What CBI does

CBI (Centre for the Promotion of Imports from developing countries) is a Dutch government agency established in 1971 and headquartered in The Hague. It operates as part of the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO.nl) under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, with 101–250 staff, and supports small and medium-sized enterprises in approximately 30 developing countries across Africa, Asia, Latin America, and Eastern Europe to export products and services to European and regional markets.

CBI delivers its services through multi-year export coaching projects, market orientation missions, e-learning courses, market intelligence studies, and matchmaking at major trade fairs including Fruit Logistica, Anuga, Biofach, Maison & Objet, and ITB Berlin. Its digital infrastructure comprises web-based market intelligence platforms, online matchmaking tools, and self-serve e-learning delivered via the ITC SME Academy. The 2021–2025 strategy period marked a shift from strengthening business ecosystems to a systems approach aimed at making value chains more sustainable and inclusive, with increasing focus on EU regulatory compliance (EUDR, Digital Product Passport, EU Organic Regulation).

CBI does not operate as a commercial entity. All services are provided free of charge to SMEs and are funded directly by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Its revenue model is therefore government grant-based rather than fee-based, and it has no disclosed venture funding, private equity backing, M&A activity, or subsidiaries. CBI supplements its mandate through strategic partnerships with the International Trade Centre (Netherlands Trust Fund IV), ILO, PUM, SIECA, Oikocredit, NewForesight, and the Craft + Design Institute.

Name

CBI

Legal name

Centre for the Promotion of Imports from developing countries

Website

https://cbi.eu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1971

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

CBI (Centre for the Promotion of Imports from developing countries) is a Dutch government agency under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs that supports SMEs in ~30 developing countries to export to Europe via coaching, market intelligence, e-learning, and trade-fair matchmaking.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

The Hague

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Government-funded development services: CBI is funded by the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs and operates as part of Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO.nl). All services provided to SMEs are free of charge, as the organization operates as a development agency rather than a commercial entity.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

CBI is a Dutch government development agency that helps small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in developing countries export products and services to European and regional markets. It delivers free export coaching programs, market intelligence studies, e-learning courses, and matchmaking between European importers and developing-country exporters across sectors including coffee, cocoa, apparel, seafood, and tourism.

Product overview

CBI (Centre for the Promotion of Imports from developing countries) is a Dutch development organization that provides trade support services to SMEs in developing countries. Rather than a unified software product, CBI offers a portfolio of advisory, intelligence, and facilitation services including export coaching programmes, market intelligence studies, e-learning courses, and matchmaking services across multiple sectors including coffee, cocoa, fresh produce, apparel, home decoration, cosmetics ingredients, spices, seafood, and tourism. Services are delivered through both digital (e-learning, online resources, webinars) and in-person (trade fair support, coaching, missions) channels. The organization focuses on helping SMEs comply with EU regulations and access European markets through training, market information, and direct business support.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Export Coaching Projects
• Market Intelligence Studies
• E-learning Courses
• Trade Fair Participation and Matchmaking
• Sustainability Certification and EU Compliance Support

Named customers6 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• International Labour Organization (ILO)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 September 2020ILO and CBI signed MoU to improve productivity and exports in Jordan and Lebanon's agricultural sector. The partnership focuses on decent working conditions for farmworkers and improving export opportunities for SMEs to foreign markets, particularly Europe.
• International Trade Centre (ITC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCBI and ITC collaborate in Netherlands Trust Fund (NTF) programs, currently in fourth phase (NTF IV). Focus on enhancing export competitiveness of specific sectors in selected countries through an integrated approach generating export revenues.
• OikocreditminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCBI and Oikocredit piloted the 'Cash-flow Let Cashew Flow' tool to help cashew processors in West Africa improve financial management. The tool has shown potential to transform the cashew industry.
• PUMcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPUM and CBI renewed Statement of Cooperation. Both assist SMEs in developing countries through integrated value chain approach. Intensified cooperation in joint project identification, development and implementation.
• NewForesightminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization founded by Lucas Simons. CBI collaborated with NewForesight on systems approach methodology, exploring what shift to systemic thinking brought in terms of challenges and key lessons.
• SIECA (Secretariat for Central American Economic Integration)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEU, SIECA and CBI working together since 2018 to strengthen economic integration in Central America through the Connecting Central America project supporting 60 businesses.
• Craft + Design Institute (CDI)minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPartnership with South African not-for-profit organization helping local businesses in Home Decoration and Home Textiles sector export to Europe.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• International Trade Centre (ITC): Joint UN/WTO agency that supports SME export competitiveness in developing countries through market intelligence, training, and partnerships — directly comparable mandate to CBI, and an active CBI partner via the Netherlands Trust Fund.
• Enabel: Belgian federal development agency executing sustainable economic development projects across partner countries; structurally similar as a national development agency supporting private-sector growth in developing economies.
• Swisscontact: Swiss foundation promoting inclusive economic development through workforce development and SME competitiveness programs in emerging markets — similar mandate and target beneficiary profile.
• GIZ (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit): German federal development agency executing economic development and sustainable trade programs globally on behalf of BMZ — comparable mandate, scale, and government-funded SME development approach.
• PUM Netherlands: Dutch non-profit connecting SME-expert volunteers with entrepreneurs in developing countries; signed a renewed Statement of Cooperation with CBI and pursues an integrated value chain approach on adjacent SME export mandates.

Broad incumbents

• USAID: U.S. government agency funding economic growth and trade programs across developing countries; significantly broader portfolio but materially overlapping in private-sector/SME development programs.
• UK Department for Business and Trade: UK government department promoting trade and supporting SMEs in accessing international markets; overlapping SME export facilitation mandate at a national level.
• EU DG Trade (European Commission): European Commission directorate designing and implementing EU trade policy, including market access programs for developing-country exporters; broader regulatory scope but materially overlapping mandate on EU market access for emerging economies.
• UNCTAD: UN body supporting developing countries' trade and development agendas through research, policy advice, and capacity building; broader mandate but materially overlapping in trade development support for SMEs in emerging markets.
• U.S. Commercial Service (Trade.gov): U.S. government export promotion arm helping U.S. companies access foreign markets and find overseas buyers; a structural peer in government-led export facilitation, though oriented to outbound (developed-country) SMEs.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/AgentschapCBI
• Facebookfacebook.com/CBI.EU
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cbi---centre-for-the-promotion-of-imports-from-developing-countries
• Xx.com/CBI_NL

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 CBI