Aecid Cono Sur

What Aecid Cono Sur does

AECID Cono Sur is the Southern Cone regional operational unit of AECID (Agencia Española de Cooperación Internacional para el Desarrollo), the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation, a public autonomous agency under Spain's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation. The entity operates the INTERCOONECTA program — the Knowledge Transfer, Exchange and Management Plan for Spanish Cooperation in Latin America and the Caribbean — which delivers capacity building, institutional strengthening, and professional training to Latin American public administration officials and international organization staff across 15+ countries.

The core platform architecture combines a public-facing web portal (intercoonecta.aecid.es), an internal activity management system, and an Aula Virtual (Virtual Classroom) built on open-source Moodle LMS that delivers structured online courses (approximately 4-week duration, 30–40 participants per cohort, 12–15 hours weekly commitment, minimum 50% practical content). Physical delivery infrastructure comprises four Centros de Formación in Santa Cruz de la Sierra (Bolivia, 1987), Cartagena de Indias (Colombia, 1993), La Antigua (Guatemala, 1996), and Montevideo (Uruguay, 2009 — the founding date of this regional unit), complemented by 13 Cultural Centers across 16 countries serving roughly 1,000,000 visitors annually. The program also maintains ten themed Expert Networks (Redes de Expertos) and 14 Thematic Knowledge Communities spanning governance, water/sanitation, climate, gender, indigenous peoples, and humanitarian action.

The business model is entirely non-commercial: AECID Cono Sur is funded through the Spanish government's official development assistance budget allocations, and all training activities, knowledge products, and platform services are delivered free of charge to beneficiary institutions and participants. The entity does not generate revenue, charge tuition, or commercialize its intellectual property; revenue mechanics consist of intergovernmental budget transfers tied to Spain's Master Plan for International Cooperation (current cycle: 2024–2027). Distribution occurs through a hybrid model combining in-person training at regional centers, asynchronous online learning via Aula Virtual, peer-to-peer knowledge exchange through expert networks, and curated knowledge repositories. As a regional coordination unit within a larger government agency, AECID Cono Sur has no separate stock listing, no investors, and no M&A relevance — its strategic purpose is diplomatic/development-cooperation outcomes rather than financial returns.

Name

Aecid Cono Sur

Legal name

Agencia Española de Cooperación Internacional para el Desarrollo (AECID)

Website

https://intercoonecta.aecid.es

Company type

Private

Founded year

1987

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

AECID Cono Sur is the Southern Cone regional unit of Spain's international development agency, operating the INTERCOONECTA program to deliver free capacity-building training, knowledge transfer, and expert networks to Latin American public administration officials across four regional training centers and a Moodle-based virtual classroom.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

International Development Cooperation and Public Administration Training

NAICS

Professional and Management Development Training (61143), Educational Support Services (61171), Public Administration (92)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

United Nations System & Specialized Agencies (BPADAAAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Video Conferencing for Education (Education-Optimized Meetings/Webinars) (EDAFABAB)

Keywords

• International development cooperation
• Capacity building services
• Public administration training
• Knowledge management platform
• Professional training networks

Headquarters

HQ city

Madrid

HQ country

Spain

HQ region

Europe

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Spanish Government Development Cooperation Funding: INTERCOONECTA is funded entirely by the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID) as part of Spain's international development cooperation policy. No commercial revenue is generated; all activities are funded through public development cooperation budgets.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Aecid Cono Sur delivers the INTERCOONECTA program, an integrated knowledge transfer, exchange, and management platform that combines a Moodle-based Virtual Classroom with four physical Training Centers across Latin America. It runs Thematic Knowledge Communities in 14 development areas and ten Expert Networks to provide capacity building and institutional strengthening services to Latin American public administration officials and international organizations, fully funded by Spain's official development assistance budget.

Product overview

INTERCOONECTA is a unified knowledge management platform operated by AECID (Agencia Española de Cooperación Internacional para el Desarrollo) for Spanish Cooperation in Latin America and the Caribbean. The platform integrates multiple components: (1) the public web portal with activity management, (2) the Aula Virtual - a Moodle-based learning management system for online courses, (3) four Training Centers located in Bolivia, Colombia, Guatemala, and Uruguay offering in-person programming, (4) thematic knowledge communities covering 14 development areas, (5) expert professional networks for knowledge exchange, (6) a knowledge base repository, and (7) the annual Convocatoria training proposal call. The platform primarily serves Latin American public administration professionals through a combination of virtual and in-person training activities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Intercoonecta: Plan de Transferencia, Intercambio y Gestión de Conocimiento para el Desarrollo de la Cooperación Española en América Latina y el Caribe - Knowledge transfer, exchange and management platform for development
• Aula Virtual
• Red de Expertos
• Redes de Conocimiento
• Comunidades Temáticas de Conocimiento

Products and services

• INTERCOONECTA Platform Plan de Transferencia, Intercambio y Gestión de Conocimiento para el Desarrollo - an integrated platform for Spanish Cooperation in Latin America and the Caribbean that combines a public portal, an internal activity management system, and a virtual classroom to strengthen institutional capacities and promote knowledge exchange among public administration professionals.
• Aula Virtual (Virtual Classroom) Moodle-based online learning platform offering professional update courses with collaborative learning features. Courses run approximately 4 weeks with 12-15 hours weekly commitment per participant, cohorts of 30-40 participants, asynchronous communication, tutor support, and at least 50% practical activities. It serves Latin American public administration officials seeking structured online capacity-building.
• Centro de Formación de Santa Cruz de la Sierra First Centro de Formación de la Cooperación Española inaugurated in 1987, located in Bolivia's former Casa de España building. It manages three Thematic Knowledge Communities (Social Cohesion, Water and Sanitation, and Childhood and Youth) and benefits over 30,000 people annually through international training activities and cultural programming.
• Centro de Formación de Cartagena de Indias Centro de Formación inaugurated in 1993 in Plaza Santo Domingo, historic center of Cartagena de Indias, Colombia. Approximately 7,000 m2 of functional space including 5 multipurpose rooms (capacities 35-250), a dining room for 100, an internet room with 7 stations, a multipurpose room (110), exhibition hall, and a specialized library and documentation center.
• Centro de Formación de La Antigua Centro de Conocimiento para el Desarrollo created in 1996 in Guatemala with privileged technical equipment and unique spaces in Central America. Includes a cultural program covering performing arts, visual arts, cinema, book presentations, and children's programs, plus a Biblioteca-Centro de Documentación established in 1999.
• Centro de Formación de Montevideo Centro de Formación opened in June 2009 in a 19th-century palazzo in Ciudad Vieja, with 1,200 square meters comprising three classrooms, an atrium, two meeting rooms, a dining room, administrative areas, and common spaces. Has benefited more than 18,000 people from the region.
• Comunidades Temáticas de Conocimiento (Thematic Knowledge Communities) Knowledge communities covering 14 thematic areas including Democratic Governance, Environment and Climate Change, Social Cohesion, Water and Sanitation, Gender and Development, Innovation, Economic Development, Culture and Development, Regional Integration, Indigenous Peoples, Business and Development, Humanitarian Action, Afro-descendants, and Adults and the Elderly. Each community coordinates institutional actors, knowledge products, and programmatic activity.
• Base de Conocimiento (Knowledge Base) Searchable knowledge repository whose resources can be filtered by subject, producer, and geographic scope. It aggregates materials from organizations such as the Embassy of Spain in Peru, ICA2 Innovation and Technology in Spain, and the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights of Chile.
• Redes de Expertos (Expert Networks) Virtual networks combining spontaneous and directed activities for Latin American professionals to exchange knowledge and experiences. Includes sector-specific networks for Water and Sanitation, Public Finance, Anti-drug Prosecutors, Risk Management, Democratic Governance, Infrastructure, Environment, and others.
• Convocatoria INTERCOONECTA (Annual Training Call) Annual competitive call for proposals from Spanish public entities for technical training and innovation programming under INTERCOONECTA. The 2025 edition integrates with the Spanish Cooperation Master Plan 2024-2027 and prioritizes triple just transition (social, economic, ecological) and ODS achievement.
• Socios de Conocimiento (Knowledge Partners) Collaborative network of knowledge partners serving as essential actors in INTERCOONECTA's strategy. Members include Spanish public institutions, international organizations, and Latin American institutions collaborating in knowledge production and transfer activities - ranging from AFD, BID, CAF, FAO, GIZ, ILO, OAS, UNDP, UNESCO, and World Bank to numerous Spanish ministries and agencies.

Named customers2 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• Socios de Conocimiento (Knowledge Partners)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKnowledge Partners are essential actors in the INTERCOONECTA strategy, serving either as knowledge sources and/or promoters of development projects. They include Spanish public institutions, international organizations, and Latin American institutions collaborating in knowledge production and transfer activities. The partner list spans A-Z including institutions like AFD (France), BID, CAF, FAO, GIZ, ILO, OAS, UNDP, UNESCO, World Bank, and numerous Spanish ministries and agencies.
• IMSERSO (Instituto de Mayores y Servicios Sociales - Spain)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIMSERSO organized the I Ibero-American Meeting on the International Convention for the Rights of Older Persons together with AECID, collaborating on regional activities related to aging and elder rights in Latin America.
• HelpAge International and HelpAge EspañamajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational organization specializing in aging and elder rights, collaborated with AECID and IMSERSO on the Ibero-American Meeting on Rights of Older Persons, contributing expertise on the UN Convention process.
• OISS (Organización Iberoamericana de Seguridad Social)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIbero-American Social Security Organization collaborated in the organization of the Meeting on Rights of Older Persons, contributing regional perspective on social protection for seniors.
• SEGIB (Secretaría General Iberoamericana)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIbero-American General Secretariat collaborated on the Meeting on Rights of Older Persons, providing institutional support for the Ibero-American regional dimension of the event.
• Red de Centros de Formación de la Cooperación EspañolacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork of four Training Centers (Santa Cruz, Cartagena, La Antigua, Montevideo) working under INTERCOONECTA framework, constituting the primary infrastructure for delivering knowledge transfer and training activities across Latin America.
• Fundación CEDDETcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCEDDET Foundation initiated the Expert Networks program at the end of 2004 as a natural result of its online training activities. The foundation co-organizes online courses with AECID and various Public Institutions, maintaining the expert networks that INTERCOONECTA now supports.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• AFD (Agence Française de Développement): French bilateral development agency funding sustainable development projects and capacity building, including in Latin America. Already a knowledge partner of INTERCOONECTA, providing near-direct comparison as a European bilateral donor with structured training programs.
• KOICA (Korea International Cooperation Agency): Korean bilateral development agency operating training programs, knowledge sharing initiatives, and capacity building across partner countries. Comparable model of donor-funded training infrastructure for public sector development.
• OEI (Organización de Estados Iberoamericanos): International organization for Ibero-American cooperation in education, science, and culture, with extensive training and capacity building programs across Spanish and Portuguese-speaking countries. Comparable mission and beneficiary base in the region.
• JICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency): Japanese government agency implementing bilateral development cooperation through training programs, expert dispatch, and knowledge transfer in partner countries. Closely aligned with INTERCOONECTA's model of in-country training centers and capacity building for public administrators.
• GIZ (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit): German federal agency for international development cooperation with extensive training and capacity building programs across Latin America and globally. Directly comparable as a bilateral donor operating both physical training infrastructure and digital learning platforms for public sector professionals.
• SEGIB (Secretaría General Iberoamericana): Ibero-American General Secretariat coordinating cooperation among 22 Spanish and Portuguese-speaking countries, with explicit training and knowledge exchange programs. Already a partner of INTERCOONECTA and the closest regional peer in scope and language.

Broad incumbents

• UNDP (United Nations Development Programme): UN global development network operating in over 170 countries with extensive capacity building and institutional strengthening programs. Already a knowledge partner of INTERCOONECTA, representing the multilateral alternative to bilateral training models.
• USAID (United States Agency for International Development): US government agency overseeing civilian foreign aid and development assistance globally, with extensive programming in Latin America and the Caribbean. A much larger incumbent with comparable mandate of training and institutional strengthening for partner governments.
• CEPAL/ECLAC (Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean): United Nations regional commission promoting economic and social development in Latin America and the Caribbean, with capacity building and policy advisory functions for public administrations. Comparable as a knowledge producer and trainer serving the same beneficiary base.

Emerging players

• FLACSO (Facultad Latinoamericana de Ciencias Sociales): Latin American social sciences training and research institution operating across multiple Latin American countries, providing graduate-level training and policy research. Comparable as a regional academic and policy training actor with public sector focus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CfceMontevideo
• Facebookfacebook.com/cfcemvd
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/aecidconosur

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Aecid Cono Sur