The World Economic Forum

Name

The World Economic Forum

Legal name

World Economic Forum

Website

https://weforum.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1971

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

International Policy and Cooperation Forum

NAICS

Convention and Trade Show Organizers (56192), Business Associations (813910)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Executive Summits & Invitation-Only Forums (MPAGAGAK)

akta.pro secondary industry

Technical Committees, Working Groups & Expert Panels (BPADANAB)

Keywords

• Public-private cooperation
• Global policy forums
• International development research
• Multistakeholder dialogue
• Industry thought leadership

Headquarters

HQ city

Geneva

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Partner Membership Fees: The Forum operates as a membership-based organization with partner companies paying fees for access to high-level networks, research, and collaborative platforms. The Forum mentions approximately 1,000 major companies from over 50 countries as partners.
2. Event Revenue: Revenue generated from hosting flagship events including the Annual Meeting in Davos, Annual Meeting of the New Champions (Summer Davos), and other regional and topic-specific gatherings.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The World Economic Forum is an independent not-for-profit foundation that convenes global leaders from business, government, civil society, and academia to address world challenges through flagship events (Annual Meeting in Davos, Annual Meeting of the New Champions), partner memberships with approximately 1,000 major companies, and structured initiatives organized around 11 thematic centres. It produces proprietary research reports and indices (Top 10 Emerging Technologies, Energy Transition Index, Global Cybersecurity Outlook) and operates community programs (Technology Pioneers, Young Global Leaders, Global Lighthouse Network) alongside digital collaboration platforms (UpLink, TopLink, Lumina, Global Collaboration Village, Forum Circle).

Product overview

The World Economic Forum operates as a global convening and research organization offering a portfolio of platforms, reports, and community networks rather than a unified product. The core offerings include: major annual reports and indices (Top 10 Emerging Technologies Report, Energy Transition Index, Global Cybersecurity Outlook); event platforms (Summer Davos/Annual Meeting of the New Champions, TopLink); innovation programs (UpLink with innovation challenges, Technology Pioneers community); intelligence tools (Lumina AI-enabled platform); collaboration spaces (Global Collaboration Village in VR, Forum Circle alumni network); leadership recognition (Young Global Leaders, Global Lighthouse Network); and 11 thematic centres covering AI, cybersecurity, energy, healthcare, and other global challenges. These offerings work together as a research-convening-intelligence ecosystem where WEF gathers insights through its global community, publishes analytical frameworks and reports, and provides platforms for collaboration and innovation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• UpLink: The Forum's early-stage innovation initiative that sources and scales purpose-driven start-ups working to solve the world's biggest challenges.

Products and services

• Annual Meeting in Davos Flagship annual gathering in Davos, Switzerland convening global leaders from business, government, civil society, and academia to address pressing world challenges; targets enterprise partners and high-level delegates.
• Annual Meeting of the New Champions (Summer Davos) Annual meeting focused on entrepreneurship, innovation, and emerging economies, held in Dalian, China, gathering over 1,800 leaders from 90+ countries.
• Global Lighthouse Network A community of 238 manufacturing and supply chain sites across 30+ countries recognized for leadership in applying Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies to achieve productivity, sustainability, and operational returns.
• Technology Pioneers A community of 100 early-stage companies from 23 countries recognized for developing breakthrough technologies with potential to transform industries and address global challenges.
• Young Global Leaders A highly selective leadership program recognizing approximately 100-118 emerging leaders annually under age 40 from over 50 countries, spanning business, government, arts, culture, civil society, and social entrepreneurship.
• UpLink Early-stage innovation platform that sources and scales purpose-driven start-ups working to solve global challenges through themed innovation challenges with prize awards.
• Lumina AI-enabled intelligence platform for industrial transformation, built on eight years of Global Lighthouse Network data, connecting audited evidence and peer experience into decision intelligence for manufacturing and supply chain operations.
• TopLink Digital engagement platform for Forum constituents and event participants to browse event agendas, book meetings, and participate in sessions.
• Global Collaboration Village A purpose-driven virtual reality platform that brings leaders together to solve real-world problems through next-generation collaborative technology.
• Forum Circle A digital platform for the World Economic Forum alumni network, allowing alumni to connect, message each other, register for events, consult job offers, and share information about their current work.
• Top 10 Emerging Technologies Report Annual report produced with Frontiers and Dubai Future Foundation identifying 10 breakthrough technologies expected to achieve large-scale commercial and societal impact within three to five years.
• Energy Transition Index Annual index benchmarking 120 countries on energy system performance and transition readiness, produced in collaboration with Accenture.
• Global Cybersecurity Outlook Annual report examining cybersecurity trends and challenges, identifying AI as the most significant force reshaping cyber risks.
• AI Playbook for Financial Services Report developed with Accenture providing financial institutions with guidance on scaling AI adoption, based on 18 months of input from over 150 senior executives in more than 100 organizations.
• Unicorn Community An invitation-only community of hyper-growth companies recognized for driving innovation and positive global impact, providing a platform for knowledge sharing and collaboration.
• Human-Machine Collaboration Framework A framework analyzing how 80+ industrial jobs across seven manufacturing and supply chain functions are transforming, with a Resource Hub and Activation Playbook to help organizations prepare workforces for intelligent industrial environments.
• Buck Up Initiative An analytical framework advocating integrated approaches to economic growth, national security, and environmental sustainability rather than treating them as competing priorities, with case studies demonstrating mutually reinforcing policy benefits.
• Centre for AI Excellence One of WEF's 11 thematic centres driving innovation through the power of AI, data, and intelligence to improve industries, economies, and societies.

Quantifiable outcome

• GAVI Vaccine Alliance, supported by Forum, delivered vaccines to over 1 billion children
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

20 partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Oliver WymancoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 June 2026Collaboration on geoeconomic fragmentation research, releasing joint reports on the economic costs of fragmentation costing the global economy $213-307 billion annually.
• Amazon Web ServicescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 June 2026Collaboration with Yes/Boston initiative led by WEF, selecting innovators advancing food and health solutions.
• CiticoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 June 2026Collaboration with Yes/Boston initiative, supporting the inaugural cohort of 12 innovators advancing food and health solutions.
• DeloittecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 June 2026Collaboration with Yes/Boston initiative, supporting food-as-health innovation through the UpLink platform.
• AccenturecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 June 2026Collaboration on 'The AI Playbook for Financial Services' report, examining how financial institutions are progressing from AI experimentation to scaled adoption.
• FrontierscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 June 2026Collaboration on the annual Top 10 Emerging Technologies Report, identifying breakthrough technologies poised to reshape economies and societies.
• Dubai Future FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 June 2026Collaboration on the Top 10 Emerging Technologies Report 2026, highlighting innovations in energy, medicine, manufacturing, AI, and cybersecurity.
• MarshcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 June 2026Collaboration on low-tech longevity investments report, finding that preventive health measures could unlock $6 trillion by 2040.
• Tencent CloudcoreTechnology or Integration · 23 June 2026Strategic collaboration to provide digital services for Summer Davos 2026, including live streaming across 53 sessions and the Forum's first Weixin/WeChat Mini Program.
• Tencent CloudcoreTechnology or Integration · 23 June 2026Providing live streaming across 53 forum sessions, secure cross-continental transmission, and content acceleration through Tencent's technology infrastructure.
• FrontierscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 June 2026Co-publishing the Top 10 Emerging Technologies of 2026 report, identifying technologies most likely to shape industry, policy, and society over the next five years.
• ManpowerGroupcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 June 2026ManpowerGroup CEO Jonas Prising co-chaired the Annual Meeting of the New Champions 2026. ManpowerGroup presented workforce research at the forum.
• ManulifecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 June 2026Partnership with UpLink Initiative and Centre for Financial and Monetary Systems to launch the 'Shaping Canada's Longevity Advantage Innovation Challenge'.
• AccenturecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 June 2026Collaboration on the Energy Transition Index 2026, benchmarking 120 countries on energy system performance and transition readiness. Also collaborated on Global Cybersecurity Outlook 2026.
• AccenturecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 June 2026Collaboration on Energy Transition Index 2026, tracking energy transition progress across 120 countries with findings on stalling progress despite record investment.
• DeloittecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 June 2026Collaboration on earth observation report finding that earth observation data can contribute up to $703 billion annually to the global economy.
• KPMGcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 May 2026Collaboration on cybersecurity research including the white paper 'Empowering Defenders: AI for Cybersecurity', examining how organizations deploy AI for cybersecurity defense.
• Bain & CompanycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 27 April 2026Partnership with Saudi Ministry of Economy and Planning on AI-driven sustainability platform SUSTAIN, potentially unlocking $20 billion in partnerships by 2030.
• HCL GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 April 2026Partnership through UpLink to launch the fifth global Aquapreneur Innovation Challenge 'Transforming Water Systems' with CHF 1.75 million in awards.
• CAF (Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 April 2026Associate Partnership Agreement making CAF a key partner in the Forum's 11 thematic centres covering climate, energy, AI, and cybersecurity.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Chatham House (Royal Institute of International Affairs): A London-based international affairs think tank with a corporate-membership program, Chatham House Rule convenings, and research publications. Closely analogous to WEF as a membership-funded global-affairs convener producing authoritative research.
• Atlantic Council: A U.S.-headquartered international affairs think tank with corporate and government members, focused on transatlantic and global policy, with a substantial convening, research, and policy-program portfolio comparable in scope to WEF's work.
• World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD): A Geneva-based, CEO-led membership organization of more than 200 leading international companies working on sustainable development, with working groups, CEO-led convenings, and member-funded research outputs. Closely analogous as a Geneva-based, corporate-member, working-group-driven convener.
• Milken Institute: A non-profit, sponsor-and-partner-driven economic and policy think tank that runs annual conferences (Milken Conference Global), publishes research, and convenes leaders across finance, health, and capital markets — directly comparable as a multi-stakeholder convening organization with a research-products portfolio.
• Council on Foreign Relations: A membership-based U.S. international affairs organization with corporate and individual members producing research, hosting closed-door convenings, and influencing foreign-policy debate. Directly comparable business-model analog: dues-paying membership + convening + flagship research outputs.
• Bilderberg Meeting: An annual invitation-only conference of political leaders, CEOs, and policy intellectuals convened since 1954 to discuss global issues. Closest analog to WEF on format (private, by-invitation, leadership-only) and subject matter (geopolitics, economics, technology).
• Clinton Global Initiative: A convening and commitment-making organization for global challenges founded by Bill Clinton in 2005, drawing on corporate, government, and civil-society partners to turn ideas into action. Strong direct comparator on mission (multistakeholder cooperation) and on commitment-cycle model.
• Aspen Institute: A non-partisan leadership and policy organization operating leadership programs (e.g., Aspen Strategy Group, Aspen Ideas Festival) and policy initiatives. Comparable as a convening + leadership-pipeline + think tank hybrid serving senior executives and policymakers.
• Sun Valley Conference (Allen & Company): An annual invitation-only gathering of media, technology, and political leaders hosted by Allen & Company since 1983. Comparable on format (annual, private, invitation-only, executive-tier) and on convening legitimacy derived from consistent attendee quality.

Broad incumbents

• OECD: An intergovernmental economic-cooperation organization producing comparable research, indices (e.g., energy, education), and policy forums with a wider governmental mandate. Comparable on flagship index/report products and policy-forum convenings, but government-funded rather than partner-funded.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/wef
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/weforum
• Facebookfacebook.com/worldeconomicforum
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/8193
• Instagraminstagram.com/worldeconomicforum

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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M&A

Investments2 records

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Frequently asked questions about The World Economic Forum