Chen Yidan Foundation

What Chen Yidan Foundation does

Chen Yidan Foundation is a private philanthropic foundation established in 2013 by Dr. Charles Chen Yidan, Core Founder of Tencent, with offices in Shenzhen and Hong Kong. It is dedicated to diversifying the education ecosystem through research, programs, and partnerships. The foundation operates as a non-commercial, donor-funded organization with 16 employees and no product revenue.

Its core work is organized around an annual flagship event and a portfolio of on-the-ground programs. The annual Yidan Education Forum, held since 2020 and co-organized with Peking University Graduate School of Education and later Beijing Normal University, convenes roughly 100 scholars and experts from 60+ countries and produces the 'Learners for the Future' keynote report series, including the CMYK Future Education Syntax (Competence-Method-Year-Knowledge) framework. Sub-brands include the Three Teaching Awards (since 2019, with 75 cumulative recipients), Yuepu Music Space (music and Qiang cultural heritage for 300+ children in Beichuan since 2019), the Competency-Based Education Support Program (since 2022), the YiPai project-based learning community (since 2022), the Yuepu Reading Project (with Harvard GSE, since 2022), YiPai Mook (2025), and the global Yidan Prize.

The foundation generates no commercial revenue; all programs, grants, and awards are funded by the founder's charitable contributions. It distributes through direct implementation (Yuepu Music Space), grant and award mechanisms (Three Teaching Awards), and strategic partnerships with Peking University, Beijing Normal University, Harvard GSE, NTU Singapore, LEGO Foundation, Tencent Music Entertainment, and Shenzhen Mingwan School (co-founded, opening September 2025). Recent strategic activity includes a S$6 million gift to NTU Singapore to establish the Yidan Professorship in AI, the opening of Shenzhen Mingwan School, and the founder's 2025 Honorary Doctorate from UCL Institute of Education.

Name

Chen Yidan Foundation

Legal name

Chen Yidan Foundation

Website

https://cydfoundation.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Chen Yidan Foundation is a Shenzhen-based philanthropic foundation founded by Tencent co-founder Dr. Charles Chen Yidan that advances education research and practice through the annual Yidan Education Forum, the Yidan Prize, the CMYK framework, and on-the-ground programs serving children, teachers, and scholars globally.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Education Philanthropy

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Grantmaking and Giving Services (8132), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAGAKAK

Education Grantmaking Foundations

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Philanthropy, Foundations & Grantmaking

SECONDARYBPAGAKAH

International Grantmaking & Development Foundations

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Philanthropy, Foundations & Grantmaking

SECONDARYEDADAHAC

Scholarship & Fellowship Foundations and Trusts

Education/Education Administration, Accreditation & Policy/Education Funding, Grants & Financial Aid Administration

Keywords

• Education philanthropy
• Education research
• Education awards
• Music education programs
• Learning innovation

Headquarters

HQ city

Shenzhen

HQ country

China

HQ region

Asia

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Philanthropic Foundation Model: Chen Yidan Foundation operates as a charitable/philanthropic organization funded by its founder Dr. Charles Chen Yidan (Core Founder of Tencent). The foundation generates no commercial revenue; it distributes funds through educational programs, research grants, awards, and initiatives. The foundation also established the Yidan Prize, one of the world's largest education prizes.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Chen Yidan Foundation is a non-profit philanthropic foundation that advances education through research, awards, and on-the-ground programs. Its core offerings include an annual international education forum, music education initiatives for underserved children, teacher recognition awards, competency-based education programs, and theoretical frameworks for future-oriented learning.

Product overview

Chen Yidan Foundation is a philanthropic organization dedicated to advancing education development, research, and innovation worldwide. Its product portfolio centers on two major pillars: (1) the annual Yidan Education Forum — an international education summit that has been held annually since 2020, producing keynote research reports (the Learners for the Future series), and (2) a set of on-the-ground educational programs including Yuepu Music Space (music education and cultural heritage for children in Beichuan, Sichuan), the Three Teaching Awards (recognizing outstanding university teachers and innovation talents), the Competency-Based Education Support Program (applying the CMYK Future Education Syntax to rural China), and YiPai (project-based learning community). The Foundation also manages the Yidan Prize (a global education award), the Yuepu Reading Project (early childhood reading with Harvard), YiPai Mook (educational publication), and Shenzhen Mingwan School (an international bilingual school opening 2025). The CMYK Future Education Syntax (Competence-Method-Year-Knowledge) serves as the overarching educational framework across several programs. The Foundation partners with institutions including Peking University, Beijing Normal University, Harvard Graduate School of Education, Nanyang Technological University, and the LEGO Foundation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Yidan Prize: One of the world's largest education prizes that recognizes changemakers who inspire progress in education, established by Dr. Charles Chen Yidan.
• Yidan Education Forum
• Yidan Education Research Institute
• Three Teaching Awards
• Yuepu Music Space
• Competency-Based Education Support Program
• YiPai
• YiPai Mook
• Shenzhen Mingwan School

Products and services

• Yidan Education Forum An annual international education summit hosted since 2020, creating a platform for dialogues and exchanges among educators, scholars, industry experts, and enterprise representatives to push the boundaries of innovation in education. Each year focuses on a specific theme related to the future of education.
• Three Teaching Awards Three annual awards (Master Teacher Award, Outstanding Teaching Award, and Innovation and Entrepreneurship Talent Award) presented to university teachers and students who have made remarkable achievements in talent training and innovation, co-funded with the China Teacher Development Foundation.
• Yuepu Music Space A physical public welfare music education base in Dongsheng Village, Beichuan Qiang Autonomous County, Sichuan Province, providing music literacy education and supporting Qiang ethnic music cultural heritage for children, covering 300 square meters with spaces for music creation, listening, reading, and cultural exchange.
• Competency-Based Education Support Program A program inspired by the CMYK Future Education Syntax framework, supporting the development and expansion of competency-based education in rural China by developing and implementing innovative educational activities.
• YiPai An innovative education community combining competency-based education programs and diversified learning experiences, including project-based learning (PBL) programs and the YiPai Community Festival, focused on nurturing future-oriented learners through social learning.
• Yuepu Reading Project An early reading initiative using picture books as a key medium to cultivate early reading teacher volunteers and bring quality preschool education resources to children aged 3-6 in rural communities, jointly initiated with Harvard Graduate School of Education.
• YiPai Mook A collection of essays on education highlighting real and daily education practices, jointly produced by Chen Yidan Foundation, Yidan Education Research Institute, and Lifeweek Magazine, spotlighting how spaces shape future learning.
• Shenzhen Mingwan School An international bilingual non-profit school in Shenzhen's Qianhai, designed to nurture future learners in the AI era, with core values of 'kindness' followed by 'strength.'
• Yidan Prize

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 300 children reached through music education programs
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 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

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• Nanyang Technological University (NTU) SingaporecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 December 2024Chen Yidan Foundation pledged S$6 million gift to NTU to establish the Yidan Professorship in AI, support curriculum development, research grants for AI-focused projects, and global collaborative initiatives. The partnership includes setting up a global education forum and facilitating student exchanges between NTU, Shenzhen, and China.
• Tencent Music Entertainment GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to operate Yuepu Music Space, a music and cultural education base in Beichuan Qiang Autonomous County, Sichuan Province. The initiative supports music heritage and children's music literacy education through courses, activities, and cultural exchanges.
• LEGO FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint project on Learning through Play since 2020, producing research reports on how play-based learning benefits children in China and globally. Reports include 'Where Global Science Meets Playful Learning' examining connections between play and learning.
• Peking University Graduate School of EducationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-organizer of Yidan Education Forum since its inception in 2020. Partnership involves joint research, forum organization, and collaborative publication of education reports and books.
• Beijing Normal UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKey partner in organizing Yidan Education Forum and conducting educational research. Co-released the CMYK Future Education Syntax framework and Learner for the Future Competence Framework through joint research efforts.
• Harvard Graduate School of Education (Snow Lab, CEREC Lab)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint initiative with Snow Lab and CEREC Lab to launch Yuepu Reading Project in Beichuan Qiang Autonomous County. Project focuses on early reading education using picture book curriculum and training local teachers.
• China Teacher Development FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-funded partnership for Three Teaching Awards program since 2019, recognizing outstanding university teachers and student innovators through Master Teacher Award, Outstanding Teaching Award, and Innovation and Entrepreneurship Talent Award.
• SDX Joint Publishing CompanymajorGTM or Marketing PartnerCo-host of Yidan Education Forum 2023 with 91-year history in publishing. Partnership involves releasing keynote reports and books on future education, including CMYK framework publications.
• World Publishing CorporationmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerPublication support partner for Yidan Education Forum research outputs. Published books including 'Collaborative Innovation between School and Society' and other education reports.
• ExploratoriummajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-organizer of sub-forum at Yidan Education Forum 2024 on creating cross-scenario future learning experiences. Partnership involves informal learning and tinkering education approaches.
• Shenzhen Mingwan SchoolmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-founded international bilingual school in Shenzhen's Qianhai that will open in 2025. School's core values are 'kindness' followed by 'strength', focused on nurturing future learners.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• WISE (World Innovation Summit for Education): Global education initiative that hosts a major annual education summit and the WISE Prize for Education, a direct functional parallel to the Yidan Education Forum and Yidan Prize.
• Asia Foundation: International grantmaking and development foundation operating across Asia-Pacific with education as a major program area, directly comparable in geographic scope and grantmaking model.
• Mastercard Foundation: Large-scale education-focused philanthropy that funds scholarships, teacher training, and youth learning programs across Africa and globally; comparable scale and education grantmaking orientation.
• Oak Foundation: Major international grantmaking foundation with education as a core program area, funding research, teacher development, and education innovation globally.
• Varkey Foundation: Global education philanthropy founded by a tech entrepreneur (Sunny Varkey, GEMS Education) that runs major teacher awards (Global Teacher Prize) and educational programs similar to Chen Yidan Foundation's Yidan Prize and Three Teaching Awards.
• LEGO Foundation: Active collaboration partner on Learning Through Play since 2020, this philanthropic foundation funds research and programs on playful learning worldwide, directly comparable in mission, research output, and grantmaking focus.
• Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching: Historic education grantmaking and research foundation producing annual reports and frameworks on teaching practice, comparable to Chen Yidan Foundation's Yidan Forum research output.

Broad incumbents

• Unesco (Education sector): International body convening global education research, frameworks, and policy dialogue; comparable to Yidan Education Forum's effort to drive global thought leadership on future education.
• Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (Education): One of the world's largest education funders, with global programs spanning K-12, post-secondary, and teacher development; comparable in education grantmaking focus but at vastly larger scale.

Regional players

• China Foundation for Poverty Alleviation: Major domestic Chinese philanthropic foundation with rural education programs; comparable in operating context and target geographies, though broader in social-issue focus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cydfoundation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Chen Yidan Foundation