Inclusive Society Institute

What Inclusive Society Institute does

Inclusive Society Institute (ISI) is a South African nonprofit policy think tank registered as NPO 235-515 and headquartered in Cape Town, founded in 2019 to support and deepen multi-party democracy in South Africa through social and national democratic values. ISI serves government institutions, civil society organizations, political formations, and international governance bodies, producing evidence-based research on democratic governance, constitutional and electoral reform, and Global South representation in multilateral institutions.

Its core products free of charge to the public include a publications catalog (Reports, Occasional Papers, Concept Notes, Journals, Books, Submissions and Legal Opinions), the TRUE SOUTH AFRICA Evidence Series, the weekly Open Consultation Mondays expert dialogue series, podcasts and vodcasts, a monthly newsletter, the Liberation Archives Portal, and democratic education programs including briefings, seminars, and conferences. The organization has no proprietary technology; its platform is a content website complemented by standard social media channels (Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, Instagram).

ISI is funded by donors, funders, and international project partners; it has no commercial revenue model and no disclosed pricing. Its go-to-market is community-led, anchored in the Open Consultation Mondays series, formal publications, and partnerships with like-minded organizations. Key alliances include the Global South Perspectives Network (GSPN) co-founded in 2022 with HumanizaCom and FOGGS, a 2026 joint EU-Africa report with the Foundation for European Progressive Studies (FEPS), and a 2020 cooperation agreement with the Houde Institute of China. The institute is governed by a Board, Advisory Council, and small staff led by CEO Daryl Swanepoel.

Name

Inclusive Society Institute

Legal name

Inclusive Society Institute

Website

https://inclusivesociety.org.za

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Inclusive Society Institute is a South African nonprofit policy think tank founded in 2019 that produces research, publications, and convenings to deepen multi-party democracy domestically and amplify Global South voices in international governance.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Policy Research & Advocacy

NAICS

Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (541720), Human Rights Organizations (813311), International Affairs (92812)

SIC

Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700), Services-Membership Organizations (8600), International Affairs (9721)

akta.pro primary industry

Electoral Support & Election Observation (BPADAGAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Human Rights, Democracy & Rule of Law IGOs (BPADAAAG), Post-Conflict Recovery, Reconciliation & Social Cohesion Programs (BPADAFAL)

Keywords

• Policy research
• Think tank services
• Democratic governance
• Public policy analysis
• Civic engagement

Headquarters

HQ city

Cape Town

HQ country

South Africa

HQ region

Africa

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Funding and Donations: As an NPO (Non-Profit Organisation) registered in South Africa (NPO number 235-515), the Inclusive Society Institute primarily relies on funding from funders and donors, as referenced in their PAIA manual which lists 'Funders and donors: records as maintained by Public Affairs' as a data subject category. The institute also collaborates with international partners on specific projects.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

The Inclusive Society Institute (ISI) is a South African nonprofit think tank that produces policy research, publications, and expert dialogues focused on deepening multi-party democracy in South Africa. It operates the TRUE SOUTH AFRICA Evidence Series, the Open Consultation Mondays dialogue series, and a broad publications program (reports, occasional papers, journals, books), supplemented by seminars, briefings, conferences, podcasts, and the Liberation Archives digital portal.

Product overview

The Inclusive Society Institute (ISI) is a South African think tank offering a portfolio of policy research and democratic engagement products. Its core offerings include the TRUE SOUTH AFRICA Evidence Series (evidence-based reports on health, crime, and institutional capacity), the Open Consultation Mondays dialogue series on global governance, and general Publications including reports, occasional papers, journals, and books. Additional offerings include Podcasts & Vodcasts, a Monthly Newsletter, and the Liberation Archives Portal. The institute also organizes Democratic Education programs including briefings, seminars, and conferences. All offerings are focused on supporting and deepening multi-party democracy in South Africa through social and national democratic values.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Publications Research publications including Reports, Occasional Papers, Concept Notes, Journals, Books, and Submissions & Legal Opinions covering South African democracy, governance, and policy analysis. Targeted at policymakers, civil society, and academic audiences.
• TRUE SOUTH AFRICA - Evidence Series A flagship research publication series providing evidence-based analysis on South African issues including health, crime, safety, and institutional capacity, intended for policymakers, media, and civil society stakeholders.
• Open Consultation Mondays A weekly expert dialogue series providing expert discussions on global governance, international relations, and pressing geopolitical issues affecting the Global South, targeted at policy professionals, academics, and civil society.
• Monthly Newsletter Regular newsletter providing updates on institute activities, publications, and policy discussions, distributed to subscribers via email signup.
• Podcasts & Vodcasts Audio and video content featuring discussions, interviews, and presentations on democracy, governance, and policy topics, distributed via the institute's YouTube channel.
• Liberation Archives Portal Digital archive preserving historical documents and materials related to South Africa's liberation movement and democratic transition, made available as a public-access resource.
• Democratic Education, Briefings, Seminars & Conferences Educational programs and events providing briefings, seminars, and conferences on democratic governance, policy analysis, and civic engagement, aimed at political formations, civil society organizations, and citizens.

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Foundation for European Progressive Studies (FEPS)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Co-published the report 'At the Threshold: Recalibrating the EU-Africa Partnership in a Changing Global Order' based on the EU-Africa Consultative Meeting 2026 held in Cape Town, March 27-29, 2026. Joint events and publications collaboration.
• HumanizaComcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Co-founder of the Global South Perspectives Network (GSPN), an international coalition founded in 2022 to amplify Global South voices in global governance debates. GSPN brings together think tanks and experts from Latin America, Caribbean, Africa, and Middle East.
• Foundation for Global Governance and Sustainability (FOGGS)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Co-founder of the Global South Perspectives Network (GSPN), working to strengthen Southern representation in decision-making, focusing on United Nations reform and multilateralism.
• Houde Institute of ChinaminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 June 2020Cooperation agreement signed in June 2020 for collaborative research and policy exchanges on governance and democracy issues between China and South Africa.
• Africa Think-tank DialoguecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in EU-Africa Consultative Meeting 2026 and ongoing collaboration for think tank coordination across Africa.
• Foundation MaxminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in EU-Africa Consultative Meeting 2026, listed among event co-organizers.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA): Cape Town–based independent policy think tank conducting research on South African foreign policy and global governance. Directly comparable to ISI as a South African think tank publishing reports, convening dialogues, and engaging international networks on governance and multilateral issues.
• Electoral Institute for Sustainable Democracy in Africa (EISA): Johannesburg-headquartered continental organization focused on electoral integrity, democratic governance, and political participation across Africa. Directly comparable given ISI's electoral reform analysis and democratic deepening mandate.
• Foundation for Global Governance and Sustainability (FOGGS): International think tank focused on UN reform and global governance sustainability. Directly comparable as a GSPN co-founder alongside ISI, sharing the Global South multilateralism agenda and partnership in the same international coalition.

Broad incumbents

• Institute for Security Studies (ISS Africa): Larger, established African policy institute producing research on governance, security, and human rights across the continent. Comparable as a South Africa-based think tank publishing reports and engaging policymakers, but with a broader security-oriented portfolio.
• Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC): South Africa's statutory research council conducting large-scale social science and humanities research for public policy. Comparable in producing social-science research informing governance and policy, but operating at significantly greater scale and with statutory status.
• Open Society Foundations – South Africa: Global grantmaking foundation with a South Africa presence funding human rights, governance, and civic engagement. Comparable to ISI through shared thematic focus on inclusive democracy and civil society support, though operating at vastly greater financial scale.

Emerging players

• Africa Policy Research Institute: Think tank focused on African policy analysis and global governance reform with strong Global South framing. Comparable to ISI in advocating for reformed multilateralism and amplifying African policy voices in international debates.
• Centre for Policy Analysis (CEPA): Accra-based think tank producing research on African governance, democracy, and economic policy. Comparable to ISI as an African policy research outlet engaging governance themes, though with different regional focus and economic-policy orientation.

Regional players

• Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES) South Africa: German progressive foundation's South Africa office promoting democratic participation, social justice, and inclusive governance. Comparable to ISI through shared progressive-democratic values, EU-African policy engagement, and convening of policy dialogues.
• Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS): German political foundation active across Africa supporting democracy, rule of law, and political participation. Comparable as an externally-funded think tank/policy actor operating in South African democratic governance discourse, though ideologically distinct.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/InclSocietyInst
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCnI3fypDZKNWeZd5ItV7_Kg
• Facebookfacebook.com/inclusivesocietyinstitute
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/inclusive-society-institute
• Instagraminstagram.com/inclusivesocietyinstitute

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Inclusive Society Institute