The Center for Rapid Evidence Synthesis

What The Center for Rapid Evidence Synthesis does

The Center for Rapid Evidence Synthesis (ACRES) is a Ugandan knowledge brokering institution registered as an NGO, headquartered in Kampala. Founded in 2010 at Makerere University's College of Health Sciences and reorganized into a fully autonomous not-for-profit with a formal Board of Directors in 2022, ACRES provides rapid evidence synthesis services to government ministries, parliamentary committees, district-level officials, civil society organizations, and healthcare professionals across Uganda, Kenya, Malawi, Ethiopia, and Tanzania. Its core offering is a 48-hour Rapid Response Brief service, supported by an integrated suite of AI-powered digital tools: Dr-RES (a digital repository indexing over 4,000 primary studies and 70+ briefs using Large Language Models for policy-relevant summaries), the ACRES DataExtractor (NLP and machine learning engine that extracts structured data from PDFs with Zotero integration), cRhona (a Retrieval-Augmented Generation platform that grounds AI outputs in verifiable scholarly databases), and the Living EIDM ToolMap (a curated registry of evidence-synthesis software). The Evidence to Policy (E2P) Training Programme, delivered through a Moodle e-learning platform, extends ACRES' reach into capacity building for knowledge brokers across East Africa.

ACRES generates no fee-based revenue; all services are provided free to policymakers and the organization is sustained entirely by grants from international foundations and development partners, including the Hewlett Foundation, IDRC, Robert Bosch Stiftung, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and Mastercard Foundation. The go-to-market model is institutional and relationship-driven: ACRES maintains formal MoUs with government ministries (Health, Education, Energy, Water and Environment), partners with parliamentary forums, embeds Evidence Service Desks within ministries, and co-produces evidence products with government counterparts. Distribution is multi-modal—direct government engagement for service delivery, an e-learning platform for training cohorts, and open-access digital platforms for self-serve evidence tools. ACRES is organized into four functional units (Evidence Synthesis, Policy Engagement, Innovation, Capacity Building) and operates under a 5-year Institutional Research Agenda that defines its strategic priorities across health, education, climate, energy, gender equity, and youth employment verticals.

Name

The Center for Rapid Evidence Synthesis

Legal name

Center for Rapid Evidence Synthesis (ACRES)

Website

https://acres.or.ug

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Center for Rapid Evidence Synthesis (ACRES) is a Ugandan NGO providing AI-powered rapid evidence synthesis tools, 48-hour rapid response briefs, and policy training to government ministries, parliamentarians, and civil society across Uganda, Kenya, Malawi, Ethiopia, and Tanzania, funded by international foundations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Kampala

HQ country

Uganda

HQ region

Africa

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Grant Funding and Donor Support: ACRES operates as a registered NGO that funds its operations primarily through grants and donor funding from foundations and international development organizations. The organization describes its services as free to policymakers, indicating grant-funded service delivery rather than fee-for-service revenue generation.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

ACRES provides rapid evidence synthesis, knowledge brokering, and policy advisory services to inform policy decisions across Africa. The organization develops and maintains proprietary AI-powered digital platforms (Dr-RES, DataExtractor, cRhona, Living EIDM ToolMap) that automate systematic review and data extraction, alongside capacity-building training programs (Evidence-to-Policy / E2P) and an E-Learning Platform. All offerings are provided free of charge to end users, funded through grants and development partnerships.

Product overview

The Center for Rapid Evidence Synthesis (ACRES) operates as a multi-product knowledge brokering institution offering a suite of AI-powered digital tools and professional services. At its core are the Dr-RES digital repository (hosting over 4,000 indexed studies), the ACRES DataExtractor (AI-driven PDF data extraction), and the cRhona platform (RAG-powered AI synthesis). These are complemented by the Evidence to Policy (E2P) Training Programme — delivered via a dedicated Moodle e-learning platform — and the Living EIDM ToolMap for tool discovery. ACRES also produces Rapid Response Briefs and Evidence Gap Maps as a service. All offerings are unified by a mission to deliver timely, locally relevant evidence for policy decisions across Africa.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Evidence to Policy (E2P) Training Programme: A three-tiered training program (Entry, Mid, Advanced levels) designed to cultivate technical expertise, cultural competence, and collaborative skills in Evidence-Informed Decision-Making for knowledge translation professionals and policymakers.
• Dr-RES (Digital Repository for Rapid Evidence Synthesis)
• ACRES DataExtractor
• Living EIDM ToolMap
• cRhona
• Youth Employment Evidence and Insights Hub

Products and services

• Dr-RES (Digital Repository for Rapid Evidence Synthesis) A digital repository platform that enables rapid storage, retrieval, and synthesis of evidence tailored to the needs of policymakers and evidence users. It is for African government ministries, civil society organizations, and researchers who require structured access to synthesized evidence for time-sensitive policy decisions.
• ACRES DataExtractor A proprietary AI-driven tool that uses natural language processing and machine learning to automate the extraction of data and metadata from research literature, accelerating systematic review workflows. It is for systematic reviewers, evidence synthesis researchers, and ACRES internal research teams.
• cRhona Platform An interactive visualization platform that uses Shiny Apps technology to communicate synthesized evidence in accessible, visual formats. It is for policymakers, civil society, and researchers needing to communicate evidence findings to non-technical audiences.
• Living EIDM ToolMap A living (continuously updated) open-access tool map that catalogs Evidence-Informed Decision-Making resources available across Africa. It is for evidence producers, policymakers, and capacity-building programs seeking a curated view of available EIDM tools.
• Rapid Response Briefs Time-bound evidence synthesis products delivering policy-relevant findings within 48 hours, designed to align with the rapid decision cycles of government ministries. They are for government ministries and policymakers needing timely evidence for urgent policy questions.
• Evidence-to-Policy (E2P) Training Programme A structured training programme offered across entry-level and mid-level tiers that builds evidence-use capacity among African policymakers, civil society, and researchers. It is for government officers, civil society programme staff, and early-career researchers seeking structured EIDM skills.
• E2P E-Learning Platform An online learning platform that delivers ACRES's capacity-building content, including E2P training material, to learners across Africa. It is for trainees enrolled in E2P cohorts and self-directed learners seeking EIDM skills.
• ACRES Institutional Research Agenda A structured institutional research agenda that defines and communicates ACRES's evidence synthesis priorities and thematic focus areas. It is for funders, partners, and institutional stakeholders who need visibility into ACRES's research direction.

Quantifiable outcome

• During COVID-19, rapid briefs cut district-level wait time for test results by 72 hours, enabling faster treatment and isolation.
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

AI capability7 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered major, core and historical.

• National Curriculum Development Center (NCDC)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 August 2024Partnership for capacity building in evidence-informed curriculum development. ACRES conducted training sessions with NCDC senior management on EIDM, with MoU being developed to cement the relationship.
• Earth & Rights Initiatives Uganda (ERI)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 July 2024Partnership to create an Evidence Gap Map on natural resources degradation in Uganda to inform evidence-driven litigation and advocacy. ERI brings public litigation experience; ACRES leads evidence synthesis and stakeholder engagement.
• Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development UgandacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 May 2024Ministry partnered with ACRES to advance evidence-informed policymaking in the renewable energy sub-sector. Meeting led to agreement to initiate MoU formulation for future cooperation, including ACRES' Evidence Service Desk within the National Renewable Energy Platform (NREP).
• Parliamentary Forum on Climate Change Uganda (PFCC-U)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 April 2024PFCC-U committed to work with ACRES to increase evidence use in climate change policymaking. Forum will use ACRES rapid response briefs to inform parliamentary debates and committee work.
• Sunbird AIcoreTechnology or IntegrationUgandan AI technology partner in the DG-Tools project, providing technical expertise in building artificial intelligence tools for evidence synthesis alongside ACRES' evidence synthesis capabilities.
• Pan-African Collective for Evidence (PACE)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the DG-Tools project and co-host of the ESIC Consensus Meeting in Cape Town. PACE brings evidence-use experience and serves as host organization for the Youth Employment Evidence and Insights Hub.
• Ethiopian Public Health Institute (EPHI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPublic health insights partner in the DG-Tools project and member of the East African Regional Evidence Synthesis Initiative (EARESI) Hub under LEEPS, providing evidence synthesis for family planning and FGM elimination efforts.
• Malawi-Liverpool-Wellcome (MLW) Research ProgrammecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMember of the EARESI Hub managing evidence synthesis across Uganda, Ethiopia, Malawi, and Tanzania. MLW provides data for women's participation in clean energy sector and health policy research in Malawi.
• The Centre for Reforms, Innovation, Health Policies and Implementation Research (Tanzania)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTanzanian institution within the EARESI Hub, providing evidence synthesis for implementation of the Universal Health Insurance Act under the LEEPS partnership.
• Africa Evidence Network (AEN)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConsortium partner in the Youth Employment Evidence and Insights Hub, bringing network of evidence professionals across Africa to support dignified youth employment research.
• eBASE AfricamajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConsortium partner in the Youth Employment Evidence and Insights Hub, contributing evidence synthesis expertise to the Mastercard Foundation's Young Africa Works Strategy.
• Future Evidence FoundationmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConsortium partner in the Youth Employment Evidence and Insights Hub working on dignified youth employment across Africa.
• LARTES-IFANmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConsortium partner in the Youth Employment Evidence and Insights Hub providing research expertise from the Institute Fundamental Research.
• PACKS AfricamajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConsortium partner in the Youth Employment Evidence and Insights Hub contributing to evidence synthesis for youth employment solutions.
• CommsConsult LtdmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConsortium partner in the Youth Employment Evidence and Insights Hub providing communications expertise to amplify youth voices and evidence communication.
• Makerere University College of Health ScienceshistoricalStrategic or Co-development PartnerOriginal host institution where ACRES' work began in 2010. ACRES transitioned from this university-hosted project to become a fully autonomous, legally independent non-profit institution.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Others

• Sightsavers: Sightsavers is a large international development NGO operating across Africa and Asia with a strong evidence and research function informing disability-inclusive policy. It is an adjacent peer — comparable as an Africa-active NGO with institutionalized research-to-policy practice — but it does not specialize in evidence synthesis as a service.

Broad incumbents

• Cochrane: Cochrane is the global gold standard for systematic reviews and evidence synthesis, with decades of methodology and a trusted brand. It is comparable as a broader incumbent in the evidence synthesis field, though its global health-only focus contrasts with ACRES's multi-sectoral African policy emphasis.
• Campbell Collaboration: Campbell Collaboration produces systematic reviews on social science topics including education, crime, and international development. It is comparable as a broader evidence synthesis incumbent whose review-production methodology and policy-engagement model overlap with ACRES's core service offering.
• 3ie (International Initiative for Impact Evaluation): 3ie funds and produces high-quality evidence on what development interventions work, with strong policy engagement in low- and middle-income countries. It is comparable as a broader evidence intermediary in the global development sector with overlapping policy-brokering and rapid response functions.
• EPPI Centre (UCL): The EPPI Centre at University College London is a long-established evidence synthesis and methodological hub producing systematic reviews for health and social policy. It is comparable as a broader incumbent in evidence synthesis methodology and policy-facing review production.

Direct peers

• Africa Evidence Network (AEN): AEN is a network of evidence-producers and evidence-users across Africa and is an explicit consortium partner with ACRES in the Youth Employment Evidence and Insights Hub. It is directly comparable as a regional evidence ecosystem builder, overlapping on community-building, capacity development, and evidence use advocacy.
• eBASE Africa: eBASE Africa is a consortium partner alongside ACRES in the Youth Employment Evidence and Insights Hub. It is comparable as a Cameroonian-headquartered NGO working on evidence-informed decision-making, research uptake, and capacity building in Africa.
• Pan-African Collective for Evidence (PACE): PACE is a co-host of the ESIC Consensus Meeting in Cape Town and a partner in ACRES's DG-Tools project, with overlapping mission around evidence-use experience in Africa. It is a direct peer in the African evidence synthesis and knowledge-brokering space.

Emerging players

• Sunbird AI: Sunbird AI is a Uganda-based AI firm and an explicit technical partner in ACRES's DG-Tools project. It is comparable as an emerging African AI player applying NLP to public-interest problems, with overlapping technology stack but a different operating model (commercial startup vs. NGO).
• Africa Population and Health Research Center (APHRC): APHRC is a pan-African research institute generating evidence to inform African policy on population, health, education, and urbanization. It is comparable as a regionally embedded African research and policy engagement organization, though more academic and continent-wide versus ACRES's East African focus.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ACRES_RRS
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@ACRES-Org
• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-center-for-rapid-evidence-synthesis-acres

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about The Center for Rapid Evidence Synthesis