India Development Foundation

What India Development Foundation does

India Development Foundation (IDF) is a private non-profit research organisation established as a Trust in 2003, headquartered in Gurugram, Haryana, India, with an 11-50 employee team. It conducts policy research along four named pillars — The Innovation Economy, Technology and Development, Human Capital, and the Ambedkar Center for Law and Economics — and its stated purpose is to inform (rather than influence) public-policy debate through rigorous analysis. In 16 years of operating history IDF reports work with over 80 partners spanning central and state government, multilateral institutions (World Bank, ADB, UNDP, UNCTAD), corporates (Microsoft, IBM, Intel, Qualcomm, Facebook), academic institutions (Harvard, ISB, Georgia Tech, University of Groningen, University of Gothenburg), and civil society organisations.

Name

India Development Foundation

Legal name

India Development Foundation

Website

https://idfresearch.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

India Development Foundation is a Gurugram-based non-profit research trust, founded in 2003, that produces policy research across innovation, technology, human capital, and law-and-economics for governments, multilaterals, corporates, and civil society in India.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Policy Research and Development Economics

NAICS

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

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Economic Research, Statistics & Policy Advisory (BPADAMAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Technical Cooperation, Capacity Building & Policy Advisory Programs (BPADABAO), Industry & Sector Research (Syndicated/Custom) (BPAHALAE), International Grantmaking & Development Foundations (BPAGAKAH)

Keywords

• Policy research services
• Development economics research
• Novel data analytics
• Impact evaluation studies
• Public policy think tank

Headquarters

HQ city

Gurugram

HQ country

India

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Research Grants and Partnerships: IDF operates as a private non-profit research organization funded through partnerships with governments, multilateral organizations, corporations, and civil society. They have worked with over 80 partners in 16 years.
2. Initial Programme Support: The Novel Data For Policy programme received initial support from Facebook for its platform development and research activities.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

India Development Foundation is a private non-profit research trust that conducts evidence-based research, impact evaluations and policy analysis across four pillars (Innovation Economy, Technology and Development, Human Capital, and Ambedkar Center for Law and Economics). It operates the Novel Data For Policy microsite, which combines de-identified, aggregated mobility and transactional data from technology platforms with government administrative datasets to produce timely, district-level policy insights. Its R.A.C.E (Research. Analysis. Commentary. Essay) platform publishes research, analysis and commentary on contemporary development issues for government, multilateral, corporate and civil society partners.

Product overview

India Development Foundation (IDF) is a private non-profit research organization set up as a Trust in 2003, operating along four research pillars: The Innovation Economy, Technology and Development, Human Capital, and the Ambedkar Center for Law and Economics. The core product is the Novel Data For Policy microsite, a platform demonstrating how novel data can inform policy decisions. IDF also offers the R.A.C.E (Research. Analysis. Commentary. Essay) platform showcasing policy research and analysis. The organization works with over 80 partners including governments, multilaterals, corporates and civil society organisations to produce research that informs policy and improves developmental interventions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Novel Data For Policy: A microsite demonstrating how novel data can be used for designing appropriate and timely policy responses, with initial support from Facebook
• Ambedkar Centre for Law and Economics

Products and services

• Novel Data For Policy A policy research microsite that demonstrates how novel, de-identified and aggregated data based on underlying transactional data can be used for designing appropriate and timely policy responses, intended as a platform bringing together technologists, social scientists and policymakers.
• The Innovation Economy Programme A research programme investigating the role of strategic policy formulation, intellectual property laws and competition policy in supporting India's innovation ecosystem.
• Technology and Development Programme A research programme examining how digital technologies are changing developmental interventions, barriers to technology adoption, and the behavioural and life changes resulting from technology adoption in India.
• Human Capital Programme A research programme addressing education and skills development to help India leverage its demographic dividend in the knowledge-based economy, focusing on improving the quantity and quality of education and skilling.
• Ambedkar Center for Law and Economics A research centre established in 2015 to address governance challenges at the intersection of legal design and economic outcomes, bridging doctrinal legal analysis and analytical economic reasoning for more predictable regulation.
• R.A.C.E (Research. Analysis. Commentary. Essay) An ongoing thought-leadership publication series presenting IDF's research, analysis, commentaries and essays on contemporary Indian policy and development issues, authored by IDF faculty and fellows.

Quantifiable outcome

• Research has informed policy and improved developmental interventions across 80+ partnerships
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 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

22 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and supporting.

• World BankcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMultilateral development partner collaborating on research initiatives related to development economics and policy analysis.
• ADB (Asian Development Bank)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional development bank partner for research on economic development and policy interventions in Asia.
• UNDPmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUnited Nations Development Programme partner for development research and policy analysis.
• UNCTADmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUnited Nations Conference on Trade and Development partner for trade and development research.
• Harvard UniversitymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partnership for research collaboration and knowledge exchange on development economics and policy.
• ISB (Indian School of Business)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partnership for research and analytical work including involvement with Centre for Analytical Finance.
• MicrosoftsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerTechnology partner supporting research initiatives and data analysis capabilities.
• IBMsupportingTechnology or IntegrationTechnology partner for research and analytical infrastructure.
• IntelsupportingTechnology or IntegrationTechnology partnership for research and development initiatives.
• QualcommsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerTechnology and innovation ecosystem partner.
• Government of UKcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational government partner for development research and policy collaboration.
• giz (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGerman development agency partner for international cooperation projects.
• Georgia TechsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partnership for technology and innovation research.
• University of GroningensupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner with faculty exchange and research collaboration.
• University of GothenburgsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner for research collaboration with visiting professorship.
• The Global FundsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational financing organization for health programmes.
• IDE-JETROsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerJapan External Trade Organization development research partner.
• CII (Confederation of Indian Industry)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndustry body partner for private sector engagement in development research.
• NWO (Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerDutch research funding organization partner.
• ICRISATsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics partnership.
• IAMAI (Internet and Mobile Association of India)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndustry association partner for internet and mobile policy research.
• PwCsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerProfessional services firm partner for research and analysis.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Institute of Economic Growth (IEG): Academic research institute in Delhi conducting studies on economic growth, agriculture, industry, and development — comparable in mandate, scale, and India-focused public-policy research to IDF.
• National Institute of Public Finance and Policy (NIPFP): Autonomous research institute on public finance, fiscal policy, and taxation — directly relevant to IDF's economic and policy work, especially around government data and reform analysis.
• Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations (ICRIER): Policy think tank focused on international economic relations, trade, investment, and development — closely mirrors IDF's Innovation Economy and Technology-and-Development pillars, and works with the same multilateral partner set.
• International Growth Centre (IGC): LSE-Oxford partnership providing evidence-based growth research in developing countries, including India-Central Programme run by IDF Chairman Pronab Sen. Strong overlap in donor set (FCDO/UK aid), research themes, and policy engagement model.
• National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER): India's oldest economic policy research institute; conducts large-scale surveys, economic forecasting, and policy studies for government and multilaterals. Highly comparable to IDF's economic-research, data-driven offering and partner ecosystem.
• Centre for Policy Research (CPR): India's leading non-profit policy research think tank covering law, governance, economy, and development — same broad content footprint, similar government and multilateral partner base, and similar scale in headcount. Closest direct peer for IDF's policy-research positioning.
• Institute of Development Studies (IDS): UK-based global development research and teaching organization producing policy-relevant research for governments and donors. Mirrors IDF's Development Economics, Human Capital, and donor-funded research model.

Broad incumbents

• RAND Corporation: Global non-profit research institution producing policy analysis across economics, development, security, and data science. Comparable to IDF as a scaled, multidisciplinary policy-research outfit with government and multilateral clients — and notably a pioneer of novel-data research methods.
• Brookings Institution India Center: Global policy research institution with an India-focused center producing high-quality economic and foreign-policy analysis. Compares to IDF as a broader-incumbent version of the same kind of policy-research brand, with international reach.

Emerging players

• Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL): Global research center running randomized evaluations on poverty and development programs, with active programs in India. Comparable to IDF on impact-evaluation themes (TARA Akshar+, mid-day meal ICT study) and on the use of novel data, but more specialized in rigorous RCT design.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/IndiaDevelopmentFoundation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/india-development-foundation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about India Development Foundation