The Paulson Institute

What The Paulson Institute does

The Paulson Institute is a non-partisan, non-profit "think and do tank" founded in 2011 by former U.S. Treasury Secretary and Goldman Sachs chairman Henry M. Paulson, Jr., with headquarters in Chicago and additional offices in Beijing and Washington, D.C. It operates at the intersection of US-China relations, green finance, and conservation, producing independent policy research, market-based solution design, and on-the-ground demonstration programs targeted at government policymakers, corporate and financial executives, and the academic community. The Institute is structured around three primary programs — Conservation (wetlands, national parks, responsible trade), the Green Finance Center (carbon, finance, fintech), and Insights/multimedia content — complemented by the Straight Talk and Nature's Ledger podcasts and the periodic Financing Nature report quantifying the global biodiversity financing gap. Revenue flows from philanthropic donations, foundation grants, and institutional partnerships, with all research, publications, and events provided free of charge in service of its educational mission.

Name

The Paulson Institute

Legal name

The Henry M. Paulson, Jr. Institute

Website

https://paulsoninstitute.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Paulson Institute is a Chicago-based non-partisan, non-profit "think and do tank" founded in 2011 by former U.S. Treasury Secretary Henry M. Paulson, Jr., delivering independent research, convenings, and on-the-ground programs on US-China relations, green finance, and conservation to policymakers, business leaders, and academia.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Policy Research and Advocacy

NAICS

Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (54172), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133)

akta.pro primary industry

Think Tanks, Policy Research & Public Policy Institutes (BPAGAFAO)

akta.pro secondary industry

Education Policy Research Institutes & Think Tanks (EDADADAA)

Keywords

• Policy research
• Green finance
• Conservation programs
• Think tank
• Sustainable development

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Non-profit funding and grants: The Paulson Institute operates as a non-partisan, non-profit think and do tank. It generates revenue through grants, donations, and partnerships rather than commercial product sales. The organization produces research, convenings, and policy analysis to advance sustainable growth, green finance, and conservation objectives.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Paulson Institute is a non-partisan, non-profit think and do tank that produces independent policy research, convenings, and multimedia content focused on sustainable economic growth, green finance, and conservation at the intersection of US-China relations. Its core deliverables are the Conservation Program, the Green Finance Center, and multimedia content including podcasts, blogs, and the Financing Nature research report.

Product overview

The Paulson Institute is a non-partisan, non-profit 'think and do' tank offering research, convenings, and policy advocacy across three main areas: Conservation (wetlands, national parks, responsible trade), Green Finance (carbon, finance, fintech), and multimedia content (podcasts, videos, publications). The organization advances sustainable growth through market-based solutions and produces periodic financing gap analyses for biodiversity conservation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Conservation Program On-the-ground demonstration, capacity building, and policy advocacy to inform and shape global conservation policies and practices, including wetlands conservation, national parks, and responsible trade and investment; targeted at policymakers, conservation professionals, and partner organizations in the U.S. and China.
• Green Finance Center Program promoting market-driven solutions to support the transition to a low-carbon economy through work in carbon, finance, and fintech; targeted at financial institutions, policymakers, and corporate sustainability leaders.
• Straight Talk Podcast Podcast featuring in-depth conversations with world leaders, policymakers, and business leaders shaping policy, markets, and sustainable growth; targeted at policy, business, and academic audiences globally.
• Nature's Ledger Podcast Podcast exploring how business and conservation can work together for a sustainable and prosperous future, grounded in the belief that valuing nature is key to resilient economies; targeted at business leaders, policymakers, and conservation professionals.
• Financing Nature Report Research report analyzing the global biodiversity financing gap and providing recommendations for closing it; targeted at policymakers, finance ministries, multilateral development banks, and conservation funders.

Quantifiable outcome

• Helped encourage inscription of China's Yellow Sea Coastal Wetlands as World Heritage Site
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and supporting.

• Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 November 2025Jointly launched a report in Belém, Brazil outlining practical approaches to integrate ecosystems into infrastructure planning and mobilize private capital through standardized Public-Private Partnerships for Nature (PPPNs). The report proposes treating high-integrity ecosystems as infrastructure-grade investable assets.
• European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 November 2025Co-published report with AIIB and Paulson Institute on mobilizing private capital for nature in Belém. The three organizations committed to working with governments, regulators, MDBs, banks and investors to translate guidance into investment-ready PPPN pipelines.
• Convention on Wetlands Management Office of the People's Republic of ChinacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2015Collaboration to strengthen capacity in wetland management through comprehensive multiple-year training program for wetland management personnel. Since 2015, 140 wetland professionals from 16 provinces have been trained.
• WWF Hong KongmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in wetland management training program, contributing expertise and hosting training sessions at Mai Po wetland nature reserve in Hong Kong.
• Lao Niu FoundationmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborating partner in wetland conservation and training initiatives, providing funding and support for capacity building programs.
• Heren Charitable FoundationsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner committed to implementing results and recommendations from the Coastal Wetlands Blueprint, including training and capacity building.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Brookings Institution: One of the largest US policy research organizations with substantial China and sustainability programs. Overlaps with PI on US-China economic policy and on climate/green finance, but at much greater scale and broader topic coverage.
• Council on Foreign Relations: Premier US foreign-policy institution with deep China and global economics work, including through the Maurice R. Greenberg Center for Geoeconomic Studies. Comparable to PI on convening power and policy relevance, though it does not focus on biodiversity or conservation.
• Carnegie Endowment for International Peace: Major foreign policy think tank with strong Asia and sustainability programs (Carnegie Climate Governance Initiative). Comparable mission profile to PI on independent international policy research, but with a much larger endowment and global footprint.

Direct peers

• Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars: Non-partisan policy research center with a dedicated Kissinger Institute on China and the United States and active environmental/sustainability work. Direct overlap with PI on US-China policy research and on independent convening of senior figures.
• Center for Strategic and International Studies: Bipartisan policy research organization with major China and energy/environmental programs. Competes with PI for convening senior officials and for influence on US-China policy, including technology and trade issues.
• World Resources Institute: Global research organization focused on environment and sustainable development, with active work on finance for nature and on China. Direct overlap with PI on Financing Nature-style analyses and on US-China sustainability collaboration.
• Peterson Institute for International Economics: Leading economics-focused think tank with deep China research bench and trade/finance policy work. Comparable to PI on US-China economic analysis and on providing market-oriented policy recommendations, though it does not specialize in conservation or biodiversity finance.
• Atlantic Council: International affairs think tank with dedicated US-China programs and a Global Energy Center that overlaps with PI's green finance work. Competes for the same high-level convening slots, podcast guests, and corporate-funder mindshare.
• Asia Society Policy Institute: Policy arm of the Asia Society focused on US-Asia relations, including US-China, with active programs on climate, sustainability, and economic policy. Direct competitor to PI for influence on US-China policy and convening authority with both governments.

Emerging players

• The Nature Conservancy: Large environmental NGO with significant China program and active engagement in nature-finance and conservation-finance partnerships (e.g., with MDBs). Comparable to PI on conservation outcomes and on mobilizing capital for nature, though more operational and program-driven than policy-driven.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/paulsoninst
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCVKBbwQ71lUATO4gkNjpIhg
• Facebookfacebook.com/thepaulsoninstitute
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-paulson-institute
• Instagraminstagram.com/paulsoninstitute

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles24 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about The Paulson Institute