Setym International

What Setym International does

Setym International (SETYM International Inc.) is a privately held management training institute founded in 1988 in Montreal, Canada by current CEO Larbi Bennouna. The company specializes in capacity building for public sector and international development professionals, delivering a portfolio centered on five domains: project management, public procurement, management and HR, public governance, and sustainable development. Its core products are multi-day international seminars (5-12 days) held across seven physical training centers — Montreal, Dubai, Paris, Abidjan, Marrakech, Kuala Lumpur, and Istanbul — and a suite of professional accreditations (MPDI, MSPM, PPMS, MGES, MIDS) jointly issued with ESG UQAM and recognized by the Government of Quebec and SOFEDUC. Supporting products include customized in-house/group training, a self-serve e-learning platform (elearning.setym.com), webinars, post-training personalized coaching with 3-month follow-up, IT solutions, and annual 'Win Your Seminar' contests.

The business model is professional-services-based with four revenue streams: individual registration fees for international seminars, fees for accreditation programs, customized institutional contracts (delivered to ministries, central banks, defense forces, and international development agencies), and e-learning access. Distribution is hybrid: direct enterprise sales for in-house programs and EU/World Bank-funded consortium work, alongside self-serve individual registration. Marketing is multi-channel — website with downloadable calendars, a dedicated francophone WhatsApp channel, LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube, email newsletters, and industry events such as the Africa CEO Forum and CCMM partnerships. Customer logos span government tax authorities (DGI DRC), central and development banks (Banque Centrale du Congo, BOAD), defense institutions (FARDC, Brazilian Army), energy and mining state enterprises (Côte d'Ivoire ÉNERGIES, Rio Tinto Guinée), and international organizations (UNDP, Enabel, Expertise France, CIFOR). The firm claims 37,500+ participants trained from 115 countries across 1,500 projects over its 38-year history and operates with 101-250 employees. No external funding rounds, acquisitions, or public-company indicators are present; ownership is concentrated in the founder, and key partnerships include ESG UQAM, EM Gabon–University (2024), Enabel, Expertise France, CCMM, REPAF, and the World Bank.

Name

Setym International

Legal name

SETYM International Inc.

Website

https://setym.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1988

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Setym International is a Montreal-based management training institute, founded in 1988, that delivers capacity-building seminars, professional accreditations, and customized programs for public sector and international development professionals across seven global training cities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Montréal

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. International Seminar Training: Public registration for international training seminars held in Montreal, Dubai, Paris, Abidjan, Marrakech, Kuala Lumpur, and Istanbul. Participants pay registration fees to attend multi-day professional development programs in project management, public procurement, public governance, management and HR, and sustainable development.
2. Professional Accreditations: SETYM delivers professional accreditations (MSPM, MPDI, MGES, PPMS) jointly with ESG UQAM. Participants pursue certification programs that include training, examination, and credential awarding.
3. In-House / Group Training: Customized training programs delivered to organizations including government ministries, development agencies, and public institutions. Programs tailored to specific institutional needs.
4. E-learning Platform: Online learning management system (elearning.setym.com) providing digital access to training materials and courses.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Setym International delivers management training programs for public-sector professionals in development contexts, primarily through international in-person seminars held in major cities and joint professional accreditation programs (MPDI, MSPM, PPMS, MGES) co-delivered with ESG UQAM. The offering is complemented by customized in-house group training, an e-learning platform, personalized coaching with post-training follow-up, and webinars. Core expertise areas are project management, public procurement, public governance, management and HR, and sustainable development.

Product overview

Setym International is a management training institute founded in 1988 in Montreal, Canada, offering a portfolio of capacity-building programs for development professionals. The core offerings consist of international seminars (in-person training in six global cities) and professional accreditations (MPDI, MSPM, PPMS, MGES, MIDS) delivered jointly with ESG UQAM. These are complemented by digital delivery through an e-learning platform, customized in-house training, personalized coaching with post-training follow-up, webinars, IT solutions support, and annual contest programs. All offerings are built around an andragogical approach emphasizing practical exercises, case studies, and peer learning, with training recognized by the Government of Quebec and SOFEDUC.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• International Seminars

Quantifiable outcome

• 92% participant satisfaction for strategic workforce planning training
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers15 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Network of African Entrepreneurs and Professionals (REPAF)minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 7 June 2024SETYM received the 'Business with Africa' Award at REPAF's Vision and Inspiration Excellence Gala, recognizing excellence in African business operations.
• EM Gabon – UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 April 2024Strategic partnership with EM Gabon – University to deliver advanced training for public sector executives. The partnership signing ceremony took place in April 2024, expanding SETYM's presence in the Central African region through university collaboration.
• Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan Montreal (CCMM)minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 12 March 2024Joint training initiative on international public procurement with World Bank focus. CCMM partnered with SETYM to offer an accelerated training session on international public procurement led by CEO Larbi Bennouna.
• École des sciences de la gestion de l'Université du Québec à Montréal (ESG UQAM)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing partnership for joint delivery of professional accreditations (MSPM, MPDI, MGES, PPMS). ESG UQAM is a key academic partner providing credential authority for SETYM's certification programs.
• Belgian Development Agency (Enabel)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEnabel is a key project partner implementing the 'Unis pour la Paix et la Sécurité' project funded by the European Union. SETYM delivers training components including strategic workforce planning for FARDC as part of this initiative.
• Expertise FrancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-implementer of the EU-funded 'Unis pour la Paix et la Sécurité' project alongside Enabel. Expertise France collaborates with SETYM on training programs for security sector institutions.
• World BankminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSETYM offers training related to World Bank procurement standards and financing processes. Expert Larbi Bennouna provides training on World Bank business opportunities as part of CCMM partnership.
• National School of Administration (ENA) - Guinea-BissauminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSETYM supervised the first training conducted by ENA in Guinea-Bissau under a transfer of expertise arrangement, marking an expansion of training methodology partnerships in West Africa.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• DAI (Development Alternatives, Inc.): Global development consultancy with a long-standing capacity-development practice serving bilateral and multilateral donors. Similar in-house/curriculum-based training approach plus co-implementer roles on EU- and USAID-funded programs akin to SETYM's Enabel/Expertise France engagements.
• DT Global: International development implementer with strong footprint in Africa and Asia Pacific, providing capacity building, governance, and infrastructure advisory. Overlaps with SETYM in jurisdictions (DRC, PNG, Indonesia), subject areas (procurement, PFM), and donor relationships (USAID, DFAT, FCDO).
• GIZ (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit): German federal development agency delivering capacity building, public financial management, and governance training worldwide. Operates at much greater scale and on concessional terms, but competes head-to-head for African government training mandates that SETYM also targets.
• Chemonics International: One of the largest USAID-implementing contractors with global footprint in governance, procurement, and economic growth programs. While much larger, Chemonics regularly subscribes or partners on capacity-building training programs covering the same SETYM subject areas.
• Palladium: Large international development firm with a dedicated capacity-building practice serving governments and donors across Africa and Asia. Broader portfolio (monitoring & evaluation, policy advisory) but directly competes for the same donor-funded training contracts and public-sector modernization engagements.

Regional players

• Africa Management Services Limited (AMSCO): African-focused management consultancy and training provider supporting public-sector capacity building, finance, and governance across the continent. Highly comparable on subject matter and client base, mainly African regional player competing for similar institutional contracts.

Direct peers

• Banyan Global: US-based international development firm with a dedicated Learning, Evidence, and Training practice serving donor and government clients. Comparable scale, comparable training-and-capacity-building delivery model, similar institutional donor relationships.
• Crown Agents: UK-based development implementer delivering capacity building, public financial management, and procurement training to governments worldwide. Comparable mission (professionalizing public administration), comparable institutional donor contracts (FCDO, World Bank), and shared client archetypes.
• Sofreco: French consulting and training firm with deep francophone-Africa public-sector footprint across governance, procurement, and capacity building. Direct overlap with SETYM in client base (ministries, donors), subject matter (procurement, M&E, project management), and delivery model (in-country seminars plus technical assistance).
• IMA International: UK-headquartered consultancy specializing in public financial management, leadership, and governance training for civil servants in developing economies. Similar cohort-based seminar model, similar funder ecosystem (DFID/FCDO, EU, World Bank), and overlapping subject matter.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/scored

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Setym International