Center for Democracy Aarau

Name

Center for Democracy Aarau

Legal name

Centre for Democracy Studies Aarau

Website

https://zdaarau.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Academic and Policy Research Services

NAICS

Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (54172)

akta.pro primary industry

Social Studies & Civics Instruction (School-Delivered) (EDAJAFAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

Science, Technology & Innovation Administration (National R&D Policy) (BPAIAAAK)

Keywords

• Democracy research
• Political science research
• Civic education programs
• Deliberative democracy projects
• Direct democracy studies

Headquarters

HQ city

Aarau

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Center for Democracy Aarau (ZDA) is a scientific research center that conducts basic and applied research on democracy across four focus areas: direct democracy, democratic systems in transition, democracy and historical/political education, and democratic innovations. It also delivers civic education programs for schools, organizes the annual Aarau Democracy Days conference, and runs deliberative democracy research projects such as the Citizens' Assembly.

Product overview

The Center for Democracy Studies Aarau (ZDA) is a scientific research center that operates as a unified research and education institution rather than a commercial product company. Its primary offerings consist of democracy research services across four focus areas (direct democracy, democratic systems in transition, historical and political education, and democratic innovations), academic publications, and public engagement programs including the annual Aarauer Demokratietage event, the SpielPolitik! civic education program for schools, and the Bevölkerungsrat Citizens' Assembly research project. These offerings are interconnected through the center's mission to conduct basic research and address current issues relating to democracy regionally, in Switzerland, and worldwide.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Aarauer Demokratietage: Annual event series consisting of an evening program and academic conference addressing current political issues, held annually since 2009.
• Citizens' Assembly (Bevölkerungsrat)
• SpielPolitik!

Products and services

• Democracy Research Services

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 40% of survey respondents wanted rising healthcare costs addressed in Citizens' Assembly

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• University of ZurichcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity of Zurich is one of the four founding/supporting institutions of the Center for Democracy Studies Aarau. Provides academic oversight, research personnel, and institutional credibility. Professor Daniel Kübler from UZH serves as co-initiator of Citizens' Assembly projects.
• University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland (FHNW)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFHNW is one of the four founding/supporting institutions providing academic and institutional support to the ZDA.
• Canton of AargaucoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Canton of Aargau is one of the four founding/supporting institutions of the ZDA, providing governmental and financial support.
• City of AaraucoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe City of Aarau is one of the four founding/supporting institutions, providing municipal support and hosting the ZDA headquarters at Villa Blumenhalde.
• University of GenevacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-initiator of the Citizens' Assembly 2025 research project. Professor Nenad Stojanović from University of Geneva serves as co-initiator alongside University of Zurich.
• Polit-Forum BernminorOthersHosted the random selection drawing for the Citizens' Assembly 2025 participants at their facility.
• Federal Statistical OfficeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated with ZDA on a survey regarding citizens' priorities for the Citizens' Assembly topic selection.
• gfs.bernminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPublic opinion research institute collaborated on survey work for Citizens' Assembly topic selection.
• Verein Freunde des ZDA (Friends of the ZDA)minorOthersAn association of supporters that provides additional backing and community engagement for the ZDA.
• Verein 'Schulen nach Bern'minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partner for the 'SpielPolitik!' political education project that won the 2025 Federalism Award.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Democracy International: International NGO advocating for democratic reforms including citizens' assemblies and referendums. Comparable to ZDA's deliberative democracy and direct democracy research focus.
• European University Institute - Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies: Academic research center producing policy-relevant research on democracy, federalism, and European governance. Comparable as a university-affiliated research institution with similar academic publishing and policy advisory functions.
• Forum of Federations: International organization focused on federalism and governance research. Comparable to ZDA's research on direct democracy, democratic systems, and federalism — sharing overlapping research areas and academic publishing functions.
• V-Dem Institute (University of Gothenburg): Varieties of Democracy project, the world's largest social science research data infrastructure on democracy. Highly comparable to ZDA as both produce academic research and datasets on democratic institutions, indices, and reforms globally.
• International IDEA: Intergovernmental organization supporting democratic institutions worldwide with research and citizens' assembly expertise. Directly comparable to ZDA's citizens' assembly work and democracy research focus.

Others

• University of Zurich - Institute of Political Science: Academic institute producing political science research including on democracy and Swiss politics. Comparable as a ZDA co-founder and source of academic research personnel, though broader in scope than ZDA's democracy focus.
• Swiss Academies of Social Sciences: Swiss academic organization coordinating social science research. Comparable as an ecosystem participant supporting academic research and political education in Switzerland.

Broad incumbents

• Bertelsmann Foundation - Sustainable Governance Indicators: Large German foundation producing the Bertelsmann Transformation Index and Sustainable Governance Indicators. Comparable as a research institution producing governance and democracy indices, though with much broader scope.
• Friedrich Ebert Foundation - Democracy Research: German political foundation promoting democratic education and producing research on democracy. Comparable to ZDA's civic education (SpielPolitik!) and democracy research activities, though operating at much larger scale.
• Carnegie Endowment for International Peace - Democracy Program: Established global think tank with a dedicated democracy, conflict, and governance program. Comparable as a research-focused institution producing policy analysis on democratic governance, though broader in scope than ZDA.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/zdaarau
• Facebookfacebook.com/zdaarau
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/zdaarau

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Center for Democracy Aarau