David Hume Institute

What David Hume Institute does

The David Hume Institute is an independent Scottish think tank founded in 1985 and headquartered in Edinburgh, registered as a charity (SC009579) in Scotland. It is a small organization of approximately 7 employees whose mission is to provide rigorous, evidence-based research and critical analysis on Scotland's economy and society, targeting policymakers, business leaders, and the general public. Its core products include the recurring Understanding Scotland Economy Tracker (produced in partnership with Worldpanel by Numerator and CEBR on behalf of Asda's Income Tracker), The Legacy Project (examining philosopher David Hume's relevance), The Action Project, and Project Granite, supplemented by hosted events, economy briefings, and a book discussion group.

The institute's revenue model is donation-based rather than commercial: events are offered free of charge, with only a £15 late cancellation fee, and funding is derived from charitable donations processed through the Charities Aid Foundation (CAF) Donate platform. Its technology stack is essentially an event management and marketing automation layer — Eventbrite for ticketing, Mailchimp and HubSpot for email and CRM, and Squarespace for web — rather than a proprietary research platform. Its competitive position depends on brand reputation, recurring data partnerships, and a network of senior Scottish and international speakers.

In 2026 the institute has continued active operations, hosting events including the August 2026 Understanding Scotland Economy Tracker briefing and a Festival of Politics housing event, while the organization absorbed the loss of its longtime Director Jeremy Peat in April 2026. The institute's geographic footprint remains Scotland-only, with no disclosed expansion plans or external investment.

Name

David Hume Institute

Legal name

David Hume Institute

Website

https://davidhumeinstitute.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The David Hume Institute is an Edinburgh-based independent Scottish think tank (founded 1985, charity SC009579) that produces evidence-based economic research — primarily the Understanding Scotland Economy Tracker — and hosts free policy events for policymakers, business leaders, and the public.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Policy Research Services

NAICS

Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (54172), Marketing Research and Public Opinion Polling (54191)

SIC

Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700)

akta.pro primary industry

Think Tanks, Policy Research & Public Policy Institutes (BPAGAFAO)

akta.pro secondary industry

Economic & Macroeconomic Research (BPAHALAD)

Keywords

• Economic policy research
• Think tank analysis
• Public policy research
• Economic tracker reports
• Independent research institute

Headquarters

HQ city

Edinburgh

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The David Hume Institute is an independent Scottish think tank that produces rigorous economic and policy research about Scotland's economy and society. Its flagship offering is the Understanding Scotland Economy Tracker, a regular economic research publication produced in partnership with Worldpanel by Numerator and CEBR. The Institute also runs dedicated research initiatives (The Legacy Project, The Action Project, Project Granite), hosts economy briefings, panel discussions, and a book group, and publishes blogs and press releases aimed at informing public and policy debate.

Product overview

The David Hume Institute is a think tank and research institute that offers a portfolio of research services and programs focused on critical thinking, economic analysis, and public policy for Scotland. Its primary offering is the Understanding Scotland Economy Tracker, which provides regular economic insights. The institute also conducts research through dedicated projects including The Legacy Project (examining David Hume's philosophy), The Action Project, and Project Granite. Additional offerings include hosted events, press releases, and blog content. The organization functions as a charitable research institution rather than a commercial product company, with its services provided free of charge to the public.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Understanding Scotland Economy Tracker

Quantifiable outcome

• Cost of Living Tracker reveals Scots' top concerns including NHS and cost of living issues

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Worldpanel by NumeratorcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 August 2026Provides consumer panel data for the Understanding Scotland Economy Tracker, contributing insights on household spending and economic conditions affecting Scottish residents.
• CEBR (Centre for Economics and Business Research)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 August 2026Collaborates on the Understanding Scotland Economy Tracker, providing economic analysis and forecasting for Asda's Income Tracker component of the research.
• AsdaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAsda's Income Tracker is incorporated into the Understanding Scotland Economy Tracker research, providing data on household income and spending patterns.
• South of Scotland EnterpriseminorGTM or Marketing PartnerParticipated as a speaker/reflection contributor at the Understanding Scotland Economy Tracker May 2026 event.
• B Local ScotlandminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCo-Chair B Local Scotland participated as a speaker at the May 2026 Economy Tracker event.
• NC500minorGTM or Marketing PartnerExecutive Chair of NC500 participated as a speaker at the May 2026 Economy Tracker event.
• Scottish Federation of Housing Associations (SFHA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEli Harij from SFHA participated in the Festival of Politics housing event discussing Scotland's housing challenges.
• Festival of PoliticsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-hosts housing events with the Festival of Politics to discuss Scotland's housing challenges.
• EventbritecoreTechnology or IntegrationTechnology platform used for event registration and ticketing. Privacy policy references Eventbrite's data handling practices.
• MailchimpcoreTechnology or IntegrationEmail marketing platform used for newsletter distribution and mailing list management.
• HubSpotcoreTechnology or IntegrationCRM platform used for customer relationship management and marketing automation.
• Charities Aid Foundation (CAF) DonatecoreTechnology or IntegrationDonation processing system used to accept and process charitable donations.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Scottish Policy Research Exchange: Scotland-focused independent policy research organization. Comparable in producing evidence-based Scottish policy research and operating on charitable funding model, though with somewhat broader policy scope.
• IPPR Scotland: Scotland arm of the Institute for Public Policy Research, producing progressive economic and social policy research with similar charity/think-tank funding model and shared Scottish policy audience.
• Fraser of Allander Institute: Scotland's leading economic research institute based at the University of Strathclyde. Direct peer with overlapping Scotland-focused economic analysis, comparable Tracker-style publications, and shared audience of policymakers and business leaders.
• Onward: UK think tank focused on economic and social policy research with active publication and events program. Comparable in mission to elevate public policy debate and produces similar Tracker-style publications.
• Reform Scotland: Independent Scottish think tank producing research on economy, public services, and taxation. Comparable in scale and mission to DHI, with overlapping focus on evidence-based Scottish policy debate.

Broad incumbents

• Resolution Foundation: UK-wide think tank focused on living standards, low pay, and economic policy. Comparable research methodology and target audience of policymakers, but operates at significantly greater scale across the broader UK economy.
• Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR): Leading international economic research network. Comparable in producing rigorous economic analysis and policy research; DHI's partner CEBR sits within this broader ecosystem of economic research institutions.
• Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS): Highly regarded UK economic research institute focusing on fiscal policy and public finances. Comparable in independent evidence-based research methodology and credibility with policymakers.
• National Institute of Economic and Social Research (NIESR): UK's oldest economic research institute, producing macroeconomic analysis and forecasts. Comparable focus on economic data-driven research serving policymakers, but at significantly greater scale and with UK-wide scope.

Regional players

• Centre for Cities: UK think tank focused on urban economic policy and city-level economic analysis. Comparable economic research methodology and think-tank operating model, but focused on English cities rather than Scotland.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/david-hume-institute

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 David Hume Institute