What Knowledge for Development Partnership - K4DP does

Knowledge for Development Partnership (K4DP) is a Vienna-headquartered, Austrian-law-registered non-profit association (ZVR-No: 1750178290) founded on 3 April 2017 at the Palais des Nations in Geneva during the 'Knowledge for Development: Global Partnership Conference'. The organization operates as an international NGO with 1-10 employees, a 14-member international board led by Executive Director Dr. Andreas Brandner, and regional contact points in Kampala, Nairobi, and Accra. Its mission is to localize and implement the Agenda Knowledge for Development — a universal knowledge framework developed through statements from 130 experts and presented at the UN Office in Geneva — in support of the UN Sustainable Development Goals and Agenda 2030.

K4DP's product portfolio comprises the Agenda Knowledge for Development framework; a suite of thematic K4D Challenges (KM4AgD for agriculture with FARA since 2020, the Africa Water and Sanitation KM Challenge with AMCOW launched 2022, and KM4Biodiversity introduced at COP15 in December 2022 with the CBD Secretariat); the School of Knowledge Sciences providing academic education, research, and outreach with a global faculty; the K4D Youth / Next Level Academy combining training with action; KM and KM4D award programs; and replicated Knowledge for Development Centres embedded at academic institutions, starting with Makerere University Business School on 22 October 2021. The underlying technology is digital platforms and communication infrastructure for knowledge sharing, collaboration, and education, with no developer-facing API, AI/ML capabilities, or proprietary software stack disclosed.

The organization monetizes via a subscription-recurring model of individual and institutional membership fees and managed-services grant funding from development partners. Customer segments are primarily national governments and government agencies, academic and research institutions, and international development organizations and NGOs, with knowledge management professionals as a secondary persona. GTM is community-led, anchored by multi-stakeholder partnerships, national knowledge partnerships, and flagship conferences (Knowledge for Development Partnership Conference, Knowledge City World Summit, World Water Week, COP15), supplemented by translation and localization of the Agenda into Spanish and Bengali to broaden reach. No pricing is publicly disclosed, no funding rounds have been disclosed, and revenue figures are not published.

Name

Knowledge for Development Partnership - K4DP

Legal name

Knowledge for Development Partnership

Website

https://k4dp.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

K4DP is a Vienna-based, Austrian-law-registered non-profit NGO founded in 2017 that operates a global multi-stakeholder partnership to localize the Agenda Knowledge for Development, running thematic K4D Challenges in agriculture, water, and biodiversity, an academic School of Knowledge Sciences, and K4D Centres embedded at universities for governments, academia, and development organizations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Knowledge Management and Sustainable Development Services

NAICS

Social Advocacy Organizations (8133), Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations (8139), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Digital Development & ICT4D / GovTech Technical Assistance (BPADAEAL)

akta.pro secondary industry

Knowledge Management & KCS Programs (BPAEAJAJ)

Keywords

• Knowledge management services
• Sustainable development programs
• Professional education services
• Research capacity building
• Multi-stakeholder partnership networks

Headquarters

HQ city

Vienna

HQ country

Austria

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Membership fees: K4DP operates as a non-profit association offering membership to individuals and organizations seeking to join the global knowledge for development partnership network.
2. Grant funding and partnerships: As an NGO registered under Austrian law, K4DP likely receives grant funding from international development organizations, governments, and institutional partnerships to fund its programs and initiatives.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

K4DP is a nonprofit association and global partnership network that provides knowledge-management education, training, research, outreach, and structured development programs. Its core activities center on the Agenda Knowledge for Development and challenge programs addressing agricultural development, water and sanitation, and biodiversity, delivered with academic, government, and development partners.

Product overview

Knowledge for Development Partnership (K4DP) is a non-profit organization that operates as a knowledge management platform and global partnership network. The organization offers a portfolio of interconnected programs including the Agenda Knowledge for Development (a universal knowledge framework), K4D Challenges (thematic knowledge management challenges in agriculture, biodiversity, and water), the School of Knowledge Sciences (education and training), K4D Youth/Next Level Academy (youth programs), KM Awards, and K4D Centres (established at academic institutions). These products collectively serve to advance knowledge societies and achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• KM4AgD Challenge: An educational and transformational programme training national focal points in agricultural knowledge management across African countries
• AWS KM Challenge
• KM4B Challenge
• School of Knowledge Sciences

Products and services

• K4DP Platform A global knowledge-management and knowledge-for-development network connecting stakeholders to support collaboration, learning, competence development, and implementation of the Agenda Knowledge for Development.
• Agenda Knowledge for Development A universal knowledge framework providing principles for dialogue on knowledge, strengthening global knowledge ecosystems, and supporting achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
• K4D Challenges Educational and transformational programs combining knowledge-management training with practical action and outreach, including programs for agricultural development, water and sanitation, and biodiversity.
• School of Knowledge Sciences An academic education and training program providing knowledge-science research, communication, outreach, and art activities through a global faculty of experts and practitioners.
• K4D Youth / Next Level Academy A youth-focused education and training initiative combining research-grounded learning with practical action, outreach, and collaboration with artists.
• K4DP Membership Association membership for individuals and organizations seeking to join K4DP's global knowledge-for-development partnership network.

Quantifiable outcome

• 28 representatives of African countries participated in KM4AgD Challenge 2021
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and regional.

• Knowledge Management AustriacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 January 2024Knowledge Management Austria and K4DP co-organized the Best Knowledge Management Specialist award ceremony. K4DP is a key cooperating partner in the global knowledge management community.
• Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) SecretariatcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 December 2022K4DP and the CBD Secretariat (hosted by UNEP in Montreal/Canada) co-created the KM4Biodiversity Initiative, with the KM4B Challenge as a main component. The initiative was introduced at COP15 in December 2022.
• AMCOW - African Ministers' Council on WatercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 August 2022K4DP and AMCOW jointly launched the Africa Water and Sanitation KM Challenge 2022, an integrated educational and transformational programme aiming to train national focal points in all African countries in Water Knowledge Management.
• Makerere University Business School (MUBS)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 October 2021Established the Knowledge for Development Centre at MUBS on October 22, 2021. The centre provides educational and research programmes, outreach activities, and art programmes aiming to transform Uganda into a Knowledge Society.
• FARA - Forum for Agricultural Research in AfricacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020K4DP and FARA are successfully running the KM4AgD Challenge since 2020 as an educational and transformational programme. 28 representatives of African countries participated in the 2021 challenge.
• Kenyan Ministry of Devolution and ASALsflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerK4DP and the Kenyan Ministry of Devolution and ASALs joined forces to develop a National Knowledge Agenda for Kenya, contributing as advisors to the National Knowledge Management Policy and KM Strategy.
• KCA University, NairobiregionalStrategic or Co-development PartnerHosted a K4DP partnership meeting in February 2020, strengthening the commitment to develop the Kenya Knowledge Agenda and bringing new insights and inputs.
• KMA Knowledge Management AssociatesregionalStrategic or Co-development PartnerKMA translated the Agenda Knowledge for Development to Spanish in November 2021, enabling K4DP to better reach the global Spanish-speaking community.
• Manusher Jonno Foundation, BangladeshregionalStrategic or Co-development PartnerDr. Rezwan Ul Alam, Knowledge Manager at Manusher Jonno Foundation, translated the Agenda Knowledge for Development to Bengali in November 2021.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• RealKM Cooperative: A KM-focused publishing cooperative led by Bruce Boyes, who is cited as a contributing expert on K4DP's Agenda. Comparable as a knowledge-sharing and publication platform serving the global KM community.
• Knowledge Management Austria (KMA): Austria-based KM professional association that co-organized the 2024 Best Knowledge Management Specialist award with K4DP and translated the Agenda into Spanish. Operates a closely overlapping network of KM practitioners across Europe.
• KM4Dev (Knowledge Management for Development): A global community of practice focused on knowledge management for international development. Directly comparable to K4DP as a multi-stakeholder network promoting KM in development contexts, and Rocio Sanz (K4DP Board) is affiliated with KM4Dev.

Regional players

• African Ministers' Council on Water (AMCOW): Continental water-sector governance body that jointly launched the Africa Water and Sanitation KM Challenge 2022 with K4DP, serving as the institutional counterpart for water-domain KM capacity building across Africa.
• Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA): Pan-African agricultural research platform that co-runs the KM4AgD Challenge with K4DP. Operates comparable continental KM capacity-building programs across African countries and shares K4DP's primary African geographic footprint.
• Convention on Biological Diversity Secretariat: The CBD Secretariat (UN-hosted in Montreal) is a current K4DP partner for the KM4Biodiversity Challenge and operates comparable biodiversity-knowledge capacity-building programs across its 196 member states.

Broad incumbents

• UNESCO Knowledge Societies Programme: UNESCO's work on inclusive knowledge societies directly aligns with K4DP's mission of advancing peaceful, wealthy, sustainable, and inclusive knowledge societies, and competes for the same policy-level engagement on knowledge-for-development agendas.
• UNDP Knowledge Management: UNDP's internal and external knowledge management programs serve a comparable SDG-aligned audience with vastly larger resources and institutional backing, making it both a partner and potential competitor for KM capacity-building contracts.
• World Bank Knowledge for Development Program: The World Bank's longstanding Knowledge for Development (K4D) program and related indices share K4DP's name space and mission, offering KM advisory services to governments and competing for similar institutional grants at much greater scale.

Emerging players

• KNOWLEDGE for Development (K4D) — Institute of Development Studies: The UK's Institute of Development Studies operates a research and evidence program also branded K4D focused on development knowledge sharing, overlapping with K4DP's mandate and audience in the international development space.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/knowledge-for-development-partnership-k4dp

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Knowledge for Development Partnership - K4DP