Center for Democracy and Technology
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1994
- HeadquartersWashington, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
Center for Democracy and Technology firmographics
Firmographics- 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
Center for Democracy and Technology industry classification
Industry- 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
Where Center for Democracy and Technology is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Washington
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Center for Democracy and Technology business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- 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.
- 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
Center for Democracy and Technology product offering
Product offeringCore 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
Companies that use Center for Democracy and Technology
Customer profileSegments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Center for Democracy and Technology technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Center for Democracy and Technology partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.
- Center on Democracy, Development and the Rule of Law (CDDRL) at StanfordflagshipStanford'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 InitiativeflagshipCDT 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 MemberscoreMore 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 DisabilitiesminorCDT, 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)minorCDT 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 InstitutionflagshipBrookings 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 InfocoreCDT-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 CoalitioncoreCDT 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
Center for Democracy and Technology competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad 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
Center for Democracy and Technology social profiles
Digital presenceCenter for Democracy and Technology financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Center for Democracy and Technology leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles18 records
Center for Democracy and Technology subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Center for Democracy and Technology funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds2 records
Investors2 records
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Center for Democracy and Technology M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Center for Democracy and Technology
What does Center for Democracy and Technology do?
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.
Is Center for Democracy and Technology a public or private company?
Center for Democracy and Technology is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Center for Democracy and Technology founded?
Center for Democracy and Technology was founded in 1994. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Center for Democracy and Technology based?
Center for Democracy and Technology is headquartered in Washington, United States, in the North America region.
How does Center for Democracy and Technology make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Donations and Grants are the primary driver. The others are events and Programs.
Who are Center for Democracy and Technology's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Brookings Institution and American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). Direct peers are Internet Society (ISOC), Mozilla Foundation, AI Now Institute, Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), Future of Privacy Forum (FPF), New America’s Open Technology Institute (OTI) and Access Now. National Association of Broadcasters / Stanford CDDRL (Journal of Democracy partner) is listed as an others.
Does Center for Democracy and Technology have an API?
No public API is recorded for Center for Democracy and Technology.
What industry is Center for Democracy and Technology in?
Center for Democracy and Technology's product category is Digital Rights Policy Advocacy. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAFAL, Digital Rights, Privacy & Free Expression Advocacy, with a secondary code of BPAGAFAA, Civil Liberties & Constitutional Rights Advocacy. Its NAICS code is 813311 and its SIC code is 8600.