Institute for Development Impact

What Institute for Development Impact does

Institute for Development Impact (I4DI) is a Washington D.C.-based consulting firm operating as a "think + do tank" focused on the international development sector. Founded in 2014 by CEO Dr. Azra Kacapor Nurkic and incorporated as Development Institute LLC, the firm specializes in monitoring, evaluation, research, and learning (MERL) services for government agencies, multilateral development banks, foundations, and private sector clients. Its customer base spans USAID, USDA, the World Bank, IFC, UNICEF, UNDP, the Gates Foundation, Rockefeller Foundation, Shell Foundation, and consumer goods majors including Mars, Danone, AB InBev, Starbucks, and Sucden. The firm first exceeded $1 million in annual revenue in December 2016 and has scaled to multi-million-dollar prime contracts.

I4DI operates three practice areas—Evidence & Intelligence, Global Sustainability, and Impact Technology—supported by a proprietary technology stack. The Zen-O suite (Projects, Consultants, Learn) provides integrated MERL workflow management, while DECipher is an AI-powered knowledge platform that synthesizes insights from over 13,000 documents in USAID's Development Experience Clearinghouse. Complementary tools include the DECfinder archive (110,000+ documents), the Climate Change and Education Dashboard, and the Jargonator glossary tool. The firm holds ISO 9001:2015 and ISO/IEC 27001:2022 certifications, is a Forbes Technology Council member, and holds Green Climate Fund Observer Status. It maintains satellite offices in Indonesia, India, Sri Lanka, and Serbia in addition to its Washington D.C. headquarters.

Revenue is generated through professional services consulting contracts won via competitive bidding. Notable disclosed contract values include a $7.2 million Global Development Alliance with USAID and Mars Inc. for the ACTIVE Indonesian cocoa program, a $3 million USAID prime contract for Tech for Green Cities in Cambodia, and the METS contract supporting USAID's Bureau for Resilience and Food Security. The firm uses strategic partnerships with major development institutions and global consumer goods companies to win large-scale engagements, with a go-to-motion focused on direct sales and partner-enabled consortium bids.

Name

Institute for Development Impact

Legal name

Development Institute LLC

Website

https://i4di.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Institute for Development Impact (I4DI) is a Washington D.C.-based consulting firm providing monitoring, evaluation, research, and learning (MERL) services to government agencies, multilateral institutions, foundations, and consumer goods companies in international development markets.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Development Consulting Services

NAICS

Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (54172), Computer Systems Design and Related Services (54151), Educational Support Services (611710), Scientific Research and Development Services (5417)

SIC

Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731), Services-Computer Integrated Systems Design (7373)

akta.pro primary industry

Monitoring, Evaluation, Research & Learning (MERL) (BPAGABAO)

akta.pro secondary industries

Monitoring, Evaluation, Research & Learning (MERL) (BPADAEAB), Donor Coordination, Monitoring & Evaluation (MEL) Programs (BPADABAN), Economic Research, Statistics & Policy Advisory (BPADAMAJ), Monitoring, Evaluation, Research & Learning (MERL) for Global Health (BPADAIAO)

Keywords

• Monitoring and evaluation
• Development consulting services
• Research and learning
• Sustainability advisory
• Impact measurement

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Professional Services Consulting: I4DI generates revenue through consulting contracts with government agencies, multilateral development banks, foundations, and private sector companies for monitoring, evaluation, research, and learning services.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Institute for Development Impact (I4DI) is a think + do tank that delivers Monitoring, Evaluation, Research and Learning (MERL) consulting services, sustainability program design, and proprietary impact-technology products for international development. Core service offerings span evidence and intelligence (theories of change, evaluations, baseline/midline/endline studies), global sustainability advisory (return on investment, social impact, environmental resilience), and a technology suite including the ZEN-O enterprise MERL platform and the DECipher AI knowledge platform.

Product overview

I4DI offers a portfolio of technology products and services for the international development sector. The core Zen-O platform suite includes three integrated modules: Zen-O Projects (project management), Zen-O Consultants (expert engagement portal), and Zen-O Learn (capacity building platform), all designed for integrated MERL (Monitoring, Evaluation, Research and Learning) workflows. Standalone tools include DECipher, an AI-powered knowledge retrieval platform that synthesizes insights from over 13,000 development documents using generative AI; the Climate Change and Education Dashboard for interactive data visualization; Data Visualization services; and the Jargonator terminology tool. The Zen-O suite provides the foundational infrastructure while DECipher represents I4DI's advanced AI capability for knowledge management.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• DECipher: AI-powered platform built by I4DI that synthesizes insights from over 13,000 documents in USAID's Development Experience Clearinghouse (DEC), providing tailored recommendations for international development challenges. Free to use for practitioners, policymakers, and researchers.
• Zen-O Projects
• Zen-O Consultants
• Zen-O Learn
• Molly Hageboeck Award for Excellence in MEL
• Climate Change and Education Dashboard

Products and services

• Zen-O Projects Integrated project management platform for managing development projects, monitoring progress, and tracking outcomes across program cycles, designed for MERL workflows in international development organizations.
• Zen-O Consultants Consultant engagement portal connecting I4DI's global network of development experts with project opportunities, facilitating collaboration and expertise matching across the firm's international project portfolio.
• Zen-O Learn Learning platform providing capacity building and training resources for development practitioners in monitoring, evaluation, research and learning (MERL).
• DECipher AI-powered knowledge platform that synthesizes insights from over 13,000 documents in USAID's Development Experience Clearinghouse, providing tailored recommendations based on user prompts to tackle international development challenges. Available free of charge to practitioners, policymakers, and researchers.
• Climate Change and Education Dashboard Interactive dashboard equipping decision-makers with tools to understand how climate crises disrupt education systems, making connections visible for stakeholders to protect children's education.
• Data Visualization Services Interactive data visualization services and dashboards that transform complex development data into accessible visual formats for decision-making by program staff, funders, and government partners.
• Jargonator Glossary tool that simplifies development sector terminology, making technical language accessible to broader audiences of practitioners, policymakers, and the public.

Quantifiable outcome

• ACTIVE project projects 15% income increase for participating cocoa farmers over 4 years in Indonesia
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers17 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability8 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

30 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• International Institute of Green Finance (IIGF)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 April 2026Joint webinar launch of D-CORE database on Chinese overseas renewable energy finance
• Institute of Development Studies (IDS)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 April 2026Joint webinar launch of D-CORE database tracking over 500 Chinese renewable energy project activities
• EmberminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 29 April 2026Serving as media partner for D-CORE database launch webinar
• Livelihoods Fund for Family Farming (L3F)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMEL partner for Cocoa Yiedie project in Ghana, designing learning approach and evaluating project impacts
• World BankcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEvaluation of Kosovo Youth Development Project; MCA-Indonesia II program support; Green Cities initiative
• IFCcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupporting circular economy finance in Morocco; impact evaluation of regulatory reform program in Bosnia & Herzegovina
• EBRDminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDevelopment finance institution partner
• Asian Development Bank (ADB)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDevelopment finance institution partner
• UNICEFcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEvaluation of digital literacy and transferable skills education programme in Viet Nam; multiple country programmes
• UNDPcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEvaluation of UN Cooperation Strategy in Turkey; technical assistance projects
• Mars Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerACTIVE partnership ($7.2M GDA with USAID) for Indonesian cocoa sector; Cocoa Yiedie in Ghana; Shubh Mint in India; sustainable supply chain partnerships
• DanonecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for sustainable sourcing and supply chain transformation
• AB InBevcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for sustainable supply chain initiatives
• StarbuckscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for sustainable sourcing initiatives
• SucdencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInvestment readiness and impact delivery support for climate-smart cocoa sourcing through AfDB's ACFM/TAF facility
• Planet PartnershipscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupporting IFC circular economy finance in Morocco; collaboration on DFC emerging markets analysis
• PalladiumcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerCOVID-19 Dashboard for Western Balkans partnership
• DeloittecoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerGreen Cities initiative partnership with USAID
• CDM SmithcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerMCA-Indonesia II Program Management Support Contract partnership
• EnCompass LLCcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPartnership on USAID Global Waters CKM II to support USAID Bureau for Resilience and Food Security
• SEO Amsterdam EconomicscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partnership under RVO framework agreement for monitoring and evaluation services
• World Vision InternationalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIntegrated competency development, capacity building, and Experiential Learning Program; Cocoa Yiedie project; Enough Campaign tracking
• Heifer InternationalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDevelopment partner for smallholder farmer programs
• Save the ChildrenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDevelopment partner for child-focused programs
• QED GroupminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerMentor-Protégé relationship under SBA's All Small Mentor-Protégé Program (ASMPP)
• International Executive Service Corps (IESC)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerFinal evaluation of USDA FFPr Exporting Quality Project in Dominican Republic
• ECODITcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerUSAID MODEL Activity implementation for Sri Lanka and Maldives MEL Platform
• Counterpart InternationalminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerNetworking and partnership interactions in Washington D.C.
• Dubai Holding PhilanthropycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMERL Agency Services for designing and operationalizing portfolio-wide monitoring, evaluation, reporting, and learning system
• University Partners (JHU, NYU, Northwestern, Yale, MIT, UCLA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partnerships including Johns Hopkins SAIS for Dayton 2.0 dialogue; research collaborations

Scale indicators14 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Market position

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/i4di_org
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/institute-for-development-impact

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Institute for Development Impact