WITAF - Seit 1865 im Dienste der Gehörlosen

What WITAF - Seit 1865 im Dienste der Gehörlosen does

WITAF (Wiener Taubstummen-Fürsorgeverein), legally registered as a non-profit Austrian association (Verein) under the name 'WITAF - Seit 1865 im Dienste der Gehörlosen', was founded in 1865 and is headquartered at Kleine Pfarrgasse 33, 1020 Vienna, with a secondary office at Rueppgasse 11, 1020 Vienna. The organization serves deaf, severely hard-of-hearing, and cochlear-implant users across Vienna and Lower Austria through a portfolio organized around five pillars: (1) sign-language interpretation services (Dolmetschorganisation) for workplaces, educational institutions, and public services; (2) Austrian Sign Language (ÖGS) courses at A1-A2 levels plus intensive summer courses; (3) multi-domain counseling covering social issues, employment law, psychological support, and corporate advising for employers; (4) the Mediathek, a media library housing the Österreichisches Archiv der Gehörlosen Geschichte (Austrian Archive of Deaf History) plus analog and digitized historical films; and (5) an events program spanning cultural events, club evenings, youth meetings, senior programs, and the upcoming CODA Camp 2027.

WITAF's underlying technology layer is light: its digital stack consists of Vimeo for video hosting, MailChimp for newsletter distribution, edoobox for course booking, webcal/iCal feeds for calendar subscription, and a WordPress-based website (witaf.at). Core service delivery is human-driven — all staff are gebärdensprachkompetent (sign-language competent) — and the Mediathek functions as a content archive rather than a data or ML system. The video production capability supports both educational Vorträge and International Sign content (e.g., for Ukrainian deaf refugees).

The revenue model combines four streams: (a) NEBA-funded government contracts for Arbeitsassistenz, Jobcoaching, and youth coaching delivered free to clients; (b) ÖGS course fees at €270 (non-members) / €240 (members) per 18-hour course; (c) recurring membership fees; and (d) tax-deductible donations under registered spendenbegünstigte Einrichtung status (SO-33164). The organization is governed by a Vorstand chaired by Manfred Schütz, with two Geschäftsführerinnen (Eva Theresa Böhm and Sabine Peck-Unger), and operates with 14 employees across two Vienna locations plus a dedicated Arbeitsassistenz NÖ resource for Lower Austria.

Name

WITAF - Seit 1865 im Dienste der Gehörlosen

Legal name

WITAF - Seit 1865 im Dienste der Gehörlosen

Website

https://witaf.at

Company type

Private

Founded year

1865

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

WITAF is a Vienna-based non-profit association founded in 1865 serving deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals in Austria through sign-language interpretation, ÖGS courses, social and employment counseling, and a historical media archive. It operates with 14 staff across two Vienna offices plus Lower Austria, funded by NEBA government contracts, course fees, memberships, and tax-deductible donations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Disability and Community Support Services

NAICS

Business Associations (813910), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813), Educational Support Services (611710), Educational Services (611), Translation and Interpretation Services (54193), Language Schools (611630)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Disability Services & Assistive Solutions (Accessibility, Assistive Tech) (BPAGALAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Note-Taking, Interpreting & Communication Access Services (EDALAGAD), Sign Language Learning Programs (ASL/BSL, etc.) (EDAMAFAM), Special Education, Disability Support & Inclusive Education Nonprofits (BPAGADAH), Special Education & Accessibility-Optimized Media (UDL, AAC, Captioning) (EDAGALAH)

Keywords

• Deaf community services
• Sign language interpretation
• Social counseling
• Vocational assistance
• Cultural heritage archive

Headquarters

HQ city

Vienna

HQ country

Austria

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: Annual membership fees providing club benefits including discounted course prices (€240 vs €270 for ÖGS courses)
2. ÖGS Language Courses: Austrian Sign Language (ÖGS) courses at various levels (A1.1, A1.2, A2.2) priced at €270 for non-members and €240 for members, plus intensive summer courses
3. Donations: WITAF is registered as a donation-eligible institution (spendenbegünstigte Einrichtung) in the Austrian Finance Ministry list. Accepts tax-deductible donations with specific reference details required.
4. Government-Funded Social Services: NEBA-funded projects including Arbeitsassistenz (job assistance), Jobcoaching, and youth coaching for deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals, provided free to clients

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

WITAF is a Vienna-based nonprofit association providing comprehensive services to the deaf and hard-of-hearing community in Austria, including social and employment counseling, Austrian Sign Language (ÖGS) courses, sign language interpreting organization services, a media library with the Austrian Archive of Deaf History, and community events. The organization is funded through membership fees, course tuition, tax-deductible donations, and government NEBA program funding.

Product overview

WITAF is a Vienna-based nonprofit association established in 1865 serving the deaf and hard-of-hearing community. The organization offers a comprehensive portfolio of services organized around five core pillars: (1) Sign Language Interpreting Services (Dolmetschorganisation), (2) ÖGS Language Courses at A1-A2 levels for hearing and deaf individuals, (3) Multi-faceted Counseling covering social, employment, and corporate domains, (4) Media Library (Mediathek) including the Austrian Archive of Deaf History, and (5) Events Program featuring cultural activities, youth gatherings, senior programs, and CODA camps. The product portfolio is service-oriented, non-digital, and focuses on community integration, education, and accessibility for deaf Austrians and their families.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ÖGS Kurse: Austrian Sign Language (ÖGS) courses offered at various levels (A1.1, A1.2, A2.2) for hearing and deaf individuals.
• Arbeitsassistenz
• Mediathek

Products and services

• ÖGS Sprachkurse (Austrian Sign Language Courses)

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Kultursommer WiencoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 9 August 2026WITAF cooperation with Kultursommer Wien to provide concerts with sign language performance (Gebärdensprachperformance) and ÖGS interpreters. Events include performances by Mwita Mataro & Band (Aug 9) and RUBIN (Aug 16) at venues across Vienna.
• NEBA (Netzwerk Berufliche Assistenz)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWITAF serves as a NEBA service provider offering Arbeitsassistenz (job assistance), Jobcoaching, and youth coaching programs for deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals in Vienna and Lower Austria. Services are funded through the NEBA network.
• WUK KinderKulturminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCommunity collaboration for children's cultural workshops (Comic and Manga drawing) with sign language interpretation as part of WIENXTRA-Ferienspiel summer program.
• Belvedere 21minorGTM or Marketing PartnerInclusive art workshop series 'Total skulptural!' for families with hearing and deaf adults and children, using voice and sign language (ÖGS) with sculpting activities.
• Österreichische Nationalbibliothek (Austrian National Library)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerJoint organization of guided tours of the Papyrus Museum with ÖGS interpretation, making cultural heritage accessible to the deaf community.
• Fonds Soziales Wien (FSW)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on 'Fit für Demokratie' (Democracy Training) event as part of Inklusives Wien 2030 initiative, with sign language interpretation and accessibility support.
• Arbeitsmarktservice (AMS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWITAF supports deaf job seekers in navigating AMS services, accompanying them to appointments and assisting with job search, interview preparation, and workplace integration.
• AK Wien and AK NiederösterreichminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEducation voucher (Bildungsgutschein) programs for AK members to subsidize ÖGS language course fees.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves1 record

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Caritas Österreich: Austria's largest nonprofit social-services provider; a broad incumbent operating in adjacent disability, social-counseling, and refugee-support spaces, competing for the same NEBA/government funding pool and donor attention as WITAF.
• Diakonie Österreich: Austrian Protestant welfare federation offering disability services, counseling, and employment support; broad incumbent that competes for NEBA/AMS contracts and corporate training mandates in the same disability-employment category.

Others

• Aktion Mensch e.V. Germany's largest social lottery/funding nonprofit for disability inclusion; relevant as a peer funder and ecosystem player financing disability-advocacy and accessibility projects in the DACH region where WITAF operates.
• European Union of the Deaf (EUD): EU-level federation representing national deaf associations; relevant peer as a higher-tier umbrella body that WITAF-ÖGLB-style organizations feed into, providing policy advocacy and sign-language rights frameworks across Europe.
• World Federation of the Deaf (WFD): Global deaf-rights federation coordinating national associations worldwide; relevant as the international umbrella framing sign-language rights and human-rights advocacy that underpins Austrian nonprofit deaf-service work.
• Bundesarbeitsgemeinschaft der Integrationsämter und Hauptfürsorgestellen (BIH): German federal-state coordination body for disability-employment integration; relevant as a structural peer organizing workplace-inclusion services that WITAF delivers through NEBA/AMS in Austria.

Direct peers

• Österreichischer Gehörlosenbund (ÖGLB): Austrian national umbrella federation for deaf associations; directly comparable as a peer deaf-advocacy nonprofit operating across Austria, providing advocacy, community programs, and sign-language services for the same constituency WITAF serves.
• Deutscher Gehörlosen-Bund: Germany's national deaf federation; a direct peer in mission (deaf advocacy, sign-language promotion, community services), with comparable offerings in counseling, events, and cultural programming, although operating in a larger German market.

Regional players

• Gehörlosenverband München und Umland e.V. Regional Bavarian deaf association providing social counseling, interpreting coordination, and community events for the local deaf population; directly comparable in service mix but operating in a different German-speaking region.

Emerging players

• signtime GmbH / Online-Dolmetschen Plattformen (e.g., signtime): Emerging video-remote sign-language interpretation platforms serving the DACH market; relevant as a digital emerging player beginning to compete with traditional interpreting organizations like WITAF's Dolmetschorganisation.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/witaf

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about WITAF - Seit 1865 im Dienste der Gehörlosen