AlgorithmWatch
AlgorithmWatch is a Berlin- and Zurich-based non-profit research and advocacy organization founded in 2016 that monitors, analyzes, and shapes policy on automated decision-making systems and AI across Europe, serving policymakers, journalists, and civil society through reports, databases, and journalism.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2016
- HeadquartersBerlin, Germany
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What AlgorithmWatch does
AlgorithmWatch gGmbH is a non-governmental, non-profit research and advocacy organization founded in 2016 and headquartered in Berlin with a second base in Zurich. It analyzes and advocates for accountability in automated decision-making (ADM) systems and AI, targeting policymakers (notably EU institutions and German federal ministries), journalists, civil society organizations, and the general public. Its core deliverables include the biennial Automating Society Report series (covering 16 European countries in its 2020 edition), the Atlas der Automatisierung — an open-access online database of approximately 150 ADM actors, regulations, software systems, and technologies in Germany — and thematic research projects such as FOCiS (Fair Open Credit Scoring), FINDHR (algorithmic discrimination in recruitment), and the Zukunft D coalition on digital democracy.
The organization's "technology" layer consists of investigative journalism, policy analysis frameworks, and curated public databases rather than commercial software products. It runs a decentralized European newsroom bringing together five journalists from across the continent for cross-border accountability reporting on automated systems, supported by a fellowship program and a network of researchers across Europe. Distribution is primarily through its website, freely accessible reports and databases, newsletters, social media, public events (e.g., re:publica, Bits & Bäume), and earned media.
The business model is institutional grant funding rather than commercial revenue. Core multi-year grants come from German and European foundations including Schöpflin Foundation (€407k, 2020-2023), Stiftung Mercator (2022-2025), Deutsche Postcode Lotterie (€354k of a €440k project, 2022), Alfred Landecker Foundation, European AI Fund, Luminate, Robert Bosch Stiftung, and Zeit Stiftung, with additional support from German federal ministries (BMBF, BMJV, BMUV). A supporting membership program (€5/month) and public donations provide a small recurring bottom-of-funnel revenue stream. The organization is governed by shareholders (Gesellschafter*innen) and a Supervisory Board (Aufsichtsrat), with no parent company.
AlgorithmWatch firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- AlgorithmWatch
- Legal name
- AlgorithmWatch gGmbH
- Website
- https://algorithmwatch.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2016
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- AlgorithmWatch is a Berlin- and Zurich-based non-profit research and advocacy organization founded in 2016 that monitors, analyzes, and shapes policy on automated decision-making systems and AI across Europe, serving policymakers, journalists, and civil society through reports, databases, and journalism.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
AlgorithmWatch industry classification
Industry- Product category
- AI Governance Research and Advocacy
- NAICS
- Marketing Research and Public Opinion Polling (541910)
- SIC
- Services-Computer Programming, Data Processing, Etc. (7370)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Regulatory Readiness & Audit Automation (e.g., EU AI Act, NIST AI RMF, ISO/IEC 42001) (HDAAAMAE)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Documentation & Reporting Automation (Model Cards, Datasheets, Impact Assessments) (HDAAAMAJ), Bias, Fairness & Non-Discrimination Testing (HDAAAMAC), Model Monitoring, Accountability & Incident Management (HDAAAMAF)
Keywords
Where AlgorithmWatch is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Berlin
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
AlgorithmWatch business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Institutional/Core Funding: AlgorithmWatch receives core institutional funding from foundations and government bodies to support its organizational operations, fundraising strategy development, and advocacy work. Funding is multi-year and non-revenue-generating in the commercial sense, supporting the organization's mission rather than producing income.
- Supporting Membership: The organization offers a supporting membership program starting at 5 euros per month, inviting individuals to become 'Friends of AlgorithmWatch' and contribute financially to its mission of ensuring algorithms and AI strengthen justice, democracy, and sustainability.
- Donations: AlgorithmWatch accepts donations from the public through its website, providing an additional non-recurring funding stream to support its work.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels8 records
AlgorithmWatch product offering
Product offeringCore offering
AlgorithmWatch is a non-profit research and advocacy organization that produces publicly accessible reports, online databases, and policy analyses on automated decision-making (ADM) and AI systems in Europe. Its flagship offerings are the Automating Society Report series (covering 16 European countries) and the Atlas der Automatisierung database (cataloguing ~150 ADM systems, actors, and regulations in Germany). It also runs themed projects on credit scoring (FOCiS), recruitment discrimination (FINDHR), digital democracy (Zukunft D), and AI guidelines, and publishes a public algorithmic-discrimination reporting tool.
Product overview
AlgorithmWatch is a non-profit research and advocacy organization (gGmbH) based in Berlin and Zurich that produces comprehensive reports, databases, and guidelines on automated decision-making (ADM) systems. Its core offerings include the Automating Society Report series analyzing ADM across 16 European countries, the Atlas der Automatisierung database of ADM systems in Germany, and thematic projects like FOCiS (credit scoring), FINDHR (recruitment discrimination), and Zukunft D (digital democracy). The organization also publishes AI guidelines for responsible generative AI use and provides tools for citizens to report algorithmic discrimination.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Automating Society: A comprehensive mapping and analysis project of automated decision-making applications in the public policy sphere in Europe, producing biennial reports covering multiple European countries.
- Atlas der Automatisierung
- FOCiS (Fair Open Credit Scoring)
- Zukunft D
Products and services
- Automating Society Report
- Atlas der Automatisierung (Atlas of Automation)
- AI Guidelines for Generative AI
- FOCiS (Fair Open Credit Scoring)
- Zukunft D
- FINDHR
- Algorithmic Discrimination Reporting Tool
Quantifiable outcome
- Automating Society Report 2020 covered 16 European countries (expanded from 12), providing the first comprehensive pan-European mapping of ADM systems in the public sector.
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use AlgorithmWatch
Customer profileSegments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
AlgorithmWatch technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AlgorithmWatch partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- Zukunft D Consortium (aula, Liquid Democracy e.V., Schwarzkopf-Stiftung Junges Europa, Wikimedia Deutschland e.V.)coreAlgorithmWatch leads the 'Zukunft D' coalition with four other civil society organizations (aula, Liquid Democracy e.V., Schwarzkopf-Stiftung Junges Europa, and Wikimedia Deutschland e.V.) as part of the third funding period of the German federal program 'Demokratie leben!'. The consortium aims to build a national association to strengthen digital democracy in Germany by 2028, promoting civic participation, new information culture, data security, and citizen involvement in decision-making processes.
- Bertelsmann StiftungcoreBertelsmann Stiftung co-published the Automating Society Report 2020 alongside AlgorithmWatch gGmbH, serving as a co-editor and providing funding and editorial collaboration for the landmark pan-European publication covering ADM systems in 16 countries.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
AlgorithmWatch competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Future of Privacy Forum: Washington-based think tank focused on data privacy and emerging tech policy including AI governance. Operates in adjacent AI/data policy domains with comparable research-to-advocacy model, though US-centric in focus.
- Mozilla Foundation: Foundation arm of Mozilla that funds research and advocacy on trustworthy AI, platform accountability, and internet health. Operates in the same European AI policy space with significantly larger resources, funding many of the same ecosystem organizations as AlgorithmWatch.
- Access Now: Larger global digital rights organization that defends and extends the digital rights of users at risk, including on AI governance, DSA, and platform accountability. Overlapping mission in digital rights advocacy with broader geographic and thematic scope than AlgorithmWatch.
Emerging players
- Open Knowledge Foundation: Non-profit promoting open data and government transparency, including work on algorithmic transparency and ADM systems. Shares AlgorithmWatch's emphasis on transparency tooling and open data for accountability purposes.
Direct peers
- Ada Lovelace Institute: UK-based AI ethics and society research organization that publishes evidence-based research and convenes stakeholders on data and AI governance. Directly comparable to AlgorithmWatch in its mission, independent research output, and policy advocacy focus.
- European Digital Rights (EDRi): European umbrella network of digital rights civil society organizations that campaigns on EU regulation including the AI Act and DSA. AlgorithmWatch works in the same European policy arena and engages overlapping civil society and EU institutional audiences.
- Tactical Tech: Berlin-based civil society organization working on data, technology, and society, producing public-facing research and tools on datafication and digital rights. Directly comparable mission focus and European base; AlgorithmWatch staff have previously worked at Tactical Tech.
- Future of Life Institute: International non-profit working on AI governance and existential risk policy, including EU AI Act advocacy and AI ethics research. Comparable as an AI-policy focused non-profit publishing reports and engaging European regulators alongside AlgorithmWatch.
- AI Now Institute: US-based research institute producing annual reports and policy analysis on the social implications of AI and automated decision systems. Closest international peer to AlgorithmWatch by mission, methodology, and advocacy orientation.
Regional players
- Justitia: Copenhagen-based law and policy think tank with a programme on AI, data ethics, and human rights, producing research on EU AI Act and platform regulation. Shares AlgorithmWatch's European focus and AI legal/policy orientation but operates primarily in Scandinavia rather than DACH.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
AlgorithmWatch social profiles
Digital presenceAlgorithmWatch financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
AlgorithmWatch leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
AlgorithmWatch funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
AlgorithmWatch 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 AlgorithmWatch
What does AlgorithmWatch do?
AlgorithmWatch is a non-profit research and advocacy organization that produces publicly accessible reports, online databases, and policy analyses on automated decision-making (ADM) and AI systems in Europe. Its flagship offerings are the Automating Society Report series (covering 16 European countries) and the Atlas der Automatisierung database (cataloguing ~150 ADM systems, actors, and regulations in Germany). It also runs themed projects on credit scoring (FOCiS), recruitment discrimination (FINDHR), digital democracy (Zukunft D), and AI guidelines, and publishes a public algorithmic-discrimination reporting tool.
Is AlgorithmWatch a public or private company?
AlgorithmWatch is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was AlgorithmWatch founded?
AlgorithmWatch was founded in 2016. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is AlgorithmWatch based?
AlgorithmWatch is headquartered in Berlin, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does AlgorithmWatch make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Institutional/Core Funding is the primary driver. The others are supporting Membership and donations.
Who are AlgorithmWatch's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Future of Privacy Forum, Mozilla Foundation and Access Now. Open Knowledge Foundation is listed as an emerging player. Direct peers are Ada Lovelace Institute, European Digital Rights (EDRi), Tactical Tech, Future of Life Institute and AI Now Institute. Justitia is listed as a regional player.
Does AlgorithmWatch have an API?
No public API is recorded for AlgorithmWatch.
What industry is AlgorithmWatch in?
AlgorithmWatch's product category is AI Governance Research and Advocacy. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HDAAAMAE, Regulatory Readiness & Audit Automation (e.g., EU AI Act, NIST AI RMF, ISO/IEC 42001), with a secondary code of HDAAAMAJ, Documentation & Reporting Automation (Model Cards, Datasheets, Impact Assessments). Its NAICS code is 541910 and its SIC code is 7370.