CEDA

What CEDA does

CEDA (Committee for Economic Development of Australia) is an independent, membership-based public policy think tank incorporated in the Australian Capital Territory in 1960 as a company limited by guarantee and registered as a charity with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission. It operates nationally from offices in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth, with a staff of 51–100 led by Chief Executive Melinda Cilento and Chief Economist Cassandra Winzar. Its purpose is to identify policy issues affecting Australia's long-term economic and social prosperity and to convene cross-sector discussion around solutions.

CEDA's core "products" are research outputs and convening experiences rather than software. Research reports, policy recommendations and multimedia content (podcasts, videos, the Exchange blog) cover housing, aged care, health care, skills, migration and the energy transition; flagship convening formats include the State of the Nation, the State of the State series, and the Climate and Energy Summit. Adjacent offerings include the Progress 2050 framework with goal tracker and SWOT dashboard, the ESG and AI Communities of Best Practice with exclusive LinkedIn groups, and CEDA Learning, a member training platform. Underlying technology is a portfolio of digital content-delivery and event-streaming platforms; no proprietary AI/ML models or APIs are disclosed.

CEDA is funded through annual membership subscriptions billed in advance, tax-deductible donations under its Deductible Gift Recipient status, and event registration fees. Membership spans business, government, academia and community organisations, with named sponsors and members including AWS, Microsoft, KPMG, Deloitte, Westpac, BHP, Rio Tinto, CSIRO, Commonwealth Treasury, and the University of Melbourne. The organisation is governed by a board chaired by Christine Bartlett and is not equity-owned, has no parent company, and discloses no financial figures publicly.

Name

CEDA

Legal name

The Committee for Economic Development of Australia

Website

https://ceda.com.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

1960

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

CEDA is an independent, membership-based Australian policy think tank, founded in 1960, that produces research and convenes business, government and academia on long-term economic and social policy issues.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Melbourne

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Membership fees: Annual membership fees providing access to events, research, publications, and networking opportunities across government, business, and academia sectors
2. Donations: Tax-deductible donations (DGR status) from individuals and organizations to support CEDA's research and policy work
3. Event registration fees: Fees for attending CEDA events including conferences, forums, roundtables, and training programs

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

CEDA is an independent, membership-based public policy think tank that produces evidence-based research reports and policy analysis on Australian economic and social issues (housing, aged care, health care, skills, migration, energy transition) and convenes forums, conferences and member briefings such as State of the Nation, Climate and Energy Summit, and the State of the State Series. Members from business, government, and academia pay annual subscriptions to access this research, attend events, and engage through dedicated ESG and AI Communities of Best Practice.

Product overview

CEDA (Committee for Economic Development of Australia) is an independent, membership-based public policy think tank that does not operate as a software product company. Instead, it offers a portfolio of research, events, and membership services. The core offerings include research reports and publications on economic and social policy, convening programs such as the State of the Nation and Climate and Energy Summit, membership services providing networking access, CEDA Learning for professional development, ESG and AI Communities of Best Practice for peer engagement, and the Progress 2050 framework for long-term policy vision. CEDA also produces multimedia content including podcasts, videos, and blogs. These services are designed to drive informed debate and policy solutions rather than software products.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Progress 2050: CEDA's long-term vision for a more prosperous future for all Australians, tracking progress across six goals spanning a strong economy and strong social compact.
• ESG Community of Best Practice
• CEDA Learning

Products and services

• Research Reports and Policy Publications Evidence-based research reports and policy recommendations on Australian economic and social issues including housing, aged care, health care, skills, migration and the energy transition, delivered to CEDA members and partners across business, government and academia.
• CEDA Events and Convening Programs Forums, conferences, roundtables and member briefings including the State of the Nation, State of the State Series, Climate and Energy Summit and AI Leadership Summit, delivered in-person in Australian capital cities and via virtual and hybrid formats.
• CEDA Membership Annual membership providing organisations with access to CEDA's research publications, events and forums, member briefings and networking opportunities with cross-sector leaders in government, business and academia.
• ESG Community of Best Practice A member-only community for senior leaders working on Environmental, Social and Governance outcomes, providing forums, workshops, livestreams and exclusive LinkedIn group access.
• AI Community of Best Practice A member-only community focused on artificial intelligence policy and applications, including the AI Leadership Summit co-hosted with the National Artificial Intelligence Centre (NAIC).
• Progress 2050 Vision Framework CEDA's long-term framework for tracking Australia's progress across six national goals, accompanied by an interactive Goal Tracker and SWOT dashboard.

Quantifiable outcome

• Progress 2050 vision tracking progress across six goals for Australia's prosperity

Named customers17 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

18 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Amazon Web ServicescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAWS is listed as a key contributor supporting CEDA's work. Partnership includes collaboration on technology and innovation discussions.
• ArupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerArup is a key contributor to CEDA, bringing engineering and infrastructure expertise to policy discussions.
• KPMGcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKPMG is a key contributor supporting CEDA's research on economic and policy issues.
• MicrosoftcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMicrosoft partners with CEDA on Science x Tech initiatives and AI discussions.
• DeloittecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDeloitte contributes to CEDA's policy research and thought leadership programs.
• CSIROcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCSIRO partners with CEDA on research and innovation policy discussions.
• National Artificial Intelligence Centre (NAIC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNAIC and CEDA co-host the AI Summit, partnering on artificial intelligence policy discussions.
• TechnologyOnecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership on transforming Australia's environmental approvals with data and AI technology.
• WestpaccoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWestpac is a key contributor and partner in CEDA's economic policy discussions.
• AureconminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEngineering and advisory firm contributing to CEDA's infrastructure and policy work.
• Clayton UtzminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLegal firm contributing to CEDA's policy discussions.
• Gilbert + TobinminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLegal firm contributing to CEDA's policy discussions.
• GHDminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEngineering consultancy contributing to CEDA's infrastructure discussions.
• Plenary GroupminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInfrastructure investor contributing to CEDA's policy work.
• SiemensminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTechnology company contributing to CEDA's innovation and energy discussions.
• UrbisminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHousing project partnership with CEDA on urban development research.
• Nous GroupminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerManagement consultancy contributing to CEDA's research work.
• WSPminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEngineering consultancy contributing to CEDA's infrastructure policy discussions.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Menzies Research Centre: Australian centre-right think tank conducting research on economic and social policy. Comparable as a politically aligned domestic think tank reliant on corporate sponsorships, events, and donor networks.
• Per Capita: Australian progressive think tank focused on economic and social policy. Comparable as a domestic membership-and-donor-funded think tank competing for similar audiences and policy debate share.
• Australia Institute: Leading Australian think tank focused on climate, energy, and economic inequality, conducting research and policy advocacy. Comparable as a high-profile Australian policy research body that competes for corporate, philanthropic, and media attention with CEDA.
• Grattan Institute: Independent Australian public-policy think tank producing research on economic, social, and environmental policy. Closely comparable to CEDA in mission and domestic focus, though more concentrated on economic policy and not membership-funded in the same way.
• Lowy Institute: Independent international policy think tank based in Sydney covering foreign affairs, trade, and Australia's role in the world. Comparable as an Australian policy research body drawing on corporate partnerships, events, and research output, though narrower in international affairs focus.

Broad incumbents

• Chatham House: International affairs think tank based in London using membership, research, and events to convene global leaders. Comparable in operating model (membership + convening + research) but with a global rather than Australian remit.
• Business Council of Australia: Peak business advocacy body in Australia producing policy research and submissions on economic issues. Overlaps with CEDA on economic policy research and convening of business leaders, but is primarily an advocacy body funded by large corporate members.
• Brookings Institution: Major US public policy think tank conducting research across economics, foreign policy, and social policy, funded by endowments, donations, and corporate partnerships. Comparable as a high-profile think tank using research, convening, and partner engagement but at a vastly larger scale.
• Committee for Economic Development (CED US): The US counterpart think tank of the same lineage, providing research and policy recommendations to business and government leaders. Comparable as a cross-sector economic policy think tank, though significantly larger and operating in the US market.

Emerging players

• The Conference Board: Global membership-based business research organisation producing economic forecasts and convening executives. Comparable in member-funded research and events model serving business and policy leaders, though primarily focused on economic indicators rather than Australian policy.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/41826
• Xx.com/ceda_news
• Facebookfacebook.com/ceda.com.au

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about CEDA