The SPHERE Institute
The SPHERE Institute is a 1996-founded not-for-profit policy research firm that delivers data-driven health care and social policy analysis to U.S. federal, state, and local government agencies, in affiliation with partner firm Acumen, LLC.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1996
- HeadquartersBurlingame, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What The SPHERE Institute does
The SPHERE Institute is a not-for-profit policy research firm established in 1996 and headquartered in Burlingame, California, with additional offices in Athens (GA), Washington (DC), Los Angeles, and Sacramento. In conjunction with its fully affiliated partner firm Acumen, LLC, SPHERE provides impartial, data-driven analysis to federal, state, and local government agencies to inform health care and social policy. Its work covers auditing and validation of Medicare program data, program design and implementation, measure development (including episode-based cost and quality measures), program evaluation, and real-time monitoring of program operations and outcomes.
The firm's core technology footprint consists of large, maintained databases of Medicare, Medicaid, and commercial health care claims data, with data systems programmers and statisticians supporting project teams through SAS, SQL, and Python-based pipelines. SPHERE also builds Secure Analytic Environments (SAEs) that allow government clients and its own researchers to analyze sensitive health care data using preferred file formats and software, and it provides data visualization capabilities to make analytic outputs accessible to non-technical policymakers.
Commercially, SPHERE operates as a professional services organization funded through government contracts rather than disclosed pricing or commercial sales. Its go-to-market is direct enterprise engagement with federal and state agencies, augmented by the joint contracting capacity of the Acumen, LLC affiliation. The firm serves no explicitly disclosed private-sector customers in the input data, and its revenue is not publicly disclosed. The combination of long-tenured government relationships, deep Medicare domain expertise, and a non-profit mission structure positions SPHERE as a specialized policy research and program evaluation provider rather than a commercial analytics vendor.
The SPHERE Institute firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The SPHERE Institute
- Legal name
- The SPHERE Institute
- Website
- https://sphereinstitute.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1996
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- The SPHERE Institute is a 1996-founded not-for-profit policy research firm that delivers data-driven health care and social policy analysis to U.S. federal, state, and local government agencies, in affiliation with partner firm Acumen, LLC.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The SPHERE Institute industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Healthcare Policy Research Services
- NAICS
- Management Consulting Services (54161), Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services (54169), Executive, Legislative, and Other General Government Support (921)
- SIC
- Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Policy, Regulatory & Public Affairs Research (BPAHALAF)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Health Data, Vital Statistics & Population Health Informatics (BPAIAJAM), State/Provincial Health Department & Public Health Administration (BPAIABAH)
Keywords
Where The SPHERE Institute is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Burlingame
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices5 records
Markets served
The SPHERE Institute business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Government Contract Research: As a not-for-profit policy research firm, The SPHERE Institute generates revenue through government contracts with Federal and state agencies. They conduct public policy research evaluating health and social service programs supported by public and private funds, in conjunction with their partner firm Acumen, LLC.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels3 records
The SPHERE Institute product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The SPHERE Institute is a not-for-profit policy research firm that provides impartial, data-driven analysis to government agencies to inform health care and social policy. Its offerings are organized into two groups: Policy Research services (Auditing and Validation, Program Design and Implementation, Measure Development, Program Evaluation, and Real-Time Monitoring) and Support Services (Clinical Expertise, Data and Statistical Support, Data Visualization, and Information Systems/Tools including Secure Analytic Environments). The firm works with large Medicare, Medicaid, and commercial health care claims databases to deliver contracted research and analytic services to Federal and state agencies in conjunction with its fully affiliated partner Acumen, LLC.
Product overview
The SPHERE Institute offers a unified policy research and support services platform focused on health care and social policy analysis for government agencies. The core offering consists of five Policy Research services (Auditing and Validation, Program Design and Implementation, Measure Development, Program Evaluation, and Real-Time Monitoring) that work in conjunction with four Support Services (Clinical Expertise, Data and Statistical Support, Data Visualization, and Information Systems/Tools including Secure Analytic Environments). The company, established in 1996, conducts public policy research in partnership with Acumen, LLC, evaluating health and social service programs supported by public and private funds.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Auditing and Validation Services
- Program Design and Implementation Services
- Measure Development Services
- Program Evaluation Services
- Real-Time Monitoring Services
- Clinical Expertise Services
- Data and Statistical Support Services
- Data Visualization Services
- Secure Analytic Environments (SAEs)
Companies that use The SPHERE Institute
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
The SPHERE Institute technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
The SPHERE Institute partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Acumen, LLCcoreAcumen, LLC is described as The SPHERE Institute's fully affiliated partner firm. Together, they conduct public policy research evaluating health and social service programs supported by public and private funds. SPHERE and Acumen collaborate closely on projects with Federal and state agencies, with SPHERE focusing on policy research while the combined entity provides comprehensive government contracting services. The organizations share a common mission of serving the public interest through data-driven analysis.
Scale indicators1 record
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
The SPHERE Institute competitors and assessment
Company assessmentMarket position
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
The SPHERE Institute social profiles
Digital presenceThe SPHERE Institute compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
The SPHERE Institute financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The SPHERE Institute leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
The SPHERE Institute funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The SPHERE Institute M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about The SPHERE Institute
What does The SPHERE Institute do?
The SPHERE Institute is a not-for-profit policy research firm that provides impartial, data-driven analysis to government agencies to inform health care and social policy. Its offerings are organized into two groups: Policy Research services (Auditing and Validation, Program Design and Implementation, Measure Development, Program Evaluation, and Real-Time Monitoring) and Support Services (Clinical Expertise, Data and Statistical Support, Data Visualization, and Information Systems/Tools including Secure Analytic Environments). The firm works with large Medicare, Medicaid, and commercial health care claims databases to deliver contracted research and analytic services to Federal and state agencies in conjunction with its fully affiliated partner Acumen, LLC.
Is The SPHERE Institute a public or private company?
The SPHERE Institute is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was The SPHERE Institute founded?
The SPHERE Institute was founded in 1996. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is The SPHERE Institute based?
The SPHERE Institute is headquartered in Burlingame, United States, in the North America region.
How does The SPHERE Institute make money?
One revenue line is on record: government Contract Research.
Does The SPHERE Institute have an API?
No public API is recorded for The SPHERE Institute.
What industry is The SPHERE Institute in?
The SPHERE Institute's product category is Healthcare Policy Research Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAHALAF, Policy, Regulatory & Public Affairs Research, with a secondary code of BPAIAJAM, Health Data, Vital Statistics & Population Health Informatics. Its NAICS code is 54161 and its SIC code is 8742.