RÆSON
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2002
- HeadquartersCopenhagen, Denmark
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
RÆSON firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- RÆSON
- Legal name
- RÆSON Medier
- Website
- https://raeson.dk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2002
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
RÆSON industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Independent Political Journalism and Publishing
- NAICS
- Periodical Publishers (51312), Book Publishers (513130)
- SIC
- Periodicals: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2721), Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731)
- akta.pro primary industry
- News, Politics & Current Affairs Magazines (MPAJAEAO)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Politics, Current Affairs & Social Commentary Publishing (MPAJAAAM), Arts, Culture & Literary Magazines (MPAJAEAN)
Keywords
Where RÆSON is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Copenhagen
- HQ country
- Denmark
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
RÆSON business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Subscription Revenue: Annual subscriptions providing access to print magazine (4 issues/year) and all digital content. Priced at 250 kr/year (general public) and 200 kr/year (students/pensioners). Also sells separate ÆRA magazine subscriptions.
- Print and Book Sales: Sale of individual print magazine issues and published books through webshop and retail/newsstands. RÆSON has published numerous books including 'Verdens Magter' (6th edition 2025), 'Mellemøsten i Krig', 'Kina og verden', and others.
- Event Revenue: Ticket sales for events including lectures, conferences, festivals, and debates. Events range from free (library talks) to paid (Vidensfestival 2027 tickets, conference packages). Subscriber discounts available.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Standard Annual Subscription - 250 kr/year |
| Subscription | Annual | Reduced Rate - 200 kr/year |
| Subscription | Annual | ÆRA Magazine Subscription - 299 kr/year (249 for students/pensioners) |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Event Tickets - Variable pricing |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
RÆSON product offering
Product offeringCore offering
RÆSON publishes a quarterly print magazine and continuously updated website with independent, expert-written analysis of Danish and international politics. The portfolio extends to the ÆRA history magazine (launched 2021), a book publishing imprint (RÆSONs Forlag), multiple podcast series (Geopol, Krisecast, Ugen med RÆSON), the annual Vidensfestival event, and a live lecture series, all funded by reader subscriptions, book sales, and event tickets.
Product overview
RÆSON is a completely independent, non-profit Danish magazine about Danish and international politics. The offering consists of a unified portfolio centered on the core RÆSON Magazine (print, 4x/year) and the RÆSON Website (daily online articles), supported by RÆSONs Forlag (publishing house producing books like 'Verdens Magter'), the ÆRA history magazine (2x/year), multiple podcast series (Geopol, Krisecast, Ugen med RÆSON), the annual Vidensfestival event, RÆSON Live events series, and educational subscription services. The products share a unified focus on political and geopolitical analysis, expert commentary, and in-depth journalism.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Vidensfestival: Annual knowledge festival featuring lectures, debates, and presentations on current affairs and politics
- Geopol
- Krisecast
- ÆRA
Products and services
- RÆSON Magazine Subscription Annual subscription providing four quarterly print issues delivered by post before publication date and full digital access to all online content including archived articles on raeson.dk. Priced at 250 DKK/year for the general public and 200 DKK/year for students and pensioners. Includes member benefits such as free access to select events and discounts on books and selected events.
- ÆRA History Magazine Subscription Separate history magazine subscription covering history, culture, and cultural history with contributions from Denmark's leading historians, art historians, and archaeologists. Published twice yearly with annual subscription priced at 299 DKK (249 DKK for students and pensioners).
- RÆSONs Forlag (RÆSON Publishing Books) Publishing house producing books on politics, international affairs, and current events including titles like 'Verdens Magter' (6th edition 2025), 'Mellemøsten i Krig' (Middle East at War), 'Kina og verden' (China and the World), 'Latinamerika Nu', 'Verden på flugt', 'Olie og Vand', and many others. Sold through the webshop and Danish retailers.
- Vidensfestival (Knowledge Festival) Annual knowledge festival held at Imperial Bio in Copenhagen, featuring lectures, debates, and presentations on current affairs and politics. Tickets available with subscriber discounts of 50% or more. Held annually since 2012 with consistent sellouts demonstrating strong demand.
- RÆSON Live Events (Lectures and Conferences) Series of live events including lectures, panel discussions, and conferences held throughout Denmark featuring politicians, experts, and cultural personalities. Includes 'Tirsdage i Theatret' with Den Gamle By in Aarhus, 'Folket og Magten' conference with Rødding Højskole, Grundlovsdag at Testrup Højskole, and public lectures at libraries and Folkeuniversitetet locations nationwide.
- RÆSON in Education (Institutional Subscriptions) Educational subscription service providing tailored packages for educational institutions, including student and teacher access, printed magazine class sets, institutional web access, and custom arrangements for teaching social studies (samfundsfag) and political science courses at Danish universities, gymnasiums, and folk high schools.
Companies that use RÆSON
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
RÆSON technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
RÆSON partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Den Gamle By (The Old Town)coreOngoing collaboration on 'Tirsdage i Theatret' (Tuesdays at the Theatre) series held at Den Gamle By in Aarhus. The partnership includes regular lectures and talks as part of the museum's cultural program, with RÆSON branding and co-promotion.
- Rødding HøjskolecoreAnnual conference 'Folket og Magten' (People and Power) organized with Rødding Folk High School. Event has been held annually since 2017, typically selling out each year. Partnership includes planning, programming, and co-hosting.
- Testrup HøjskolecoreAnnual Grundlovsdag (Constitution Day) event held at Testrup Folk High School near Aarhus. Event has been sold out annually since inception. Partnership for lecture series and educational events.
- Askov HøjskoleminorCollaboration on educational events and lectures. RÆSON organizes events at the folk high school as part of its educational outreach program.
- VartovcoreVenue partner for RÆSON events in Copenhagen. Vartov (Farvergade 27A) serves as the headquarters location and hosts RÆSON's regular events and lectures including the 'Vejen til valget' series.
- Imperial Bio / ImperialcoreVenue for the annual Vidensfestival, held annually in Copenhagen. The festival typically sells out on Imperial's premises, with the 2026 edition sold out at record speed.
- ÆRA (History Magazine)coreÆRA is RÆSON's history magazine, launched March 2021. Published twice yearly, it received 6 hearts from Politiken. The two publications share branding, subscriber base, and occasionally cross-promote events. ÆRA is available at historiemagasinet.dk.
- Various Danish LibrariesminorPartnerships with libraries including Gentofte Bibliotek, Københavns Hovedbibliotek, and others for public lectures and events. Libraries serve as venues with free or low-cost admission.
- Folkeuniversitetet (Folk Universities)minorCollaboration for lectures and educational events at Folkeuniversitetet locations in Esbjerg, Kolding, Odense, Aalborg, and Vrå. RÆSON contributors serve as speakers.
- Historiske Dage (Historical Days)minorAnnual history festival in Copenhagen where ÆRA and RÆSON maintain a presence with content and promotion. Takes place in March.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves9 records
Expansion highlights6 records
RÆSON competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Politiken: Denmark's largest broadsheet newspaper and a regular reviewer of RÆSON's output. Competes for the same political analysis audience at much larger scale, but with a broader general-interest scope rather than RÆSON's specialist policy/geopolitics focus.
- Jyllands-Posten: Major Danish broadsheet with significant political analysis coverage. Competes for the same political commentary reader base at much greater scale; one of the mainstream outlets RÆSON positions against as an independent alternative.
- The Atlantic: US political, cultural, and ideas magazine also cited as a RÆSON analogue. Comparable mix of long-form political analysis and cultural commentary, but at much larger scale and broader scope.
- Politico Europe: European political journalism outlet covering EU and national politics across member states. Comparable focus on policy and political analysis, with subscription and event business models that parallel RÆSON's monetization mix.
Direct peers
- Foreign Policy Magazine: US-based magazine explicitly cited as RÆSON's international analogue. Comparable positioning around international affairs, foreign policy analysis, and expert-driven commentary for engaged readers — the most direct international format peer.
- Information (Danish newspaper): Denmark's flagship independent left-leaning daily newspaper. Closest direct peer to RÆSON — both position around independent, expert-driven political analysis rather than commercial neutrality, and compete for the same politically engaged Danish readers.
- Mandag Morgen: Danish think tank-turned-media outlet focused on policy analysis, societal trends, and long-form political commentary. Comparable subscriber-base positioning with educated professionals and policy audiences, similar independent editorial ethos.
- Weekendavisen: Danish weekly print publication covering politics, culture, and literature. Highly comparable to RÆSON's weekly/quarterly magazine format with emphasis on long-form analysis, cultural commentary, and a politically engaged readership.
- Zetland: Danish digital-first subscription media company built around long-form member-supported journalism. Closely comparable business model (paid subscription, no ads, expert-driven analysis) targeting similar Danish educated readership.
Regional players
- Det Norske Magasinet / Minerva: Norwegian independent magazine on politics, ideas, and culture — a Nordic regional peer. Comparable editorial mission, nonprofit-style positioning, and format mix of long-form analysis and book publishing.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
RÆSON social profiles
Digital presenceRÆSON financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
RÆSON leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
RÆSON subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
RÆSON funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
RÆSON 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 RÆSON
What does RÆSON do?
RÆSON publishes a quarterly print magazine and continuously updated website with independent, expert-written analysis of Danish and international politics. The portfolio extends to the ÆRA history magazine (launched 2021), a book publishing imprint (RÆSONs Forlag), multiple podcast series (Geopol, Krisecast, Ugen med RÆSON), the annual Vidensfestival event, and a live lecture series, all funded by reader subscriptions, book sales, and event tickets.
Is RÆSON a public or private company?
RÆSON is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was RÆSON founded?
RÆSON was founded in 2002. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is RÆSON based?
RÆSON is headquartered in Copenhagen, Denmark, in the Europe region.
How does RÆSON make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Subscription Revenue is the primary driver. The others are print and Book Sales and event Revenue.
Who are RÆSON's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Politiken, Jyllands-Posten, The Atlantic and Politico Europe. Direct peers are Foreign Policy Magazine, Information (Danish newspaper), Mandag Morgen, Weekendavisen and Zetland. Det Norske Magasinet / Minerva is listed as a regional player.
Does RÆSON have an API?
No public API is recorded for RÆSON.
What industry is RÆSON in?
RÆSON's product category is Independent Political Journalism and Publishing. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAJAEAO, News, Politics & Current Affairs Magazines, with a secondary code of MPAJAAAM, Politics, Current Affairs & Social Commentary Publishing. Its NAICS code is 51312 and its SIC code is 2721.