Chr. Michelsen Institute

What Chr. Michelsen Institute does

Chr. Michelsen Institute (CMI) is an independent Norwegian non-profit research institute headquartered in Bergen, Norway, with over 100 researchers and administrative staff. It conducts applied social science research to improve policy and practice in developing countries, covering topics including climate and natural resources, conflict, corruption, democracy and governance, gender, global health, humanitarianism, migration, poverty, and rights and legal institutions. The institute's research spans Africa, Asia, and Latin America and is delivered through quantitative analysis, qualitative fieldwork, randomised controlled trials, and policy analysis.

CMI operates several specialized centres and knowledge products: the U4 Anti-Corruption Resource Centre (established 2002), the Development Learning Lab (DLL), the Center on Law and Social Transformation, the Public Anthropologist journal, and the newly established Knowledge Centre for Development Cooperation (launched 2026). These centres produce publications, policy briefs, workshops, evaluations, and expert consultations for their respective constituencies.

CMI's revenue model is grant- and contract-based rather than commercial. The institute is funded primarily through Norwegian government sources including Norad (Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation), the Norwegian Research Council, and framework agreements with the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA). In 2026, CMI was selected for all seven new MFA framework agreements, indicating a deep institutional relationship with Norwegian development cooperation. Additional revenue is generated through commissioned research, evaluations, and partnerships with international organizations and development NGOs. CMI does not sell commercial products or services and has no public pricing structures.

Name

Chr. Michelsen Institute

Legal name

Chr. Michelsen Institute

Website

https://cmi.no

Company type

Private

Founded year

1930

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Chr. Michelsen Institute (CMI) is a Norwegian non-profit research institute based in Bergen that conducts applied social science research on development cooperation, governance, and human rights, funded primarily by Norwegian government agencies and serving international development partners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Development Research and Policy Analysis

NAICS

Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (54172)

SIC

International Affairs (9721)

akta.pro primary industry

Governance, Public Financial Management & Service Delivery Reform (BPADAEAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Technical Committees, Working Groups & Expert Panels (BPADANAB)

Keywords

• Development research
• Policy analysis
• Anti-corruption research
• Social science research
• International development

Headquarters

HQ city

Bergen

HQ country

Norway

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Government and Development Agency Funding: CMI generates revenue primarily through grants and funding from Norwegian development cooperation agencies including Norad (Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation), the Norwegian Research Council, and framework agreements with the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA). The institute was selected for all seven new MFA framework agreements, indicating significant government partnership.
2. Research Partnerships and Consultancy: CMI conducts commissioned research and policy analysis for international organisations, development NGOs, and bilateral aid agencies. Revenue is earned through research services, evaluations, and knowledge products for development cooperation partners.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Chr. Michelsen Institute (CMI) is an independent Norwegian research institute that conducts applied social science research to improve policy and practice in developing countries. It delivers commissioned research, evaluations, policy briefs, and capacity-building services to governments, development agencies, and civil society organisations, operating through specialised centres covering anti-corruption, development learning, law and social transformation, and international economics.

Product overview

Chr. Michelsen Institute (CMI) is a research institute focused on international development and social science research, operating as a platform of interconnected research centres and knowledge products. The core offerings include the U4 Anti-Corruption Resource Centre providing anti-corruption expertise and publications, the Development Learning Lab (DLL) driving evidence-based development approaches, and the newly established Knowledge Centre for Development Cooperation (2026) offering knowledge services to aid organisations. CMI also publishes the Public Anthropologist journal and produces research publications, workshops, and policy briefs across topics including corruption, governance, gender, climate, health, and poverty.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• U4 Anti-Corruption Resource Centre: A global knowledge hub that helps donors and practitioners to implement anti-corruption programmes more effectively
• Development Learning Lab (DLL)
• Center on Law and Social Transformation
• Bergen Global

Products and services

• U4 Anti-Corruption Resource Centre A global knowledge hub that helps donors and practitioners implement anti-corruption programmes more effectively, providing publications, workshops, briefs, and practical guidance for practitioners and policymakers working on anti-corruption in development contexts.
• Development Learning Lab (DLL) A research and development initiative that works to strengthen evidence-based approaches in development cooperation, focusing on learning networks, workshops, and knowledge mobilization.
• Knowledge Centre for Development Cooperation A newly established centre providing knowledge services to civil society organisations supported by Norad, including tailored knowledge reviews, helpdesk support, Evidence-to-Action workshops, learning networks, and expert consultations to improve evidence use in aid decision-making.
• Center on Law and Social Transformation A research centre at CMI focusing on law and social transformation issues, including rights and legal institutions.
• Public Anthropologist Journal An academic journal published by CMI focusing on public anthropology and development-related anthropological research, hosted at publicanthropologist.cmi.no.

Quantifiable outcome

• Knowledge Centre established with 5-year initial period and Norad funding
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• Development Learning Lab (DLL)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 May 2026DLL is CMI's internal unit that leads the new Knowledge Centre for Development Cooperation. Ottar Mæstad serves as Director of DLL. The centre aims to strengthen evidence use in aid decision-making.
• University of BergenmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 May 2026Partner institution in the Knowledge Centre for Development Cooperation, contributing academic expertise to strengthen research-based knowledge in aid.
• NHH Norwegian School of EconomicsmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 May 2026Partner institution in the Knowledge Centre for Development Cooperation, providing economics expertise.
• Frisch CentremajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 May 2026Partner institution in the Knowledge Centre for Development Cooperation, contributing research economics expertise.
• NUPI (Norwegian Institute of International Affairs)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 May 2026Partner institution in the Knowledge Centre for Development Cooperation, providing international politics and policy expertise.
• 3ie (International Initiative for Impact Evaluation)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 May 2026International partner in the Knowledge Centre for Development Cooperation, bringing expertise in impact evaluation.
• International Rescue CommitteemajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 May 2026International implementing partner in the Knowledge Centre for Development Cooperation, bringing field implementation perspective.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED): London-based international policy and research organisation working on sustainable development, climate and governance. Comparable in donor-funded research-and-policy model, global field presence in developing countries, and focus on evidence-to-action linkages similar to CMI's Knowledge Centre.
• Overseas Development Institute (ODI): UK-based leading independent think tank on international development and humanitarian policy. Directly comparable to CMI in mission, research-driven policy advisory work, donor-funded revenue model, and global field research footprint across Africa and Asia.
• Center for Global Development (CGD): US-based think tank focused on international development and aid effectiveness research. Comparable in its research-and-policy-advisory mission targeting donor governments, and in producing influential policy briefs on governance, aid effectiveness, and development finance.
• German Institute for International and Security Affairs (SWP): Berlin-based research institute providing policy advice on international politics and security to the German government and parliament. Comparable as a European publicly-funded foreign-policy and development research institute serving a single national donor.
• Institute of Development Studies (IDS): UK-based global institution for development research and teaching, attached to the University of Sussex. Closely comparable to CMI in combining academic social-science research with policy advisory services for bilateral donors and development partners.
• Fafo Institute for Labour and Social Research: Oslo-based Norwegian social science research institute also competing for Norad, MFA, and Research Council funding. Comparable to CMI as a Norwegian research institute delivering policy-relevant applied research for government and development partners, often a direct competitor for the same framework agreements.
• Danish Institute for International Studies (DIIS): Danish-based research institute covering international affairs, development, and security studies. Closely comparable to CMI as a small Nordic country institute funded primarily through national MFA framework agreements and competing for similar development research mandates.
• Norwegian Institute of International Affairs (NUPI): Norway's leading institute for research on international politics and economics, also a CMI Knowledge Centre partner. Highly comparable as a Norwegian-based, publicly-funded research institute competing for the same Norad/MFA framework agreements and serving overlapping policy audiences.

Emerging players

• Transparency International Secretariat: Global anti-corruption civil society organisation producing the Corruption Perceptions Index and policy research on corruption. Comparable to CMI's U4 Anti-Corruption Resource Centre in the anti-corruption knowledge-hub niche and donor-funded policy research model.

Broad incumbents

• International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI): Washington-based CGIAR research institute working on food policy, poverty, and development economics. Comparable to CMI as a major donor-funded international development research institute, though operating at a much larger scale and with a sector-specific (food/agriculture) focus.

Market position

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/cmi_no
• Facebookfacebook.com/CMInorway

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Chr. Michelsen Institute