Mandela Institute for Development Studies

What Mandela Institute for Development Studies does

MINDS (Mandela Institute for Development Studies) is a non-profit think tank founded in 2010 and headquartered in Johannesburg, South Africa, by Dr. Nkosana Moyo with Graça Machel serving as Executive Chair. It operates as a pan-African platform for leadership development and policy dialogue, with its mandate endorsed by the Nelson Mandela Foundation. The organization targets African youth, postgraduate scholars, policymakers, and civic stakeholders across 16+ African nations, focusing on governance, continental integration, and cultivating the next generation of African leaders.

MINDS delivers five named programs: the Scholarship Program for Leadership Development (postgraduate scholarships placed at partner universities outside the scholar's home country), the African Heritage Program, the African Youth Network Movement (AYNM), the Elections and Governance Program, and the Economic and Regional Integration Program. Delivery is operationalized through 24+ university partnerships across Africa and supported by digital infrastructure including the MINDS Alumni Portal, the MINDS Connect blog, and an Insights & Media Hub for policy content distribution. Cohort scale surfaced in the data is modest, with roughly 11 named scholarship recipients and 7 graduates identified.

The business model is grant-funded rather than commercially monetized: services are delivered at no cost to participants, and revenue is sourced from institutional donors including the Government of Rwanda, Diamond Empowerment Fund, Mastercard Foundation, Nedbank Eyethu Trust, Old Mutual Emerging Markets, and the National Research Foundation of South Africa. Go-to-market is event- and program-driven — regional workshops, policy dialogues, and an online scholarship application portal — supplemented by 15 years of accumulated alumni network effects that reinforce program recruitment and convening authority.

Name

Mandela Institute for Development Studies

Legal name

Mandela Institute for Development Studies

Website

https://minds-africa.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

MINDS is a Johannesburg-based non-profit think tank founded in 2010 that runs pan-African scholarship, leadership development, and policy dialogue programs serving postgraduate scholars, youth, and policymakers across 16+ African nations via 24+ university partners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Non-profit Think Tank and Leadership Development

NAICS

Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (54172), Educational Support Services (611710), Professional and Management Development Training (61143)

akta.pro primary industry

Education Policy Research Institutes & Think Tanks (EDADADAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

NGO/Nonprofit Education Programs & Service Delivery (EDADALAC), STEM, Digital Skills & Innovation Partnerships (EDADALAJ)

Keywords

• Pan-African scholarship programs
• Leadership development training
• Governance policy research
• Youth civic engagement
• Continental dialogue platforms

Headquarters

HQ city

Hyde Park

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Scholarship Programme Funding: MINDS operates as a non-profit organisation funded through partnerships with governments, foundations, and corporate sponsors. The scholarship programme is funded by partners including the Government of Rwanda, Diamond Empowerment Fund, Mastercard Foundation, Nedbank Eyethu Trust, and Old Mutual Emerging Markets. Revenue comes from donor contributions and partnerships rather than product/service sales.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

MINDS Africa is a Pan-African think tank and leadership platform that funds postgraduate scholarships for African students to study at leading universities outside their home country, complemented by structured leadership development programming. It also convenes policy dialogues, conducts research, and runs youth engagement programmes focused on African heritage, governance, elections, and regional economic integration. All programming is delivered free to participants and supported through donor and sponsor funding.

Product overview

MINDS (Mandela Institute for Development Studies) is an Africa-wide think tank providing an inclusive platform for dialogue, information dissemination, and networking. The organization operates through a multi-product approach centered on research-driven programs including the Scholarship Program for Leadership Development (postgraduate scholarships with leadership training), African Heritage Program, African Youth Network Movement, Economic and Regional Integration Program, and Elections and Governance Program. These are supported by digital platforms including the MINDS Alumni Portal, MINDS Connect blog platform, and Insights & Media Hub featuring videos and articles. All programs are underpinned by rigorous research into African heritage, governance, integrated economic development, and institutional evolution.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Scholarship Program for Leadership Development A flagship scholarship programme that funds African students to pursue postgraduate studies (Honours or Master's) at leading partner universities across Africa outside their home country, combined with leadership development activities to nurture Pan-African leaders.
• African Heritage Program A research and dialogue programme focused on situating 'Africanness' at the centre of sustainable social, economic, and political development in Africa.
• African Youth Network Movement (AYNM) A network programme that unites youth leaders across Africa to connect, collaborate, and drive continental development initiatives.
• Economic and Regional Integration Program A programme focused on advancing African cooperation and economic integration through research, dialogue, and policy engagement.
• Elections and Governance Program A programme strengthening youth engagement in democracy through civic education, dialogue, and capacity building for democratic participation across Africa.

Quantifiable outcome

• Scholars to 11+ recipients with 7 graduates from initial cohorts
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• Government of RwandacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 July 2017Key partnership for MINDS Scholarship Programme. The Government of Rwanda, represented by Minister of Education Hon. Dr. Papias Musafiri Malimba, signed agreement with MINDS. Partnership enables Rwandese nationals to study elsewhere in Africa while supporting African students who wish to study in Rwanda.
• Nelson Mandela FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommissioned feasibility study for MINDS and hosted pivotal consultative meeting where MINDS gained formal endorsement. Critical in early institutional development. Provided governance guidance and initial platform.
• Southern Africa TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFirst funding for MINDS came through Southern Africa Trust. Hosted MINDS in early stages supporting institutional building including registration, policies, and administrative structures. Effectively incubated MINDS during initial phase.
• Graça Machel TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with Dr Nkosana Moyo in founding discussions. MINDS moved into shared office space with Graça Machel Trust as it matured. Collaborative on initiatives including African Heritage Programme and high-level dialogues.
• Food, Agriculture and Policy Analysis Network (FANRPAN)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partner for 2018 High Level Policy Dialogue on Transforming Africa's Agriculture held in Maputo, Mozambique. FANRPAN contributed policy analysis expertise and network.
• Center for Coordination of Agricultural Research and Development for Southern Africa (CCARDESA)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-host of 2018 High Level Policy Dialogue on Transforming Africa's Agriculture. Contributed agricultural research and development expertise to the dialogue.
• Lending for Education in Africa Partnership (LEAP)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMINDS and LEAP co-hosted High-Level Dialogue on Building a Diversified Workforce for the Future in Africa in Nairobi, Kenya, July 2019.
• National Research Foundation (NRF) South AfricacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMINDS and NRF announced partnership agreement for joint postgraduate scholarship and exchange programme for Africa. Provides additional pathway for African scholars.
• National Heritage Council (NHC) South AfricamajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-host of Expert Meeting on 'Africanness' in African Heritage Studies and Praxis held June 2019. Partnership focuses on African heritage research and understanding.
• Sheila Khama (Board Member)majorOthersBoard member bringing international leadership experience. Minerals, oil and gas policy advisor with 20+ years experience. Former CEO of De Beers Botswana.
• Zeinab Badawi (Advisory Board)majorOthersAdvisory board member. Award-winning Sudanese-British journalist, known for BBC Hard Talk and Global Questions. Chair of Royal African Society. Produced 20-part series 'The History of Africa'.
• African Leadership University (ALU)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPreferred institution partner for MINDS Scholarship Programme. ALU campuses in Rwanda and Mauritius serve as study destinations for MINDS scholars.
• Carnegie Mellon University in RwandacoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPreferred institution partner. Provides postgraduate study opportunity for MINDS scholarship recipients in engineering and technology fields.
• University of Cape Town (UCT)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPreferred institution partner. One of Africa's leading universities serving as study destination for MINDS scholars in Southern Africa.
• Strathmore UniversitycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPreferred institution partner. Serves as study destination for MINDS scholars in East Africa, particularly for Old Mutual scholarship studies.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• Nelson Mandela Foundation: Continental legacy organisation promoting Mandela's values across society; directly comparable as a peer think-tank and policy convener, and is itself a strategic partner that commissioned MINDS' feasibility study and endorsed its creation.
• African Leadership University (ALU): Pan-African higher education institution offering postgraduate programmes across multiple African campuses; comparable to MINDS because it cultivates African leaders through study on the continent, is also a MINDS preferred institution partner, and targets a similar pan-African, leadership-oriented student.
• Southern Africa Trust: Regional non-profit engaging civil society in policy dialogue across southern Africa; comparable to MINDS because it incubated MINDS in its early stages, shares the policy dialogue and youth civic engagement remit, and operates in the same thematic space on the continent.
• TrustAfrica: Pan-African foundation supporting governance, civil society, and youth leadership across Africa; comparable to MINDS as a continental grantmaker and think-tank convening African leaders, and referenced as an institutional partner supporting MINDS' early development.
• Graça Machel Trust: Pan-African advocacy and development foundation led by Graça Machel focused on women's leadership, governance, and child nutrition; comparable as a pan-African non-profit with similar convening power and overlapping founding leadership (Graça Machel is also MINDS' Executive Chair).
• African Leadership Academy: Pan-African leadership development organisation identifying and training high-potential African youth for leadership roles; directly comparable to MINDS because both are non-profit, scholarship-driven leadership pipelines targeting exceptional African youth with pan-African orientation.

Broad incumbents

• African Development Bank (AfDB): Continental multilateral development bank financing Africa's economic and social development; comparable to MINDS as a pan-African institution promoting development paradigms, and is a previous employer of MINDS' founder Dr Nkosana Moyo.
• Tony Elumelu Foundation: Pan-African entrepreneurship and leadership philanthropy funding thousands of African entrepreneurs annually; comparable to MINDS because it cultivates African leaders/entrepreneurs with a pan-African mandate and operates programmes across the continent, though focused on entrepreneurship rather than scholarships.
• Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program: Largest African scholarship and leadership programme funded by the Mastercard Foundation (also a MINDS funder); comparable because it funds postgraduate study across Africa and globally and combines scholarships with leadership development, but operates at materially larger scale than MINDS.

Others

• Chatham House (Africa Programme): Global policy think-tank with a dedicated Africa programme conducting research, convening leaders, and publishing on governance; comparable to MINDS as a think-tank peer in the policy research and convening space, though operating globally rather than Africa-only.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/mindsafrica
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@MandelaInstitute
• Facebookfacebook.com/mindsafrica
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mandela-institute-for-development-studies
• Instagraminstagram.com/mindsafrica

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Mandela Institute for Development Studies