the Bandi and Albi represent the organization's service portfolio.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• EDICO: Scientific editor software for blind users that allows management and modification of scientific content in mathematics, physics, and chemistry in an accessible format. Originally developed by ONCE (Spain) and brought to Italy by UICI through I.Ri.Fo.R.
• IRIFOR e-Learning

Products and services

• EDICO Scientific Editor
• Edico Eserciziario
• IRIFOR e-Learning Platform (Moodle)
• Corsi di Introduzione alle Tecnologie Assistive

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 1,000 professionals registered across 7 national professional registries (Albi professionali)
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration26 records

AI capability3 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• Unione Italiana dei Ciechi e degli Ipovedenti (UICI)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 February 1991Parent organization that established IRIFOR on 22 February 1991. UICI is the main Italian union for blind and partially sighted people, providing institutional framework and territorial section network across Italy that IRIFOR works with for local service delivery.
• Istituto dei Ciechi Francesco CavazzacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBologna-based institute hosting IRIFOR residential training courses. Collaborates on assistive technology and serves as a key operational partner for teacher training programs in Northern Italy.
• IAPB Italia ETS (Agenzia Internazionale per la Prevenzione della Cecità)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational Agency for the Prevention of Blindness - Italian section. Works on blindness prevention initiatives and visual health awareness programs.
• ONCE (Organización Nacional de Ciegos Españoles)majorTechnology or IntegrationSpanish National Organization of the Blind. Original developer of EDICO scientific editor software, which was adapted for Italy through UICI and IRIFOR. Represents a cross-border technology transfer partnership in assistive technology.
• Centro Regionale Helen KellermajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational Guide Dog School and Pole for Autonomy in Messina. Collaborates with IRIFOR on guide dog training programs and summer stays, including the annual 'Insieme sullo Stretto' event.
• Biblioteca Italiana per i Ciechi Regina MargheritacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerItalian Library for the Blind - Regina Margherita. Provides accessible reading materials and collaborates on braille transcription and accessible publication initiatives.
• Stamperia Regionale BraillemajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRegional Braille Printing House. Produces and distributes braille materials for visually impaired users in Italy, supporting IRIFOR's accessible materials needs.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves13 records

Expansion highlights10 records

Direct peers

• Unione Italiana dei Ciechi e degli Ipovedenti (UICI): Parent organization and most direct peer: UICI is the Italian national union for blind and partially sighted people that founded IRIFOR in 1991 and provides the institutional and territorial network IRIFOR operates within. Both serve overlapping visual disability constituencies with complementary service mandates.
• CNIB (Canadian National Institute for the Blind): Canada's primary sight-loss organization delivering rehabilitation, assistive technology, training, and advocacy nationwide—directly comparable to IRIFOR in scope and service mix, though operating in a different national context.
• ONCE (Organización Nacional de Ciegos Españoles): Spanish National Organization of the Blind—the closest international peer given its national scope, public funding model, and role as original developer of the EDICO scientific editor software that IRIFOR adapted for Italy. Operates a directly comparable research, training, and rehabilitation mandate for the Spanish visually impaired population.
• Lighthouse Guild: US organization providing integrated vision and behavioral health services, including assistive technology, rehabilitation, and professional education for the visually impaired—comparable service profile in a different geography.
• RNIB (Royal National Institute of Blind People): UK's leading charity for people with sight loss, providing assistive technology training, professional services, and rehabilitation across a national footprint—directly comparable to IRIFOR's service portfolio, including AT courses, professional registries, and specialized training programs.
• AFB (American Foundation for the Blind): US national nonprofit serving people with vision loss through research, advocacy, professional development, and accessible technology resources—a structurally analogous organization to IRIFOR with similar research-and-rehabilitation mission for the visually impaired.
• Centro Regionale Helen Keller: Italian guide dog school and autonomy pole explicitly partnering with IRIFOR. Operates in the same Italian visual disability ecosystem with overlapping services around guide dog training, personal autonomy, and summer programs.
• IAPB Italia ETS (International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness - Italy): Italian section of the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness, an explicit IRIFOR partner. Operates in the same Italian visual disability space with overlapping awareness, prevention, and education programming.
• Istituto dei Ciechi Francesco Cavazza: Bologna-based institute for the blind hosting IRIFOR residential teacher-training courses and collaborating on assistive technology. Operates overlapping services for visually impaired Italians, including rehabilitation, education, and assistive tech training, making it IRIFOR's most operationally similar Italian peer.

Regional players

• Vision Australia: Australia's largest provider of blindness and low-vision services, offering assistive technology, training, and rehabilitation in a different geography but with a directly comparable service mix and national mandate for visual disability services.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/irifor
• Facebookfacebook.com/Irifor.sede.centrale
• Instagraminstagram.com/iriforpresidenzanazionale
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/irifor-presidenza-nazionale

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 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 I.Ri.Fo.R. Onlus