Name

Centre for Development and Enterprise

Legal name

Centre for Development and Enterprise

Website

https://cde.org.za

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Johannesburg

HQ country

South Africa

HQ region

Africa

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donor funding and grants: As a policy think tank, CDE operates primarily through donor funding. The organization lists 'Current Donors' on its website, indicating reliance on institutional donors and foundations for operational funding rather than commercial revenue generation.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Centre for Development and Enterprise (CDE) is a South African policy think tank that conducts evidence-based research and public advocacy on economic development issues including growth, jobs, transformation, youth unemployment, education, cities, land reform, and migration. The organization produces publications, op-eds, policy briefs, hosts the CDE Conversations webinar series featuring global experts, and engages directly with government officials and business leaders to influence South African economic policy.

Product overview

Centre for Development and Enterprise (CDE) is a policy think tank operating as a single, unified research and advocacy organization rather than a software product company. The organization produces publications, hosts the CDE Conversations webinar series, and maintains CDE TV multimedia content. Its flagship initiative is AGENDA 2024, which outlines policy priorities for South Africa's government. CDE focuses on research and analysis across topics including economic growth, employment, education, cities, land reform, and transformation policy.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Publications Research reports, policy briefs, op-eds, and policy analysis on South African economic development topics including growth, jobs, youth unemployment, education, cities, land reform, and migration, freely available for download.
• AGENDA 2024 CDE's flagship project outlining priorities for South Africa's new government, developed through collaboration with experts, business leaders, former public servants, and academics.
• CDE Conversations Webinar series featuring conversations with leading global economists, experts, and thought leaders on development and enterprise topics, including participants such as Tyler Cowen, Andres Velasco, and Anne Applebaum.
• CDE TV Video content platform featuring recorded webinars, interviews, and discussions on economic policy and development issues, archived on the CDE website and YouTube channel.

Quantifiable outcome

• CDE has produced 35 pages of op-eds and extensive multimedia content over 30+ years of operation

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

One partnership is on record.

• World Economic ForummoderateGTM or Marketing Partner · 4 September 2019CDE executive director Ann Bernstein spoke at the World Economic Forum in September 2019 on a panel discussing South Africa's government and the urgent need for job creation and inclusive growth, 100 days into President Ramaphosa's administration. The panel was moderated by Oliver Cann, Head of Strategic Communications at WEF.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Institute of Development Studies (IDS): Leading global institution for development research and teaching, producing policy-relevant research and convening development practitioners. Comparable to CDE in the social-science research-and-policy-advisory function, though at much greater scale and with a global rather than single-country focus.
• Tony Blair Institute for Global Change: Policy advisory organisation working with political leaders on governance and economic reform in developing and transition economies. Comparable to CDE in directly engaging heads of government and producing applied policy advice, but with a global remit and larger operating footprint.
• International Growth Centre (IGC): UK aid-funded research and policy initiative delivering evidence-based growth advice to governments in developing countries, with active programmes across Africa. Comparable to CDE in producing policy research that directly targets government decision-makers in developing economies.
• Overseas Development Institute (ODI Global): Leading global development think tank producing applied research and policy advice on international development and economic policy. Directly comparable to CDE in policy research-and-advocacy function and donor-funded model; CDE's Ann Bernstein spoke at an ODI Global panel, indicating an active peer relationship.
• Brookings Institution - Africa Growth Initiative: Brookings' Africa-focused economic policy program produces research and convenes policymakers on African growth and development. Comparable to CDE in evidence-based economic-development research targeting African governments, though operating from a much larger global platform.

Direct peers

• Brenthurst Foundation: Johannesburg-based think tank focused on economic policy and development across Africa, founded by the Oppenheimer family. Directly comparable to CDE as a privately funded South African policy research organization producing publications and convening high-profile dialogues on African growth.
• Free Market Foundation (FMF): Long-standing Johannesburg-based independent policy research organization advocating for market-oriented reform in South Africa, publishing research and policy commentary and convening policy makers and thought leaders. Comparable to CDE in mission (influencing South African economic policy through independent research) and South African footprint.
• South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA): South Africa's premier foreign-policy research institute, headquartered in Johannesburg, producing policy briefs and convening expert dialogue on governance and economic issues. Shares the same South African policy-research, donor-funded operating model and similar target audiences (government, business, civil society) as CDE.
• Institute for Justice and Reconciliation (IJR): Cape Town-based South African think tank producing research and policy dialogue on democratic governance, transitional justice, and socio-economic transformation. Directly comparable as a fellow South African policy research and advocacy organization with overlapping funder base and audiences.

Emerging players

• African Centre for Economic Transformation (ACET): Pan-African economic policy institute promoting transformation across African economies via research, advisory, and convening. Comparable to CDE in economic-development mandate and donor-funded research model, but with a continental rather than single-country focus.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@cdecentrefodeve
• Xx.com/CDEsouthafrica
• Facebookfacebook.com/cdesouthafrica
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/centre-for-development-and-enterprise

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Centre for Development and Enterprise