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Technology for better governance

CDR is an independent technology and research organization focused on governance. CDR develops digital tools and delivers capacity-building programs that strengthen transparency, expand participation, and support evidence-based decision-making.

What we build

Open, privacy-first technological tools & programs for transparent, participatory, and evidence-based public policy.

AI-powered policy intelligence for evidence-based action.

Empowers NGOs, public-interest teams, and businesses to track institutions and agendas, surface risk and opportunity signals, and turn complex public policy developments into decision-ready briefs.

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Policyful

Open, privacy-first AI for mission-driven work.

Helps civil society and decision-makers use AI ethically through workshops, open-source tech, and applied research; it closes the capacity gap with practical tooling.

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Nonpartisan, playful participation in the Turkish Parliament and municipal councils.

Known as 'Tinder for Parliament', Referandom turns bills, parliamentary questions, parliamentary inquiries, and votes in the Turkish Parliament and municipal councils into short, neutral summaries. Swipe to share your view, then see how elected officials actually voted and where each party stands, so following decision-making feels as easy as a game. Referandom is an independent and nonpartisan platform with no institutional ties to any political party, candidate, or political group.

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RENEWIntel

AI-powered EU regulatory and supply-chain intelligence for the energy-grid sector.

RENEW-Intel helps energy-grid manufacturers, SMEs, NGOs, and researchers track EU frameworks such as the Critical Raw Materials Act, REACH, and CBAM, turning scattered legal and supply-chain information into structured alerts and decision-ready insights.

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RENEWIntel

Governance literacy and civic participation for young people.

A capacity-building program for university students aged 18 to 25, designed to strengthen governance literacy and youth participation. Delivered through multi-city, highly interactive workshops on political systems, elections, how parliament and local governments function, transparency, and youth representation.

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CDRResearch

International research and cooperation on public policy, technology, and data.

Designs and implements research projects at the intersection of public policy, technology, data, and society. It works with international partners to analyse emerging policy challenges, conduct stakeholder and field research, test data-driven and technology-based approaches, and produce evidence-based policy recommendations, methodologies, strategies, and decision-support outputs for public-interest initiatives.

How we work

Three principles, applied across every product, partnership, and program we run.

Policy clarity, not policy commentary.

We translate complex public policy and institutional processes into clear, usable knowledge so teams can act with confidence.

Tools plus capacity.

We don't just ship software. We pair products with workshops, playbooks, and hands-on support so teams can adopt, adapt, and sustain the work.

Built for public benefit.

Our solutions prioritize public-interest use cases, are designed to be replicable across contexts, and are always free for public-interest teams.

Reports, briefs, and field notes

Open-access research and program outputs from CDR and its collaborators, published in Turkish and English.

Field notes, announcements, and analysis

Updates from CDR's programs, policy monitoring, and writing on the intersection of technology, democracy, and public policy. Posts are published in either English or Turkish.

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The people behind CDR

A multidisciplinary team working across technology, policy, research, communications, and program design.

AtaAtaCTO
ElifElifCommunications Assistant
ElifnazElifnazSr. Projects & Communications Specialist
KadirKadirFounder & CEO
NesibeNesibeAI Program Consultant
NevzatNevzatResearcher & Youth Program Consultant
OnurOnurLocal Democracy Program Consultant
PınarPınarManaging Director
UmutUmutAI Program Coordinator & Software Engineering Consultant
YusufYusufCo-Founder & COO