What BAK Economics does

BAK Economics AG is an independent Swiss economic research and consulting institute founded in 1980 as a spin-off of the University of Basel and converted to a joint stock company (Aktiengesellschaft) in 1987. Headquartered at Elisabethenanlage 7 in Basel with roughly 20 staff, the firm produces macroeconomic forecasts, regional and industry analyses, technology and impact studies, public-finance advisory work, and bespoke commissioned research for Swiss public-sector and private-sector clients.

The firm's core technological asset is the proprietary BAK Model Architecture — a hierarchical top-down modeling system that integrates multi-country, national, regional, and community-level data, ensuring consistency across all geographical and sectoral aggregate levels. Supporting data assets include the International Economic Database and the unique Swiss Regional Database, which delivers community-level granularity for labor-market and economic performance indicators. Products and services include the BAK Monthly Forecast, a Data Portal, named studies such as the Swiss Sustainability Gap, Swiss Tourism Forecasts, and the BAK Taxation Index, alongside customized Commissioned Studies.

Revenue is generated through three streams: project-based commissioned studies for specific client needs, an annual BAK Monthly Forecast subscription providing access to published studies and analyses, and Data Portal subscription access. Distribution combines direct enterprise engagement with Swiss cantons, federal offices, banks, insurers, and large corporates with self-serve online registration. All 26 Swiss cantons are listed as clients alongside over 200 named organizations, and the firm maintains scientific cooperation with the University of Basel (WWZ), ETH Zurich, ETH Lausanne, the Swiss National Bank, and international partners including Oxford Economics, ZEW Mannheim, and the Council of Europe.

Name

BAK Economics

Legal name

BAK Economics AG

Website

https://bak-economics.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1980

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

BAK Economics AG is an independent Swiss economic research and consulting institute founded in 1980 in Basel. It delivers macro forecasts, regional, industry, and technology analysis, and bespoke commissioned studies to Swiss cantons, federal agencies, banks, insurers, and major corporations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Economic Research and Consulting

NAICS

Accounting, Tax Preparation, Bookkeeping, and Payroll Services (54121), Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (523940)

SIC

Investment Advice (6282), Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700)

akta.pro primary industry

Economic & Macroeconomic Research (BPAHALAD)

Keywords

• Economic research consulting
• Macroeconomic forecasting services
• Regional economic analysis
• Industry impact studies
• Commissioned economic studies

Headquarters

HQ city

Basel

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Commissioned Studies: Custom economic research and analysis studies conducted for specific client needs. BAK has been conducting commissioned studies since 1980 covering regional, industry, technology analysis, and public finances. Revenue is project-based, derived from bespoke consulting engagements.
2. BAK Monthly Forecast Subscription: Subscription-based access to monthly economic forecasts and all published studies and analyses. Clients can register for free to view examples, then subscribe for full access to the platform.
3. Data Portal Access: Key figures on the Swiss economy based on the BAK model architecture including GDP, employment, productivity per FTE, and labor volume for regions and industries. Accessed through a dedicated data portal platform.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

BAK Economics produces economic forecasts, regional and industry analyses, impact studies, and tax/public finance analyses for Swiss cantons, federal agencies, banks, insurance companies, and corporations. Core deliverables include the BAK Monthly Forecast subscription, a Data Portal providing Swiss GDP, employment, and productivity figures, and bespoke Commissioned Studies built on the proprietary BAK Model Architecture. The company combines a subscription-based data product with custom consulting engagements targeting Swiss public-sector and financial-sector clients.

Product overview

BAK Economics AG operates as an independent Swiss economic research institute offering a unified platform of economic research and consulting services. The core offering consists of the BAK Monthly Forecast and Data Portal providing macroeconomic data, combined with specialized analysis modules including Industry Analysis, Regional Analysis, Technology Analysis, Impact Analyses, Public Finances, and Communication Intelligence. The company also produces named studies such as the Swiss Sustainability Gap, Swiss Tourism Forecasts (with online tool), and BAK Taxation Index. All services are powered by BAK's proprietary Model Architecture - a hierarchical system integrating regional economic data with national industry forecasts. Commissioned Studies allow clients to request custom analyses addressing specific economic questions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• BAK Monthly Forecast Monthly economic updates providing forecasts for Switzerland and the global economy, plus full access to all BAK-published studies and analyses. Targeted at institutional subscribers via annual subscription.
• BAK Data Portal Authenticated web portal providing key figures on the Swiss economy based on the BAK model architecture, including GDP, employment, productivity per FTE, and labor volume for regions and industries.
• Economic Forecast Service Service providing the latest economic forecasts for Switzerland and the global economy, powered by the BAK Model Architecture.
• Industry Analysis Industry-specific forecasts and risk analyses, including classification of structural correlations and economic policy conditions for sectors.
• Regional Analysis Data and analyses individually tailored to regional needs, covering all relevant industries at a community-specific level within Switzerland.
• Technology Analysis Analyses and assessments of research and technology activities of companies, regions, and countries in global comparison.
• Impact Analyses (Economic Footprint) Analysis and evaluation of the economic footprint of activities and events on the national economy, often commissioned to quantify macro effects of policies or shocks.
• Public Finances Service Analytical support for Swiss cantons, municipalities, and the Federal Finance Administration on financial policy questions, including tax burden benchmarking and fiscal sustainability.
• Communication Intelligence Sustainable and effective communication support that combines BAK's economic knowledge with media expertise to help clients communicate economic findings.
• Commissioned Studies Custom economic studies addressing individual client questions using a wide range of methodologies, priced per project scope. Includes named studies for clients such as Mobiliar (Swiss Sustainability Gap) and SBVg/SVV (financial sector importance).
• Swiss Tourism Forecasts (Online Tool) Online tool providing current tourism predictions for Switzerland, commissioned by SECO (Staatssekretariat für Wirtschaft).
• BAK Taxation Index Analytical instrument for measuring and comparing tax burden across Switzerland and abroad, used by cantons and municipalities for tax-competitiveness analysis.

Quantifiable outcome

• Swiss tourism forecasts predict recovery to pre-crisis levels by winter 2023/24, with 7.3 million additional overnight stays expected in 2022 (+26.1%)
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• University of Basel (WWZ)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partnership with the WWZ (Center for Business and Economics) at University of Basel. BAK originated as a spin-off from the University of Basel in 1980.
• ETH ZurichcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch cooperation with ETH Zurich on economic analysis methodology and model development.
• ETH LausannecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch cooperation with ETH Lausanne on economic analysis and forecasting methodologies.
• Council of EuropemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational partnership for regional economic analysis and policy research through European cooperation programs.
• Oxford EconomicsmajorTechnology or IntegrationInternational research partnership for global economic forecasting and analysis methodology exchange.
• ZEW MannheimmajorTechnology or IntegrationInternational research partnership with ZEW (Leibniz Institute for the German Economic Research Institute) for economic analysis methodology.
• Swiss National BankcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerScientific Advisory Council includes deputy head of Swiss National Bank's forecasting unit, indicating close methodological cooperation.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Oxford Economics: Global economic research and forecasting firm offering macro and regional models, scenario analysis, and subscription databases. Listed as an explicit BAK partner and the closest direct peer in business model and product set.
• KOF Swiss Economic Institute (ETH Zurich): Leading Swiss economic research institute producing the KOF Economic Barometer and forecasts for the Swiss economy. Most direct in-country competitor on Swiss macro forecasting and policy advisory.
• Prognos AG: European economic and social research consultancy with offices in Switzerland and Germany, offering macro forecasts, impact analyses and policy studies that overlap directly with BAK's Industry, Regional and Public Finance practices.
• ZEW – Leibniz Centre for European Economic Research: German economic research institute providing macro forecasts, sector studies, and policy evaluation. Named BAK partner and structurally similar as an independent, non-profit-style research outfit selling reports and data.
• SECO (State Secretariat for Economic Affairs) Economic Analyses: Swiss federal economic research arm publishing official forecasts and structural studies. Overlaps with BAK's public-sector consulting, particularly on tourism and sectoral forecasts, and is both a client and a quasi-competitor.
• ifo Institute (Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität): German economic research institute publishing the ifo Business Climate Index and sector/regional analyses. Same institutional model: academic-affiliated, independent, multi-tier research and data subscriptions.

Broad incumbents

• McKinsey Global Institute: Economics-focused research arm of a global consultancy producing high-profile macro and sectoral reports. Competes indirectly for thought-leadership and commissioned impact-study budgets among corporates and policy clients.
• Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU): Large global economic and country-risk research provider with subscription forecasts and country reports. Operates broader global coverage but competes for the same enterprise and government macro intelligence budgets.
• Allianz Trade (Euler Hermes Economic Research): Global trade credit insurer whose in-house economic research unit publishes country, sector and insolvency forecasts. Adjacent comparable as a data-rich economic research operation monetized through subscriptions and bespoke studies.
• S&P Global Market Intelligence / IHS Markit: Global financial and economic data/analytics provider with extensive country and sector datasets. A much larger incumbent offering overlapping macroeconomic and industry intelligence to similar enterprise and financial-services clients.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/bak_economics
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bak-economics

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 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 BAK Economics