FIDE
FIDE is a not-for-profit organization committed to fostering innovation and co-creation in the digital economy by building interoperable open protocol specifications as a public good. As the genesis author and angel donor of the Beckn Protocol, FIDE works to create open, decentralized, and inclusive digital ecosystems that empower individuals, businesses, platforms, and governments to participate freely and fairly in digital networks worldwide. Their mission is to level the playing field, restore agency to participants of all sizes, and build digital infrastructures that are accessible, efficient, and sustainable.
Theory of Change
Inputs
Open protocol specifications (Beckn)
Funding and leadership from FIDE
A global, diverse community of contributors
Technical infrastructure and documentation
Partnerships with governments and organizations
Activities
Developing, advocating, and evolving open protocol standards
Supporting sector-specific and regional open network deployments
Building capacity through education and community engagement
Outputs
Protocols and implementation guides released publicly
Live networks launched (ONDC, Unified Health Interface, etc.)
A global open community of practitioners and developers
Outcomes
Expansion of open, interoperable digital networks worldwide
Level playing field and digital agency for individuals, SMEs, and governments
Sustained innovation in digital economies and public digital goods
Programs
1. Beckn Protocol
Beckn Protocol is an open, universal resource discovery and transaction protocol that enables the creation of interoperable, decentralized digital networks across diverse sectors such as mobility, digital commerce, agriculture, healthcare, education, energy, and beyond.
Open source protocol specifications
Technical experts and global contributors
Funding and support from FIDE
Community participation
Developing and evolving the Beckn protocol
Community-led governance and co-creation
Advocacy for open digital standards
Supporting implementation in diverse domains
Release of protocol specifications and reference implementations
Live deployments across sectors (e.g., ONDC, Unified
Health Interface, Open Gambia Network, Open Kochi, etc.)
Educational resources and events
A growing open-source community
Expansion of interoperable digital networks globally
Increased market participation for small businesses and individuals
Reduced platform monopolies and increased consumer choice
More equitable digital economies and innovation at scale
2. Sector-Specific Open Networks
FIDE, through Beckn Protocol, supports and enables large-scale, sectoral open networks including ONDC (Open Network for Digital Commerce) in India, Unified Health Interface for health transactions, Unified Krishi Interface for agri-tech, ONEST for learning, and many more regional and domain-focused open networks worldwide.
Sectoral expertise from partners and collaborators
Technical backbone provided by Beckn Protocol
Government and institutional support
Community of practitioners and businesses
Tailoring Beckn specifications for sectoral requirements
Piloting and deploying sectoral networks (e.g., ONDC, Unified Health Interface, Open Kochi, ONEST, Vriddhi Open Nepal, Open Gambia Network)
Conducting outreach and capacity building
Live, interoperable networks in multiple sectors and geographies
Tools and guides for network participants
Public documentation and impact stories
Open markets for digital commerce, mobility, agriculture, health, education, and more
Empowerment of local businesses, farmers, consumers, and organizations
Demonstrated scale and adaptation of open network model outside India (e.g., Gambia, Nepal, Brazil)
Democratized access to digital services and improved livelihoods
3. Beckn Open Community
An open, global community supporting the adoption, evolution, and practical implementation of Beckn Protocol. This community brings together entrepreneurs, developers, businesses, policymakers, and enthusiasts to co-create digital public infrastructure and foster innovation through open collaboration.
Diverse community members (4,000+)
Open documentation and collaboration platforms (GitHub, Discord)
Knowledge sharing resources
Organizing events, hackathons, and meetups
Showcasing live implementations
Providing technical support and best practices
Promoting open standards through public forums
Growth in the number of contributors and active networks
Increased awareness and adoption of open protocols
Successful open network pilots in retail, mobility, logistics, etc.
Strengthened global open-source movement for digital infrastructure
Sustainable ecosystem for continuous protocol evolution
Enhanced capacity and agency among stakeholders in multiple regions
Other Information
Core Values
Be a Force Multiplier: Increasing inherent value by creating open digital ecosystems and restoring agency to participants.
Inclusive by Design: Platform-agnostic, ensuring equal and broad access for all participants regardless of size or geography.
Leave a Minimal Footprint: Lightweight, location-aware design focused on minimal resource extraction and maximum participant benefit.
Stay Future Flexible: Built for evolution and integration of emerging technologies in the digital landscape.
Be Movement Weavers: Fostering collaboration, innovation, and collective ownership in a vibrant, open community.
Scale
Beckn Open Collective: 4,000+ open-source contributors and community members globally.
Sectoral networks: National scale in India (ONDC, Unified Health Interface, etc.), regional scale in Gambia, Nepal, Brazil, and pilots elsewhere.
Impact metrics: Empowerment of tens of millions of small businesses and consumers; hundreds of thousands of transactions across pilot networks; rapid growth in network adoption reported in events/news.
Affected Users
Small and medium businesses
Digital platform operators
Government agencies
Consumers (urban and rural)
Entrepreneurs, developers, and community members across sectors (e.g. mobility, commerce, health, agriculture, education)
Geographical Areas
India (nationally, including Kochi, Bangalore)
Gambia
Nepal
Brazil (Belem)
Global (open access and standard)
Contact Info
Last updated