Koan Advisory
Koan Advisory Group is a New Delhi-based research-driven advisory firm combining legal, economic, and investment expertise to serve multinational corporations, Indian government bodies, and industry associations on policy, advocacy, and coalition management in India.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2014
- HeadquartersDelhi, India
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Koan Advisory does
Koan Advisory Group is a New Delhi-based, privately-held research-driven advisory firm founded in 2014 that combines legal, economic, and investment expertise to serve multinational corporations, government bodies, and industry associations operating in India. The firm operates four core service lines — research-based advocacy, coalition building, thought leadership, and investment advisory — delivered through a senior team of Partners, Directors, and a large advisor bench composed of former Indian civil servants and regulators. Its revenue model is professional services, with bespoke enterprise mandates and long-horizon coalition management engagements. A flagship commercial asset is the firm’s role as secretariat of the Digital Commerce Coalition (DCC), whose founding members include Amazon India, Eternal (Zomato), Meesho, Swiggy, and Zepto.
Koan produces an extensive library of policy reports and whitepapers — covering AI governance, digital trade, cybersecurity, cloud sovereignty, subsea networks, e-commerce regulation, and sectoral topics — distributed via its website and through earned media in major Indian business publications. The firm supplements its commercial work with the Koan Foundation, a non-profit arm funding academic research on India-relevant topics, and an internship pipeline drawing from India’s top law and economics schools. Technology is not a core component of the offering; the firm is a human-capital and relationships business with publication output as its primary marketing and client-development channel. Operationally it is lean (11–50 employees) with a single domestic office, and serves enterprise clients exclusively through direct, relationship-based advisory engagements.
Koan Advisory firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Koan Advisory
- Legal name
- Koan Advisory Group
- Website
- https://koanadvisory.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2014
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Koan Advisory Group is a New Delhi-based research-driven advisory firm combining legal, economic, and investment expertise to serve multinational corporations, Indian government bodies, and industry associations on policy, advocacy, and coalition management in India.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Koan Advisory industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Policy Advisory Services
- NAICS
- Other Management Consulting Services (541618), Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (523940), Management Consulting Services (54161)
- SIC
- Services-Management Consulting Services (8742), Investment Advice (6282)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Corporate Strategy Advisory (BPAHADAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Investment Management Advisory (RIA) (FSAEAAAB), Compliance Technology, GRC Platforms & Controls Automation Advisory (BPAHAFAO)
Keywords
Where Koan Advisory is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Delhi
- HQ country
- India
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices1 record
Markets served
Koan Advisory business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Advisory and Consulting Services: Koan Advisory provides advisory mandates combining legal, economic, and investment expertise to serve client needs in India. Revenue is generated through professional consulting engagements with large corporate clients and institutional stakeholders.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels3 records
Koan Advisory product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Koan Advisory is a research-driven advisory firm combining legal, economic, and investment expertise to deliver policy consulting, advocacy, coalition-building, and investment advisory mandates to large corporations, government bodies, and institutions in India. The firm manages the Digital Commerce Coalition secretariat and produces an extensive library of policy publications on trade, AI, digital commerce, and technology regulation.
Product overview
Koan Advisory is a research-driven advisory firm that combines legal, economic, and investment expertise to deliver policy consulting services in India. The firm operates four core service offerings: Research-Based Advocacy, Coalition Building, Thought Leadership, and Investment Advisory. It manages the Digital Commerce Coalition secretariat for major e-commerce platforms. Koan Advisory produces comprehensive policy publications and reports on trade, AI, digital commerce, cybersecurity, and technology regulation. The firm is supported by its not-for-profit arm, Koan Foundation, which funds academic research on India-relevant topics.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Research-Based Advocacy Advisory service that shapes and articulates client advocacy objectives leveraging in-house legal, economic, and policy domain expertise for large corporations and institutions in India.
- Coalition Building Advisory service that connects stakeholders, multiplies voices, and drives consensus to meet long-term business goals for clients in India.
- Thought Leadership Advisory service combining insights from professional networks with innovative thinking to generate strategic insights and policy-relevant thought leadership for clients.
- Investment Advisory Advisory service leveraging firm and partner networks to help clients secure finance and source projects, with cross-border investment structuring experience.
- Digital Commerce Coalition Secretariat Secretariat management service for the Digital Commerce Coalition, supporting policy engagement, research, and stakeholder coordination for major Indian e-commerce and quick-commerce platforms including Amazon India, Eternal, Meesho, Swiggy, and Zepto.
Companies that use Koan Advisory
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Koan Advisory technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Koan Advisory partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.
- Chintan Research FoundationcoreKoan Advisory Group jointly released the report 'Resilience in a Fragmenting World: India's Economic Relations with Great Powers' with Chintan Research Foundation, along with two other partner organizations. The report recommends that India audit existing FTAs, modernize investment screening, and adopt a coordinated trade and industrial policy amid geopolitical fragmentation.
- Information Technology Industry CouncilcoreKoan Advisory Group jointly released the report 'Resilience in a Fragmenting World: India's Economic Relations with Great Powers' with the Information Technology Industry Council and other partners. The report addresses trade policy, investment screening, and supply chain vulnerabilities in critical sectors including electronics and clean energy.
- Institute of Chinese StudiescoreKoan Advisory Group jointly released the report 'Resilience in a Fragmenting World: India's Economic Relations with Great Powers' with the Institute of Chinese Studies and other partners. The report provides recommendations on India's economic engagement with China and great power dynamics.
- Amazon IndiaflagshipAmazon India joined the Digital Commerce Coalition (DCC), an industry body formed by India's largest e-commerce and quick-commerce companies. Koan Advisory Group serves as the coalition's secretariat. The DCC aims to address regulatory, logistics, consumer trust, sustainability, and workforce welfare challenges facing India's digital commerce sector, with projected sector growth from $70 billion in FY25 to $174–214 billion by FY30.
- Eternal (formerly Zomato)flagshipEternal (formerly Zomato) is a founding member of the Digital Commerce Coalition (DCC), with Koan Advisory Group serving as the coalition's secretariat. The DCC addresses delivery partner welfare, MSME support, supply chain efficiency, and responsible innovation as key focus areas.
- MeeshoflagshipMeesho is a founding member of the Digital Commerce Coalition (DCC), with Koan Advisory Group managing the coalition's secretariat. The coalition focuses on growth and sustainability of India's digital commerce ecosystem beyond metropolitan markets into Tier-II and Tier-III cities.
- SwiggyflagshipSwiggy is a founding member of the Digital Commerce Coalition (DCC), with Koan Advisory Group serving as the coalition's secretariat. The coalition addresses sector issues including customer experience, delivery partners, entrepreneurship, and supply chain challenges.
- ZeptoflagshipZepto is a founding member of the Digital Commerce Coalition (DCC), with Koan Advisory Group serving as the coalition's secretariat. The coalition addresses rapid growth in India's quick commerce sector amid increased regulatory scrutiny.
- Creative FirstcoreKoan Advisory and Creative First co-authored the whitepaper 'AI in the Creative Industry: Deepening the Value Chain,' which finds that AI adoption across India's creative workflows could increase revenues by approximately 10% and reduce costs by up to 15%. The whitepaper was discussed at industry roundtables in Mumbai, Delhi, and Hyderabad.
Scale indicators1 record
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Koan Advisory competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- APCO Worldwide India: Global public affairs consultancy with a substantial India practice; Koan Director Berges Malu previously worked at APCO. Comparable in offering corporate advisory on policy, communications, and stakeholder engagement across India for multinational clients.
- Chase India: India-focused public affairs and policy advisory firm headquartered in New Delhi, serving multinational clients on regulatory engagement and government relations. Closely comparable to Koan Advisory in target market (large corporates navigating India regulation) and service mix (advocacy, coalition-building, thought leadership).
- Strategic Partners Group (SPAG): India-headquartered public affairs and strategic communications firm advising multinational and Indian corporates on policy engagement, government relations, and crisis communications. Directly comparable in client base and India policy advisory focus.
Broad incumbents
- Hill+Knowlton Strategies India: Global public affairs and communications consultancy with India operations, advising large enterprises on policy engagement and corporate communications. Broader scope than Koan but competes in the same corporate policy mandate space.
- FTI Consulting: Global consulting firm with a public affairs and strategic communications segment serving multinationals on regulatory, geopolitical, and policy matters, including in India. Larger and broader than Koan but competes for the same enterprise policy advisory mandates.
- Edelman India: Global communications firm with a public affairs practice in India advising corporates on policy, reputation, and stakeholder engagement. Overlaps with Koan in serving multinational clients on regulatory and policy positioning.
- Burson Cohn & Wolfe (BCW): Global public affairs and communications agency with India operations serving multinationals on policy, advocacy, and corporate positioning. Comparable at the broad strategy and policy level, though operating at much larger scale.
Emerging players
- Observer Research Foundation (ORF): Major Indian think tank where Koan founder Vivan Sharan served as CEO of the Global Governance Initiative. Overlaps with Koan on policy research and geopolitical analysis but is primarily a think tank rather than a corporate advisory firm.
- Esya Centre: New Delhi-based technology policy think tank where Koan advisor Meghna Bal serves as Director. Directly comparable in focus area (tech regulation, emerging tech policy) and frequent collaboration partner; thinner on corporate advisory mandate work.
- Carnegie India: Indian arm of Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, where Koan Director Dr Deep Pal previously worked. Comparable on geopolitics, trade, and technology policy research, though primarily a think tank rather than corporate advisory.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Koan Advisory social profiles
Digital presenceKoan Advisory financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Koan Advisory leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles13 records
Koan Advisory subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Koan Advisory funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Koan Advisory 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 Koan Advisory
What does Koan Advisory do?
Koan Advisory is a research-driven advisory firm combining legal, economic, and investment expertise to deliver policy consulting, advocacy, coalition-building, and investment advisory mandates to large corporations, government bodies, and institutions in India. The firm manages the Digital Commerce Coalition secretariat and produces an extensive library of policy publications on trade, AI, digital commerce, and technology regulation.
Is Koan Advisory a public or private company?
Koan Advisory is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Koan Advisory founded?
Koan Advisory was founded in 2014. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Koan Advisory based?
Koan Advisory is headquartered in Delhi, India, in the Asia region.
How does Koan Advisory make money?
One revenue line is on record: advisory and Consulting Services.
Who are Koan Advisory's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are APCO Worldwide India, Chase India and Strategic Partners Group (SPAG). Broad incumbents are Hill+Knowlton Strategies India, FTI Consulting, Edelman India and Burson Cohn & Wolfe (BCW). Emerging players are Observer Research Foundation (ORF), Esya Centre and Carnegie India.
Does Koan Advisory have an API?
No public API is recorded for Koan Advisory.
What industry is Koan Advisory in?
Koan Advisory's product category is Policy Advisory Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAHADAA, Corporate Strategy Advisory, with a secondary code of FSAEAAAB, Investment Management Advisory (RIA). Its NAICS code is 541618 and its SIC code is 8742.