AuthorAID

What AuthorAID does

AuthorAID, now operating under the Rising Scholars brand, is a non-profit online platform providing free support to early-career and mid-career researchers in the Global South. It is a project of INASP (International Network for the Availability of Scientific Publications) and is primarily funded by Sida (Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency), with additional support from NORHED and other development partners. The platform's core products are a free online mentoring service connecting researchers with experienced mentors, a collaborative networking space (built around Google Groups), and a catalog of free online courses delivered via a Moodle-based learning management system. Additional offerings include structured Learning Pathways (most notably an AI in Research pathway launched in April 2026), a Resources library anchored by the AuthorAID Research Writing Toolkit, a discussion forum, and specialized programs such as NORHED Rising Scholars and the Systematic Reviews Network. The platform reports more than 14,000 active members across 175 countries.

The business model is non-commercial: there are no paid tiers, premium upgrades, or per-seat fees, and all services are provided free of charge to researchers. Operating revenue, where it exists, flows from development aid grants and institutional funding rather than product sales. Go-to-market is community-led and self-serve — researchers register directly through the website, and growth is driven by word-of-mouth within academic networks, partnerships with research institutions, and content marketing through the blog, resources library, and event listings. The organization has no traditional sales force or physical distribution; it functions as a self-serve global PLG (product-led growth) platform for individual researchers and small research teams, supplemented by partnerships that channel institutional users (e.g., through SRN and HIFA) into the platform.

Name

AuthorAID

Website

https://authoraid.info

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Rising Scholars (formerly AuthorAID) is a free, INASP-run online platform providing mentoring, collaboration, and Moodle-based courses to over 14,000 researchers in low- and middle-income countries across 175 countries, funded primarily by Sida development grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Research Capacity Development Services

NAICS

Exam Preparation and Tutoring (611691)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Mentoring, Coaching, Alumni Networking & Peer Support Platforms (EDAFAMAN)

akta.pro secondary industries

Writing Critique Groups & Peer Workshops (EDAMAMAJ), Workshops, Webinars & Live Masterclasses (MPACALAD)

Keywords

• Research mentoring services
• Academic writing support
• Online learning courses
• Research collaboration platform
• Research capacity development

Headquarters

HQ city

Oxford

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Grant Funding / Development Aid: The organization operates as a non-profit initiative funded by development cooperation agencies. Services are provided free to researchers in the Global South. Revenue is generated through grants and institutional funding rather than commercial product sales.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

AuthorAID (now Rising Scholars) operates a free global online platform providing online mentoring, collaboration tools, and online courses for researchers in the Global South. The platform is delivered through a Moodle-based e-learning system for courses in research communication, proposal writing, community-engaged research, and AI in research, complemented by Google Groups-based community collaboration and structured learning pathways.

Product overview

Rising Scholars (formerly AuthorAID) is a unified online platform providing free global support for researchers in the Global South. The core offerings include an online community platform for networking and collaboration, online courses delivered via Moodle, and free mentoring services. Additional features include Learning Pathways (such as AI in Research), a Resources library with research tools and videos, a Discussion Forum, and specialized programs like NORHED Rising Scholars and the Systematic Reviews Network. The platform connects over 14,000 members across 175 countries.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Rising Scholars Platform A free global network providing online mentoring, collaboration tools, and community support for researchers in the Global South, connecting over 14,000 members from 175 countries.
• Online Courses Free online courses delivered via Moodle covering research communication, proposal writing, community-engaged research, and AI in research, for researchers in the Global South.
• Online Mentoring Free online mentoring service connecting researchers in the Global South with experienced mentors for career development and research support.
• Resources Library

Quantifiable outcome

• 14,000+ researchers connected through the platform
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

AI capability3 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Research AlphacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 April 2026INASP has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Research Alpha, opening up a new set of opportunities for Rising Scholars members. This partnership provides additional resources and opportunities for the community of researchers.
• INASP (International Network for the Availability of Scientific Publications)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAuthorAID is a project of INASP. INASP manages and supports the AuthorAID/Rising Scholars platform as part of its mission to improve access to research information in developing countries.
• NORHED Rising ScholarscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNORHED Rising Scholars is a specific program within the platform dedicated to supporting researchers under the NORHED (Norwegian Programme for Capacity Development in Higher Education and Research) initiative.
• Healthcare Information For All (HIFA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on health research communication and the global evidence ecosystem, connecting health researchers to the broader knowledge-sharing network.
• Systematic Reviews Network (SRN)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to conduct needs assessment surveys and provide systematic review training for early-career researchers in low- and middle-income countries.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• ORCID: Provides researcher identification and digital infrastructure for the global research community. Comparable audience (researchers globally) with focus on professional development and research ecosystem support.
• PLOS (Public Library of Science): Open-access publisher with explicit mission to make research accessible worldwide. Serves researchers in LMICs through reduced-fee programs and offers training resources, comparable to Rising Scholars' capacity-building mission.
• Research4Life: Provides free access to academic research in low- and middle-income countries. Targets the same Global South researcher audience with complementary access-to-knowledge resources and training programs.
• INASP: Parent organization of AuthorAID/Rising Scholars and shares the same mission of strengthening research capacity in developing countries through programs, partnerships, and resources.
• TDR (Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases): WHO/UNICEF/World Bank-sponsored program supporting research capacity strengthening in disease-endemic countries. Comparable mission to support researcher training and career development in Global South contexts.
• HIFA (Healthcare Information For All): Global health knowledge-sharing network that partners with Rising Scholars. Both operate as free, community-led platforms connecting professionals to research communication and evidence-based resources in LMICs.
• The Global Health Network: Online platform connecting health researchers globally, with strong focus on LMIC capacity building and research training. Directly comparable mission of supporting researchers in resource-limited settings through free tools and community.

Broad incumbents

• Coursera: Large online learning platform with courses on research methods and academic skills. Comparable in providing online course delivery, though Coursera operates as a commercial MOOC platform while Rising Scholars is grant-funded and focused on a specific Global South researcher segment.
• edX: Major MOOC platform offering courses including research methods and academic writing. Overlaps with Rising Scholars' Moodle-based course delivery, though edX targets a broader global audience rather than specifically Global South researchers.
• Elsevier Researcher Academy: Provides free online training modules for researchers on writing, publishing, and career skills. Larger, commercially-backed platform that overlaps with Rising Scholars' e-learning courses on research communication and proposal writing.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights1 record

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/authoraid
• Facebookfacebook.com/authoraid

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 AuthorAID