Tiny Blue Dot
Tiny Blue Dot Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit that funds neuroscience research on perception and consciousness through multi-year grants to academic institutions in the U.S., Canada, Sweden, and Australia.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2015
- HeadquartersSanta Monica, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Tiny Blue Dot does
Tiny Blue Dot Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded in 2015 and headquartered in Santa Monica, California. It operates as a grant-making foundation focused on neuroscience research organized around a proprietary framework called the "Perception Box," which frames perception as a constrained, generative process rather than passive reception. The foundation awards multi-year research grants of up to $900,000 to academic investigators studying the mechanisms of perception, consciousness, and the boundary between subjective experience and the physical world.
Its grantee portfolio spans institutions in the United States, Canada, Sweden, and Australia, with named partnerships including Stanford University, Northwestern University, Brown University, NYU, and the Usona Institute. Round 3 deployed approximately $9 million across this portfolio, and Round 4 (with Letters of Intent opening September 2, 2025) extends the program into modalities such as virtual reality, artificial intelligence, psychedelics, and neuromodulation. The foundation is governed under New York state law and operates with a small staff of 1–10 employees.
Tiny Blue Dot firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Tiny Blue Dot
- Legal name
- Tiny Blue Dot, Inc.
- Website
- https://tinybluedotfoundation.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2015
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Tiny Blue Dot Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit that funds neuroscience research on perception and consciousness through multi-year grants to academic institutions in the U.S., Canada, Sweden, and Australia.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Tiny Blue Dot industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Nonprofit Research Foundation
- NAICS
- Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Grantmaking and Giving Services (8132)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Research & Science Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAI)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Health & Medical Research Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAL), Private Foundations (BPAGAKAA)
Keywords
Where Tiny Blue Dot is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Santa Monica
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Tiny Blue Dot business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Philanthropic Grant Funding: As a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, Tiny Blue Dot Foundation generates revenue through charitable contributions and grants which are then distributed as research funding to neuroscience researchers and institutions. The foundation does not charge for its services.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels5 records
Tiny Blue Dot product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Tiny Blue Dot Foundation is a 501(c)(3) grant-making non-profit that funds rigorous empirical neuroscience research on the Perception Box framework, a model describing how beliefs, biases, and narratives structure human perception. The foundation awards multi-year grants of up to $900,000 (including up to 15% overhead) to qualified researchers at academic and non-profit research institutions globally, selected through a competitive two-stage RFP process. It also disseminates educational content through the Science of Perception Box podcast, video series, and annual summit.
Product overview
Tiny Blue Dot Foundation operates as a 501(c)(3) non-profit research funding organization that develops and promotes the Perception Box framework. The organization's core product is the Perception Box framework itself—a neuroscience-based approach to understanding how perception is constrained by beliefs, biases, and narratives. The Science of Perception Box serves as the flagship research funding program, offering multi-year grants up to $900,000. The organization supports its mission through educational content including The Science of Perception Box video series and the Science of Perception Box Podcast. The research grants fund innovative studies involving mindfulness, meditation practices, breathwork, psychedelics, neuromodulation, AI, VR, and other interventions aimed at expanding the Perception Box to reduce suffering and increase mental well-being.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Science of Perception Box Research Program Flagship grant funding program awarding multi-year grants of up to $900,000 (including up to 15% overhead) to qualified researchers at 501(c)(3) institutions for empirical neuroscience research on the Perception Box framework.
- Perception Box Framework Conceptual framework developed by Elizabeth R. Koch describing how a person's perception is structured by beliefs, biases, and narratives, and how it can be expanded to reduce suffering and foster growth. Forms the intellectual foundation for all foundation activities.
- Neuroscience Research Grants Multi-year grant funding for neuroscience research targeting children, teenagers, and adults to understand and expand their Perception Box to reduce anxiety and increase mindfulness and compassion.
- The Science of Perception Box Video Series Educational video series featuring expert interviews exploring the science behind perception, consciousness, and mental well-being.
- Science of Perception Box Podcast Podcast series hosted by Dr. Heather Berlin and Dr. Christof Koch exploring topics related to perception, consciousness, and neuroscience research.
Quantifiable outcome
- Funded research projects have explored psilocybin therapy for grief, video games powered by heart-brain signals, dialogue training for college students, VR body image tools co-designed with teens, and contemplative sleep/lucid dreaming interventions.
Companies that use Tiny Blue Dot
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Tiny Blue Dot technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration5 records
Feature2 records
Tiny Blue Dot partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Stanford UniversitycoreStanford University is a primary research partner, hosting research on anesthesia-induced dream states for PTSD treatment under the direction of Dr. Boris Heifets, MD, PhD. The project involves developing a novel therapeutic intervention using anesthesia to induce dream states.
- Northwestern UniversitycoreNorthwestern University leads research on contemplative sleep practices and lucid dreaming, collaborating with University of Virginia. The project combines Tibetan Buddhist contemplative traditions with VR and sleep engineering.
- Brown UniversitycoreBrown University conducts the CATCH-IT project for adolescent depression prevention in school settings, collaborating with Wellesley College. The technology-based intervention aims to expand Perception Boxes in teens.
- New York UniversitycoreNYU leads the Independence Focused Therapy (IFT) research for child and adolescent anxiety, collaborating with Cognitive Behavioral Psychological Associates. The RCT validates a low-cost, scalable intervention.
- Usona InstituteminorUsona Institute is advancing psilocybin therapy through clinical research and FDA approval, developing training programs for healthcare professionals. Their work on depression and end-of-life anxiety aligns with Perception Box expansion.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Tiny Blue Dot competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Usona Institute: Usona Institute is a 501(c)(3) non-profit that sponsors psilocybin clinical research and training programs. It is both a current partner and a direct peer, as it operates in the same niche of funding psychedelic and perception-related neuroscience research.
- Heffter Research Institute: Heffter is a non-profit research organization that funds psychedelic (psilocybin, LSD) neuroscience studies at major universities. It is comparable to Tiny Blue Dot in mission scope, funding modality, and grantee profile.
- MAPS (Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies): MAPS funds and conducts psychedelic and marijuana-related research, including FDA-approval pathways. It overlaps with Tiny Blue Dot in funding consciousness and psychedelic research with a similar non-profit grantmaking model.
- Beckley Foundation: Beckley Foundation funds psychedelic and consciousness research globally and convenes scientists. It is comparable to Tiny Blue Dot as a small grantmaking non-profit targeting perception and consciousness science.
- Brain & Behavior Research Foundation: Brain & Behavior Research Foundation is a non-profit that awards grants for mental health and neuroscience research. It is comparable as a grantmaking organization focused on mental health and brain science.
- Dana Foundation: Dana Foundation funds brain and neuroscience research and education through grants and public outreach. It is comparable to Tiny Blue Dot as a private non-profit funding neuroscience research with a public engagement mission.
Broad incumbents
- Simons Foundation: Simons Foundation is a large private foundation with significant neuroscience funding (Simons Foundation Autism Research Initiative, etc.). It is a broad incumbent in the same grantmaking category with a much larger endowment.
- Kavli Foundation: Kavli Foundation funds neuroscience institutes at major universities globally. It is a broad incumbent in scientific research grantmaking and overlaps thematically with Tiny Blue Dot's brain science focus.
- Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI) Neurodegeneration Challenge Network: CZI funds neuroscience and mental health research through grants and collaborative networks. It is a broad incumbent in science philanthropy and overlaps thematically with Tiny Blue Dot's neuroscience and mental health focus.
Emerging players
- Allen Institute for Brain Science: Allen Institute conducts large-scale neuroscience research with Christof Koch's historical leadership. While not a direct grantmaker, it is thematically adjacent and serves overlapping researcher communities through its open science datasets.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Tiny Blue Dot social profiles
Digital presenceTiny Blue Dot compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Tiny Blue Dot financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Tiny Blue Dot leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Tiny Blue Dot funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Tiny Blue Dot M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments1 record
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Tiny Blue Dot
What does Tiny Blue Dot do?
Tiny Blue Dot Foundation is a 501(c)(3) grant-making non-profit that funds rigorous empirical neuroscience research on the Perception Box framework, a model describing how beliefs, biases, and narratives structure human perception. The foundation awards multi-year grants of up to $900,000 (including up to 15% overhead) to qualified researchers at academic and non-profit research institutions globally, selected through a competitive two-stage RFP process. It also disseminates educational content through the Science of Perception Box podcast, video series, and annual summit.
Is Tiny Blue Dot a public or private company?
Tiny Blue Dot is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Tiny Blue Dot founded?
Tiny Blue Dot was founded in 2015. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Tiny Blue Dot based?
Tiny Blue Dot is headquartered in Santa Monica, United States, in the North America region.
How does Tiny Blue Dot make money?
One revenue line is on record: philanthropic Grant Funding.
Who are Tiny Blue Dot's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Usona Institute, Heffter Research Institute, MAPS (Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies), Beckley Foundation, Brain & Behavior Research Foundation and Dana Foundation. Broad incumbents are Simons Foundation, Kavli Foundation and Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI) Neurodegeneration Challenge Network. Allen Institute for Brain Science is listed as an emerging player.
Does Tiny Blue Dot have an API?
No public API is recorded for Tiny Blue Dot.
What industry is Tiny Blue Dot in?
Tiny Blue Dot's product category is Nonprofit Research Foundation. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAKAI, Research & Science Grantmaking Foundations, with a secondary code of BPAGAKAL, Health & Medical Research Grantmaking Foundations. Its NAICS code is 813211.