The Hague Institute for Innovation of Law

What The Hague Institute for Innovation of Law does

The Hague Institute for Innovation of Law (HiiL) is a Netherlands-registered Public Benefit Organisation founded in 2003 and headquartered in The Hague, with ~70 employees operating across Africa, the Middle East, and the Netherlands. It designs and implements people-centred justice programmes in partnership with ministries of justice, judiciaries, and civil society, including formal country programmes in Nigeria, Ethiopia, Tunisia, Niger, Burkina Faso, Uganda, Iraq, and Syria, plus a regional Justice Accelerator presence in Kenya, Tunisia, and Nigeria. Its core products are (i) the Justice Needs and Satisfaction (JNS) survey methodology, conducted in 20-28 countries and published on a public Justice Dashboard, (ii) the Justice Accelerator, a startup support ecosystem covering Ideation through Scaling tracks with 200+ startups supported, and (iii) country-specific digital platforms and methodologies such as the Employment Justice Platform integrated into Tunisia's Labour Inspection system, Community Justice Centres in Nigeria and Ethiopia, Iraq Justice Innovation Initiative sub-grants, and the Syria Justice Innovation Process.

HiiL's business model is grant-funded rather than commercial. Revenues come from institutional donors (Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mott Foundation, Open Society Foundations), multilateral partners (UNHCR, UNDP, UN-Habitat, World Bank, EU), and bilateral embassies. Programmes are delivered as multi-year country engagements with embedded government partnerships, accelerator cohorts with mentorship and non-dilutive grants, and self-serve access to the Justice Dashboard. Some accelerator funding flows through the Innovating Justice Fund managed by Fount. Pricing is not applicable; core services are not charged to end users, and the organisation states it does not charge for its programmes. Management is led by CEO Udo Jude Ilo and COO Shekhar Pula, with a Supervisory Board chaired by Ingrid van Engelshoven; the organisation published a Strategy 2026-2029 formalising its current priorities.

Name

The Hague Institute for Innovation of Law

Legal name

The Hague Institute for Innovation of Law

Website

https://www.hiil.org/

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

The Hague Institute for Innovation of Law (HiiL) is a Netherlands-based non-profit that designs people-centred justice programmes with governments, judiciaries, and civil society across Africa and the Middle East, supported by a Justice Needs survey dataset, a public Justice Dashboard, and the Justice Accelerator for 200+ justice-tech startups.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Justice Sector Services

NAICS

Justice, Public Order, and Safety Activities (922), Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (54172), Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (541720)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742), Services-Management Services (8741), Services-Legal Services (8111)

akta.pro primary industry

Rule of Law, Justice & Corrections Support in Conflict Settings (BPADAFAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Humanitarian-Development-Peace Nexus & Resilience Programming (BPADAEAK), Alternative Dispute Resolution & Restorative Justice Programs (BPAIAFAL), ESG, Sustainability & Impact Research (BPAHALAL), Enterprise Case Management & Request Fulfillment Platforms (HDAEALAJ)

Keywords

• Access to justice
• Justice innovation
• Legal needs surveys
• Justice accelerator programmes
• Justice sector reform

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

Revenue model

1. Grants and Funding: Primary revenue from government grants and international development funding. Major funders include the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mott Foundation, Open Society Foundations, EU, UNHCR, UNDP, and various bilateral donors.
2. Programme Partnerships: Multi-year programmatic partnerships with governments and international organisations for specific country programmes and justice reform initiatives.
3. Justice Accelerator Services: Startup accelerator programmes providing support to justice-tech entrepreneurs with grants, mentorship, and technical assistance. Some funding through the Innovating Justice Fund managed by Fount.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

HiiL designs, pilots, and scales people-centred justice solutions through Justice Needs and Satisfaction (JNS) surveys, Justice Innovation Labs, country programmes with governments and judiciaries, and the Justice Accelerator startup support ecosystem. The organization combines data-driven research, innovation methodology, and collaborative partnerships to deliver evidence-based justice reform across Africa and the Middle East.

Product overview

The Hague Institute for Innovation of Law (HiiL) is an organization dedicated to people-centred justice, operating across multiple countries in Africa and the Middle East. Its core offerings include the Justice Dashboard (an online data platform), the Justice Accelerator (startup support ecosystem with Ideation, Incubation, Acceleration, and Scaling tracks), and country-specific programmes such as the Syria Justice Innovation Process (SJIP) and Employment Justice Platform in Tunisia. The organization conducts Justice Needs and Satisfaction (JNS) surveys as foundational research and supports the development of digital platforms like Justice-Sira.bf. Key service models include Community Justice Centres as one-stop hubs and State Justice Guidelines for practitioners. All offerings are connected through HiiL's data-driven approach, using evidence from JNS studies to inform programme design and innovation priorities across its portfolio.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Justice Accelerator: Startup support programme and innovation ecosystem builder dedicated to access to people-centred justice, supporting justice-tech startups across Africa and the Middle East.
• Syria Justice Innovation Process (SJIP)
• Strafrecht met Perspectief
• Justice-Sira.bf

Products and services

• Justice Dashboard Online data visualization platform providing justice needs and satisfaction data by country, featuring interactive dashboards, country profiles, and Justice Innovation Labs information. Used by policymakers, researchers, and justice practitioners for evidence-based decision-making.
• Justice Accelerator Startup support ecosystem dedicated to people-centred justice innovation, offering Ideation, Incubation, Acceleration, and Scaling programmes for justice-tech entrepreneurs across Africa and the Middle East. Includes training, coaching, mentorship, and grant funding.
• Syria Justice Innovation Process (SJIP) Locally-driven initiative bringing together Syrian justice leaders to co-create solutions to everyday legal problems through stakeholder dialogues, Justice Innovation Labs, and support for justice innovations. Reached 200,000+ Syrians through 20+ justice innovations.
• Employment Justice Platform (Monde du Travail) Digital platform integrated into Tunisia's Labour Inspection systems, designed to resolve employment-related disputes, supporting 350 inspectors and aiming to reach 50,000 workers annually.
• Justice for mSMEs Programme Two-year initiative (2025+) supporting justice solutions for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises in Tunisia, including national JNS surveys, Best Practice Guidelines, Justice Innovation Labs, and Justice Accelerator support with focus on SMEs.
• Justice-Sira.bf Platform Website providing legal and judicial information for citizens in Burkina Faso, recognized as a reference platform offering educational content, updates, and practical tools for justice access.
• Community Justice Centre One-stop hub model for resolving legal problems, linking informal dispute resolution with the formal justice system. Piloted in Imo State (Nigeria) and Ethiopia (Afar, Sidama, Addis Ababa).
• Justice Needs and Satisfaction (JNS) Studies Comprehensive surveys conducted in multiple countries to understand people's experiences with legal problems, measuring justice needs, satisfaction levels, and resolution outcomes. Conducted in 28 countries, reaching 190,000+ people.
• State Justice Guidelines Evidence-based guidelines for resolving specific justice problems (land disputes, family disputes, intimate partner violence) tailored to state contexts in Nigeria (Ogun and Imo States). Deployed to 850+ justice practitioners in Imo State.
• Strafrecht met Perspectief Project within the 'Changing Justice Gears' programme focused on making the Dutch criminal justice system more meaningful and socially relevant through stakeholder dialogues, in partnership with the Municipality of The Hague.
• Iraq Justice Innovation Initiative Initiative addressing Housing, Land and Property (HLP) problems through innovative, community-driven approaches. Four local initiatives were selected and received training, coaching, and financial assistance.

Quantifiable outcome

• Justice needs surveys conducted in 28 countries
• +8 more outcomes

Named customers14 records

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability3 records

Feature8 records

Partnerships

23 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborates on Justice Needs surveys focused on refugees and displaced populations across Ethiopia, Iraq, Burkina Faso, and other countries.
• UNDPcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partner for justice development programmes including support in South Sudan, Tunisia, and Ethiopia. Co-develops justice solutions and provides technical expertise.
• IDLOcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational Development Law Organization partner for justice development programmes, particularly in Uganda and Ethiopia.
• World Justice ProjectcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborates on global justice measurement and rule of law initiatives supporting SDG 16.3.
• PathfinderscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for peace, justice, and strong institutions supporting SDG 16+ agenda.
• New York University, Center for International CooperationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner for international justice cooperation and knowledge sharing.
• OECDminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEngages with OECD on justice policy research and access to justice metrics.
• UN-HabitatcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartners on Iraq Justice Innovation Initiative for housing, land, and property rights. Referrals for complex legal cases.
• The EldersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGroup of independent global leaders working on peace and justice issues.
• Municipality of The HaguecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHome city partnership for justice innovation in The Hague, including neighbour conflict resolution and criminal justice initiatives.
• Growth AfricacoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerStrategic partner for Justice Accelerator scaling programme, providing coaching on strategic growth and leadership.
• Ministry of Justice Nigeria / FederalcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerFederal government partner for justice transformation programmes including Civil Justice Transformation Strategy.
• Ogun State Ministry of JusticecoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerState partner for Civil Justice Transformation including Land and Family Guidelines implementation and practitioner training.
• Imo State Ministry of JusticecoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerState partner for Community Justice Centre and justice guidelines implementation in Nigeria.
• Ministry of Justice TunisiacoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerNational partner for employment justice guidelines, platform development, and justice transformation.
• Tunisian Bar AssociationcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPartnership for lawyer training on people-centred justice practices and startup engagement at Justice Innovators Parade.
• Judiciary of UgandacoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerJustice transformation partner since 2015, collaborating on Family Justice Catalogue and guidelines development.
• JLOS (Justice, Law and Order Sector Uganda)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerCoordination body for justice sector reform in Uganda, co-developing policy briefs and transformation strategies.
• Ministry of Justice EthiopiacoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerGovernment partner since 2019 for community justice transformation and Community Justice Centres pilots.
• Ministry of Justice NigercoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerFive-year programme partner for justice transformation, including traditional leaders' forum and strategy development.
• Burkina Faso Ministry of JusticecoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPartner for customary justice integration into formal legal system and legislative drafting support.
• LASPNET (Uganda)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerLegal Aid Service Providers Network partner for capacity building and e-learning platform development.
• Destiny EthiopiacoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerFacilitation partner for Ethiopia justice programmes and community justice initiatives.

Scale indicators17 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Direct peers

• International Development Law Organization (IDLO): The intergovernmental organisation dedicated to promoting the rule of law and access to justice. IDLO is a core partner of HiiL and operates with a comparable mandate (justice reform, capacity building, country programmes in similar geographies) and donor base.
• Namati: Global organisation that builds and supports community-based paralegals and uses data-driven justice programming across Africa and Asia. Namati is closely comparable to HiiL in its people-centred justice approach, country-embedded programmes, and evidence/research methodology.
• World Justice Project: Producer of the Rule of Law Index and a global multi-stakeholder initiative advancing rule of law and access to justice. WJP is a HiiL partner on global justice measurement and SDG 16.3 work, and competes for similar funder mindshare and datasets.
• Vera Institute of Justice: US-based research and justice reform organisation that pilots and scales justice innovations, especially in criminal justice, with a similar evidence-driven, programme-embedded model to HiiL's.
• Avocats Sans Frontières (Lawyers Without Borders): International NGO providing legal aid, capacity building and justice sector support in fragile states across Africa and the Middle East. Highly comparable to HiiL in geography (Burkina Faso, Niger, DRC, etc.), beneficiary populations, and donor model.
• International Legal Foundation (ILF): Builds sustainable criminal defence institutions in post-conflict and developing countries through locally embedded legal aid programmes. Operates in similar fragile-state contexts and shares HiiL's capacity-building orientation.
• Pathfinders for Peaceful, Just and Inclusive Societies: Multi-stakeholder partnership hosted by NYU CIC that advances SDG 16 implementation. Listed as a HiiL partner and operates comparable policy/advocacy programmes targeting justice ministries and multilaterals.

Broad incumbents

• Open Society Foundations - Justice Initiative: A core funder of HiiL and the largest private philanthropic actor in access-to-justice globally. Operates its own litigation, advocacy, and grant programmes overlapping HiiL's justice innovation agenda.

Regional players

• Cordaid: Dutch development organisation working on justice, security, and inclusive governance in fragile states, with strong overlap to HiiL's country footprint (Niger, Burundi, DRC) and a comparable Dutch MFA funding base.

Emerging players

• Fount (formerly HiiL Innovating Justice): Venture-builder and fund manager for justice-tech startups that grew out of HiiL's Innovating Justice programme. Closely comparable in mandate (scaling justice-tech startups) and serves as the capital partner for the Justice Accelerator ecosystem.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/watch?v=hYsuIlJbWSY
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hiil-userfriendlyjustice

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments1 record

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Frequently asked questions about The Hague Institute for Innovation of Law