Hrvatsko debatno društvo / Croatian debate society

What Hrvatsko debatno društvo / Croatian debate society does

Hrvatsko debatno društvo (HDD) / Croatian Debate Society is a non-profit civil society organization (udruga) founded in 1998 and headquartered in Zagreb, Croatia. It operates as the country's primary body for debate education, running a structured portfolio that includes a school-based debate club network, regional inter-county and state-level tournaments (the 2026 state finals invited 12 elementary and 24 secondary school teams), an annual six-day residential Summer School of Democracy in its 30th edition held at Orahovica, certified teacher-training seminars (Basic and Advanced), and a Debatni klub za odrasle (Adult Debate Club). HDD also delivers civic-engagement and youth-empowerment projects — STAV, "Usudi se!" (Dare to Act!), DEXTER Debate Science Hubs, YouthSpeakUp, Debata bez granica, Classroom Reboot, and PEACE — many co-financed by Erasmus+ and the City of Zagreb.

The underlying delivery model is a certified trainer-led methodology spanning Croatian Parliamentary (KP) and World Schools (WS) debate formats, supported by a working-materials library, prepared proposition archives, and standardized club-meeting plans. There is no proprietary software platform; programs are delivered in person through schools, tournaments, and residential camps, with international reach via co-organization of the World Schools Debate Academy alongside the International Debate Education Association (IDEA) and the Slovenian Debate Society (ZIP).

The business model is grant- and donation-funded: cumulative fundraising has exceeded 11,000,000 HRK since 1998 from corporate sponsors (Orbico, Atlantic Grupa, Canon, Hrvatski Telekom, Raiffeisen Bank, Zagrebačka banka, Končar), government (City of Zagreb), EU programs (Erasmus+), and institutional donors including the World Bank. Earned revenue comes from tiered summer-camp participation fees — 350 EUR for students, 450 EUR for teaching staff, 175 EUR for graduating students — with stipends of 30/60/100% available for lower-income participants. The organization operates with 11 employees and an extensive volunteer trainer base.

Name

Hrvatsko debatno društvo / Croatian debate society

Legal name

Hrvatsko debatno društvo

Website

https://hdd.hr

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Hrvatsko debatno društvo (Croatian Debate Society) is a 1998-founded non-profit that runs Croatia's national debate education system, serving primary and secondary school students, teachers, and adult learners through school-based debate clubs, regional and state tournaments, certified trainer programs, and an annual residential Summer School of Democracy in its 30th edition.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Debate Education Services

NAICS

Exam Preparation and Tutoring (611691)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Debate (Policy, Lincoln-Douglas, Parliamentary, Public Forum) (EDAMAGAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

After-School Public Speaking & Debate Clubs (EDAMAOAB), Debate Tournament & League Organizers (EDAMAOAE), Speech & Debate Camps, Intensives & Bootcamps (EDAMAOAN), Speech & Debate Competition Preparation (Events, Extemp, Impromptu) (EDAMAOAF)

Keywords

• Debate education
• Critical thinking training
• Youth civic engagement
• Debate tournaments
• Teacher certification

Headquarters

HQ city

Zagreb

HQ country

Croatia

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and grants: HDD operates primarily through donations from Croatian corporate sponsors, government grants (City of Zagreb, national ministries), EU funding (Erasmus+), and international organizations including the World Bank. The organization states it has secured over 11,000,000 HRK invested in youth education since 1998.
2. Summer school participation fees: The Ljetna skola demokracije (Summer School of Democracy) residential debate camp generates revenue through tiered participation fees: 350 EUR for primary/secondary school students, 450 EUR for teaching staff, and 175 EUR for graduating students. Fees include accommodation, meals, and 42 hours of education. Stipends covering 30/60/100% of fees are available for students with financial need.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Hrvatsko debatno društvo (Croatian Debate Society, HDD) delivers structured debate education to Croatian primary and secondary school students through in-school debate clubs, regional and national tournaments, certified teacher training seminars, and an annual residential summer camp (Ljetna škola demokracije) held in Orahovica. The organization operates programs in standardized Croatian Parliamentary (KP) and World Schools (WS) debate formats and also delivers adult debate programs and EU-funded youth civic engagement projects.

Product overview

Hrvatsko debatno društvo (HDD) / Croatian Debate Society is a non-profit educational organization that operates a portfolio of debate education programs and projects. The core offerings include a structured Debate Program for elementary and secondary schools featuring clubs, tournaments, and national competitions; the annual Ljetna škola demokracije (Democracy Summer School) intensive debate camp; the Adult Debate Club; and teacher training programs for debate club leadership. The organization also manages various EU-funded and international projects including STAV, Usudi se!, DEXTER, YouthSpeakUp, and Debata bez granica. The product portfolio functions as an integrated educational platform combining formal debate competitions, non-formal education workshops, and youth civic engagement initiatives.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Debatni program (Debate Program)

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 11,000,000 HRK invested in youth education since 1998

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

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• International Debate Education Association (IDEA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 June 2026IDEA organizes the World Schools Debate Academy, a prestigious international event that HDD co-organizes through partnership. This collaboration enables Croatian teachers and students to participate in international debate training and exchange programs, with funding from Erasmus+. IDEA provides the framework and international network for debate education advancement.
• Za in proti (ZIP) - Slovenian Debate SocietycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 June 2026ZIP co-organizes the World Schools Debate Academy held in Kranjska Gora with IDEA and HDD as partners. This regional partnership strengthens debate education ties between Croatia and Slovenia while providing access to international debate expertise.
• Agency for Education and Upbringing (Agencija za odgoj i obrazovanje)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartners with HDD to organize national debate competitions for primary and secondary schools, including certification of debate club leaders through HDD's teacher training programs.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Konrad-Debatte (Gesellschaft für Debatte und Argumentation): Germany's national debate society, running school clubs, tournaments, and teacher training in the same Parliamentary and World Schools formats as HDD. Highly comparable as a peer national debate-education NGO in a larger European market.
• Debate Society of Serbia: Serbian debate society promoting debate education in schools through tournaments and workshops in the region. Comparable peer running a similar school-club and tournament model in another former-Yugoslav market.
• Czech Debate Society (Asociace debatních klubů / ADK): Czech national debate organization running Parliamentary debate clubs, tournaments, and teacher training across Czech schools. Highly comparable as a Central European peer society with the same pedagogical model.
• Za in proti (ZIP) – Slovenian Debate Society: The Slovenian national debate society that co-organizes the World Schools Debate Academy with HDD and IDEA. Operates the same debate-club, tournament, and teacher-training model in a neighboring country, making it the most directly comparable peer.

Broad incumbents

• National Speech & Debate Association (NSDA): The largest US-based speech and debate education organization, running national tournaments, teacher certification, and an alumni network. Comparable as the incumbent-scale model HDD operates against, though in a far larger market.
• European Schools Debating Championship (ESDC): Pan-European debating championship body coordinating national debate societies across Europe. Comparable as the supranational ecosystem in which HDD competes and qualifies students for international debate.
• World Schools Debating Championships (WSDC): International debating championship in the World Schools format, hosted by HDD in 2018. Comparable as the apex global competition framework that HDD feeds into through its national selection tournaments.
• International Debate Education Association (IDEA): Global debate-education umbrella organization that partners with HDD on the World Schools Debate Academy and provides the international framework for debate education. Acts as the broader incumbent that national societies plug into.

Others

• Erasmus+ Youth Programme: EU funding program that co-finances many of HDD's international debate projects and exchanges. Relevant as the principal funder/ecosystem partner rather than a competitor, shaping HDD's project pipeline.

Emerging players

• British Council Schools Debating Programme: UK-based debate-in-schools program with international reach, including in the Western Balkans. Partially comparable as an international debate-education provider whose programs occasionally overlap with HDD's target schools and teachers.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCJyv7_gSSaSB_8D7hvtT-mw
• Facebookfacebook.com/Hrvatsko-debatno-drustvo-296152257073647
• Instagraminstagram.com/hrvatskodebatnodrustvo
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hrdebate

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Hrvatsko debatno društvo / Croatian debate society