Samuel Hall

What Samuel Hall does

Samuel Hall is a social enterprise (founded 2010) that delivers commissioned research, policy analysis, and action research in contexts of migration, displacement, climate change, and development. Headquartered in The Hague with regional offices in Kabul, Tunis, Somalia, and Nairobi, the organization employs 643 staff and consultants from 20 nationalities and maintains active projects across 65+ countries. Its three service pillars — Research & Policy, Action Research, and Data Standards & Analytics — are delivered through a proprietary TAIL methodology (Train, Amplify, Innovate, Localise) and supported by field-based enumerator networks, automated Data Quality Assurance tools, FAIR data practices, and a piloted AI layer for qualitative coding and predictive modelling.

The business model is project-based professional services rather than software or subscription revenue: Samuel Hall earns through commissioned research contracts, consortium participation, and donor-funded grants from UN agencies (UNHCR, UNICEF, UN Women, IOM, UNDP, ILO, FAO), bilateral donors (European Union, FCDO, GIZ, Norway MFA), and international NGOs. Pricing is negotiated per engagement and is not publicly disclosed. Distribution is enterprise and consortium-driven, with go-to-market anchored on 100 consortium MoUs, 56 active partnerships, and designated research/learning-partner roles on multi-year initiatives such as LLEARN, ADSP, and SOLCO.

Its core outputs include 410+ publications, the Lines of Inquiry podcast, documentary series, toolkits, training programmes, and convening of communities of practice on gender and climate, AI, and reintegration. Strategic positioning emphasizes localization, evidence-to-action uptake, and bridging communities with decision-makers; named achievements include Ethiopia's Social Protection Policy redesign and the training of 10,000+ local researchers and enumerators.

Name

Samuel Hall

Legal name

Samuel Hall

Website

https://samuelhall.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Samuel Hall is a The Hague-headquartered social enterprise founded in 2010 that delivers commissioned research, action research, and data analytics to governments, UN agencies, and humanitarian NGOs working on migration, displacement, climate, and development across 65+ countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Berlin

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Commissioned Research Services: Research and policy services commissioned by governments, UN agencies, and international NGOs to produce evidence-based analysis, evaluations, and recommendations on migration, displacement, climate, and development topics
2. Partnership Grants and Funding: Project-based grants and funding from development donors, foundations, and institutional partnerships for specific research initiatives and programmes

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Samuel Hall is a social enterprise that conducts commissioned research, evaluates programmes, and designs evidence-based policies in contexts of migration, displacement, climate, and development. It delivers three core service pillars: Research & Policy (empirical studies, policy briefs, community engagement guidelines), Action Research (co-design, monitoring, evaluation, accountability and learning), and Data Standards & Analytics (statistical analysis, predictive modelling, dashboards, geospatial analysis).

Product overview

Samuel Hall is a social enterprise research organization offering three integrated service pillars: Research & Policy (empirical studies, policy analysis, community engagement guidelines), Action Research (co-design, monitoring, evaluation, accountability and learning), and Data Standards & Analytics (statistical analysis, predictive modelling, dashboards, geospatial analysis). These are guided by the TAIL methodology (Train, Amplify, Innovate, Localise). The organization produces specialized products including toolkits, training programmes, publications, podcasts, documentaries, and manages initiatives such as LLEARN for participatory urban planning in East Africa, PACES for migration research, and the Purple Coalition on Climate Change. Their research communications products include the 'Lines of Inquiry' podcast, communities of practice, and data sharing tools. Samuel Hall operates as a research consultancy rather than a software product company, with no API offering.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• LLEARN: Local Leadership East Africa Return (Re)integration Network - a multi-stakeholder initiative advancing solar electric cooking in displaced and energy-poor communities.
• Purple Coalition on Climate Change
• Lines of Inquiry

Products and services

• Research and Policy Evidence-to-policy research service delivering empirical and longitudinal studies, community engagement guidelines, decision briefs, and policy options that inform decisions and drive policy dialogue for governments, UN agencies, and NGOs.
• Action Research Service that co-designs programmes with partners, then monitors, evaluates, and supports accountability and learning processes to strengthen decision-making and track results for positive impact.
• Data Standards and Analytics Analytics service providing statistical analysis, econometric modelling, predictive modelling, interactive dashboards, geospatial analysis, and methodological standards including sampling frameworks and data-quality protocols.
• Training Services Capacity building programmes on migration governance, research design, storytelling, and sustainable reintegration, including toolkits translating research into operational frameworks, workshops, and co-creation spaces for governments, INGOs, and civil society actors.
• Toolkits Operational frameworks drawing on good practice, lessons learned, and tested approaches that translate research into practice for use by humanitarian and development partners.
• Data Sharing Tools Co-designed research tools, sampling frameworks, data quality assurance tools, predictive models, and interactive dashboards for real-time monitoring made available to partners.

Quantifiable outcome

• 10,000+ local researchers and enumerators trained
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers13 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability9 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

40 partnerships are on record, tiered core, strategic and minor.

• Aga Khan University (AKU)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-hosting Annual Lecture and Masterclass on migration and displacement. Academic partnership extends to teaching, mentoring, and internships in applied research. Partnership with ISMC (Institute for the Study of Muslim Civilisations) in London and GSMC in Nairobi for the 2026 Annual Lecture on 'Climate Change as Lived Experience'.
• International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFunded by European Union and contracted by ICMPD for the LLEARN initiative (Local Leadership East Africa Return Reintegration Network), using data as basis for engagement across cities in East Africa and the Horn.
• UN WomencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partnership on economic reintegration of Afghan women returnees, identifying structural barriers and providing evidence-based programme options.
• IOM (International Organization for Migration)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMultiple research partnerships including cash-based interventions review, Afghanistan displacement studies, and sustainable reintegration framework development for European Return and Reintegration Network.
• UNHCRcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAfghanistan post-return monitoring survey and durable solutions analysis partnership providing ground-level evidence on return and displacement patterns.
• UNICEFcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partnerships on internally displaced children, Afghan child migrants, child rights and green transition, and forcibly displaced children in Pakistan.
• DRC (Danish Refugee Council)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocalisation of protection programming in Garissa and Turkana, Kenya. Conflict resolution work in Karamoja region. Partnership on Purple Coalition on Climate Change.
• Uthabiti AfricastrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partnership on climate risks in childcare settings in Kenya, combining evidence with lived experience and policy processes.
• Climate Action AfricastrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupporting research and capacity strengthening on climate risks experienced in childcare settings, supporting caregivers and county climate systems.
• UNAMAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSix-part webinar series on climate action in Afghanistan, convening Afghan experts, practitioners, UN agencies, and local stakeholders for inclusive discussions.
• World BankstrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership on return-on-investment framework for ABADEI programme in Afghanistan, analyzing integrated investments across services, climate resilience, livelihoods, and social cohesion.
• UNDPcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerReturn-on-investment framework development for ABADEI programme in Afghanistan, analyzing economic and social value generation.
• European UnioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLLEARN initiative funding and contracted by ICMPD. Multiple research partnerships including EU-IOM initiatives on reintegration and monitoring of child returnees.
• GIZstrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerBilateral development partner supporting research and programme implementation across migration and displacement contexts.
• FCDO (UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office)strategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor bilateral donor supporting research and development programmes on migration and displacement.
• Windle Trust InternationalstrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership facilitating the Naz Majidi Scholarship for South Sudanese refugees, enabling education and integration support.
• African Centre for Migration & Society (ACMS), University of the WitwatersrandstrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partnership with Professor Loren B Landau contributing expertise on migration and displacement research.
• TechfugeesstrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-hosted Digital Sprint 2022 with Techfugees, Xavier Project and UNHCR, engaging 80+ participants across Kenya on digital livelihoods with refugee and host communities.
• Save the ChildrenstrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerPresentation and partnership on conflict-sensitive capacity gap assessment to prevent and respond to child recruitment into armed groups.
• OxfamstrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership network supporting research and programme work in humanitarian and development contexts.
• CARE InternationalstrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership network supporting humanitarian and development research programming.
• FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization)strategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership on food security, livelihoods, and climate-related displacement research.
• ILO (International Labour Organization)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTime Use Measurement research in Afghanistan supporting ILO and UNDP, examining paid and unpaid work measures.
• OECDstrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch and policy engagement contributing to OECD migration and development frameworks.
• ODI (Overseas Development Institute)strategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerThink tank partnership contributing to development research and policy discourse.
• EU-IOM Knowledge Management HubcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBuilding evidence and harmonising approaches on reintegration, improving future programming globally.
• DEMAC (Diaspora Emergency Action and Coordination)strategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership on diaspora emergency response research, examining Afghan diaspora networks' role in the 2023 Herat earthquake recovery efforts.
• ReDSS (Refugee-Driven Self-Reliance)strategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch on solutions from the start of cyclical climate-induced displacement in Somalia.
• MIDEQ (Migration with Dignity)strategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch network partnership on migration and development with dignity.
• Refugee Investment NetworkstrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partnership on refugee entrepreneurship in Kenya, documenting economic contribution and community impact.
• ALNAPstrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerContribution to humanitarian learning discourse through 'New Learning Landscapes' series on expertise and localization.
• International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED)strategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-authored briefing paper on city planning with displaced communities, focusing on participatory approaches and inclusion benefits.
• Plan International UKstrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerFinal evaluation findings and recommendations from EU-funded programme shared at regional event.
• Halo TrustminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHumanitarian partner in consortium networks supporting research on displacement-affected communities.
• 3ie (International Initiative for Impact Evaluation)strategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerImpact evaluation partnership contributing to evidence-based policy in development contexts.
• ADSP (Asia Displacement Solutions Platform)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDesignated Research and Learning Partner generating evidence on durable solutions in contexts of return, displacement, and climate change in Afghanistan.
• VNG InternationalstrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerStorytelling workshops supporting local governments, community-based, and refugee-led organisations to document impact beyond numbers.
• SOLCO (Solar E-Cooking)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDesignated Learning Partner for SOLCO, a multi-stakeholder initiative advancing solar electric cooking in displaced and energy-poor communities.
• CoherestrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-branded refugee stories series empowering RLO leaders across Africa to craft compelling narratives and showcase their influence.
• Youth Voices Community (YVC)strategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerRefugee-led partnership through co-branded refugee stories series, empowering RLO leaders and strengthening their voice.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• 3ie (International Initiative for Impact Evaluation): Impact evaluation organisation producing rigorous evidence for development policy, working with the same bilateral donors and multilaterals as Samuel Hall — directly comparable as a research-to-policy organisation and a listed Samuel Hall partner.
• Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC): Leading global source of data and analysis on internal displacement, producing flagship reports, country studies, and policy briefings funded by governments and UN agencies — directly comparable in mission, methodology, and donor/UN client base to Samuel Hall's displacement portfolio.
• Refugees International: Independent humanitarian organisation fielding teams of researchers and advocates to conduct field-based research and policy advocacy on refugee and displacement crises — overlaps Samuel Hall's model of producing field-grounded evidence that informs governments, UN agencies, and donors.
• International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD): Intergovernmental organisation that commissions and conducts migration research and capacity building globally; an existing direct contractor/partner of Samuel Hall on LLEARN and similar multi-stakeholder initiatives, it is highly comparable in mandate and customer base.
• ALNAP: Active Learning Network for Accountability and Performance in humanitarian action — runs the State of the Humanitarian System and learning initiatives; directly comparable as a research/learning network serving the same UN agencies, donors, and INGOs that Samuel Hall targets.
• Overseas Development Institute (ODI): A global affairs think tank producing research and policy advice on development, humanitarian, and migration issues for governments and multilaterals — comparable as a long-tenured policy research firm with adjacent subject matter and a listed Samuel Hall partner.
• Migration Policy Institute (MPI): Independent non-partisan think tank producing rigorous migration and refugee research that influences policy in North America and globally — directly comparable as a research-and-policy organisation serving governments, multilaterals, and the public on migration and displacement evidence.
• International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED): International research organisation working on sustainable development, climate, and urban inclusion with strong local-partner models — comparable in methodology (action research, co-design) and a current Samuel Hall partner on city-planning work.

Broad incumbents

• Norwegian Refugee Council: Major humanitarian INGO delivering direct assistance and protection to displaced populations while also publishing research (e.g., Internal Displacement Monitoring work) — comparable as a humanitarian research-and-operations incumbent, broader in mandate but overlapping in donor base and subject area.
• Danish Refugee Council: One of the largest displacement-focused INGOs delivering direct humanitarian programming while commissioning and publishing substantial research on protection and durable solutions — comparable as a major humanitarian research/operations incumbent and a listed Samuel Hall partner on protection localistion and climate work.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@samuelhall
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/samuel-hall
• Instagraminstagram.com/samuelhallhq
• Xx.com/Samuel_Hall_

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 Samuel Hall