DEval

What DEval does

DEval (Deutsches Evaluierungsinstitut der Entwicklungszusammenarbeit gGmbH) is Germany's independent evaluation institute for development cooperation, founded in 2012 and headquartered in Bonn. Operating as a non-profit gGmbH, the institute conducts strategic evaluations of German bilateral and multilateral development cooperation on behalf of the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). Its work spans thematic areas including private sector engagement, climate and environment, food security, fragility and conflict, sexual and reproductive health and rights, and decentralisation, evaluated using methodologies such as Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs), mixed-methods designs, Theory of Change frameworks, and evaluation syntheses.

The institute's service portfolio comprises strategic evaluations, the Rigorous Impact Evaluation (RIE) funding programme (2023-2026, supporting nine independent impact evaluations at German universities), evaluation methods and standards development, evaluation capacity development (ECD) programmes including Focelac+ (Latin America) and EvalConnect, the Meinungsmonitor Entwicklungspolitik (a longitudinal public opinion monitor on development policy since 2017), Country-Led Evaluations (CLE), and the INCE National Evaluation Capacities Index. All evaluation reports, policy briefs, and methodological publications are made freely available as public goods.

DEval's revenue model is institutional government funding from BMZ rather than commercial pricing; the organization does not charge fees for its evaluation outputs. Its customer base is functionally limited to one principal payer (BMZ) plus a network of multilateral partners (UNDP IEO, 3ie, GIZ, KfW) and academic collaborators. Geographic operations are Bonn-centric but evaluation subjects span Sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America, South and Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and the Caucasus. The institute is led by Director Prof. Dr. Jörg Faust and governed by an Advisory Board comprising academic, parliamentary, and development-sector representatives.

Name

DEval

Legal name

DEval - Deutsches Evaluierungsinstitut der Entwicklungszusammenarbeit gGmbH

Website

https://deval.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

DEval is Germany's independent government-funded evaluation institute for development cooperation, conducting strategic evaluations of German bilateral and multilateral aid programmes on behalf of BMZ and publishing findings as public goods.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Development Cooperation Evaluation Services

NAICS

Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (54172), Scientific Research and Development Services (5417), Public Administration (92), International Affairs (928120)

SIC

International Affairs (9721)

akta.pro primary industry

Monitoring, Evaluation, Research & Learning (MERL) (BPADAEAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Monitoring, Evaluation, Learning (MEL) & Reporting for Donor Programs (BPADAOAL), Donor Coordination, Monitoring & Evaluation (MEL) Programs (BPADABAN)

Keywords

• Development evaluation services
• Impact evaluation research
• Evaluation capacity development
• Public policy evaluation
• Development cooperation assessment

Headquarters

HQ city

Bonn

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Government Institutional Funding: DEval operates as a government-funded institute (gGmbH) receiving institutional funding, primarily from the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). As an independent evaluation institute, its revenue derives from public budget allocations rather than commercial revenue streams.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

DEval conducts independent strategic and impact evaluations of German development cooperation programmes on behalf of BMZ, producing publicly available evaluation reports, synthesis studies, and policy briefs. It also operates the Rigorous Impact Evaluation (RIE) funding programme, supports evaluation capacity development in partner countries through initiatives such as Focelac+, EvalConnect, and Country-Led Evaluations, and publishes the Meinungsmonitor Entwicklungspolitik public-opinion survey and the INCE National Evaluation Capacities Index.

Product overview

DEval (Deutsches Evaluierungsinstitut der Entwicklungszusammenarbeit) is an independent evaluation institute for development cooperation based in Bonn, Germany. Rather than a unified software product, DEval offers a portfolio of evaluation services, research programs, and capacity development initiatives. Core offerings include strategic evaluations of German development cooperation, the Rigorous Impact Evaluation (RIE) funding program, development of evaluation methods and standards, and support for evaluation capacity building in partner countries. Key programs include the Meinungsmonitor Entwicklungspolitik (public opinion monitoring), Focelac+ (evaluation culture in Latin America), EvalConnect, Country-Led Evaluations, and the National Evaluation Capacities Index (INCE). DEval publishes evaluation reports, synthesis studies, and policy briefs, making results and methodologies publicly accessible as open-source knowledge goods.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Strategic Evaluations Independent strategic evaluations of German development cooperation commissioned by BMZ to assess bilateral and multilateral engagement, sector programmes, thematic areas, and country-specific portfolios, contributing to more effective, efficient, and sustainable development cooperation.
• Rigorous Impact Evaluation (RIE) Programme

Quantifiable outcome

• Multiple evaluation syntheses and strategic evaluations informing BMZ policy
• +2 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability2 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• German Universities and Research Institutions (RIE Programme)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2023DEval implements the RIE Funding Programme, funded by BMZ, which financially supports nine independent impact evaluations conducted by German universities and research institutions including ESMT Berlin, University of Hamburg, Heidelberg University, RWI, ifo Institute, and Center for Evaluation and Development (C4ED). The evaluations assess interventions within German Development Cooperation across various sectors and regions.
• 3ie (International Initiative for Impact Evaluation)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDEval cooperates with 3ie on synthesis studies and evidence mapping, including a joint synthesis study on food security and nutrition interventions in Sub-Saharan Africa.
• UNDP IEO (United Nations Development Programme Independent Evaluation Office)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDEval partners with UNDP IEO on joint events and evidence initiatives, including co-hosting panel discussions at the UN High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development and collaboration on the Global SDG Synthesis Coalition.
• GIZ (Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit)minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerGIZ implements development cooperation projects that are subject to DEval evaluations. DEval evaluates GIZ programmes and presents findings at joint events.
• KfW Development BankminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerKfW implements development finance projects evaluated by DEval, with joint presentation of findings at RIE events and evaluation reports.
• BMZ (Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development)coreOthersBMZ is the primary commissioning body for DEval's strategic evaluations and provides funding through the RIE Funding Programme. DEval reports evaluation findings and recommendations to BMZ, which issues official statements on DEval evaluations.
• Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIPA has collaborated with DEval evaluators on evaluation projects, including randomized controlled trials in development contexts.
• Ecuador National Planning Secretariat (SNP)minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerDEval supported Ecuador's SNP in conducting its first country-led participatory evaluation during 2023-2024, building national evaluation capacity.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• World Bank Independent Evaluation Group (IEG): The largest multilateral evaluation body globally, evaluating World Bank Group operations. IEG is a broader incumbent with overlapping methodology (RCTs, theory of change, mixed methods) and a more comprehensive global mandate than DEval's Germany-focused role.

Direct peers

• Itad: UK-based specialist evaluation consultancy providing independent monitoring, evaluation, and learning services across international development. Itad is a direct competitor for strategic evaluation mandates and capacity-building assignments that sit within DEval's addressable market.
• Oxford Policy Management: UK-based development consultancy providing evaluation, impact assessment, and policy advisory services to governments, multilaterals, and donors. OPM is a frequent competitor for evaluation capacity development assignments and rigorous impact evaluation work parallel to DEval.
• 3ie (International Initiative for Impact Evaluation): An active DEval partner (joint synthesis work on food security), 3ie is the leading global funder and producer of rigorous impact evaluations in development. It is the closest direct peer in terms of RIE funding programmes and evidence synthesis work.
• UNDP Independent Evaluation Office (IEO): Multilateral evaluation office undertaking independent evaluations of UNDP programmes. DEval has partnered with UNDP IEO on joint events at the UN High-Level Political Forum and Global SDG Synthesis Coalition, making it a directly comparable institutional peer in evaluation methodology and policy advisory.

Emerging players

• IDRC (International Development Research Centre): Canadian Crown corporation funding applied research and evaluation research across the Global South. IDRC overlaps with DEval on evaluation methodology development and capacity building in partner countries, but serves a different funder and geography.
• Global Development Network (GDN): International organisation supporting development research and evaluation capacity across the Global South. GDN's mandate to bridge research and policy parallels DEval's Country-Led Evaluations and INCE work with partial overlap on evaluation institutionalisation.

Others

• KfW Development Bank: Germany's bilateral development finance institution. DEval evaluates KfW's development finance projects and partners on RIE events — adjacent ecosystem participant in the German development architecture rather than a direct evaluation competitor.
• GIZ (Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit): Germany's main implementing agency for development cooperation. DEval evaluates GIZ programmes and presents joint findings, making GIZ the natural complement as the implementer side and a non-competing peer for evaluation-cooperation purposes.

Regional players

• Norad Evaluation Department: Norway's evaluation department for Norwegian development cooperation, comparable in mandate and scope (bilateral donor evaluation institute) to DEval but serving a different bilateral donor. Both operate as donor-country evaluation institutes with similar MEL responsibilities.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC6_kIMAXr7M0ls86tWcxLVA/featured
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/deval---german-institute-for-development-evaluation
• Xx.com/DEval_Institute

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about DEval