What Verité Research does

Verité Research is an independent interdisciplinary think tank headquartered in Colombo, Sri Lanka, providing strategic analysis and advisory services to governments, international organizations, and the private sector. Founded in 2010 and registered as Verité Research Pvt. Ltd., the firm operates four core research areas — economic research, media research, legal research, and parliamentary research — with an additional team focused on governance and anti-corruption. Its primary commercial revenue streams are research consultations and advisory services delivered to government ministries and international bodies, supplemented by subscription-based proprietary research and platform access. Most research publications are distributed free of charge through the company's website, indicating a freemium model where free public access drives reach and subscription products monetize deeper proprietary analysis.

The company's product portfolio centers on a suite of web-based tracking platforms and dashboards. manthri.lk provides parliamentary transparency and MP productivity tracking; publicfinance.lk hosts the Budget Promises Dashboard monitoring government budget delivery; factcheck.lk is a fact-verification platform and the first Sri Lankan platform to receive IFCN (International Fact-Checking Network) accreditation; airquality.lk offers environmental monitoring; and the IMF Tracker monitors Sri Lanka's 2023 IMF programme commitments. The company also runs syndicated surveys including the Mood of the Nation poll, conducted with polling partner Vanguard Survey Ltd using a nationally representative sample of 1,018 adults at a 3% margin of error. The Sri Lanka Economic Policy Group, comprising four senior international and local economists, extends the firm's advisory capacity on economic policy.

Verité Research employs a sales-led go-to-market strategy, engaging directly with government ministries, international organizations, and private sector clients. Distribution combines the firm's website, a "Verité Spotlight" YouTube series in Sinhala, social media (Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram), email newsletters, public events and webinars, and earned media coverage in outlets such as DailyFT and Daily Mirror. Customer segments span governments and policymakers (primary), private sector, international development organizations, and the general public and civil society. The firm was awarded Research of the Year 2021 by the University of South Carolina and was founded with the explicit mission of contributing data-driven insights to Sri Lanka's economic and governance challenges.

Name

Verité Research

Legal name

Verité Research Pvt. Ltd.

Website

https://veriteresearch.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Verité Research is an independent Sri Lankan think tank providing interdisciplinary research, syndicated surveys, and policy-tracking platforms to governments, international organizations, and the private sector across South Asia.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Policy Research and Strategic Advisory Services

NAICS

Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (54172), Marketing Research and Public Opinion Polling (54191), Marketing Research and Public Opinion Polling (541910)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Industry & Sector Research (Syndicated/Custom) (BPAHALAE), Syndicated Market Research (Panels, Omnibus, Tracker Studies) (MPAAALAB), Strategy & Thematic Research (FSACAGAG), Social & Digital Insights (Social Listening, Online Community Research) (MPAAALAK)

Keywords

• Policy research services
• Economic advisory
• Syndicated opinion polls
• Parliamentary tracking platforms
• Governance research

Headquarters

HQ city

Colombo

HQ country

Sri Lanka

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Research Consultations and Services: Verité Research provides consultations and conducts research for various organisations, including government ministries and international and local entities. This is their primary commercial revenue stream.
2. Subscription-based Research: Some of their research is subscription-based and not publicly available, providing recurring revenue from clients requiring ongoing access to proprietary analysis.
3. Platform Access and Data Services: Access to specialised tracking platforms and dashboards such as the IMF Tracker and Budget Promises dashboard for organisations requiring detailed monitoring capabilities.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Verité Research is an independent think tank that delivers strategic analysis and advisory services in economics, politics, media, law, and governance to governments, international organisations, and the private sector. It also operates multiple web-based tracking and accountability platforms (manthri.lk, publicfinance.lk, factcheck.lk, IMF Tracker, airquality.lk) and conducts syndicated national opinion polls such as the Mood of the Nation survey.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Mood of the Nation Poll A syndicated nationwide opinion poll representative of the total adult population in Sri Lanka, covering issues of governance and the economy, sold as a syndicated survey product to clients.
• IMF Tracker An online tracking tool that monitors the progress of government commitments under Sri Lanka's 2023 IMF Programme, providing real-time monitoring of programme implementation for organisations requiring detailed oversight capabilities.
• Budget Promises Dashboard A public finance tracking dashboard under publicfinance.lk that monitors the government's performance in delivering on its budget promises.
• FactCheck.lk A fact verification platform and the first Sri Lankan platform to receive IFCN (International Fact-Checking Network) accreditation, providing fact-checking services to media, civil society, and the public.
• manthri.lk Parliamentary Productivity Tracker A parliamentary tracking platform that monitors parliamentary activities, MP performance, and voting patterns to enhance parliamentary transparency and accountability.
• Airquality.lk An environmental monitoring platform that provides air quality data for Sri Lanka.
• Infrastructure Watch An initiative to monitor large-scale infrastructure projects in Sri Lanka, providing accountability and transparency over public infrastructure investments.
• Research Consultations and Advisory Services Customised research, analysis, and strategic advisory services provided to government ministries, international organisations, and private sector clients requiring evidence-based policy and economic insights.

Quantifiable outcome

• FactCheck.lk became first Lankan platform to receive IFCN accreditation
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered operational and core.

• Vanguard Survey LtdoperationalOthers · 1 October 2022Polling partner for Mood of the Nation surveys, providing nationally representative sampling services for public opinion research. Conducted October 2022 poll with island-wide sample of 1,018 Sri Lankan adults.
• Verité Research Sri Lanka Economic Policy GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic initiative comprising four international and local economists (Dr. Nishan de Mel, Dr. Shanta Devarajan, Dr. Dileni Gunewardena, Dr. Mick Moore) providing policy recommendations on Sri Lanka's economic crisis. Supported by expanded team of local and international economists and researchers.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Broad incumbents

• Brookings Institution: Large US-based public-policy research organisation producing high-impact economic and governance research. Comparable in research-publication-driven influence model and in recruiting senior economists (some of whom also appear as Verité non-resident fellows).
• Chatham House: Established international-affairs think tank producing independent research and convening policymakers. Comparable in mission (independent research, policy advisory, public engagement) and revenue mix (consulting, membership, events) but at far larger scale and global reach.
• Carnegie Endowment for International Peace: Global policy think tank with programmes covering economics, governance, and international affairs. Comparable in producing syndicated research, policy notes, and senior-fellow-driven expertise, though at substantially greater scale and geographic scope.
• International Crisis Group: Global think tank producing independent policy analysis and field-driven research on conflict and governance. Comparable in the policy-research-and-advisory business model and in serving government and international-organisation clients, though it operates at much greater scale and geographic breadth.

Direct peers

• Overseas Development Institute (ODI): Independent global think tank on international development and humanitarian policy. Comparable in mission, independent policy-research output, and consulting-style engagement with governments, multilaterals, and donors.
• Institute of Development Studies (IDS): UK-based global research and teaching organisation focused on development, governance, and inequality. Comparable in interdisciplinary development research, fellow-led output, and advisory work to governments and multilaterals; Mick Moore, a Verité non-resident fellow, is affiliated with IDS.
• Centre for Poverty Analysis (CEPA): Sri Lanka-based independent research organisation focused on poverty, inequality, and social policy. Comparable in scale, funding model (consulting + donor grants), and in serving overlapping government, multilateral, and civil-society clients.
• Institute of Policy Studies Sri Lanka (IPS): Sri Lanka's other leading domestic economic policy think tank. Directly comparable to Verité in mandate — independent, research-driven policy advice to government and private sector on Sri Lankan economic issues — making it the closest head-to-head competitor for government consulting mandates.

Regional players

• The Asia Foundation: Asia-focused development organisation that produces governance, economic, and political research across the region. Comparable in research-driven advisory work and in targeting Asian governments and donors, though operating across many countries rather than concentrating on one.

Others

• World Bank Development Research Group: World Bank's research arm producing flagship economic and governance research. Comparable as a producer of economic-policy evidence that shapes Sri Lankan reform debate, and as a partner/funder ecosystem participant; its senior economists have collaborated with Verité on Budget 2023 discussions.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/VeriteResearch
• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/Verit%C3%A9ResearchSL
• Facebookfacebook.com/VeriteResearch
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/veriteresearch
• Instagraminstagram.com/veriteresearch

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Subsidiaries3 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 Verité Research