The Dariu Foundation

What The Dariu Foundation does

The Dariu Foundation is a Swiss-registered international non-governmental organization, founded in 2002 by Thomas Trüb (former Ringier executive), headquartered in Zofingen, Switzerland, with its primary operational hub in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. It delivers digital education to disadvantaged youth aged 9–15 in rural Southeast Asia and, more recently, East Africa, providing services free of charge to beneficiaries. Its core technology stack combines digital literacy training on Scratch, Python, Micro:bit, Yolo:Bit, ESP32/Arduino, and applied AI/IoT modules, delivered through a three-tier talent pipeline: the Digital Literacy Initiative in 500+ government and mobile schools, 179+ selective Code Clubs serving ~5,000 students, and the Impossible Project/Digital Entrepreneurship Programme coaching ~250 graduates with mentors from Google, Microsoft, Intel, and Qualcomm. Newer additions include state-of-the-art makerspaces (3D printers, laser cutters, CNC machines) in Vietnam and the 2026 DigiGyel AI curriculum in Bhutan.

The foundation operates as a non-profit and raises funds through donations from corporate and institutional partners (Bread for the World, UBS Foundation, Qualcomm Wireless Reach, Swisscontact, EPAM, Moonfare, Fontana Foundation, HSBC, Ringier, and others). GTM is community-led: programs are co-implemented with ministries of education in Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Bhutan, and Malaysia, and with NGO partners such as Swisscontact, VTOB Foundation, Fondation Rolf Schnyder, and (from 2026) The President's Award–Kenya. Revenue streams are donations and philanthropic grants; no pricing is charged to beneficiaries. Programs are concentrated in six Southeast Asian countries plus Kenya and (from spring 2026) Morocco, with a stated target of reaching 2.5 million people by 2027 and scaling to 500 Dariu Tech Clubs through the new Dariu Tech Club Initiative.

Name

The Dariu Foundation

Legal name

The Dariu Foundation

Website

https://dariu.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Dariu Foundation is a Swiss nonprofit founded in 2002 that delivers free digital literacy, coding, and applied AI education to disadvantaged rural youth aged 9–15 in Southeast Asia and East Asia.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonprofit Digital Education Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), Educational Support Services (61171), Civic and Social Organizations (813410)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

STEM, Digital Literacy & Maker Education Nonprofits (BPAGADAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Education Access & EdTech for Equity (Low-cost Learning, Skills Platforms) (BPAGALAH), International Development & Donor-Funded Education Programs (EDADALAB), NGO/Nonprofit Education Programs & Service Delivery (EDADALAC)

Keywords

• Digital literacy education
• Coding education programs
• Youth technology training
• Nonprofit education services
• Rural digital skills

Headquarters

HQ city

Zofingen

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donations and Philanthropic Funding: The Dariu Foundation is a non-profit NGO that raises funds from corporate partners, foundations, and individual donors to fund digital literacy programs. Services are provided free of charge to beneficiaries. Funding partners include Bread for the World, UBS Foundation, Qualcomm Wireless Reach, Intel, Moonfare, Fontana Foundation, and others.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Dariu Foundation is a Swiss-based international non-governmental organization (NGO) that delivers digital literacy and coding education programs to disadvantaged youth aged 9-15 in rural areas of Southeast Asia and Africa. It operates a multi-tier educational ecosystem combining Digital Literacy Initiatives in government schools, Code Clubs as talent incubators, and the new Dariu Tech Club Initiative launching 500 advanced technology hubs, all delivered free of charge and funded through philanthropic donations from corporate and foundation partners.

Product overview

The Dariu Foundation operates a multi-tiered educational ecosystem focused on digital literacy and technology skills for disadvantaged youth in Southeast Asia and Africa. The portfolio consists of: (1) the Digital Literacy Initiative providing basic coding education to children aged 9-15; (2) Code Clubs serving as talent incubators with advanced training in coding, AI, and emerging technologies; (3) the Dariu Tech Club Initiative launching in 2026 as an expanded model with 500 technology hubs; (4) the Impossible Project identifying and nurturing talented students for competitions; (5) Digital Entrepreneurship Programs coached by industry mentors from Google, Microsoft, Intel, and Qualcomm; and (6) Makerspaces providing hands-on access to advanced tools like 3D printers and CNC machines. The programs are delivered through 179+ Code Clubs across Vietnam, Bhutan, Laos, Cambodia, and Kenya, serving over 5,000 students with a goal to reach 2.5 million people by 2027.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Dariu Tech Club Initiative: Advanced technology education initiative launching in 2026, establishing 500 technology hubs across Southeast Asia and Africa where young people learn coding, applied AI, and entrepreneurial thinking.
• The Impossible Project
• Code Clubs
• Digital Literacy Initiative (DLI)
• Kids Bits and Bytes

Products and services

• Digital Literacy Initiative Basic coding and digital skills education program for children aged 9-15 in rural Southeast Asia, delivered through 500+ mobile and government schools. Program provides programming training through six progressive levels, with over 1.5 million courses completed by Vietnamese children.
• Code Clubs Talent incubator program running 179+ after-school clubs serving 5,000+ students aged 9-15 in rural areas across 6 countries. Children learn to build technology-based projects using Scratch, Python, Micro:bit, and receive advanced training in Financial Literacy, Cybersecurity, AI, and Blockchain.
• Dariu Tech Club Initiative Advanced technology education initiative launching in 2026 with 500 technology hubs across Southeast Asia and Africa, combining free online courses with hands-on learning environments for coding, applied AI, and entrepreneurial thinking.
• The Impossible Project Talent identification and nurturing program that selects approximately 5,000 talented students from 400,000+ trained annually to join Code Clubs. Participants develop projects for national and international contests, with student projects having won 50+ awards to date.
• Digital Entrepreneurship Program Business training program where ~250 Code Club graduates receive intensive coaching from industry mentors at Google, Microsoft, Intel, Qualcomm and others, culminating in a Business Plan Contest with seed money awards for top participants.
• Makerspaces State-of-the-art technology hubs equipped with advanced tools including 3D printers, laser cutters, and CNC machines, currently operating in Vietnam's Vinh Long Province to provide hands-on access to advanced manufacturing technology for rural students.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 2.5 million coding classes completed; 50+ international awards won by student projects
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability9 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• The President's Award–Kenya (PA-K)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 May 202624-month partnership embedding the Dariu Tech Club initiative within 60 PA-K-licensed award centres in Nairobi, Central, and Eastern Kenya regions, bringing applied AI and digital skills training into youth development programmes.
• Qualcomm (Wireless Reach Program)coreTechnology or Integration · 6 September 2023Qualcomm Wireless Reach partnered with The Dariu Foundation to provide Snapdragon-powered laptops with LTE connectivity to students in Vietnam's Mekong Delta, helping close the digital divide by enabling digital skills training.
• SwisscontactcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 28 August 2023Swisscontact, a leading skills development organization in developing and emerging countries, partners with The Dariu Foundation to implement Digital Literacy Initiatives in Laos (2024) and Cambodia (2024–2025), in cooperation with respective ministries of education.
• Fondation Rolf SchnydercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 August 2022Fondation Rolf Schnyder, working alongside Code.org as a global partner, partners with The Dariu Foundation through the Kids Bits and Bytes program in Malaysia to empower underrepresented children with foundational coding and computer science education.
• VTOB Foundation (Bhutan)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2022VTOB Foundation initiated Bhutan's Digital Literacy Initiative with support from The Dariu Foundation in June 2022. VTOB leads teacher training, hardware supply, and school implementation, with Dariu providing curriculum support and program design.
• GoogleminorGTM or Marketing PartnerGoogle professionals serve as volunteer mentors in the Impossible Project's Digital Entrepreneurship Courses, providing intensive coaching to talented youth alongside other industry mentors.
• MicrosoftminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMicrosoft professionals volunteer as mentors in the Digital Entrepreneurship Courses, coaching Code Club students alongside mentors from Google, Intel, Qualcomm and others.
• MoonfareminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMoonfare, a leading global digital private equity platform, supports The Dariu Foundation through events designed to give the NGO access to Moonfare's exclusive global investor community.
• International University of Applied Sciences (IU)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIU (International University of Applied Sciences) is listed as a partner supporting The Dariu Foundation's educational mission.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Direct peers

• Pratham: One of the largest NGOs in India focused on education for underprivileged children. Comparable in mission (quality education for disadvantaged youth), scale (millions of children reached), and emphasis on vocational/digital skills for school-age populations.
• Code.org: US-based nonprofit focused on expanding access to computer science in schools. Directly comparable in mission — bringing coding education to underserved K-12 students globally — and partners with Fondation Rolf Schnyder, one of Dariu's core partners in Malaysia.
• BRAC: Large international development organization operating education and skills programs across Asia and Africa. Comparable in geographic footprint, beneficiary focus on underserved communities, and combination of education with entrepreneurship pathways.
• Room to Read: International nonprofit operating literacy and girls' education programs across Asia and Africa. Highly comparable in operating geography (Southeast Asia + Africa focus), beneficiary profile (underserved children), and government school integration model.
• Camfed: International nonprofit focused on girls' education and young women's leadership in sub-Saharan Africa. Comparable as a multi-country education nonprofit targeting disadvantaged youth with pathways from education to economic opportunity.
• TechnoServe: International nonprofit working with enterprising people in the developing world to build competitive farms, businesses, and industries. Comparable in geographic focus (developing countries), beneficiary profile (low-income populations), and emphasis on entrepreneurship as an outcome pathway.

Emerging players

• Andela: Tech talent training and outsourcing company focused on African software engineers. Adjacent in mission — building digital/tech skills in emerging markets — but for-profit and focused on adult workforce rather than school-age children.

Broad incumbents

• UNICEF Education: UN agency division focused on children's education globally. Operates in the same geographies and beneficiary segments (children in low-income countries) at much larger scale, and frequently partners with or funds local NGOs like Dariu.
• Khan Academy: Large-scale free online education platform offering coding and computer science content globally. Comparable as a free, donor-funded digital education provider, though broader in subject matter and primarily online rather than field-based.
• UNESCO Education: UN agency for education setting global education standards and funding programs. Comparable in mission alignment (SDG 4, digital literacy), operates in the same countries, and represents a potential partnership or funding counterpart.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/dariu-foundation

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about The Dariu Foundation