Mekong Economics

What Mekong Economics does

Mekong Economics is a private economic research and consulting firm founded in 2001 and headquartered in Hanoi, Vietnam, with a regional office in Yangon, Myanmar. The firm delivers economic research, impact evaluations, monitoring and evaluation (M&E), policy analysis, enterprise and household surveys, capacity building, and impact investing advisory services primarily to bilateral and multilateral donor agencies (World Bank, USAID, DFAT, GIZ, EU institutions, AFD, ADB), international NGOs (WWF, Oxfam, Save the Children, IDH), and regional governments across the ASEAN+ area. All evaluations follow OECD-DAC criteria, and the firm is positioned as a "privileged partner for development in the Asia-Pacific region" with hundreds of completed projects across more than ten countries spanning Vietnam, Myanmar, Cambodia, Lao PDR, Thailand, East Timor, China, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Papua New Guinea, and Pacific Islands.

The firm does not operate proprietary technology platforms. It leverages standard economic research methodologies, survey instruments, data collection tools, and analytical frameworks, with its enterprise survey capability (demonstrated by an 11-country World Bank survey covering 5,050 enterprises in 2009 and a 3,000-enterprise China survey in 2012, plus 2,706 establishments across Vietnam, Vanuatu, Samoa, Cambodia, and the Philippines in 2023-2024) representing its most distinctive in-house operational asset.

Mekong Economics generates revenue through project-based consulting contracts secured via competitive tendering and consortium partnerships with larger firms such as Oxford Policy Management, ECORYS, Tetra Tech, Mott MacDonald, Landell Mills, DAI, IMC Worldwide, and Kimetrica. Pricing is contract-specific and not publicly disclosed. The firm is founder-led by Chief Economist Adam McCarty (30+ years of regional experience) and General Manager Tran Thi Ngoc Diep (with the company since inception), with Myanmar operations led by Country Manager Aparna Rao since 2023. Corporate work for clients such as PepsiCo and PwC exists as a secondary line, but the development-sector contract base remains the primary revenue driver.

Name

Mekong Economics

Legal name

Mekong Economics Ltd.

Website

https://mekongeconomics.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Mekong Economics is a Vietnam-founded economic research and consulting firm delivering impact evaluations, policy analysis, enterprise surveys, and capacity-building services to bilateral and multilateral donors, NGOs, and governments across the ASEAN+ region since 2001.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Economic Research and Development Consulting

NAICS

Marketing Research and Public Opinion Polling (54191)

SIC

Services-Management Services (8741), International Affairs (9721)

akta.pro primary industry

Economic Research, Statistics & Policy Advisory (BPADAMAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Economic & Macroeconomic Research (BPAHALAD), SME & Entrepreneurship Development (Trade-Linked) (BPADAMAE), Trade, Export Controls & Customs Compliance (BPAHAFAN)

Keywords

• Economic research consulting
• Impact evaluation services
• Development consulting
• Monitoring and evaluation
• Enterprise survey research

Headquarters

HQ city

Hanoi

HQ country

Vietnam

HQ region

Asia

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Development Consulting Services: Mekong Economics generates revenue through project-based consulting contracts with international development organizations, donor agencies, and governments. Services include economic research, monitoring and evaluation, policy analysis, baseline studies, enterprise surveys, and capacity building. Revenue is earned through competitive tendering for development programs and direct engagement with institutional clients.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Mekong Economics is an economic research and consulting firm that delivers project-based advisory services to international development organizations, bilateral and multilateral donor agencies, and regional governments. Its core offerings include economic and policy research, monitoring and evaluation, baseline and impact evaluations, enterprise and household surveys, institutional and capacity building, project management, and impact investing advisory. Services are executed through direct consulting engagements, consortium partnerships, and subcontracting across the Mekong Sub-Region and broader Asia-Pacific.

Product overview

Mekong Economics is an economic research and consulting firm offering a portfolio of integrated services centered on development economics, policy research, and project evaluation across Southeast Asia. The company's core offerings include Economic Research, Project Management, Impact Investing Advisory, Commercial Services, Institutional & Capacity Building, and Baselines/Impact Evaluations & M&E. These services are delivered through consulting engagements and are complemented by specialized offerings such as Enterprise Survey services and a Young Professionals Scheme. The company operates across the Mekong Sub-Region and broader Asia-Pacific with regional offices.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Economic Research Research services including country briefings, sectoral policy analysis, economic forecasts, research papers for academic institutions and centres, household and enterprise surveys, socio-economic impact studies and participatory analyses, delivered for donor, government, NGO, and academic clients.
• Project Management In-house project management team delivering tailored solutions across Asia-Pacific with industry best practices combined with country-specific knowledge, ensuring projects are completed on time, within budget, and to high standards.
• Impact Investing Advisory Advisory service for funds and donors on impact investing in the Southeast Asia region, leveraging MKE's Asian Venture Philanthropy Network (AVPN) membership and local expertise to support impact measurement and management.
• Commercial Services Targeted research services for corporate clients in areas including retail and wholesale, product research, market entry, optimal marketing strategies and business establishment in the ASEAN region.
• Institutional & Capacity Building Institutional and capacity building support services, including training and workshop presentations, for government, donor, and NGO clients across the region.
• Baselines, Impact Evaluations & M&E High-quality evaluation exercises on ODA and NGO-led projects across the region, guided by OECD-DAC criteria, including baseline studies, impact evaluations, and monitoring & evaluation (M&E) services.
• Enterprise Survey Department Dedicated service line for collecting business environment data and feedback from enterprises across various industries and countries, including large-scale multi-country enterprise surveys for clients such as the World Bank.

Quantifiable outcome

• Led 11-country World Bank enterprise survey covering 5,050 enterprises (2009)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers23 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core, key and supporting.

• Asian Venture Philanthropy Network (AVPN)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMekong Economics is a member of the Asian Venture Philanthropy Network, positioning the company at the forefront of the Impact Investing movement in the ASEAN region. Through AVPN membership, MKE contributes to creating common language and standards for impact measurement and management, participating in annual conferences and collaborative initiatives.
• Oxford Policy Management (OPM)keyStrategic or Co-development PartnerMKE works as consortium partner with OPM on multiple development programs including Vietnam Climate Change Adaptation Program Design, Vietnam Support Unit, and Transboundary Water Cooperation projects. OPM leads consortiums while MKE provides specialized regional expertise.
• ECORYS Nederland B.V.keyStrategic or Co-development PartnerMKE partners with ECORYS on EU-funded evaluations including FTA impact assessments and ASEAN investment facilitation reports. Provides regional expertise and stakeholder consultation services for ECORYS-led evaluations.
• Tetra TechkeyStrategic or Co-development PartnerMKE is on the expert panel for Aus4ASEAN Futures Initiative implemented by Tetra Tech for DFAT. Provides technical assistance and expert services across the Greater Mekong Sub-Region.
• Mott MacDonaldsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerMKE is part of Mott MacDonald's consortium for UNICEF Education Framework Contract, providing support for technical assistance work in education sector including early learning, gender education, and inclusive quality education.
• Landell MillssupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership on GEF Mekong River Ecosystem evaluation and Integrated Flood Risk Management projects. MKE provides field research and stakeholder consultation capabilities.
• DAIsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorked with DAI on Papua New Guinea enterprise survey of 240 enterprises. Provided survey implementation and enumerator team management.
• IMC WorldwidesupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerMKE was member of IMC's consortium awarded DFID Framework Agreement for Expert Advisory Call Down Service, providing technical expertise for international development assignments.
• Kimetrica LLCsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership on USAID-funded Myanmar Analytical Activity providing analytical support for democracy, governance, economic growth, and health programs in Myanmar.
• Emergent Forest Finance AcceleratorkeyImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerEngaged by Emergent to conduct Institutional Capacity Assessment of Vietnam Forest Protection and Development Fund (VNFF) for potential LEAF Coalition financing role.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Market position

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/mekongeconomics
• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mekong-economics

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 Mekong Economics