Big Think
Big Think is a private media and education platform founded in 2007, publishing expert-driven video interviews, articles, classes, and newsletters to 20M+ monthly readers and viewers, monetized via consumer memberships, enterprise learning (Big Think+), advertising, and events.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2007
- HeadquartersNew York, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What Big Think does
Big Think is a privately held media and education platform founded in 2007 and headquartered in New York, operating under the corporate entity Freethink Media, Inc. The company curates and produces long-form, expert-driven video interviews, articles, columns, newsletters, and structured video classes spanning philosophy, science and technology, mind and behavior, business, and history and society. Its underlying technology is a digital media platform (bigthink.com) with supporting distribution on YouTube (8M subscribers), Substack, Instagram, X, and Spotify, reaching 20M+ monthly readers and viewers across 200+ countries and territories.
The product portfolio includes a free content hub, premium Membership (ad-free access, classes, monthly print issues, member-only events), 100+ expert-led video Classes, themed Monthly Issues, multiple Substack newsletters and columns (Mini Philosophy, Starts with a Bang, Big Think Books, Big Think Business, The Long Game, Strange Maps, The Well, 13.8, Work Wise), and Big Think+, an enterprise learning product used by hundreds of companies and Fortune 500 teams. The company also runs live events and operates a Creative Studio through Freethink Media for branded content and advertising.
Monetization is diversified across four streams: consumer membership subscriptions, Big Think+ enterprise subscriptions, advertising and sponsorships via the Creative Studio, and events/professional services. The company employs 11-50 people, has raised an initial $0-disclosed round from Founder Collective, and has no public ownership or ticker.
Big Think firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Big Think
- Legal name
- Freethink Media, Inc.
- Website
- https://bigthink.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2007
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Big Think is a private media and education platform founded in 2007, publishing expert-driven video interviews, articles, classes, and newsletters to 20M+ monthly readers and viewers, monetized via consumer memberships, enterprise learning (Big Think+), advertising, and events.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Big Think industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Online Education and Educational Media
- NAICS
- Publishing Industries (513), Information (51)
- SIC
- Services-Computer Programming, Data Processing, Etc. (7370)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Thought Leadership & Executive Visibility (BPAFADAG)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Corporate Reputation & Thought Leadership (MPAAAOAF)
Keywords
Where Big Think is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- New York
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Big Think business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations
Revenue model
- Membership Subscriptions: Premium membership providing access to ad-free content, monthly print issues, classes, early access to interviews, and member-only events.
- Big Think+ Enterprise Learning: Corporate learning platform providing expert-led classes and insights for workplace training, used by hundreds of companies for employee development.
- Advertising and Sponsorships: The Creative Studio (freethinkmedia.com) offers advertising opportunities to reach Big Think's influential, intellectually engaged audience of professionals, leaders, and lifelong learners.
- Events: Live conversations, salons, and immersive gatherings that bring the Big Think community together featuring leading voices across disciplines.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
Big Think product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Big Think is a digital media and education platform that produces and distributes expert-led video content including 5,000+ interviews with Nobel laureates, CEOs, and leading academics, alongside 100+ structured video classes, articles, newsletters, and monthly themed issues. It operates a direct-to-consumer membership program and an enterprise learning solution (Big Think+) used by hundreds of companies for workplace training and development.
Product overview
Big Think is a media and education platform offering a comprehensive suite of content products centered around expert-driven educational content. The core offering includes the main bigthink.com platform with videos, articles, and interviews; a library of 100+ expert-led video Classes covering topics from philosophy to business; a premium Membership providing ad-free access, print issues, and member-only events; and Big Think+ for enterprise workplace learning. Supporting products include Columns & Newsletters (Mini Philosophy, Starts With A Bang, Books, The Long Game, Strange Maps, The Well, 13.8, Work Wise), Monthly Issues (magazine-style themed deep dives), and Events (live conversations and salons). The platform reaches 20+ million monthly readers and viewers across platforms including an 8 million subscriber YouTube channel, with content spanning Philosophy, Science & Tech, Mind & Behavior, Business, and History & Society.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Big Think+: Premium membership tier offering exclusive content, classes, and ad-free reading
- Big Think Media
- Big Think Business
- Big Think Books
- Freethink Media Creative Studio
Products and services
- Big Think Platform The main digital platform at bigthink.com offering educational content including videos, articles, interviews, and expert-led courses across philosophy, science, business, and other topics for curious adult learners.
- Classes
Companies that use Big Think
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Big Think technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Big Think partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered major, core and minor.
- Chan Zuckerberg InitiativemajorPartnership with the philanthropy organization founded by Mark Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan. Big Think has established partnerships with leading institutions as part of its collaborative ecosystem.
- Templeton FoundationmajorPartnership with the John Templeton Foundation supporting exploration of big questions in science, religion, and philosophy. Collaborates on content exploring the intersection of science and spiritual inquiry.
- Freethink MediacoreBig Think operates under Freethink Media, which also runs Creative Studio for branded content and advertising solutions. Big Think, Big Think Plus, and Smarter Faster are trademarks owned by Freethink Media, Inc.
- UdemyminorPartnership with Udemy for distributing learning content and expanding global access to expert-led educational materials.
- Major UniversitiesmajorPartnerships with major universities for content distribution, academic collaboration, and educational initiatives. Content is used in classrooms and universities around the world.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Big Think competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- TED: Nonprofit media organization publishing short, idea-driven talks from leading experts. Closely comparable in content format (expert talks), audience (intellectually curious learners), and brand positioning as a thought-leadership platform.
- MasterClass: Subscription-based platform offering video classes from world-renowned experts. Direct competitor to Big Think in the expert-led premium video class category, with overlapping target audience of curious lifelong learners.
- Mindvalley: Personal growth and transformation platform featuring expert-led classes. Comparable in subscription model, expert-driven content, and target persona of ambitious self-improvers.
- Wondrium (formerly The Great Courses): Subscription service offering expert-led video courses across academic and professional topics. Directly comparable to Big Think's Classes product, with similar long-form, instructor-driven educational content.
- Curiosity Stream: Subscription streaming service offering factual and expert-led documentary content. Comparable in subscription-based delivery of expert educational video content to curious adult learners.
Emerging players
- Maven: Cohort-based learning platform featuring expert-led courses for professionals. Comparable expert-driven, premium-priced course model and target persona of ambitious professionals.
- Headspace: Subscription wellness and learning platform with B2B offering. Comparable in combining consumer subscriptions with an enterprise channel, though focused on mindfulness rather than intellectual content.
- Skillshare: Subscription learning community with creator-led video classes. Comparable subscription/PLG motion and audience of lifelong learners, though focused on creative and practical skills rather than expert thought leadership.
Broad incumbents
- Coursera: Large online learning platform partnering with universities and companies to deliver courses. Overlaps with Big Think+ in the corporate and adult learning segment, but is significantly broader and better capitalized.
- LinkedIn Learning: Enterprise learning platform owned by Microsoft offering video courses for professional development. Competes with Big Think+ in corporate L&D, with much larger distribution, capital base, and integration into enterprise workflows.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Big Think social profiles
Digital presenceBig Think financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Big Think leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Big Think funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Big Think 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 Big Think
What does Big Think do?
Big Think is a digital media and education platform that produces and distributes expert-led video content including 5,000+ interviews with Nobel laureates, CEOs, and leading academics, alongside 100+ structured video classes, articles, newsletters, and monthly themed issues. It operates a direct-to-consumer membership program and an enterprise learning solution (Big Think+) used by hundreds of companies for workplace training and development.
Is Big Think a public or private company?
Big Think is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Big Think founded?
Big Think was founded in 2007. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Big Think based?
Big Think is headquartered in New York, United States, in the North America region.
How does Big Think make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Membership Subscriptions are the primary driver. The others are big Think+ Enterprise Learning, advertising and Sponsorships and events.
Who are Big Think's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are TED, MasterClass, Mindvalley, Wondrium (formerly The Great Courses) and Curiosity Stream. Emerging players are Maven, Headspace and Skillshare. Broad incumbents are Coursera and LinkedIn Learning.
Does Big Think have an API?
No public API is recorded for Big Think.
What industry is Big Think in?
Big Think's product category is Online Education and Educational Media. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAFADAG, Thought Leadership & Executive Visibility, with a secondary code of MPAAAOAF, Corporate Reputation & Thought Leadership. Its NAICS code is 513 and its SIC code is 7370.