What Mekong Development Research Institute does

Mekong Development Research Institute (MDRI) is an independent Vietnam-based research institute founded on April 17, 2013 in Hanoi by President Dr. Phung Duc Tung along with Nguyen Viet Cuong and six colleagues. The firm delivers policy-oriented applied research, large-scale household and field surveys, impact evaluations using econometric methods such as randomized controlled trials and difference-in-differences, monitoring and evaluation, capacity building, and database services across research areas including poverty reduction, ethnic minority welfare, agricultural and rural development, labor and immigration, education, water and sanitation, environment and climate change, and governance.

MDRI's core technology stack is methodological rather than software-based: standard survey instruments, STATA-based quantitative analysis, and econometric techniques applied to proprietary and public datasets (VHLSS, Enterprise Censuses, and bespoke fieldwork). The institute does not appear to maintain a software product, public API, or proprietary AI/ML platform. Capacity building is delivered through specialized training modules in Sampling, STATA, Impact Evaluation, and Econometrics.

MDRI operates a professional-services, project-based revenue model, selling research deliverables directly to clients through consultancy agreements. Primary customers are Vietnamese government ministries and provincial authorities (Planning and Investment, Agriculture and Rural Development, Education and Training, Health, Justice, the General Statistics Office, and Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee), and international development organizations (World Bank, UNDP, UNICEF, USAID, DFAT/Australia, and Oxfam Vietnam). Pricing is determined per project rather than via standardized tiers, and revenue is non-recurring in nature, dependent on continued donor RFP wins.

Name

Mekong Development Research Institute

Legal name

Mekong Development Research Institute

Website

https://mdri.org.vn

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Mekong Development Research Institute is a Hanoi-based independent research institute, founded in 2013, providing applied research, impact evaluations, surveys, and monitoring and evaluation services to Vietnamese government ministries and international development donors such as the World Bank, UNDP, USAID, DFAT, and Oxfam.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Hanoi

HQ country

Vietnam

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Research Consultancy Services: MDRI generates revenue through commissioned research projects, impact evaluations, and policy analysis for government agencies, international development organizations, and NGOs. Revenue appears to be project-based rather than recurring, derived from consulting engagements specified by clients.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

MDRI is an applied research institute that delivers policy-oriented development research, large-scale surveys, impact evaluations, monitoring and evaluation, capacity building, and database services for Vietnamese government ministries, international development organizations (e.g., World Bank, UNDP, USAID, DFAT, UNICEF, Oxfam), and NGOs. Engagements are structured as commissioned consultancy projects across thematic areas such as poverty reduction, ethnic minority welfare, agriculture and rural development, education, governance, and environment and climate change.

Product overview

Mekong Development Research Institute (MDRI) is a research institute offering a portfolio of research and advisory services rather than a traditional software product. The core offering consists of six interconnected service areas: Applied Research, Survey and Data Management, Impact Evaluation, Monitoring and Evaluation, Capacity Building (with specialized modules in Sampling, STATA, Impact Evaluation, and Econometrics), and Database Services. These services are delivered across multiple research areas including poverty reduction, ethnic minority issues, agricultural and rural development, labor and immigration, education, water and sanitation, sector and market research, environment and climate change, and governance. MDRI operates as a policy research organization that combines quantitative and qualitative research methodologies to serve government agencies, international organizations, and development partners.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Applied Research Policy-oriented research services addressing Vietnam's development challenges across poverty reduction, ethnic minority welfare, agricultural development, education, healthcare, and climate change, delivered for government ministries and international development partners.
• Survey and Data Management Large-scale survey design, implementation, and data management including phone-based surveys, field surveys, and household data collection for development research and program evaluation.
• Impact Evaluation Rigorous impact evaluation services using econometric methods such as randomized controlled trials and difference-in-differences to assess program and policy effectiveness for development partners.
• Monitoring and Evaluation Comprehensive monitoring and evaluation services for development programs and projects across sectors, supporting donors and government implementers.
• Capacity Building Training and capacity building services delivered through specialized modules in Sampling, STATA, Impact Evaluation, and Econometrics for government staff, researchers, and development partners.
• Database Services Database development and management services for research data storage, retrieval, and analysis.

Named customers12 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

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• World BankcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMDRI collaborates with the World Bank on various research projects including studies on household registration systems, poverty assessment, and development policy analysis in Vietnam.
• United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) VietnamcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMDRI and UNDP Vietnam conduct joint research on governance, public administration performance (PAPI), disability inclusion, and COVID-19 response assessment.
• Oxfam VietnamcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMDRI collaborates with Oxfam Vietnam on multidimensional inequality research, poverty analysis, and climate change impact studies.
• Ho Chi Minh National Academy of PoliticscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint research with UNDP Vietnam on public services under Vietnam's two-tier local government model conducted in Q1/2026.
• International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on nutrition and food environment research for Vietnamese adolescents in multiple project phases.
• Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint publication with UNICEF on employability skills gaps and good practices for upskilling marginalized youth.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• J-PAL (Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab): A global research center conducting randomized evaluations of anti-poverty and development policies; directly comparable in impact-evaluation methodology and policy-research focus.
• Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA): A research nonprofit running RCTs and impact evaluations on poverty programs in developing countries; closely aligned with MDRI's evaluation methods and development mission.
• Oxford Policy Management: A global development consultancy conducting impact evaluations, surveys, and policy analysis for donors; directly comparable in methodology and client base (World Bank, DFAT, UN agencies).

Others

• Ipsos: A global market and social research firm with survey and data-collection operations in Vietnam; overlaps in large-scale survey capability but focused on commercial market research.

Broad incumbents

• RTI International: A major nonprofit research institute delivering development, health, and governance research worldwide; broadly comparable in service lines but a much larger, multi-country incumbent.
• Mathematica: A policy research firm specializing in rigorous impact evaluation and data analytics; comparable methodological focus though primarily US-oriented and larger scale.
• NORC at the University of Chicago: An independent social research organization conducting international surveys and evaluations; comparable in social-science R&D and survey methodology at global scale.
• Abt Global (Abt Associates): A large international research and evaluation firm serving USAID and development donors; overlaps in impact evaluation and M&E but operates at far larger, global scale.

Regional players

• Indochina Research: A Southeast Asia-focused market and social research firm operating in Vietnam and neighboring countries; comparable in survey/data-collection services and regional focus, though more commercial-market oriented.
• Central Institute for Economic Management (CIEM): A Vietnam-based economic and policy research institute advising government; competes for similar domestic policy-research and development-study mandates.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/mdri_vn
• Facebookfacebook.com/Mekong.Institute
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mekong-development-reseach-institute

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 Development Research Institute