Xnet

What Xnet does

Xnet (Instituto para la Digitalización Democrática) is a Barcelona-based nonprofit organization founded in 2008 by Simona Levi. It operates as a civil society organization focused on digital rights, anti-corruption, and democratic digitalization, rather than a commercial technology vendor. Its core product is BuzonXnet (XnetLeaks), an anonymous whistleblower reporting channel powered by the GlobaLeaks open-source platform, which has been adopted by Spain's Consejo de Estado (the highest consultive body of the Spanish government), the Generalitat de Catalunya, the Ajuntament de Barcelona, and approximately 200 additional public institutions distributed through the Administració Oberta de Catalunya (AOC) consortium. The organization's credibility was established through the 15Mparato initiative, where its whistleblower channel contributed to the conviction of 65 executives and politicians in the Bankia case.

Xnet's secondary product line is the DD (Digital Democratic) platform for education, an open-source software suite integrating Nextcloud, Moodle, WordPress, BigBlueButton, Jitsi, and Etherpad to provide privacy-respecting alternatives to Google Workspace and Microsoft 365 for schools. A pilot deployment is underway at Barcelona City Council since 2021. The organization also delivers a biennial postgraduate program, 'Tecnopolítica y Derechos en la Era Digital,' at the University of Barcelona through the IL3 continuing education platform, with 15 ECTS credits and tuition of €1,870 per student. Faculty includes representatives from noyb, Civio, AiForensics, and the Digital Freedom Fund.

Xnet's revenue model relies primarily on public grants from Spanish and Catalan institutions (Ajuntament de Barcelona, Generalitat de Catalunya, Àrea Metropolitana de Barcelona) plus a small grant from the Andrew Wainwright Reform Trust. The whistleblower service is provided free to public institutions; the only priced commercial offering is the university postgraduate program. The organization is not VC- or PE-backed, maintains a headcount of approximately 11 employees, and is actively engaged in EU-level digital rights advocacy through membership in the Liberties EU network.

Name

Xnet

Legal name

Xnet - Instituto para la digitalización democrática

Website

https://xnet-x.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Xnet is a Barcelona-based nonprofit founded in 2008 that provides anonymous whistleblower infrastructure (BuzonXnet), open-source education software, and a university postgraduate program in technopolitics to Spanish and Catalan public institutions and civil society.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Digital Rights Advocacy and Civic Technology

NAICS

Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services (5182), Web Search Portals and All Other Information Services (51929)

SIC

Services-Computer Programming, Data Processing, Etc. (7370), Communications Services, Nec (4899)

akta.pro primary industry

Social Media & Community Moderation (BPAAALAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Model Transparency, Explainability & Interpretability (XAI) (HDAAAMAB)

Keywords

• Whistleblower protection platforms
• Digital rights advocacy
• Open source education software
• Anti-corruption reporting systems
• Civic technology nonprofit

Headquarters

HQ city

Barcelona

HQ country

Spain

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

Revenue model

1. Institutional Grants and Subsidies: Xnet receives funding from public institutions for cultural and social activities. Sources include Barcelona City Council (Ajuntament de Barcelona), Catalan Government (Generalitat de Catalunya), and Area Metropolitana de Barcelona (AMB). Also received Andrew Wainwright Reform Trust grant.
2. University Postgraduate Program: Xnet directs the Posgrado en Tecnopolitica y Derechos en la Era Digital at University of Barcelona through IL3. Revenue comes from student tuition fees (1870€ per student for 15 ECTS credits).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Xnet (Instituto para la Digitalización Democrática) operates secure anonymous whistleblower channels (Buzón de Xnet / XnetLeaks) for public institutions, delivered as a free open-source service built on GlobaLeaks. It also provides the DD (Digital Democratic) open-source software suite for educational centers, integrating Nextcloud, Moodle, WordPress, BigBlue Button, Jitsi, and Etherpad as privacy-respecting alternatives to corporate platforms. The organization additionally runs a paid postgraduate program in Technopolitics at the University of Barcelona and publishes research on disinformation and data privacy.

Product overview

Xnet (Instituto para la digitalización democrática) is a digital rights organization that functions as an institute rather than a traditional software company. Its offerings consist of policy-oriented products and services including: the Buzón de Xnet (XnetLeaks), an anonymous whistleblower reporting platform powered by GlobaLeaks that has been adopted by the Council of State and hundreds of Spanish and Catalan institutions; the DD tool for Education, a comprehensive open-source software suite integrating Nextcloud, Moodle, WordPress, BigBlue Button, Jitsi, and Etherpad for privacy-respecting school digitalization; the Postgraduate Degree in Technopolitics and Rights in the Digital Era at the University of Barcelona; and several research publications including the #FakeYou disinformation report and the Datos por Liebre privacy legislative report.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• BuzonXnet: Anonymous and secure whistleblower channel powered by GlobaLeaks for reporting corruption and systemic abuses
• Posgrado en Tecnopolítica
• DD - Herramienta de Digitalización Democrática

Products and services

• Buzón de Xnet (XnetLeaks) Anonymous and secure whistleblower reporting channel powered by GlobaLeaks, enabling citizens to report corruption and systemic abuses to public institutions while maintaining anonymity. Adopted by the Consejo de Estado, Generalitat de Catalunya, Ajuntament de Barcelona, Antifrau Catalunya, and over 200 municipalities through the AOC distribution network.
• DD (Digital Democratic) Tool for Education An integral open-source software suite for democratic digitalization of educational centers, integrating Nextcloud, Moodle, WordPress, BigBlue Button, Jitsi, and Etherpad. Provides privacy-respecting, auditable alternatives to proprietary platforms like Google Workspace or Microsoft 365 for schools and educational institutions.
• Postgraduate Degree in Technopolitics and Rights in the Digital Era University postgraduate program directed by Simona Levi and Cristina Ribas at the University of Barcelona through the IL3 continuing education platform. Provides 15 ECTS credits of training in strategic action, digital rights, network dynamics, governance, and democratic digitalization, with tuition of €1870 per student. Open to graduates and non-graduates.
• Hazte Banquero (Become a Banker) Theatrical Production Theatrical production recounting the real story of the Bankia case, Caja Madrid Black Cards scandal, and the corruption trial that led to convictions of 65 executives and politicians, including former IMF Director Rodrigo Rato. Used as an awareness and advocacy tool.

Quantifiable outcome

• 65 Bankia executives and politicians convicted in corruption case driven by Xnet's 15Mparato initiative
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.

• GlobaLeakscoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2014Xnet uses the GlobaLeaks open-source platform as the technical foundation for their BuzonXnet anonymous whistleblowing channels. GlobaLeaks provides the secure, anonymous submission infrastructure that powers institutional whistleblower systems. Xnet has been a pioneer in implementing this technology for anti-corruption purposes in Spain and Europe.
• University of Barcelona (IL3)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerXnet directs the university postgraduate program 'Tecnopolítica y Derechos en la Era Digital' at the University of Barcelona through their IL3 continuing education platform. This is a biennial program with academic accreditation (15 ECTS).
• Liberties EU NetworkflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerXnet is a member of the Liberties EU network, a civil liberties organization operating across European Union member states. This membership enables coordinated advocacy on digital rights and democratic digitalization at the EU level.
• Administració Oberta de Catalunya (AOC)flagshipChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThe Catalan public consortium AOC distributes Xnet's whistleblowing model to approximately 200 public institutions across Catalonia, significantly expanding reach and institutional adoption of the secure anonymous reporting system.
• AiForensicscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAiForensics is a faculty member for Xnet's postgraduate program, providing expertise on discovering digital rights violations and shaping regulatory policy enforcement.
• Civio (Fundación Ciudadana Civio)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCivio, the citizen transparency foundation, serves as faculty for the postgraduate program, contributing expertise on monitoring public institutions and transparency in government.
• noyb (None of Your Business)coreStrategic or Co-development Partnernoyb, the European privacy litigation organization co-founded by Max Schrems, participates as faculty for the postgraduate program, providing expertise on strategic litigation and data protection enforcement.
• Digital Freedom Fund (DFF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDigital Freedom Fund supports strategic litigation to protect digital rights in Europe and participates as faculty for Xnet's educational programs.
• Ajuntament de BarcelonacoreOthersBarcelona City Council has provided financial support through cultural activity grants and collaborated on pilot programs including the Digital Democratic Education initiative and first institutional whistleblowing channel implementation.
• Generalitat de CatalunyacoreOthersCatalan regional government has provided financial support through cultural activity grants and installed three different whistleblowing channels using Xnet's secure anonymous model.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• AlgorithmWatch: European non-profit focused on AI accountability and algorithmic governance. Highly comparable to Xnet's recent AI Act amendment work and democratic digitalization advocacy, though focused specifically on AI rather than broader digital rights.

Broad incumbents

• NAVEX Global: Largest commercial provider of ethics, compliance, and whistleblower hotline solutions (EthicsPoint). Overlaps directly with Xnet's BuzonXnet in the institutional whistleblower channel market but operates a full commercial SaaS model at much larger scale.
• EQS Group (Integrity Line): Commercial whistleblower and compliance SaaS provider with dedicated EU public-sector offerings. Competes for the same institutional whistleblower channel mandates that Xnet addresses through AOC distribution in Catalonia.

Direct peers

• Tactical Tech: International civil society organization working on digital rights, data privacy, and democratic technology. Operates as a non-profit advocacy and training organization in the same space as Xnet, including open-source education and policy engagement.
• SpeakUp (People Intouch): Whistleblower hotline and case management provider used by European public bodies. Directly comparable offering for anonymous institutional reporting channels, with more commercial focus than Xnet's civil-society model.
• SecureDrop (Freedom of the Press Foundation): Open-source whistleblower submission system used by newsrooms and NGOs. Closely comparable technology stack and mission to Xnet's BuzonXnet, though focused on journalist-mediated disclosure rather than institutional reporting channels.
• GlobaLeaks: Open-source whistleblowing platform that powers Xnet's BuzonXnet. Directly comparable as both operate anonymous reporting infrastructure used by public institutions and civil society organizations, though GlobaLeaks is the upstream technology provider.
• noyb (None of Your Business): European privacy litigation organization co-founded by Max Schrems, and Xnet postgraduate faculty partner. Operates in adjacent European digital-rights advocacy and strategic litigation space, with comparable EU-level policy influence.
• Access Now: Global digital rights organization with EU policy engagement on whistleblower protection, AI governance, and digital sovereignty. Operates at broader geographic scale but in directly comparable civil-society digital-rights advocacy territory.

Peers

• Civio (Fundación Ciudadana Civio): Spanish transparency and digital rights foundation, named faculty partner for Xnet's postgraduate program. Operates in the same Spanish transparency/digital-rights advocacy space and serves overlapping institutional and citizen audiences.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/X_net_
• YouTubeivoox.com/perfil-xnet_a8_listener_25454903_1.html
• Facebookfacebook.com/RedX.Net
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/xnet-instituto-digitalizaci%C3%B3n-democr%C3%A1tica

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 Xnet