Science Media Centre
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2002
- HeadquartersLondon, United Kingdom
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
Science Media Centre firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Science Media Centre
- Legal name
- Science Media Centre
- Website
- https://sciencemediacentre.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2002
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Science Media Centre industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Science Communication Services
- NAICS
- Public Relations Agencies (54182), Advertising, Public Relations, and Related Services (5418)
- SIC
- Miscellaneous Publishing (2741)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Healthcare & Life Sciences PR (MPAAADAD)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Medical Affairs Scientific Communications (MSL Support/Scientific Response) (HLAGALAF)
Keywords
Where Science Media Centre is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- London
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Science Media Centre business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Charitable funding and donations: The SMC is a UK registered charity (No. 1140827) that raises funds from organizations including universities, scientific companies, research funders, and leading science and engineering institutions. The SMC does not raise funds from the general public and only engages in corporate fundraising.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels5 records
Science Media Centre product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Science Media Centre is an independent UK press office for science that connects journalists with credible scientific experts. It produces rapid expert reactions to breaking science news, organises background and proactive briefings on scientific topics, and curates roundups of expert commentary. It also runs free media training events for scientists and works closely with press officers from universities and research institutions.
Product overview
The Science Media Centre is a UK-based independent press office operating as a single unified service that connects scientists with journalists and press officers. The core offering consists of expert reactions (rapid expert commentary on breaking science news), briefings (both background briefings introducing experts on scientific topics and news briefings for proactive science stories), and roundups (organized collections of expert commentary). Additional offerings include Fiona Fox's blog on science communication, and participation in the international SMC Global Network. The organization primarily serves UK national news journalists, scientists and engineers seeking media engagement opportunities, and press officers from universities and science institutions.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- SMC Global Network: International network of Science Media Centres ensuring public access to scientific evidence globally
- Fiona Fox's Blog
Products and services
- Expert Reactions Rapid expert reactions to scientific news stories, providing journalists with immediate access to scientific expertise and commentary on breaking science news. Targeted at UK national news journalists on deadline.
- Briefings Background and news briefings on scientific topics, including introductions to experts on controversial issues like nuclear waste, nanotechnology, emerging diseases, and animal research, as well as proactive agenda-setting briefings on new scientific developments. For journalists, scientists, and press officers.
- Roundups Curated collections of expert reactions and commentary on specific scientific topics or breaking news stories, organised by date and subject area. For journalists covering science stories.
- SMC Global Network An international network of Science Media Centres ensuring the public have access to the best evidence in the news when science hits the headlines around the world. Includes SMC operations in Australia, New Zealand, Germany, Canada, Ireland, and other countries, sharing best practices and coordinating responses.
- Media Training Events Free in-person and virtual events that introduce scientists and engineers to the news media, providing guidelines and tips on media engagement and opportunities to have their voices heard on science stories. Targeted at scientists and engineers.
Companies that use Science Media Centre
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Science Media Centre technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Science Media Centre partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- SMC Global NetworkcoreInternational network of Science Media Centres ensuring the public have access to the best evidence in the news when science hits the headlines around the world. Includes SMC operations in Australia, New Zealand, Germany, Canada, and other countries.
- Wellcome CollectionminorThe SMC thanks Wellcome Collection for use of their image library, indicating a collaborative relationship for visual assets.
- Universities and Research InstitutionscoreWorks closely with press officers from universities, scientific companies, research funders, and leading science and engineering institutions. Core partners in facilitating science communications.
- UK National News Media OutletscorePrimary audience for SMC services. Works mainly with science and news journalists in the UK's national news outlets to ensure accurate science coverage.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Science Media Centre competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- Massive Science: Science media startup that connects scientists with journalists and produces editorial content. Partial overlap with SMC's expert-matching function but focused on digital-native distribution and a smaller-scale commercial model.
Direct peers
- Science Media Centre of Canada: Canadian affiliate within the SMC Global Network offering expert reactions and media briefings to Canadian science journalists. Same operational model and shared governance philosophy as UK SMC.
- German Science Media Centre (Wissenschafts-Pressekonferenz): Long-established German science press office (founded 1977) within the SMC Global Network that runs press conferences and briefings connecting scientists with German journalists. Direct operational equivalent of UK SMC in the German market.
- The Conversation: Academic-led media outlet that publishes articles authored by academics and connects researchers with journalists. Directly comparable to SMC's mission of bridging scientists and the public via evidence-based content, though operates as a global digital publisher rather than a press office.
- Australian Science Media Centre: Australian sister organization within the SMC Global Network providing rapid expert reactions and briefings to Australian journalists on breaking science news. Operates the same press-office model as the UK SMC in a different geography.
- SciDev.Net: Not-for-profit science news and communication organization focused on the developing world, providing journalism training and news content on science. Comparable mission of improving evidence-based science communication in media, with a regional-developing-market focus.
- Futurity: Editorially independent nonprofit news service that aggregates and distributes research news from leading universities. Comparable to SMC's mission of translating academic research for public/journalist audiences, though US-based and editorial rather than press-office in form.
Broad incumbents
- EurekAlert! (AAAS): Operated by the American Association for the Advancement of Science, EurekAlert! is an established global press release distribution platform serving science journalists. Comparable to SMC's expert-curation function but at much larger scale and broader scope.
- Nature Briefing (Springer Nature): Daily and weekly science news briefings from Nature/Springer Nature that distribute curated science stories and research summaries to journalists and subscribers. Comparable in curating science for media but as a publisher-led commercial offering rather than a neutral intermediary.
- Royal Society: UK national academy of sciences that publishes reports, hosts press events, and engages on science policy. Overlaps with SMC's function of connecting scientists with media and the public, but as a much larger scientific institution rather than a dedicated press office.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Science Media Centre social profiles
Digital presenceScience Media Centre financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Science Media Centre leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Science Media Centre funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Science Media Centre 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 Science Media Centre
What does Science Media Centre do?
The Science Media Centre is an independent UK press office for science that connects journalists with credible scientific experts. It produces rapid expert reactions to breaking science news, organises background and proactive briefings on scientific topics, and curates roundups of expert commentary. It also runs free media training events for scientists and works closely with press officers from universities and research institutions.
Is Science Media Centre a public or private company?
Science Media Centre is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Science Media Centre founded?
Science Media Centre was founded in 2002. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Science Media Centre based?
Science Media Centre is headquartered in London, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Science Media Centre make money?
One revenue line is on record: charitable funding and donations.
Who are Science Media Centre's main competitors?
Massive Science is listed as an emerging player. Direct peers are Science Media Centre of Canada, German Science Media Centre (Wissenschafts-Pressekonferenz), The Conversation, Australian Science Media Centre, SciDev.Net and Futurity. Broad incumbents are EurekAlert! (AAAS), Nature Briefing (Springer Nature) and Royal Society.
Does Science Media Centre have an API?
No public API is recorded for Science Media Centre.
What industry is Science Media Centre in?
Science Media Centre's product category is Science Communication Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAAADAD, Healthcare & Life Sciences PR, with a secondary code of HLAGALAF, Medical Affairs Scientific Communications (MSL Support/Scientific Response). Its NAICS code is 54182 and its SIC code is 2741.