Center for Democracy and Technology

Name

Center for Democracy and Technology

Legal name

Center for Democracy and Technology

Website

https://cdt.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Digital Rights Policy Advocacy

NAICS

Human Rights Organizations (813311), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133), Political Organizations (813940)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Digital Rights, Privacy & Free Expression Advocacy (BPAGAFAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Civil Liberties & Constitutional Rights Advocacy (BPAGAFAA), Media Freedom, Access to Information & Digital Rights (BPADAGAE), Public Communications, Transparency & Open Government (BPAIAAAH), Democratic Governance & Public Administration Reform (BPADAGAJ), Democracy, Voting Rights & Civic Participation Advocacy (BPAGAFAJ)

Keywords

• Digital rights advocacy
• Technology policy research
• AI governance policy
• Privacy policy advocacy
• Internet freedom advocacy

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donations and Grants: CDT operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization receiving support from philanthropic foundations, companies, individuals, and court settlements ('cy pres' awards). Financial supporters have no role in decision-making regarding policy or company oversight.
2. Events and Programs: CDT generates revenue through signature events including an annual Tech Prom benefit that raised over $1 million and Spring Fling gatherings.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Center for Democracy and Technology is a nonprofit policy advocacy and research organization that works to advance civil rights and civil liberties in the digital age. It produces original research, convenes multistakeholder coalitions, and directly advocates before U.S. and European policymakers on issues including AI governance, privacy, encryption, free expression, government surveillance, and elections. Its deliverables include policy analysis, regulatory comments, amicus briefs, coalition letters, research reports, and public education content.

Product overview

Center for Democracy and Technology is a nonprofit policy advocacy organization, not a commercial technology product company. CDT's offerings consist of research publications, policy analysis resources, advocacy initiatives, and collaborative working groups rather than a unified software product or platform. The organization operates through its CDT AI Governance Lab (which develops policy solutions for AI regulation), CDT Research (which produces original research on technology policy), and various coalitions and initiatives including the Global Encryption Coalition (430+ members across 105 countries) and the Task Force on Protecting Reproductive Health Info (30+ members). CDT also produces content through its Tech Talks podcast (70,300+ lifetime plays) and maintains the CDT AI Policy Tracker, a searchable database of their AI-related policy positions. These offerings are informational and advocacy-focused rather than commercial software products, and there are no product integrations, APIs, or commercial product launches.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• CDT AI Governance Lab: Develops and promotes adoption of robust, technically-informed solutions for the effective regulation and governance of AI systems
• CDT Research
• CDT Europe

Products and services

• CDT AI Policy Tracker A searchable public database archiving CDT's AI-related policy positions, prior stances, and common thematic content to support AI governance researchers, policymakers, and the public.
• Tech Talks Podcast A long-standing podcast discussing tech and Internet policy issues, available on major podcast platforms with 70,300+ lifetime plays; aimed at policymakers, journalists, and the informed public.
• CDT AI Governance Lab A specialized policy unit developing and promoting technically-informed solutions for AI regulation and governance, providing public interest expertise in AI policy and technical conversations.
• CDT Research A research team producing original, peer-reviewed scholarship and policy briefs on technology policy, bridging academic research and policymaking.
• Global Encryption Coalition A CDT-coordinated civil society coalition of 430+ member organizations across 105 countries focused on encryption policy and rapid response to encryption threats.
• Task Force on Protecting Reproductive Health Info A multistakeholder task force of 30+ experts from tech companies, academia, and civil rights organizations identifying ways to protect the privacy and access to information for people seeking reproductive health care.

Quantifiable outcome

• 430+ organizations across 105 countries participate in CDT-coordinated Global Encryption Coalition
• +2 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 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 flagship, core and minor.

• Center on Democracy, Development and the Rule of Law (CDDRL) at StanfordflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 May 2026Stanford's CDDRL has entered into a new partnership with the Journal of Democracy, under which CDDRL will support production of the Journal's quarterly print issues and expanding digital content. The partnership gives Stanford faculty formal roles in shaping the Journal's editorial direction and creates new editorial internships for students.
• Cornell Global AI InitiativeflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 30 April 2026CDT and Cornell Global AI Initiative submitted joint comments to the UN's first Global Dialogue on AI Governance calling for meaningful investment into linguistic diversity in AI systems. The partnership produces research and policy recommendations on multilingual AI governance.
• Global Encryption Coalition MemberscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 April 2026More than 20 civil society organizations including CDT and members of the Global Encryption Coalition are urging the Canadian government to withdraw Bill C-22, arguing encryption backdoors cannot be created without compromising privacy and security.
• Consortium for Constituents with DisabilitiesminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 March 2026CDT, as a member of the Consortium for Constituents with Disabilities, joined over 25 disability rights and justice organizations in signing letters to the U.S. House and Senate requesting funding for Assistive Technology (AT) Act Programs.
• Software & Information Industry Association (SIIA)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 March 2026CDT joined with SIIA and Americans for Prosperity in sending a separate letter to the U.S. House Committee on Energy and Commerce warning that proposed age verification methods create unprecedented privacy and constitutional risks.
• Brookings InstitutionflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 January 2026Brookings Institution and CDT hosted a public discussion on global AI governance ahead of the India AI Impact Summit, presenting findings from a report assessing the Hiroshima AI Process (HAIP) Reporting Framework.
• Task Force on Protecting Reproductive Health InfocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 July 2022CDT-convened multistakeholder group of 30+ experts representing tech companies, academia, and civil rights and privacy organizations aimed at identifying ways to protect the privacy and access to information of people seeking reproductive health care. Includes representatives from major technology companies, ACLU, Brennan Center for Justice, EFF, and reproductive justice experts.
• Global Encryption CoalitioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCDT coordinates the Global Encryption Coalition with 430+ member organizations across 105 countries helping to respond rapidly to emerging threats to encryption. CDT serves as the coordinating organization for this civil society coalition focused on encryption policy.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Brookings Institution: Brookings is a major public policy think tank that conducts research on technology, AI governance, and democratic institutions. It has co-hosted events with CDT and produces overlapping scholarship on tech policy and AI.
• American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU): ACLU is a broad-based civil liberties organization that litigates and advocates across digital rights, free speech, and privacy. It is a much larger incumbent overlapping significantly with CDT's mission and even co-participates in coalitions like the reproductive health task force.

Direct peers

• Internet Society (ISOC): ISOC is a global nonprofit advocating for an open, globally-connected, and secure internet. Its work on encryption, internet standards, and digital inclusion parallels CDT's Open Internet and encryption advocacy.
• Mozilla Foundation: Mozilla Foundation advocates for a healthy internet through research, advocacy, and grants on issues like trustworthy AI, privacy, and platform regulation. Its focus on internet health and AI governance is highly comparable to CDT's AI Governance Lab and Open Internet work.
• AI Now Institute: AI Now Institute is a research institute examining the social implications of artificial intelligence and producing policy research. Its focus on AI governance and accountability overlaps directly with CDT's AI Governance Lab.
• Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF): EFF is a leading nonprofit defending civil liberties in the digital world, working on privacy, free expression, and encryption policy. Like CDT, it engages in litigation, policy advocacy, and coalition-building on digital rights issues, making it a direct peer in advocacy focus and target audience.
• Future of Privacy Forum (FPF): FPF is a nonprofit focused on privacy and data protection policy, producing research and convening stakeholders. It overlaps with CDT's privacy and AI governance work and similarly engages with regulators and corporate policy teams.
• New America’s Open Technology Institute (OTI): OTI is a policy program that works on issues including net neutrality, encryption, and surveillance reform. As a digital rights think tank within a larger foundation, it is highly comparable in advocacy focus and policy output to CDT.
• Access Now: Access Now is an international digital rights organization that defends and extends the digital rights of users at risk. Its policy and advocacy work on encryption, AI governance, and platform regulation closely mirrors CDT's transatlantic agenda.

Others

• National Association of Broadcasters / Stanford CDDRL (Journal of Democracy partner): Stanford CDDRL partners with the Journal of Democracy on democratic governance research. It is adjacent rather than directly competitive, but shares thematic overlap with CDT's elections and democracy work through institutional partnership.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses6 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CenDemTech
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/67669
• Facebookfacebook.com/CenDemTech

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles18 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors2 records

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Center for Democracy and Technology