Adam Smith Institute
The Adam Smith Institute is a London-based, privately funded free-market think tank founded in 1976 that produces policy research, commentary, and educational content on economic liberalization, individual liberty, and limited government for UK policymakers, students, and the general public.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1976
- HeadquartersLondon, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Adam Smith Institute does
The Adam Smith Institute is a privately-funded, UK-registered libertarian think tank founded in 1976 (per company history; firmographics list 1977) and headquartered at 23 Great Smith Street, London. It produces original public-policy research, commentary, and educational content advocating free-market economics, individual liberty, and limited government, with thematic pillars of Abundance (housing, energy, business regulation), Freedom (speech, association, digital sovereignty), and Responsibility (smaller state, lower/flat taxes, balanced budgets). Its product portfolio spans policy papers, the Growth Agenda research initiative, trackers, polling, an online Tax Calculator, the UK Fiscal Sustainability Model, books including a graphic-novel adaptation of Wealth of Nations, the Global Enlightenment Forum, the Rally for Liberty, a blog and deep-dives commentary stream, and an Under-35s educational program (Freedom Week, essay competitions, school/university visits, gap-year internships).
The institute is governed by a leadership team led by Director and Co-founder Dr. Eamonn Butler, with Head of Research and Education Jasper Ostle (Cambridge) and Economist Mitchell Palmer (Oxford; former special adviser to the Deputy Prime Minister of New Zealand). Revenue is generated through donations, memberships, book and merchandise sales via an online shop, and events; pricing is not standardized and financial details are not publicly disclosed. Operational scale is small (11–50 staff), distribution is multi-channel (website, social/X, earned media, events, direct education outreach), and the geographic remit is primarily the United Kingdom with selective global programming through the Global Enlightenment Forum. The institute entered 2026 marking the 250th anniversary of Adam Smith's The Wealth of Nations with a coordinated campaign of publications, events, and educational outreach.
Adam Smith Institute firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Adam Smith Institute
- Legal name
- Adam Smith Institute
- Website
- https://adamsmith.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1976
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- The Adam Smith Institute is a London-based, privately funded free-market think tank founded in 1976 that produces policy research, commentary, and educational content on economic liberalization, individual liberty, and limited government for UK policymakers, students, and the general public.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Adam Smith Institute industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Public Policy Research and Advocacy
- NAICS
- Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (54172), Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (541720), Marketing Research and Public Opinion Polling (54191)
- SIC
- Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Think Tanks, Policy Research & Public Policy Institutes (BPAGAFAO)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Education Policy Research Institutes & Think Tanks (EDADADAA), Economic Research, Statistics & Policy Advisory (BPADAMAJ)
Keywords
Where Adam Smith Institute is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- London
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Adam Smith Institute business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels8 records
Adam Smith Institute product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Adam Smith Institute is a non-profit think tank that produces and disseminates free-market policy research, publications, and educational programs. Its core offerings include policy papers and research reports on economic reform, interactive policy tools (Tax Calculator, Trackers), published books (including a graphic novel adaptation of The Wealth of Nations), public events, polling, and youth-focused educational programs (The Next Generation / Under 35s). These offerings target UK policymakers, media, students, and the general public interested in classical liberal economics.
Product overview
The Adam Smith Institute is a free market think tank that does not operate as a traditional software product company. Rather, it offers a portfolio of intellectual products including research papers, policy analysis, interactive tools, published books, educational programs, and community engagement platforms. Key offerings include Policy Papers/Research on economic topics, the Tax Calculator interactive tool, Books including graphic novel adaptations of Adam Smith's works, Events programming, The Growth Agenda research initiative, Polling research, Trackers for monitoring, Blog and Deep Dives commentary, The Next Generation youth programs, and the Global Enlightenment Forum. These products collectively serve the institute's mission of promoting free-market economics to create a richer, freer, better Britain.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Companies that use Adam Smith Institute
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Adam Smith Institute technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Adam Smith Institute partnerships and signals
Strategic signalRecent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Adam Smith Institute competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- Tax Foundation: Tax Foundation is a US-based think tank producing tax-policy research, models, and a public tax calculator — directly comparable to the Adam Smith Institute's Tax Calculator product and tax-policy research papers.
- R Street Institute: R Street is a US free-market think tank with a free-market policy focus on technology, insurance, and economics, producing research and explainer content — a smaller, more specialist US counterpart with overlapping free-market orientation.
Direct peers
- Reason Foundation: Reason Foundation is a US libertarian think tank producing policy research, books, and commentary on free markets, regulation, and technology — overlapping the Adam Smith Institute in classical-liberal stance and policy-publication model.
- Centre for Policy Studies: The CPS is a UK centre-right think tank producing policy papers, books, and events on economic and public-policy reform, overlapping directly with the Adam Smith Institute's research and advocacy work.
- Fraser Institute: The Fraser Institute is a Canadian free-market think tank producing peer-reviewed research, policy papers, and educational events on economic freedom — directly comparable in mission, research depth, and educational outreach.
- Policy Exchange: Policy Exchange is a UK centre-right think tank producing long-form research, trackers, and policy recommendations on economics, housing, and technology — directly comparable in research output and Westminster-facing advocacy.
- Cato Institute: Cato is a leading US libertarian think tank producing policy research, books, and a tax-freedom calculator on classical-liberal economic themes — directly comparable in ideology, output format, and educational mission, though based in the US.
- Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA): The IEA is a UK free-market think tank that publishes policy research, runs educational programmes, and advocates classical-liberal reforms — the closest direct competitor to the Adam Smith Institute in mission, geography, and product mix.
- Istituto Bruno Leoni: Istituto Bruno Leoni is an Italy-based classical-liberal think tank producing policy research, books, and events on free-market reform — closely comparable in intellectual tradition and policy-advocacy model, though geographically focused on Italy.
Broad incumbents
- Heritage Foundation: Heritage is a large US conservative think tank producing policy papers, polling, trackers, and youth programmes — comparable in product breadth and policy-advocacy model, though broader and more conservative than the Adam Smith Institute's classical-liberal focus.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Adam Smith Institute social profiles
Digital presenceAdam Smith Institute financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Adam Smith Institute leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Adam Smith Institute funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Adam Smith 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 Adam Smith Institute
What does Adam Smith Institute do?
The Adam Smith Institute is a non-profit think tank that produces and disseminates free-market policy research, publications, and educational programs. Its core offerings include policy papers and research reports on economic reform, interactive policy tools (Tax Calculator, Trackers), published books (including a graphic novel adaptation of The Wealth of Nations), public events, polling, and youth-focused educational programs (The Next Generation / Under 35s). These offerings target UK policymakers, media, students, and the general public interested in classical liberal economics.
Is Adam Smith Institute a public or private company?
Adam Smith Institute is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Adam Smith Institute founded?
Adam Smith Institute was founded in 1976. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Adam Smith Institute based?
Adam Smith Institute is headquartered in London, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
Who are Adam Smith Institute's main competitors?
Emerging players on record are Tax Foundation and R Street Institute. Direct peers are Reason Foundation, Centre for Policy Studies, Fraser Institute, Policy Exchange, Cato Institute, Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) and Istituto Bruno Leoni. Heritage Foundation is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Adam Smith Institute have an API?
No public API is recorded for Adam Smith Institute.
What industry is Adam Smith Institute in?
Adam Smith Institute's product category is Public Policy Research and Advocacy. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAFAO, Think Tanks, Policy Research & Public Policy Institutes, with a secondary code of EDADADAA, Education Policy Research Institutes & Think Tanks. Its NAICS code is 54172 and its SIC code is 8700.