Agenzia italiana per la cooperazione allo sviluppo

What Agenzia italiana per la cooperazione allo sviluppo does

Agenzia Italiana per la Cooperazione allo Sviluppo (AICS) is the Italian government's statutory development cooperation agency, established under Law 125/2014 and operating under the supervision of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MAECI). Founded in 2016 and headquartered in Rome (Via Cantalupo in Sabina 29) with a secondary office in Florence, AICS implements Official Development Assistance (ODA) programs on behalf of the Italian state, channeling public budget allocations, EU delegated cooperation funds, and PNRR resources to roughly 40 partner countries through a network of approximately 22 foreign field offices (Sedi estere) across Africa, the Middle East, Latin America, the Balkans, and Asia. Its mandate spans nine intervention sectors including humanitarian aid, gender equality, rural development, environment, finance for development, human development, and EU delegated cooperation.

AICS does not sell products or services commercially; instead, it funds and oversees projects executed by Italian Civil Society Organizations (OSC), universities, territorial entities, and private-sector actors via competitive public grant calls (Bandi no-profit) and direct agreements. Its technology footprint consists of two public open-data platforms — OPENAID (a public aid database) and Atlas for Development (an SDG indicators platform) — together with media properties (Oltremare blog, AICS Magazine, Oltremare Podcast) and a Reporting Manual (Manuale di Rendicontazione) governing financial accountability. Strategic technical collaboration includes the Luigi Broglio Space Centre in Malindi, Kenya, jointly operated with the Italian Space Agency (ASI) and the Kenyan Space Agency (KSA) for Earth observation, climate monitoring, and cubesat training supporting approximately 20 African countries under the Piano Mattei for Africa.

AICS's primary segments are implementing partners (Italian NGOs such as CESVI, FOCSIV, WeWorld, COSPE, Save the Children, and Progettomondo; universities including LUMSA Africa Center; and territorial entities) and end beneficiaries in partner countries, including rural communities, women, youth, displaced persons, and conflict-affected populations. Development Finance instruments (Sviluppo+, aid credits, debt conversion) and EU delegated cooperation (exemplified by the EUR 12.2 million DELPAZ programme in Mozambique) represent growing programmatic channels. The agency is governed by Italian law, holds autonomous legal personality, and reports to MAECI, with no private shareholders, equity funding, or M&A activity.

Name

Agenzia italiana per la cooperazione allo sviluppo

Legal name

Agenzia Italiana per la Cooperazione allo Sviluppo

Website

https://aics.gov.it

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

AICS is Italy's statutory government development cooperation agency, established under Law 125/2014, implementing ODA-funded projects across roughly 40 countries via 22+ field offices, public grant calls, and partnerships with Italian NGOs, universities, and the European Union.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

International Development Cooperation

NAICS

International Affairs (92812), International Affairs (928120)

SIC

Foreign Governments (8888)

akta.pro primary industry

Development Cooperation & Foreign Aid Administration (BPAIAIAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Bilateral Development & Aid Agencies (HLAJAKAB), Economic Growth, Trade & Private Sector Development Programs (BPADABAF), Program & Project Implementation (TA Delivery) (BPADAEAA)

Keywords

• International development cooperation
• Humanitarian aid programs
• Official development assistance
• EU delegated cooperation
• Development finance instruments

Headquarters

HQ city

Havana

HQ country

Cuba

HQ region

Latin America

Offices22 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Others, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Official Development Assistance (ODA) Funding via MAECI: AICS receives its operational budget through the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MAECI), which allocates Official Development Assistance (ODA) funds. The agency has legal personality, its own budget, and organizational autonomy under MAECI supervision.
2. EU-Delegated Cooperation Funds: AICS implements EU-funded programs under delegated cooperation arrangements (e.g., DELPAZ programme funded by the European Union with a budget of EUR 12.2 million). EU resources are channeled through AICS as an implementing partner.
3. PNRR (National Recovery and Resilience Plan) Funds: AICS implements initiatives under Italy's National Recovery and Resilience Plan (Piano Nazionale di Ripresa e Resilienza), with dedicated PNRR implementation measures referenced on its website.
4. Third-Party Project Financing via Grant Calls: AICS issues public calls for proposals (Bandi no-profit) to fund civil society organizations, territorial entities, and private sector actors to implement development projects. This constitutes its primary grant disbursement mechanism rather than revenue generation.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels12 records

Core offering

AICS implements Italy's official international development cooperation, funding and overseeing projects in approximately 40 partner countries across nine intervention sectors (civil society partnership, human development, finance for development, environment, rural development, humanitarian aid, gender equality, EU delegated cooperation, economic development). It operates through 22+ field offices, disburses grants to Italian Civil Society Organizations (OSC), universities, territorial entities, and private sector actors via competitive public calls (Bandi no-profit), and maintains public data platforms (OPENAID, Atlas for Development).

Product overview

Agenzia Italiana per la Cooperazione allo Sviluppo (AICS) is a government development cooperation agency operating under the supervision of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MAECI). Rather than a unified software product, AICS operates a portfolio of platforms, data tools, and media publications. The core data platforms are OPENAID AICS (an open database of aid projects) and Atlas for Development (an SDG indicator visualization platform). The agency's media and publication offerings include Oltremare Magazine, Oltremare Podcast, and AICS Magazine, which serve as communication channels for the development cooperation community. AICS also publishes operational guidance documents such as the Manuale di Rendicontazione (Reporting Manual) that governs financial reporting for funded initiatives. The organization manages cooperation initiatives across multiple sectors including environment, rural development, humanitarian aid, gender equality, economic development, human development, and delegated EU cooperation, with field offices in approximately 30 countries.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• OPENAID AICS: A public database of the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation containing information on development initiatives and projects.
• Atlas for Development
• Oltremare
• AICS Magazine
• Oltremare Podcast

Products and services

• OPENAID AICS Public open data database of the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation, providing access to data on aid projects, initiatives, and cooperation activities funded or implemented by AICS. Targets researchers, accountability actors, partner organizations, and the general public.
• Atlas for Development Data visualization platform providing easy access to and consultation of the main indicators on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), enabling monitoring and analysis of development trends in partner countries.
• Oltremare Magazine A blog-magazine publishing articles, stories, and multimedia content on development cooperation topics, covering sectors such as peace, people, planet, and prosperity. Targets the development cooperation community, partner organizations, and general public.
• Oltremare Podcast Audio podcast series produced by AICS covering stories, interviews, and reports on international cooperation topics, including environmental communication and project storytelling such as 'Vjosa: the last wild river in Europe'.
• AICS Magazine Periodical magazine publication of the Italian Development Cooperation Agency featuring articles, reports, and analysis on development cooperation themes and projects.
• Manuale di Rendicontazione (Reporting Manual) Standardized reporting manual governing the accounting procedures for eligible expenses related to the implementation of cooperation initiatives financed or co-financed by MAECI through AICS. Used by OSC and partners for compliance reporting.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 1 million people supported in Ukraine and Moldova through 26 emergency projects with over 100 partner organizations
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers19 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

23 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Practitioners' Network for European Development CooperationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAICS participates in the Practitioners' Network for European Development Cooperation, a platform created in 2007 to facilitate exchange of experiences and good practices among European development agencies and reference institutions. AICS engages in thematic working groups, joint initiatives, and knowledge-sharing within this network.
• Italian Space Agency (ASI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAICS collaborates with the Italian Space Agency (ASI) on space cooperation programs, notably at the Luigi Broglio Space Centre in Malindi, Kenya — a joint facility with the Kenyan Space Agency (KSA). The partnership supports cubesat assembly training, Earth observation, and climate monitoring for approximately 20 African countries under the Piano Mattei for Africa.
• Kenyan Space Agency (KSA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint operator of the Luigi Broglio Space Centre in Malindi with ASI. KSA collaborates with AICS on space cooperation programs targeting African countries, including cubesat training and satellite data applications for climate monitoring.
• Fondazione CIMAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFondazione CIMA collaborates with AICS on Early Warning Systems in Sudan, supporting the Sudan Meteorological Authority in maintaining and developing impact-based forecasting methodologies during the ongoing conflict. This partnership has been presented at international scientific forums including EGU 2026.
• CESVIcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerCESVI is a key implementing partner of AICS, executing projects in Albania (VITA-Vjosa sustainable tourism project), Ukraine (psychological support centre in Bucha), and other countries. AICS provides funding and strategic oversight while CESVI handles on-the-ground implementation.
• LifeGateminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerLifeGate co-produced the podcast 'Vjosa: the last wild river in Europe' with AICS support, focusing on environmental communication and sustainable tourism along the Vjosa River in Albania.
• CELIMminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerCELIM is a implementing partner of AICS in the VITA-Vjosa project in Albania, alongside CESVI and other organizations including AITR, AKZM, AKT, Juvenilia, and the Municipality of Milan.
• MAECI (Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation)coreOthersAICS operates under the supervision of MAECI (Ministero degli Affari Esteri e della Cooperazione Internazionale), which sets strategic guidelines for Italian development cooperation. AICS has its own legal personality and budget but operates within the policy framework defined by MAECI. The relationship is hierarchical/supervisory rather than commercial.
• FOCSIVcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerFOCSIV (federation of international volunteering organizations of Christian inspiration) coordinates the 'Razom z Ukrainoiu Zavzhdy' project funded by Farnesina through AICS. With 97 member organizations operating in approximately 80 countries, FOCSIV manages projects covering Ivano-Frankivsk, Chernivtsi, Odessa, Mykolaiv, Dnipro, and Kharkiv regions in Ukraine.
• Northern Rangelands Trust (NRT)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerNRT is a Kenyan organization supported by AICS for community conservancy, environmental conservation, and peacebuilding in arid and semi-arid lands of Kenya. AICS funding supports NRT's peace program covering Isiolo, Samburu, Laikipia, and Baringo counties, including Josephine Ekiru's work as Peace Coordinator and NRT's board leadership.
• WeWorldcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerWeWorld leads a consortium implementing the IMARA project (Imarisha Mwanamke Afya na Rasilimali) funded by AICS in Kenya, focused on gender justice, prevention of gender-based violence, and women's empowerment. The project operates through a consortium of international and national NGOs.
• Palestinian Fund for EmploymentcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerImplementing partner of the 'Ayadi' project funded by AICS, facilitating youth access to the Palestinian labor market through vocational training courses in graphic design and other professional skills in Jerusalem/Gaza area.
• Sudan Meteorological AuthoritycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAICS, in partnership with Fondazione CIMA, supports the continuity of Sudan's national Early Warning System during the ongoing conflict. Meteorologists, hydrologists, and civil defense officials work together from Port Sudan and diaspora locations to produce daily operational bulletins in English and Arabic.
• LUMSA University Africa Center (Luac)minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerAICS collaborates with LUMSA University's Africa Center (Luac), an initiative designed by Ambassador Pietro Sebastiani to promote knowledge about Africa beyond stereotypes. Luac provides scholarships for students to attend courses at the Luigi Broglio Space Centre in Malindi, Kenya.
• HelpcodecoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerImplementing partner of the DELPAZ programme in Manica province, Mozambique, as part of a consortium of NGOs implementing AICS-funded peace and development initiatives. Helpcode contributes to the disarmament, demobilization, and reintegration (DDR) of former guerrilla fighters.
• Save the ChildrencoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerImplementing partner of the DELPAZ programme in Tete province, Mozambique, as part of an NGO consortium. Save the Children contributes to AICS-funded peace and economic reintegration programs in conflict-affected areas.
• Fondazione E35minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerFondazione E35 (Reggio Emilia) implements AICS-funded projects MaisPemba and Uteka in Pemba, Mozambique. It coordinates the 50th anniversary cooperation programme between Reggio Emilia and Mozambique and organizes conferences, exhibitions, and solidarity initiatives.
• Missione Calcutta APScoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerMissione Calcutta APS is the lead OSC implementing the 'Health Care for Safety and Rehabilitation' project in Ukraine, funded by AICS. The project focuses on mine risk education and humanitarian response, part of an AICS Emergency Initiative supporting one million people through 26 projects and over 100 organizations.
• Austrian Development Agency (ADA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerADA cooperates with AICS on the DELPAZ programme in Mozambique, operating alongside UNCDF in Sofala province. The partnership exemplifies EU-Italy-Austria trilateral development cooperation.
• United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUNCDF partners with AICS on the DELPAZ programme in Mozambique's Sofala province, contributing to local development and economic resilience alongside ADA and the EU.
• COSPEcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerCOSPE has worked for over 20 years supporting the 'Hapa te Lehte' Women's Centre in Shkodra (Albania), funded by Italian Cooperation. The project supports women's rights, social services improvement, and institutional dialogue.
• University of Antioquia (Colombia)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe University of Antioquia collaborates with AICS through the MásCafé project in Cuba, providing specialized training in coffee tasting and quality evaluation. This represents a South-South cooperation initiative with Colombian expertise transferred to Cuban professionals through Italian funding.
• ProgettomondominorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerImplementing partner of the 'Manica para as Mulheres' project in Mozambique, funded by Italian Cooperation and coordinated by Progettomondo alongside CAM, Helpcode, Fondazione Micaia, GMPIS, AITR, and Legacoop Emilia-Romagna.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Market position

Strengths4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/aics_it
• Facebookfacebook.com/agenziaitalianacooperazione
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/aics-lavana

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments1 record

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Frequently asked questions about Agenzia italiana per la cooperazione allo sviluppo