The China Project
The China Project is a Brooklyn-based, privately held media and business-services platform founded in 2016 that publishes China-focused journalism, podcasts, newsletters, and video, and sells corporate intelligence subscriptions, research databases (ChinaEdge, China Newsbase), and a consulting marketplace to executives, investors, government, and academic clients worldwide.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2016
- HeadquartersBrooklyn, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What The China Project does
The China Project is a US-based, privately held media and business-services platform covering China, founded in 2016 (originally as SupChina) and headquartered in Brooklyn, NY, with an operating team of 11-50 employees. The company publishes a multi-format editorial portfolio including sections on Politics & Current Affairs, Business & Technology, Society & Culture, Science & Health, and Opinion, alongside 12 specialized columns and nine podcast series (notably the flagship Sinica Podcast and The Signal with Lizzi Lee video series). Distribution runs through the website, daily and weekly newsletters (Daily Dispatch five days a week, China Weekly, China Events), YouTube, TikTok, and live events and webinars.
The company's underlying technology stack is a digital publishing platform with newsletter delivery, podcast hosting, video distribution, and two proprietary research databases: ChinaEdge, which provides real-time access to 220 million Chinese, Hong Kong, and Taiwanese corporate records including shareholder structures, directors, and legal alerts; and China Newsbase, a searchable archive of 10,335+ tagged China-focused articles. The platform aggregates content from over 600 global sources in English and Chinese.
Revenue is generated through seven streams: individual premium subscriptions, enterprise corporate subscriptions, advertising and event sponsorships, live events and webinars, the China Consulting Marketplace (a brokering platform for vetted China consultants), and subscription access to ChinaEdge and China Newsbase research tools. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed, with annual billing for premium subscriptions that bundle unlimited articles, premium newsletters, a member-only Slack community, and free live events. Customers span corporate executives, government and policy professionals, academic and research institutions, due-diligence users, and general China-interested readers, with named enterprise and institutional subscribers including Macquarie Group, BP, UBS, US Department of State, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Freepoint Commodities, AllianceBernstein, and the Brookings Institution. The China Project also operates The Serica Initiative as an associated nonprofit arm.
The China Project firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The China Project
- Legal name
- The China Project
- Website
- https://thechinaproject.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2016
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- The China Project is a Brooklyn-based, privately held media and business-services platform founded in 2016 that publishes China-focused journalism, podcasts, newsletters, and video, and sells corporate intelligence subscriptions, research databases (ChinaEdge, China Newsbase), and a consulting marketplace to executives, investors, government, and academic clients worldwide.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The China Project industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Digital News & Media
- NAICS
- Publishing Industries (513), Media Streaming Distribution Services, Social Networks, and Other Media Networks and Content Providers (516210)
- SIC
- International Affairs (9721)
- akta.pro primary industry
- News, Politics & Current Affairs Magazines (MPAJAEAO)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Public Diplomacy, Cultural Diplomacy & Strategic Communications (BPAIAIAE)
Keywords
Where The China Project is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Brooklyn
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Markets served
The China Project business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Others
Revenue model
- Premium Subscriptions: Individual premium subscriptions providing unlimited access to articles, premium newsletters, and member-only content. Includes Daily Dispatch, China Weekly, and China Events newsletters.
- Corporate Subscriptions: Enterprise-level subscriptions for organizations needing China intelligence for business, government, or research purposes.
- Consulting Marketplace: Connects China consultants with companies, investors, and organizations needing China-related support across strategy, legal, marketing, and operational domains.
- ChinaEdge Research Tool: Premium research database providing real-time access to Chinese corporate records, shareholders, ownership structures, and operational history for due diligence purposes.
- China Newsbase: Premium searchable database of 10,335+ China-focused news articles with tagging and filtering capabilities for research purposes.
- Advertising & Sponsorships: Display advertising on website and event sponsorship opportunities for brands seeking China-focused audience.
- Events: Live conferences, webinars, and events with expert speakers; includes monthly live conference calls and entry to events in cities worldwide.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Premium Subscription |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels8 records
The China Project product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The China Project is a subscription-based digital media platform that publishes China-focused news, analysis, podcasts, and video content, and operates proprietary research databases (ChinaEdge and China Newsbase). It sells individual premium subscriptions, corporate/enterprise subscriptions, advertising, sponsored events, and a consulting marketplace, serving corporate professionals, government, academia, and individual readers seeking English-language China intelligence.
Product overview
The China Project is a China-focused media and research platform offering a subscription-based content portfolio including newsletters (Daily Dispatch, China Weekly, China Events), podcasts (Sinica, China in Africa Podcast, China-Global South Podcast, You Can Learn Chinese, Strangers in China, Tech Buzz China, China Corner Office, China Stories, Caixin Sinica Business Brief, China Sports Insider), and video series (The Signal with Lizzi Lee). Premium subscribers gain access to the members-only Access Slack Channel for expert community engagement and free live events. Research tools include ChinaEdge (real-time corporate records database covering 220M companies in China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan) and China Newsbase (searchable news database with 10,000+ articles). Corporate subscriptions are available for organizations.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- ChinaEdge: Research tool providing real-time updated Chinese corporate records covering companies in China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan.
- China Newsbase
Products and services
- Premium Subscription Annual subscription for individual readers providing unlimited access to articles, subscriber-only newsletters (Daily Dispatch, China Weekly, China Events), 24/7 members-only Slack channel for expert community engagement, and free live events including monthly conference calls.
- Corporate Subscriptions Enterprise-level subscription for organizations needing China intelligence for business, government, or research purposes, with team-wide access to premium content and research tools.
- ChinaEdge Real-time updated database of Chinese corporate records covering 220 million companies in China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan, providing shareholder and ownership structure, directors and officers, operational history, and legal alerts in translated English or original Chinese. Targeted at corporate subscribers for due diligence and competitive intelligence.
- China Newsbase Searchable database of more than 10,000 China-focused news articles filterable by date range, tags, and topics including AI, Taiwan, Xinjiang, and trade, designed for research and due diligence purposes.
- Daily Dispatch Newsletter Flagship daily newsletter covering China news, delivered five days a week, aggregating stories from 600+ global sources in English, Chinese, and other languages.
- China Weekly Newsletter Weekly newsletter providing a curated review of the most important China stories of the week for general readers and professionals.
- China Events Newsletter Weekly newsletter listing upcoming China-focused live and digital events hosted by The China Project and partner organizations.
- Sinica Podcast Flagship China-focused podcast covering politics, economics, geopolitics, and current affairs through expert interviews, available to general audiences and as part of the premium subscription.
- The Signal with Lizzi Lee (Video Series) Video interview series on YouTube featuring expert analysis on China-related geopolitical, political, and business topics, complementing the publication's written and audio content.
- China Consulting Marketplace Marketplace service that connects companies, investors, and organizations with vetted China consultants for strategy, legal, marketing, and operational projects across China-related business needs.
Companies that use The China Project
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
The China Project technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration1 record
The China Project partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.
- The Serica InitiativecoreNonprofit arm of The China Project, described as the organization's nonprofit initiative. Produces content including the 'Between Black & White: Asian Americans Speak Out' video series in partnership with WNET Group's Exploring Hate initiative.
- WNET Group (Exploring Hate Initiative)flagshipCo-produced 'Between Black & White: Asian Americans Speak Out' digital series with The Serica Initiative and WNET Group's Exploring Hate initiative, adding Asian American voices to conversations about race.
- Student Ambassador ProgramminorStudent ambassador program engaging university students interested in China reporting and journalism.
- Brookings InstitutionminorCheng Li from Brookings Institution cited as subscriber testimonial, recommending The China Project as first source for China news.
- Max Baucus (Former U.S. Ambassador to China)flagshipFormer U.S. Ambassador to China provided testimonial: 'A jewel in the crown of China reporting. I look to it daily. It adds so much insight into the real China.'
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
The China Project competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- South China Morning Post: Direct peer offering China-focused news and analysis with both free and subscription tiers. Competes for the same English-language professional audience interested in China politics, business, and society.
- Caixin Global: Closely comparable China-focused business and economics news outlet with English-language coverage and a premium subscription including the Caixin Sinica Business Brief, which is directly distributed on The China Project's podcast platform.
- The Information: Subscription-based digital media company focused on business and tech intelligence with high-priced B2B and B2C subscriptions. Comparable operating model as a niche, premium-priced subscription publication built around proprietary reporting and analysis.
- Quartz: Digital business news publication with global operations and China coverage. Comparable subscription-driven digital media model targeting professional readers interested in international business and policy.
Broad incumbents
- Foreign Policy: International affairs magazine with subscription model covering US-China relations, geopolitics, and policy. Comparable in serving policy professionals, corporate strategists, and think tanks.
- The Diplomat: Asia-Pacific geopolitics magazine covering China and the region. Overlaps with The China Project's politics, policy, and international affairs content for a similar professional and policy audience.
- Nikkei Asia: Established subscription-based Asia business news publication with deep China coverage. Comparable in monetization model (subscription + corporate) and target audience of executives tracking China, with broader Asia-Pacific scope.
- Foreign Affairs: Premier international relations publication read by policymakers, executives, and academics. Comparable audience and pricing model for high-end analysis on US-China dynamics.
- Bloomberg News: Global financial news giant with extensive China coverage across business, markets, and policy. Overlaps with The China Project's enterprise audience and corporate subscription use case, though at vastly greater scale.
Emerging players
- China Briefing: Asia Briefing publication providing China-focused business intelligence for executives and legal teams. Comparable B2B use case for regulatory, market entry, and due diligence content, often reaching the same corporate subscribers.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
The China Project social profiles
Digital presenceThe China Project financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The China Project leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
The China Project funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The China Project M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about The China Project
What does The China Project do?
The China Project is a subscription-based digital media platform that publishes China-focused news, analysis, podcasts, and video content, and operates proprietary research databases (ChinaEdge and China Newsbase). It sells individual premium subscriptions, corporate/enterprise subscriptions, advertising, sponsored events, and a consulting marketplace, serving corporate professionals, government, academia, and individual readers seeking English-language China intelligence.
Is The China Project a public or private company?
The China Project is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was The China Project founded?
The China Project was founded in 2016. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is The China Project based?
The China Project is headquartered in Brooklyn, United States, in the North America region.
How does The China Project make money?
Seven revenue lines are on record. Premium Subscriptions are the primary driver. The others are corporate Subscriptions, consulting Marketplace, chinaEdge Research Tool, china Newsbase, advertising & Sponsorships and events.
Who are The China Project's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are South China Morning Post, Caixin Global, The Information and Quartz. Broad incumbents are Foreign Policy, The Diplomat, Nikkei Asia, Foreign Affairs and Bloomberg News. China Briefing is listed as an emerging player.
Does The China Project have an API?
No public API is recorded for The China Project.
What industry is The China Project in?
The China Project's product category is Digital News & Media. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAJAEAO, News, Politics & Current Affairs Magazines, with a secondary code of BPAIAIAE, Public Diplomacy, Cultural Diplomacy & Strategic Communications. Its NAICS code is 513 and its SIC code is 9721.