The School of Life

What The School of Life does

The School of Life is a London-based educational wellness business founded in 2008 by philosopher and author Alain de Botton and operated through Campus London Limited, an LLP registered in England and Wales. The company develops content and services aimed at building emotional intelligence, self-knowledge, and relationship capability, serving individual adults aged 18+, corporate clients through an "At Work" division, and individuals seeking professional therapy. It runs an annual Festival of Ideas in London and licenses its brand to operators in Amsterdam, Berlin, Paris, and São Paulo.

Its core products are two membership tiers delivered via a proprietary iOS/Android app and a web-based Community Space: a Content Membership (£49.99/year) providing access to 2,000+ articles, 50+ courses, 1,000+ videos, 20+ Conversation Card Sets, and an exclusive Alain de Botton podcast, and a Community Membership (£79.99/year) that layers in online and in-person events. The platform stack combines mobile apps, a CMS-driven website, a community platform (community.theschooloflife.com), and AI-driven features including natural-language search, personalized recommendations, and an emotional-intelligence self-assessment. Supporting revenue lines include e-commerce (books, journals, card sets), ticketed events (£19–£50), the Festival of Ideas (£210–£360), online psychotherapy delivered by licensed therapists, and B2B corporate wellbeing programs.

Revenue mechanics are diversified across recurring subscriptions (auto-renewed annually), transactional product and ticket sales, professional services (therapy, corporate training), and brand licensing. The customer base is predominantly consumer long-tail with no named enterprise logos disclosed in the input, and international reach is achieved through asset-light licensing rather than direct overseas operations.

Name

The School of Life

Legal name

Campus London Limited

Website

https://theschooloflife.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

The School of Life, founded in 2008 by Alain de Botton in London, is a consumer subscription business that delivers emotional-intelligence content, courses, live events, and online therapy through a proprietary app, monetizing via annual memberships (£49.99–£79.99), e-commerce, and international brand licensing.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Emotional Intelligence and Personal Development Education

NAICS

Office Supplies, Stationery, and Gift Retailers (4594), Book Retailers and News Dealers (45921)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Health, Wellness & Lifestyle Noncredit Programs (EDAAAEAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Mindfulness, Meditation & Stress Management Education (EDAAAHAD), Meditation Apps, Digital Courses & Online Communities (HSADAJAH), Course Bundle Subscriptions & Learning Membership Marketplaces (EDAFAIAI), Health, Wellness & Fitness Trade Publishing (MPAJAAAL)

Keywords

• Emotional intelligence education
• Personal development content
• Online therapy services
• Wellness content subscription
• Corporate wellbeing programs

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Operations, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Content Membership Subscription: Annual subscription providing unlimited digital access to 2,000+ articles, 50+ courses, 1,000+ videos, Conversation Card Sets, exclusive podcast with Alain de Botton. Two tiers: Content (£49.99/year) and Community (£79.99/year). Auto-renews annually.
2. E-commerce Product Sales: Online shop selling books, card sets, journals, and merchandise. Members receive 10% discount. Products include The Career Workbook (£19.99), How Emotionally Mature Are You?, How to Think More Effectively, A Simpler Life, and card sets (Connect, Know Yourself, Pillow Talk).
3. Festival of Ideas Tickets: Annual flagship in-person event. Ticket prices range from £210 (Early Bird for Community Members) to £360 (General Admission). Includes full-day access, workshops, meals, and gift bags. Community Package combines membership (£79.99) with Festival ticket (£265).
4. Ticketed In-Person Events: Community-exclusive ticketed events including Conversation Evenings (£19), Speed Meetings (£50), Art as Therapy (£50), Psychological Disco events. Both online and in-person events drive community engagement and retention.
5. Corporate Training (At Work): B2B partnerships with businesses to equip employees with emotional skills. Services include workshops, team sessions, and corporate wellness programs applying therapeutic ideas to workplace challenges.
6. Online Psychotherapy Services: Individual therapy, couples therapy, career counselling, and CBT services delivered by licensed therapists through the platform.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

The School of Life sells tiered annual memberships (Content at £49.99/year and Community at £79.99/year) that grant access to a proprietary digital library of 2,000+ articles, 50+ courses, 1,000+ videos, podcasts with founder Alain de Botton, and Conversation Card Sets, delivered via iOS/Android apps and a web platform. Beyond memberships, it sells online psychotherapy (individual, couples, career counselling, CBT), the annual in-person Festival of Ideas, corporate "At Work" wellbeing programs for businesses, and physical retail products (books, card sets, journals).

Product overview

The School of Life operates a multi-platform educational and wellness business centered on emotional intelligence and mental wellbeing. The core offering consists of two membership tiers: Content Membership provides digital access to articles, 50+ courses, 1,000+ videos, podcasts with Alain de Botton, and Conversation Card Sets via The School of Life App; Community Membership adds access to in-person and online events, exclusive gatherings, and a community platform. Beyond memberships, the company offers online psychotherapy services, corporate 'At Work' programs for businesses, and an annual Festival of Ideas event. Physical products include books and Conversation Card Sets sold through the shop. The ecosystem is tied together through The School of Life App (iOS/Android) and a web-based Community Space.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Content Membership Annual subscription providing individuals aged 18+ with unlimited access to The School of Life's library of 2,000+ articles, 50+ courses, 1,000+ videos, 20+ Conversation Card Sets, an exclusive podcast with founder Alain de Botton, personalized recommendations, commitment tracking, and a 10% shop discount. Delivered via the iOS/Android apps and web platform.
• Community Membership Premium annual subscription tier that includes all Content Membership benefits plus access to Community Space, in-person events (e.g., Conversation Evenings, Speed Meetings, Art as Therapy, Psychological Disco), free live online events, and four annual sessions with founder Alain de Botton. Auto-renews annually.
• Online Psychotherapy Services Remote professional therapy services delivered by licensed therapists, including individual psychotherapy, couples therapy, career counselling, and CBT-based interventions. Booked through the company website. The therapist serves as data controller for therapy-related personal data.
• At Work Corporate Programs B2B corporate wellness and professional development programs that apply therapeutic concepts to workplace challenges, including team workshops, individual coaching, leadership development, and culture improvement. Sold via direct B2B outreach ([email protected]).
• Festival of Ideas Annual full-day in-person flagship event featuring workshops, talks, creative sessions, and community connection activities focused on self-knowledge and emotional intelligence. Tiered ticketing from £210 (Early Bird Community Member) to £360 (General Admission), with a Community Package combining membership plus ticket at £344.99.
• Books Published books covering emotional intelligence, self-knowledge, relationships, and philosophy. Sold directly through the company's online shop with a 10% member discount.
• Conversation Card Sets Sets of prompt cards designed to facilitate meaningful conversations and relationship building in community settings. 20+ sets available, included with Content Membership and sold individually through the shop.

Quantifiable outcome

• Emotional intelligence improvement through structured learning and community engagement
• +1 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

AI capability4 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Brand Licensees (Amsterdam, Berlin, Paris, Sao Paulo)coreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerThird parties license the School of Life brand and operate independently in Amsterdam, Berlin, Paris, and Sao Paulo. These licensees run local operations including potentially physical spaces, events, and product sales under the School of Life brand. The company shares Website Technical Data with these licensees from relevant webpages.
• Adyen and PayPalcoreTechnology or IntegrationPayment service providers for processing transactions including product purchases, membership subscriptions, and event tickets. Based inside and outside the UK and EU.
• IterablecoreTechnology or IntegrationEmail service provider for direct marketing emails and campaigns. Tracks email delivery, open rates, and click-through performance. Iterable's Privacy Policy governs their data handling practices.
• EventbritecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTicketing platform partner for Festival of Ideas and event ticket sales. Handles ticket processing, attendee management, and event logistics integration.
• Technology Licensors (Membership Platform Provider)coreTechnology or IntegrationProvider of the Membership community platform technology. Licensor of platform infrastructure supporting member community features.
• Course Leaders and TherapistscoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerThird-party course leaders and therapists who deliver in-person events, workshops, and therapy sessions. May receive attendee data for service delivery purposes.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Mindvalley: Subscription personal-development learning platform offering courses, community, and live events on self-knowledge and transformation. Closest direct comparable to The School of Life's courses-plus-community-plus-events model.
• Calm: Premium subscription meditation, mindfulness and sleep app with rich content library and brand-led growth. Competes for the same emotional-wellbeing member wallet at similar price points.
• Headspace Health: Subscription mindfulness and meditation platform that has expanded into on-demand therapy (Ginger). Direct overlap with The School of Life on mindfulness content and online therapy services.
• MasterClass: Annual subscription platform delivering expert-led video courses across personal development and creativity. Comparable operating model: annual subscription, library-based content, premium brand pricing.
• Insight Timer: Meditation app with a community-centric model including live events, teacher-led sessions, and free+premium tiers. Overlaps on the community/event/community-driven retention approach.

Broad incumbents

• BetterHelp: Largest online therapy platform offering individual, couples and teen therapy via licensed therapists. Sets the pricing and operational benchmark for The School of Life's psychotherapy arm.
• BetterUp: Enterprise coaching and mental wellness platform serving corporate clients. Comparable to The School of Life At Work in the B2B employee-wellbeing category.

Emerging players

• mindbodygreen: Wellness media and education platform with articles, courses, and a growing online community. Overlaps on wellness content marketing and learning-marketplace mechanics.
• Hay House: Wellness publishing and education brand producing books, online courses, and live author events. Comparable as a publishing-plus-events-plus-courses operator in adjacent spiritual/wellness niches.
• Sounds True: Independent publisher and learning platform focused on mindfulness, spirituality and personal growth through books, audio, courses, and events. Comparable in publishing-plus-learning-marketplace positioning.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@theschoollife
• Xx.com/theschooloflife
• Facebookfacebook.com/theschooloflifelondon
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-school-of-life

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The School of Life