State of Play

What State of Play does

State of Play is an independent research group focused on strategy and innovation in the global mining and resources industry. Founded in 2012 and headquartered in Perth, Australia, the firm operates under ownership of Slate Advisory Pty Ltd (ABN 21 647 902 261) and runs a small specialized team of 1-10 employees spanning principals, a senior analyst, and operational staff. Its core methodology combines recurring global surveys with in-depth interviews of executives, CEOs, and board members to produce unfiltered, longitudinal insights on industry strategy and innovation. The firm publishes a portfolio of over seven distinct research products, including the flagship Mining Industry Survey Reports, drilldown reports on mine electrification, critical minerals, oil and gas strategy, and capital allocation, and operates the Electric Mine Consortium as a multi-stakeholder decarbonisation initiative.

The business model is dual-track: reports are distributed free of charge through stateofplay.org to build audience reach and industry credibility, while revenue is generated through paid benchmarking services and strategy sessions that provide company-specific datasets and analysis against industry benchmarks. The firm also convenes sponsors and partners across business, government, and academia (including CSIRO, METS Ignited, MRIWA, and several Australian universities), with the Electric Mine Consortium as its flagship collaborative platform. Customer segments span mining and resources industry executives, government bodies, and academic/research institutions, with named engagement references including Buru Energy. Geographic reach is global, with a dedicated Europe Lead supporting EMEA coverage. The company has no public funding, no disclosed revenue, and operates as a privately held, independence-led research platform.

Name

State of Play

Legal name

State of Play

Website

https://stateofplay.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

State of Play is an independent, Perth-based research group that conducts global surveys and executive interviews to publish free mining and resources industry reports, supplemented by paid benchmarking and strategy services for enterprise clients.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Perth

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Research Reports Distribution: State of Play provides free reports that bring together survey data, interviews with industry leaders, and team expertise to deliver insights into the resources industry. The reports are provided at no cost to support industry discussion.
2. Benchmarking and Strategy Services: State of Play offers custom datasets and company-specific analysis which allows companies to compare their performance against industry benchmarks. They also offer strategy sessions for purchase.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

State of Play is an independent research group that conducts surveys and structured interviews with executives and senior business leaders in the global mining and resources industry. It produces annual industry survey reports, specialized drilldown reports on topics such as electrification, critical minerals, oil and gas, and capital allocation, and offers custom benchmarking datasets and strategy sessions sold to enterprise clients.

Product overview

State of Play operates as an independent research group providing a portfolio of industry survey reports and benchmarking services for the global resources industry. The core offering consists of annual Mining Industry Survey reports informed by survey data and executive interviews, supplemented by specialized drilldown reports on topics including mine electrification, critical minerals, oil and gas strategy, and capital allocation. The company also offers custom benchmarking services for company-specific analysis. These products collectively provide strategic insights into innovation trends, industry dynamics, and performance factors driving the resources sector.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Electric Mine Consortium: A consortium focused on the drive for change in the broader resources sector, emerging as a key vehicle for the decarbonisation of the mining industry, particularly for underground operations.

Products and services

• Mining Industry Survey Reports Comprehensive industry surveys providing deep insights into trends, strategy, and innovation within the resources industry, based on survey data and interviews with industry leaders.
• Benchmarking Services Custom datasets and company-specific analysis allowing enterprise mining and resources clients to compare their performance against industry benchmarks for strategic decision-making.
• Electric Mine Consortium Reports Reports covering consortium activities related to mine electrification, implementation guidance, and financial models comparing electric versus diesel operations.
• Critical Minerals Analysis Reports Reports examining market mechanisms, pricing transparency, and supply dynamics in the critical minerals industry.
• Capital Allocators' Playbook Paper drawing learnings from successful capital allocators addressing challenges faced by the resources industry.
• Oil and Gas Industry Reports Reports examining external scenarios and business strategies for oil and gas companies dealing with decarbonisation pressures and future energy demands.
• Electrification Reports Reports on mine electrification as a foundation enabler for clean energy transformation of mine sites.

Quantifiable outcome

• Trusted by industry leaders for strategic decision-making and investment analysis globally

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Electric Mine Consortium (EMC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Electric Mine Consortium was established by State of Play as a key vehicle for the decarbonisation of the mining industry. State of Play developed the EMC to address the shift from fossil fuel powered mines to all-electric operations. The consortium has produced multiple reports including guidance on implementing the transition to electric mines and financial models comparing electric vs diesel operations.
• CSIROminorOthersCSIRO is listed as a contributor/organization that has worked with State of Play. The specific nature of the collaboration is not detailed in the available information.
• METS IgnitedminorOthersMETS Ignited is listed as an organization contributor to State of Play. METS Ignited is an Australian industry growth centre for mining equipment, technology and services.
• MRIWAminorOthersMRIWA (Minerals Research Institute of Western Australia) is listed as an organization contributor to State of Play.
• Curtin UniversityminorOthersCurtin University is listed as an organization contributor to State of Play, indicating some form of academic collaboration.
• University of Queensland (SMI)minorOthersThe University of Queensland's Sustainable Minerals Institute is listed as an organization contributor to State of Play.
• NERAminorOthersNERA (National Energy Resources Australia) is listed as an organization contributor to State of Play.
• UWAminorOthersThe University of Western Australia is listed as an organization contributor to State of Play.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• CRU Group: Independent commodities research firm covering mining, metals, and fertilizers. Directly comparable in its independent mining-research positioning but with significantly broader sector and geographic coverage.
• Fastmarkets: Commodities price reporting and market intelligence provider across mining and metals. Overlaps with State of Play on mining-market analysis and is sold to similar mining corporate and investor customers.
• Wood Mackenzie: Global research and consultancy firm covering energy, mining, and renewables. It overlaps with State of Play's mining-strategy and critical-minerals research but operates at much larger scale with broader service lines.
• S&P Global Commodity Insights: Large commodities and energy research provider serving mining corporates and investors. Comparable to State of Play in mining market intelligence but with far greater scale, datasets, and institutional distribution.

Emerging players

• Resources Rising Stars: Australian mining research and investor events platform focused on junior and mid-cap miners. Comparable in Australian mining research focus and investor audience but with different depth in survey-based strategy research.
• Mining Journal: Long-standing mining industry publication and research provider covering strategy, finance, and operations. Comparable to State of Play in serving mining executives with strategic insight, though with a broader news-led offering.
• MineLife: Australian mining research and investor advisory firm. Comparable to State of Play's Perth-rooted mining research orientation and Australian-listed resource sector coverage, with overlapping investor client base.

Direct peers

• Benchmark Mineral Intelligence: Independent intelligence provider focused on the lithium-ion battery and critical minerals supply chain. Highly comparable to State of Play's critical minerals work in its niche, independent research methodology, and subscription-driven model.
• Adamas Intelligence: Research firm focused on critical minerals and EV materials supply chain. Comparable to State of Play in independent methodology and mining-adjacent investor audience, though narrower commodity focus.

Others

• IEA (International Energy Agency) - Critical Minerals Programme: Multilateral policy and research body publishing influential critical minerals outlooks. Comparable to State of Play in shaping executive and policy thinking on critical minerals supply, though as a public-interest body rather than a paid research firm.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/innovation-state-of-play

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 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 State of Play