ForSet

What ForSet does

ForSet is a Tbilisi, Georgia-based for-profit creative consultancy founded in 2017 that helps international organizations, government agencies, nonprofits, and socially responsible companies turn complex data into accessible visual stories and impact campaigns. It operates across four service lines — Design (data visualizations, animated videos, infographics, factographs, posters, information cards, brochures), Datathon and Hackathon Organization, Trainings and Workshops, and Communication Strategies and Social Awareness Campaigns — delivered as professional services on a direct, project-based engagement model. The company self-describes as a hybrid combining NGO, creative agency, design studio, and development company functions, and reports headcount in the 11–50 band with no disclosed external funding rounds or investor ownership.

Beyond services, ForSet builds and operates civic tech web platforms, notably Askgov.ge (a citizen-facing portal for requesting data from public agencies) and DataforCrisis.com (a social listening platform with 4M+ data points for sentiment, emotional, topic, keyword, and correlation analysis on Russian migration discourse in Georgia and Kazakhstan). It also runs DataFest Tbilisi, an annual data festival it claims as the largest in Eastern Europe and Central Asia (5,000+ cumulative attendees from 80+ countries since 2017, with up to 900 guests expected at the 2024 edition and 200+ workshops and speakers), which functions as the company's primary brand and pipeline engine.

Revenue mechanics are predominantly project-based, donor-funded professional services rather than software ARR; the only disclosed price signal is a symbolic 10 GEL ticket for the International Girls in ICT Day 2025 event. Strategic partnerships include co-development with SocialLab and MediaNet on DataforCrisis.com, donor backing from DW Akademie and German Cooperation, and a co-organized Media Innovation Hackathon with USAID Media Program (14,000 GEL prize pool). Recognition includes the 2023 Grace Hopper Award (diversity) and a 2023 Copenhagen Democracy Tech Competition win for the skGov.ge project. ForSet is privately held and led by co-founder and director Nino Macharashvili.

Name

ForSet

Legal name

ForSet

Website

https://forset.ge

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

ForSet is a Tbilisi, Georgia-based creative consultancy founded in 2017 that helps international organizations, government agencies, nonprofits, and socially responsible companies communicate impact through data visualization, civic tech, hackathons, training, and communication strategy services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Tbilisi

HQ country

Georgia

HQ region

Asia

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Design Services: Creating engaging data visualizations including animated videos, infographics, factographs, posters, information cards, and brochures. Converting complex data into understandable data stories for reports and large datasets.
2. Hackathon and Datathon Organization: Organizing competitions where participants work on challenges using data and technology tools. Services include full process management from planning to execution.
3. Training and Workshops: Conducting training and workshops on data visualization for groups of varying professions and interests, both individually and for groups.
4. Communication Strategies and Social Awareness Campaigns: Strategic communication consulting and designing impactful social awareness campaigns that inspire action, shift perceptions, and create lasting change across diverse sectors including public sector, environmental sustainability, and social inclusion.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

ForSet is a Tbilisi-based consultancy providing four interconnected service lines: data visualization design (animated videos, infographics, factographs, posters, information cards), datathon and hackathon organization, training and workshops on data collection, analysis, and communication, and communication strategies for social awareness campaigns. The firm also develops civic tech platforms including Askgov.ge, a portal enabling citizens to request data from public agencies, and DataforCrisis.com, a social listening platform for monitoring Russian migration discussions.

Product overview

ForSet is a Tbilisi-based creative enterprise combining NGO, creative agency, design studio, and development company functions. Founded in 2017, it operates four interconnected service areas: Design Services (data visualization, animated videos, infographics, factographs), Datathon and Hackathon Services, Trainings and Workshops, and Communication Strategies and Social Awareness Campaigns. The company also develops civic tech platforms including Askgov.ge (public data request portal) and DataforCrisis.com (social listening platform for Russian migration analysis). Educational programs and the annual DataFest Tbilisi festival serve as community-building initiatives to strengthen data professionals across Eastern Europe and Central Asia.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• DataFest Tbilisi: An annual data festival organized by ForSet, described as the largest data festival in Eastern Europe and Central Asia.
• Askgov.ge
• DataforCrisis.com

Products and services

• Design Services Data visualization and design services including animated videos, infographics, factographs, posters, information cards, and brochures, converting complex data into accessible visual stories for reports and large datasets. Targeted at organizations needing to communicate data clearly.
• Datathon and Hackathon Organization End-to-end organization and execution of datathons and hackathons covering topics such as combating misinformation, addressing gender stereotypes, countering hate speech, and promoting democracy. Services cover the full process from planning to execution.
• Trainings and Workshops Educational programs teaching data collection, data cleaning, data analysis, and data communication skills to groups of varying professions and interests, delivered both individually and for groups.
• Communication Strategies and Social Awareness Campaigns Strategic communication consulting covering information campaigns, action plans, and the design and delivery of social awareness campaigns for public sector, environmental sustainability, and social inclusion clients.
• Askgov.ge Civic tech platform enabling any citizen to request data from public agencies without encountering excessive bureaucratic procedures. Targeted at Georgian citizens and public agencies.
• DataforCrisis.com Social listening platform with over 4 million data points providing sentiment, emotional, topic, and keyword analysis, as well as correlation analysis to investigate Russian migration issues in Georgia and Kazakhstan. Developed with SocialLab, MediaNet, DW Akademie, and German Cooperation.
• DataFest Tbilisi Annual data festival and professional networking event organized by ForSet since 2017, serving as the largest data festival in Eastern Europe and Central Asia and drawing more than 5,000 participants from over 80 countries.
• Educational Programs Ongoing programs empowering students, journalists, activists, and data scientists with skills in data collection, analysis, and communication, operating in Georgia and the broader region.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 5,000 participants from 80+ countries reached through DataFest Tbilisi since 2017
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• SocialLabcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerForSet partnered with SocialLab to develop DataforCrisis.com, a social listening platform monitoring social media conversations from Russian migrants and Georgian communities in Georgia. The platform provides over 4 million data points for journalists and researchers.
• MediaNetcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the DataforCrisis.com project development, working with ForSet and SocialLab to create the open data portal for investigating Russian migration issues in Georgia.
• DW AkademiemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupported the DataforCrisis.com project along with German Cooperation, providing funding and backing for the social listening platform development.
• USAID Media ProgramcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUSAID Media Program co-organized the Media Innovation Hackathon with ForSet, aiming to foster groundbreaking solutions to address media-related challenges. The hackathon featured an initial prize pool of 14,000 GEL.
• DataFest TbilisicoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated with ForSet on the Women and Girls in STEM event, bringing together approximately 200 attendees at Technopark for inspirational speeches, discussions, and workshops.
• Bank of GeorgiamajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the Women and Girls in STEM Day event, supporting the celebration of International Day of Women and Girls in STEM.
• UN WomenmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated on the Women and Girls in STEM Day event, contributing to discussions on 'Women in STEM: Overcoming Difficulties and Challenges'.
• Smart AcademyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the Women and Girls in STEM Day event, supporting educational workshops for the event.
• Blue OceanminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the Women and Girls in STEM Day event, contributing to the celebration.
• NEXT.On.geminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the Women and Girls in STEM Day event, supporting the event activities.
• Innovation and Technology Agency of Georgia (gita.gov.ge)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the Women and Girls in STEM Day event, representing Georgia's technology agency supporting women in technology.
• Borjomi GeorgiaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the Women and Girls in STEM Day event, providing sponsorship support.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Tactical Tech: Berlin-based international NGO that works at the intersection of technology, data, and civil society, producing public-interest data storytelling, civic tech tools, and educational programs. Closely comparable to ForSet in mission, methodology (data literacy, civic engagement, design-driven communication), and hybrid NGO/creative-studio posture.
• Development Seed: Data visualization and engineering firm that builds open-source tools, maps, and data infrastructure for NGOs, governments, and media. Comparable to ForSet in combining civic-tech product development (Askgov.ge/DataforCrisis.com) with design services for mission-aligned clients.
• Ushahidi: Open-source civic technology platform specializing in crisis mapping, citizen reporting, and data collection tools for civil society. Comparable in building civic-tech products in emerging/frontier markets with a similar hybrid technology/social-mission model to ForSet's DataforCrisis.com.
• Pitch Interactive: Independent data visualization and interactive storytelling studio that builds award-winning data-driven narratives, primarily for journalism, NGOs, and foundations. Closely comparable in craft, output type (interactive/animated data stories), and client mix to ForSet's data viz and storytelling practice.
• Stamen Design: San Francisco-based data visualization and cartography studio known for mission-driven map and data-storytelling work for NGOs, foundations, and media. Directly comparable to ForSet's Design Services line and its civic/data-storytelling positioning, though serving a Western market.
• SocialLab: Georgian social-listening and research firm that co-developed DataforCrisis.com with ForSet. Directly comparable in social-listening analytics, regional focus, and partner-on-project relationship to ForSet.
• Code for Africa: Africa's largest civic technology and data journalism initiative, building open data platforms and running hackathons and training programs for journalists and civil society. Directly comparable to ForSet's Askgov.ge, DataforCrisis.com, and training-plus-hackathon service lines, and similarly reliant on international donor funding.

Emerging players

• Open Knowledge Foundation: International NGO advocating for open data and transparency, running training programs and tools (e.g., CKAN) used by governments and journalists. Comparable to ForSet's open data, civic transparency (Askgov.ge), and data-literacy training work, though at much larger scale.
• Visualizing Impact: Data visualization and storytelling studio focused on social impact and policy communication, producing interactive narratives and infographics for nonprofits. Comparable to ForSet's data viz and social-awareness campaign work, at smaller scale.

Others

• DW Akademie: Deutsche Welle's media development organization supporting independent journalism and media innovation through training, grants, and partnerships globally. Directly comparable to ForSet as both funder and programmatic peer in journalism training and media innovation (e.g., USAID Media Innovation Hackathon support).

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ForSetGe
• GitHubbit.ly/3vo4sM6
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@forset1360
• Facebookfacebook.com/ForSet.ge
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/forset-georgia/mycompany
• Instagraminstagram.com/forset.ge

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 ForSet