The Helix Center
The Helix Center is a New York-based 501(c)(3) non-profit founded in 2012 that hosts free interdisciplinary roundtable discussions, called Theaetetus Tables, bringing together Nobel laureates and other distinguished thinkers for public intellectual exchange on science, arts, and policy.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2012
- HeadquartersNew York, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What The Helix Center does
The Helix Center is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded in 2012 and headquartered in New York City at The Marianne & Nicholas Young Auditorium, 247 East 82nd Street on Manhattan's Upper East Side. The organization operates as a "university without walls," hosting free interdisciplinary roundtable discussions branded as "Theaetetus Tables," which convene Nobel laureates, MacArthur Fellows, and other distinguished scholars, scientists, artists, and public intellectuals for unrehearsed, extempore dialogue. Since inception it has hosted more than 500 such participants spanning science, arts, humanities, and public policy, with all events free and open to the public on a first-come, first-served basis. Beyond core roundtables, the Center runs educational outreach through poetry and music programs made available to teachers and schools, with recent programming including events titled "Medicine and AI," "Reading and the Brain," "See Memory," and "Why We Write."
Programming is delivered via live in-person events complemented by live streaming on the organization's website and YouTube channel, with archived recordings available on demand. Distribution therefore spans both local audiences in the Manhattan auditorium (limited seating) and a global audience reached through digital streaming. The Helix Center generates no revenue from programming — all events are free — and is funded entirely through tax-deductible donations accepted via PayPal or credit card at suggested tiers ranging from $25 to $10,000, as well as by check mailed to a secondary New York address. The organization is governed by a Board of Directors and Executive Committee, with no parent company, venture, or private equity ownership disclosed.
The Helix Center firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Helix Center
- Legal name
- The Helix Center, Inc.
- Website
- https://helixcenter.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2012
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- The Helix Center is a New York-based 501(c)(3) non-profit founded in 2012 that hosts free interdisciplinary roundtable discussions, called Theaetetus Tables, bringing together Nobel laureates and other distinguished thinkers for public intellectual exchange on science, arts, and policy.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Helix Center industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Non-profit Cultural and Intellectual Programming
- NAICS
- Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (54172), Other Similar Organizations (except Business, Professional, Labor, and Political Organizations) (81399)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Academic & Scientific Conferences (MPAGAGAD)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Conference Centers & Dedicated Meeting Venues (THAHAAAB)
Keywords
Where The Helix Center is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- New York
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
The Helix Center business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Donations and Charitable Contributions: As a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, The Helix Center is funded entirely through tax-deductible donations from individuals, foundations, and supporters. Donations enable the organization to provide free educational content and public programming.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | Free public admission to all roundtable events |
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels4 records
The Helix Center product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Helix Center hosts free, public interdisciplinary roundtable discussions called Theaetetus Tables, convening Nobel laureates, MacArthur Fellows, and other distinguished scholars, scientists, artists, and public intellectuals for unrehearsed dialogue at its Manhattan venue. All events are open to the public on a first-come, first-served basis, live-streamed on YouTube, and archived on the website, with supplemental educational outreach through poetry and music programs for teachers and schools.
Product overview
The Helix Center is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that serves as a university without walls, hosting free interdisciplinary roundtable discussions called Theaetetus Tables. Since 2012, the organization has brought together Nobel laureates, MacArthur Fellows, and pioneering thinkers from various disciplines for unrehearsed intellectual exchange. All events are free, open to the public, and archived on their website. The organization also provides educational outreach through poetry and music programs available to teachers and schools.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Theaetetus Tables (Interdisciplinary Roundtable Discussions) Free public roundtable discussions that convene Nobel laureates, MacArthur Fellows, and other distinguished scholars, scientists, artists, and public intellectuals for unrehearsed interdisciplinary dialogue spanning the arts, sciences, humanities, and public policy. Each Theaetetus Table features five leaders in their respective fields and is open to the general public on a first-come, first-served basis, live-streamed on YouTube, and archived on the website for ongoing public access.
- Poetry and Music Educational Outreach Programs Educational outreach programs in poetry and music that the Helix Center makes available to teachers and schools as part of its 501(c)(3) charitable mission. These programs extend the organization's interdisciplinary mission beyond its auditorium into classroom settings.
- Live Streaming and Archived Roundtable Recordings Free digital access to The Helix Center's roundtable programming through live streaming on the website and the Helix Center YouTube channel, with recordings retained on the website for ongoing on-demand viewing by a global audience.
Quantifiable outcome
- 500+ distinguished participants hosted since 2012
Companies that use The Helix Center
Customer profileSegments2 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
The Helix Center technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
The Helix Center partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- SciArt CentercoreThe Helix Center partnered with SciArt Center to present 'Art and Science: The Two Cultures Converging' - a three-day conference exploring the intersections of science, art, education, and society. This collaboration featured multiple roundtables on STEAM education, science-art collaboration, and art-society relationships, demonstrating a co-development partnership focused on interdisciplinary programming at the intersection of art and science.
Scale indicators1 record
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights4 records
The Helix Center competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- TED Conferences: Global non-profit media organization that hosts curated talks and events featuring leading scientists, artists, and thinkers, with massive free digital archive. Overlaps with Helix Center's mission of public intellectual access but operates globally at vastly larger scale and with very different talk format.
- The Aspen Institute: Major non-profit convening leaders across policy, science, arts, and humanities through seminars and roundtable-style programming. Comparable interdisciplinary convening model but operates at much broader scope and national scale than the Helix Center's NYC-focused roundtable series.
- Institute for Advanced Study: Princeton-based independent research institution whose faculty include Nobel laureates and Fields Medalists; it occasionally hosts public-facing lectures. Shares the talent pool (leading scientists/scholars) and intellectual mission but is fundamentally a research institution with selective convening.
- 92nd Street Y (92NY): Long-established NYC cultural institution hosting distinguished lectures, panel discussions, and intellectual programming featuring Nobel laureates, authors, and thought leaders. Overlaps with The Helix Center's audience and speaker profile but operates at much larger scale across many programming categories.
Emerging players
- SciArt Center: NYC-based non-profit exploring intersections of science and art through programming, exhibitions, and convenings. Existing co-presenting partner with Helix Center ('Art and Science: The Two Cultures Converging'); comparable in mission but smaller in scale and narrower in topical focus.
Direct peers
- World Science Festival: NYC-based non-profit that produces large-scale public-facing events bringing together leading scientists, artists, and thinkers. Directly comparable to The Helix Center in mission, format (panel discussions and intellectual exchange), target audience (educated general public), and free public access model.
- The Santa Fe Institute: Independent research center focused on interdisciplinary complexity science, hosting public lectures and workshops featuring leading thinkers across disciplines. Shares the interdisciplinary convening model and culture of unrehearsed intellectual exchange with The Helix Center.
- IdeaFestival: Festival/conference series convening leading thinkers across science, technology, arts, and humanities for interdisciplinary public conversations. Direct conceptual peer to Helix Center's roundtable model, though currently scaled-down compared to the 2010s peak.
- The Long Now Foundation: Non-profit fostering long-term thinking through public seminars featuring distinguished scientists, philosophers, and technologists (the Seminars About Long-term Thinking series in particular). Comparable mission of convening leading interdisciplinary thinkers for serious public discourse.
- The New York Academy of Sciences: NYC non-profit that convenes scientists, academics, and the public through lectures, panels, and interdisciplinary programming. Closely matches The Helix Center's mission of facilitating interdisciplinary dialogue between distinguished researchers and the general public.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
The Helix Center social profiles
Digital presenceThe Helix Center financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Helix Center leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
The Helix Center funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Helix Center 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 Helix Center
What does The Helix Center do?
The Helix Center hosts free, public interdisciplinary roundtable discussions called Theaetetus Tables, convening Nobel laureates, MacArthur Fellows, and other distinguished scholars, scientists, artists, and public intellectuals for unrehearsed dialogue at its Manhattan venue. All events are open to the public on a first-come, first-served basis, live-streamed on YouTube, and archived on the website, with supplemental educational outreach through poetry and music programs for teachers and schools.
Is The Helix Center a public or private company?
The Helix Center is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was The Helix Center founded?
The Helix Center was founded in 2012. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is The Helix Center based?
The Helix Center is headquartered in New York, United States, in the North America region.
How does The Helix Center make money?
One revenue line is on record: donations and Charitable Contributions.
Who are The Helix Center's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are TED Conferences, The Aspen Institute, Institute for Advanced Study and 92nd Street Y (92NY). SciArt Center is listed as an emerging player. Direct peers are World Science Festival, The Santa Fe Institute, IdeaFestival, The Long Now Foundation and The New York Academy of Sciences.
Does The Helix Center have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Helix Center.
What industry is The Helix Center in?
The Helix Center's product category is Non-profit Cultural and Intellectual Programming. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAGAGAD, Academic & Scientific Conferences, with a secondary code of THAHAAAB, Conference Centers & Dedicated Meeting Venues. Its NAICS code is 54172.