Center for Rural Technology
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1989
- HeadquartersKathmandu, Nepal
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
Center for Rural Technology firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Center for Rural Technology
- Legal name
- Centre for Rural Technology, Nepal (CRT/N)
- Website
- https://crtnepal.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1989
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Center for Rural Technology industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Rural Technology Development and Clean Energy Services
- NAICS
- Environmental Consulting Services (54162), Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (541720)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Humanitarian-Development-Peace Nexus & Resilience Programming (BPADAEAK)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Disaster Risk Reduction & Climate Risk Management (BPADALAK), Permitting, Siting & Environmental Impact (EIA/NEPA) Advisory (EUAMANAB)
Keywords
Where Center for Rural Technology is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Kathmandu
- HQ country
- Nepal
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices1 record
Markets served
Center for Rural Technology business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- NGO Grants and Donor Funding: CRT/N operates as a non-governmental organization primarily funded through international donors, development partners, and grant programs. Revenue is project-based, supporting technology development, testing services, advocacy, and capacity-building activities.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
Center for Rural Technology product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Center for Rural Technology, Nepal (CRT/N) is a professional non-governmental organization that develops and promotes rural technologies focused on renewable energy, clean cooking solutions, improved water mills, and pico-hydro systems. Its flagship service is the Regional Cookstove Testing and Knowledge Centre (RTKC), which provides ISO/IWA-aligned laboratory and field-based cookstove testing (LEMS, WBT, CCT, KPT, IAP measurement). The organization also delivers community-based deployment programs, gender-inclusive energy initiatives (via GEWNet), and policy advocacy for the Government of Nepal's clean cooking and renewable energy missions.
Product overview
CRT/N operates as a single-purpose NGO offering technology development and promotion services rather than a commercial product platform. The core offering is the Regional Cookstove Testing and Knowledge Centre (RTKC), which provides laboratory and field-based testing services for biomass cookstoves. Supporting products include Improved Water Mills and Improved Cook Stoves developed through their technology upgrading efforts. The organization also produces publications and research materials on renewable energy technologies including pico-hydro systems, productive energy uses for women-led enterprises, and RET manuals.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- RTKC: Regional Cookstove Testing and Knowledge Centre - established to strengthen cookstoves sector's ability to perform various tests and evaluate stoves, communicate, improve performance of cookstoves and fuels.
- GEWNet
Products and services
- Regional Cookstove Testing and Knowledge Centre (RTKC) A dedicated facility providing laboratory and field-based cookstove testing services, including Laboratory Emissions Monitoring System (LEMS), Water Boiling Test (WBT), Control Cooking Test (CCT), Kitchen Performance Test (KPT), and Indoor Air Pollution (IAP) measurements, aligned with ISO and International Workshop Agreement (IWA) Tier Reporting standards. Also offers Solar Performance Evaluation Process Test Station services for solar cookers and Solar Pump Evaluation. Serves stove manufacturers, research institutions, NGOs, and government bodies at national and regional levels.
- Improved Cook Stoves
Quantifiable outcome
- 100+ women entrepreneurs supported through productive energy use programs
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Center for Rural Technology
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Center for Rural Technology technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature7 records
Center for Rural Technology partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- GEWNet (Gender, Energy and Water Network)coreGEWNet was established in August 2002 as an output of a National Consultative Workshop and is hosted by CRT/N. It serves as a platform for knowledge sharing, advocacy, and collaboration on gender-inclusive renewable energy and water access in Nepal, contributing to Clean Cooking Solutions for All by 2030 and SDGs.
- Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves (GACC) / UN FoundationcoreGACC, a public-private initiative led by the United Nations Foundation, supported CRT/N in establishing the Regional Cookstove Testing and Knowledge Centre (RTKC) to strengthen cookstove testing, performance evaluation, and knowledge sharing at national and regional levels.
- INforSE (International Network for Sustainable Energy)minorCRT/N is a member of INforSE, an international network of civil society organizations working on sustainable energy, providing a platform for knowledge exchange and global advocacy on renewable energy and rural development.
- Grameen ShaktiminorDevelopment partner collaborating with CRT/N on renewable energy and rural technology dissemination programs in Nepal.
- Government of Nepal (AEPC)coreCRT/N supports the Government of Nepal's Clean Cooking Solutions for All mission implemented by the Alternative Energy Promotion Centre (AEPC), contributing to policy advocacy, standards development, and testing services aligned with national energy access goals.
- SNV NepalminorCRT/N collaborated with SNV Nepal on the Increased Women Market Engagement (IWME) Programme, integrating women-focused energy access and enterprise development.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Center for Rural Technology competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- BURN Manufacturing: East Africa-based clean cookstove manufacturer and distributor with strong ISO/IWA-aligned testing focus. Comparable to CRT/N's improved cookstove and RTKC testing scope, but operates as a commercial manufacturer rather than an NGO.
Direct peers
- SELCO Foundation: India-based nonprofit focused on sustainable energy access and decentralized renewable energy for underserved communities, with strong emphasis on gender and livelihoods. Closely comparable rural-energy NGO model operating in South Asia.
- Practical Action: UK-headquartered international NGO that develops and promotes appropriate technology for poor communities, including renewable energy and clean cooking. Highly comparable to CRT/N in mission, rural technology portfolio, and developing-country implementation model.
- ENERGIA (International Network on Gender and Sustainable Energy): International network on gender and sustainable energy that funds and supports CRT/N's GESI programming. Closely aligned with CRT/N's gender-and-energy mandate and a peer in advocating gender-inclusive energy policy.
- Grameen Shakti: Bangladesh-based NGO promoting renewable energy and clean cooking in rural areas through technology dissemination, microfinance, and women's enterprise — explicitly named as a CRT/N development partner and operating an adjacent rural-technology model in South Asia.
Others
- Clean Cooking Alliance (formerly GACC): Public-private alliance housed at the UN Foundation that funded CRT/N's RTKC. Not a direct competitor but a strategic ecosystem partner and standards-setter whose priorities strongly influence CRT/N's program pipeline.
Broad incumbents
- Hivos: Dutch development organization funding clean energy, gender and climate programs, including CRT/N's GIE programme. Operates as an implementing donor with comparable thematic priorities but much broader geographic scope.
- Winrock International: Large US-headquartered international development NGO running clean energy, clean cooking and climate programs globally. Comparable in mission but operates at substantially larger scale and across multiple geographies.
- Practical Action Consulting: Consulting arm of Practical Action delivering energy access, clean cooking and climate advisory services to governments and donors — comparable to CRT/N's RTKC advisory/testing work but with broader geographic reach.
- SNV Netherlands Development Organisation: Large international development organization with active clean energy, clean cooking, and gender programs across Asia and Africa — named CRT/N partner via the IWME programme. Overlaps with CRT/N but operates at far greater scale and geographic breadth.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Center for Rural Technology social profiles
Digital presenceCenter for Rural Technology financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Center for Rural Technology leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Center for Rural Technology funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
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Center for Rural Technology M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
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Frequently asked questions about Center for Rural Technology
What does Center for Rural Technology do?
Center for Rural Technology, Nepal (CRT/N) is a professional non-governmental organization that develops and promotes rural technologies focused on renewable energy, clean cooking solutions, improved water mills, and pico-hydro systems. Its flagship service is the Regional Cookstove Testing and Knowledge Centre (RTKC), which provides ISO/IWA-aligned laboratory and field-based cookstove testing (LEMS, WBT, CCT, KPT, IAP measurement). The organization also delivers community-based deployment programs, gender-inclusive energy initiatives (via GEWNet), and policy advocacy for the Government of Nepal's clean cooking and renewable energy missions.
Is Center for Rural Technology a public or private company?
Center for Rural Technology is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Center for Rural Technology founded?
Center for Rural Technology was founded in 1989. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Center for Rural Technology based?
Center for Rural Technology is headquartered in Kathmandu, Nepal, in the Asia region.
How does Center for Rural Technology make money?
One revenue line is on record: NGO Grants and Donor Funding.
Who are Center for Rural Technology's main competitors?
BURN Manufacturing is listed as an emerging player. Direct peers are SELCO Foundation, Practical Action, ENERGIA (International Network on Gender and Sustainable Energy) and Grameen Shakti. Clean Cooking Alliance (formerly GACC) is listed as an others. Broad incumbents are Hivos, Winrock International, Practical Action Consulting and SNV Netherlands Development Organisation.
Does Center for Rural Technology have an API?
No public API is recorded for Center for Rural Technology.
What industry is Center for Rural Technology in?
Center for Rural Technology's product category is Rural Technology Development and Clean Energy Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPADAEAK, Humanitarian-Development-Peace Nexus & Resilience Programming, with a secondary code of BPADALAK, Disaster Risk Reduction & Climate Risk Management. Its NAICS code is 54162 and its SIC code is 8300.