Cornerstone Economics

What Cornerstone Economics does

Cornerstone Economics is a private, purpose-driven consulting firm founded in 2015 in Oranjestad, Aruba, that delivers economic, finance, and strategic advisory services to impactful businesses, NGOs, development programs, and government agencies across the Dutch Caribbean (Aruba, Curaçao, and Sint Maarten). Its core offering comprises five professional service lines — Strategy/Planning & Performance, Capacity Building, Market Research, Raising Impact Investing, and StartUP Guidance — delivered through direct consulting engagements and capacity-building programs using adult learning techniques. The firm operates a cross-subsidization model in which higher pricing for traditional clients subsidizes lower or pro bono rates for financially-constrained organizations serving the underserved.

The firm has developed a set of proprietary analytical frameworks including a Food Security Assessment Methodology for small island developing states (SIDS), a Diaspora Multiplier Analysis linking institutional eligibility to competitive capacity, Demographic Transformation Modeling, and a Disaster Risk Finance Toolkit. These methodologies are evidenced through co-authored World Bank reports on Aruba (2020) and Curaçao (2023) food security, and through academic collaborations with the University of Aruba, University of Curaçao, University of Sint Maarten, and University College Utrecht under ZonMw-funded programmes. The team consists of three core members — founder Lay Hing de Kort-Yee (Chief Purpose Officer), Rendell de Kort (Chief Data Officer, MSc Development Economics, Manchester), and Jimena Borja (Procurement & Logistics) — supplemented by freelance specialists.

Revenue is generated through four streams: strategic consultancy, capacity building programs, startup and SME guidance, and a self-paced e-learning platform at www.elearning.c-economics.com with manual bank transfer payment processing via Caribbean Mercantile Bank. The firm also participates in regional ecosystem-building through its role in founding the Dutch Caribbean Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries Alliance (DCALFA), where all six Dutch Caribbean territories signed an MOU in 2023, and through data-led public reports (e.g., the Aruba 2024 Election projections with Lovely Data). Distribution relies primarily on direct sales-led outreach, content marketing via a research blog, and the e-learning platform.

Name

Cornerstone Economics

Legal name

Cornerstone Economics

Website

https://www.c-economics.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Cornerstone Economics is a purpose-driven consulting firm in Aruba that delivers economic, finance, and strategic advisory services, plus e-learning courses, to governments, NGOs, SMEs, and development programs across the Dutch Caribbean.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Management Consulting Services

NAICS

Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (523940)

SIC

Investment Advice (6282)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPADAMAJ

Economic Research, Statistics & Policy Advisory

Business & Public Services/International Organizations & Development/International Trade & Economic Development

SECONDARYBPAHADAG

Capital Raising Advisory (Debt/Equity/Private Capital)

Business & Public Services/Professional Services (Legal, Accounting, Consulting)/Strategy & Corporate Finance Advisory

Keywords

• Economic consulting services
• Strategic advisory consultancy
• Impact investing advisory
• Capacity building training
• Market research services

Headquarters

HQ city

Oranjestad

HQ country

Aruba

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Strategic Consultancy Services: Economic, finance, and strategic consultancy services provided to impactful businesses, NGOs, and government programs. The company operates a cross-subsidization model where higher pricing for traditional organizations allows for lower or subsidized pricing for financially-constrained organizations serving the underserved.
2. Training and E-Learning: E-learning courses offered through www.elearning.c-economics.com with bank transfer payment processing to Caribbean Mercantile Bank for course access.
3. Capacity Building Programs: Collaborative capacity building plans and training programs tailored to client needs using adult learning techniques, paired with strategic consultancy engagements.
4. StartUP Guidance Services: Specialized coaching services for startups and SMEs including 1:1 business planning, sustainable startup guidance, and growth stage support.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Cornerstone Economics is a private consultancy based in Aruba that provides economic, finance, and strategic consultancy and training services. The firm specializes in serving sustainable businesses, NGOs, government agencies, and SMEs with strategy, planning, capacity building, market research, impact investing advisory, and startup guidance.

Product overview

Cornerstone Economics is a purposeful consulting firm offering a portfolio of professional services rather than a unified software product. The company provides five core consulting service lines (Strategy/Planning & Performance, Capacity Building, Market Research, Raising Impact Investing, and StartUP Guidance) alongside a supplementary E-Learning Platform for professional development courses. Services are delivered through direct consulting engagements, training programs, and downloadable resources such as the StartUP business plan manual. The offering is structured around research-based strategic insight and learning solutions with emphasis on social impact and financial viability.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• C-economics: Brand name used on website domain and social media references (c-economics.com, elearning.c-economics.com)

Products and services

• Strategy, Planning & Performance Strategic consultancy service focused on strategy development, planning, and performance improvement for sustainable businesses, NGOs, and government agencies.
• Capacity Building Training and capacity-building service designed to strengthen the skills, processes, and organizational capabilities of NGOs, SMEs, and government stakeholders.
• Market Research Research service that delivers market and economic insights to support decision-making for sustainable businesses, NGOs, and government clients.
• Raising Impact Investing Advisory service that guides organizations in raising impact investment capital, structuring deals, and aligning financial strategies with sustainability outcomes.
• StartUP Guidance Guidance service for startups and SMEs providing structured support for launching and growing sustainable ventures.
• E-Learning Platform Online learning platform delivering training content that supports the firm's capacity-building mission and broadens access to economic and strategic knowledge.

Quantifiable outcome

• Cross-subsidization model allows higher pricing for traditional organizations while providing lower/subsidized rates for underserved organizations

Named customers7 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• World BankcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Co-authored Curaçao Food Security Assessment: 'Enhancing the Resilience of Vulnerable Households while Boosting Sustainable Economic Growth' (2023). This report proposed 32 specific interventions under four themes and introduced the Productive Alliances model for linking farmers directly to buyers through tailored business plans with built-in technical assistance.
• World BankcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Co-authored Aruba's first comprehensive food security assessment during the COVID-19 pandemic. The collaboration produced 'Building Resilience in Aruba's Food Security During the Pandemic and Beyond' (2020), using the island's specific factor endowments and constraints to identify sustainable food production strategies. This was part of an EU-funded facility engagement.
• University of ArubaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch collaboration through ZonMw-funded programmes producing peer-reviewed work on food sovereignty as a legal and policy concept in small island contexts. Work on food sovereignty deepens understanding of what food security requires beyond just access to food.
• University of CuraçaominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch collaboration through ZonMw-funded programmes producing peer-reviewed work on food system transformation and economic resilience for Dutch Caribbean territories.
• University of Sint MaartenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch collaboration through ZonMw-funded programmes producing peer-reviewed work on economic resilience across Dutch Caribbean islands.
• University College UtrechtminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational academic partnership supporting sustained research collaboration across all three Dutch Caribbean universities.
• Dutch Caribbean Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries Alliance (DCALFA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional cooperation platform founded by the islands themselves with support from Netherlands Enterprise Agency and Dutch Ministry of Agriculture. All six territories signed a memorandum of understanding in 2023, and the alliance presented a 2025-2035 roadmap. This represents the bottom-up, inter-island structure envisioned in World Bank reports for sustainable food policy.
• Lovely DataminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on 'Aruba Election 2024: Data-Led Insights and Projections' report combining historical analysis, survey findings, and Monte Carlo simulations for electoral forecasting.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Oxford Economics: Global economic research and forecasting consultancy serving governments, NGOs, and multilaterals. Highly comparable to Cornerstone in providing applied economic analysis, policy advisory, and custom research engagements, though at much greater scale and broader geographic coverage.
• Cambridge Economic Policy Associates (CEPA): Independent economic advisory firm providing economic analysis, policy evaluation, and regulatory advice to governments, multilaterals, and regulators. Comparable to Cornerstone in its research-based advisory model and public-policy focus, though operating across developed and emerging markets.
• Castalia Advisors: Economic and policy advisory firm focused on infrastructure, utilities, and public policy in emerging markets. Comparable to Cornerstone in its niche economic advisory positioning and emerging-market development focus, with similar boutique scale.
• Nathan Associates: Economic development consulting firm with a long history of advising governments and donors on economic policy, trade, and development strategy. Closely comparable to Cornerstone's Caribbean government advisory work and World Bank-linked engagements.
• Chemonics International: Large international development consulting firm implementing donor-funded programs across emerging markets. Comparable to Cornerstone in serving NGOs, government agencies, and donor-funded programs, though at considerably larger scale and broader geographic scope.
• Development Alternatives, Inc. (DAI): International development company providing economic policy, governance, and capacity building services to governments and donors globally. Comparable to Cornerstone's advisory, capacity building, and policy analysis offerings for government and development clients.
• Cardno Emerging Markets: International development consulting firm providing economic advisory, monitoring & evaluation, and capacity building services to donors and governments. Comparable to Cornerstone in its donor-funded advisory focus and emerging-market positioning.

Broad incumbents

• McKinsey & Company: Global management consulting firm with a public sector and economic development practice. Comparable to Cornerstone's strategy and impact investing advisory work, though operating at vastly greater scale and across a much broader service portfolio.
• Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) – Research Department: Regional multilateral development bank funding and conducting economic research across Latin America and the Caribbean. Comparable to Cornerstone's World Bank partnership model and SIDS-focused economic research, though as a much larger institutional counterparty.

Emerging players

• Copenhagen Consensus Center: Think tank focused on cost-benefit analysis and prioritization of development and climate policy in developing countries. Comparable to Cornerstone's research-based, SIDS-relevant food security and economic resilience work, with thematic overlap on small-economy development.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• GitHubgithub.com/cornerstone-economics
• YouTubegithub.com/cornerstone-economics/wp-2026-01-worldcup
• Facebookfacebook.com/cornerstoneecconomics

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 Cornerstone Economics