Luohan Academy

What Luohan Academy does

Luohan Academy is an open research institute founded in Hangzhou on June 26, 2018, and initiated by Alibaba Group. It organizes a global community of academics, policymakers, and business leaders around research on the social and economic effects of digital technology, anchored by seven Nobel Laureates in economics and 80+ world-class scholars. The institute runs seven research programs covering Privacy and Data Governance, Measuring the New Economy, Sustainability, Future Finance, Digital Technology and Inclusive Growth, Platform Economics, and Technomics; produces publications including annual reviews, research reports, and e-books; and convenes events such as the Annual Conference, the Frontier Dialogue series, and webinars. Its go-to-market is event- and publication-driven, with all research outputs distributed freely through the Academy's website and public events. Revenue is not commercially generated; the Academy is funded through Alibaba Group support as its initiator, and no external equity funding rounds have been disclosed. Headcount is reported as 11-50 staff at a single Hangzhou headquarters within Alibaba's Digital Ecosystem Innovation Park.

Name

Luohan Academy

Legal name

Luohan Academy

Website

https://luohanacademy.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Luohan Academy is an Alibaba-initiated open research institute in Hangzhou that convenes Nobel Laureates and scholars to study digital technology's social and economic impacts, publishing free reports and hosting conferences and webinars for academics, policymakers, and business leaders worldwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Economic Research

NAICS

Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (541720), Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services (541690)

SIC

Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700), Periodicals: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2721)

akta.pro primary industry

International & Global Research Universities (Multi-Campus/International Footprint) (EDAHABAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Open Educational Resources (OER) & Open Access Academic Publishing (MPAJABAG), Education, Research & Academic Congresses (THAHAJAD), Academic & Scholarly Journals Publishing (Peer-Reviewed) (MPAJABAC)

Keywords

• Digital economy research
• Economic policy research
• Platform economics studies
• Financial inclusion research
• Technology economics analysis

Headquarters

HQ city

Hangzhou

HQ country

China

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Research Funding: Luohan Academy is an open research institute initiated by Alibaba Group, suggesting primary funding comes from Alibaba. The Academy serves society through free research publications, events, and community programs without charging for its outputs.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Luohan Academy is an open research institute that conducts research on critical issues at the intersection of digital technology and society. It operates seven thematic research programs (Privacy and Data Governance, Measuring the New Economy, Sustainability, Future Finance, Digital Technology and Inclusive Growth, Platform Economics, and Technomics), produces publications such as annual reviews and research reports, and hosts events including the Annual Conference, Frontier Dialogue series, and webinars.

Product overview

Luohan Academy is an open research institute initiated by Alibaba Group, not a traditional product company. It operates a portfolio of research programs focused on digital economy topics including: Privacy and Data Governance, Measuring the New Economy, Sustainability, Future Finance, Digital Technology and Inclusive Growth, Platform Economics, and Technomics. The institute produces publications (annual reviews, research reports, e-books), organizes events (Frontier Dialogues, webinars, annual conferences), and maintains a global fellows community. These research initiatives and knowledge-sharing platforms collectively serve the academy's mission to explore and shape discourse on digital technology's social and economic transformations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Privacy and Data Governance Research Program

Quantifiable outcome

• 80+ publications and reports published
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

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

One partnership is on record.

• Alibaba GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 June 2018Luohan Academy was initiated by Alibaba Group and launched from Hangzhou on June 26, 2018. Alibaba provides institutional support, access to digital ecosystem data, and operational infrastructure. The Academy operates as an independent open research institute.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Asia Society: Asia-focused institution producing policy research and convening leaders on technology, economics, and society. Comparable in convening scholars, business leaders, and policymakers on regional technology-economic issues, though more regionally focused than Luohan.

Broad incumbents

• World Economic Forum: International organization convening leaders and producing research on technology, economics, and society. Comparable in its event-driven (Davos, regional meetings) model and in addressing digital economy topics for cross-stakeholder audiences.
• McKinsey Global Institute: Research arm of McKinsey producing influential reports on economic and technology trends. Comparable in producing widely-cited research on digital economy topics for executive and policymaker audiences, though operating within a commercial consultancy.
• RAND Corporation: Large, established research organization producing policy-relevant analysis with academic credibility. Comparable in its open-access publication model and combination of academic rigor with policy/business audience engagement.
• Brookings Institution: Major US think tank producing influential research across economic, technology, and policy domains. Comparable in its open-publication model, scholar-led governance, and target audience of policymakers and business leaders.

Direct peers

• Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF): Think tank producing research on technology policy, digital economy, and innovation. Comparable in producing open-access policy research on digital transformation targeted at government and business decision-makers.
• Berggruen Institute: Independent think tank focused on governance, technology, and the future of society with prominent academic fellows. Comparable as a privately-funded, scholar-led institute producing open research on transformative economic and technological topics.
• Tony Blair Institute for Global Change: Policy research institute focused on technology, economics, and governance with global operations. Comparable as a privately-funded institute combining academic-grade research with policy advisory and event-based engagement.
• MIT Initiative on the Digital Economy (IDE): MIT-based research initiative studying how digital technologies are transforming business, government, and society. Directly comparable as a thought-leadership institute producing research on digital economy, AI, and platform economics with academic rigor.
• Stanford Digital Economy Lab: Stanford-based research lab examining the digital economy, AI, and labor markets. Comparable as a university-affiliated digital economy research community producing influential working papers and policy insights.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Luohan_Academy
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/luohan-academy
• Facebookfacebook.com/luohanacademy

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 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 Luohan Academy