Club of Rome

What Club of Rome does

Club of Rome is a Munich-based non-profit think tank founded in 1987 that operates Earth4All, an international research and advocacy initiative launched in 2022 to drive transformation of the global economic system toward wellbeing for all on a stable planet. The initiative's core intellectual products are two scenario models — "Too Little Too Late" and "Giant Leap" — and a policy framework of "Five Extraordinary Turnarounds" covering poverty eradication, inequality reduction, empowerment, energy transition, and food systems change. It runs the Transformational Economics Commission of leading economic thinkers, a G20-wide citizen survey instrument (Earth for All Survey 2024 across 18 countries), a Sustainable and Inclusive Wellbeing research stream using geospatial ML, and national engagement programs in Kenya, Argentina, Brazil, Romania, and Estonia. Outputs are non-digital: publications, surveys, books ("Earth for All: A Survival Guide for Humanity"), podcasts, facilitation guides, citizens' assemblies advocacy, and convening at multilateral forums including COP30, Davos, and the Wellbeing Economy Forum.

Club of Rome operates a non-commercial, foundation-funded model. Revenue is sourced from institutional foundation grants — Angela Wright Bennett Foundation, Generation Foundation, Global Challenges Foundation, Laudes Foundation, and Partners for a New Economy — with no disclosed pricing model, commercial products, or paying customers. Distribution is through digital channels (website, newsletter, social media on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok), events, publications, book retail, and an international partner network spanning the Stockholm Resilience Centre, Potsdam Institute, EU Joint Research Centre, WeAll, Global Commons Alliance, and regional think tanks. The organization employs 11-50 staff and its primary audiences are governments and policymakers, citizens and civil society, scientists and economists, and multilateral organizations.

Name

Club of Rome

Website

https://earth4all.life

Company type

Private

Founded year

1987

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Club of Rome is a Munich-based non-profit think tank operating Earth4All, an international initiative that combines scenario modeling, economic research, and policy advocacy to drive systemic transformation toward people- and planet-centered economies, funded by institutional foundations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sustainability Research & Advocacy

NAICS

Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813), Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services (5416), Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (54172)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Climate Change Mitigation & Adaptation (BPAGAGAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Environment, Climate & Sustainable Development IGOs (BPADAAAI), Sustainable Agriculture & Food Systems (BPAGAGAI), Circular Economy & Resource Efficiency (BPADALAM)

Keywords

• Sustainability research
• Economic systems modeling
• Climate change advocacy
• Wellbeing economics
• Scenario analysis

Headquarters

HQ city

Munich

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Foundation Grants: The initiative is supported by multiple foundations including the Angela Wright Bennett Foundation, Generation Foundation, Global Challenges Foundation, Laudes Foundation, and Partners for a New Economy. These foundations provide funding for the initiative's operations, research, and advocacy work.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels13 records

Core offering

The Club of Rome, through its Earth4All initiative, conducts science-based research, scenario modeling, and advocacy to drive a transformation of the global economic system toward wellbeing for all on a stable planet. Its deliverables include the Earth for All book, the annual Earth for All global survey, country-level national engagement reports, the Transformational Economics Commission, and the Five Extraordinary Turnarounds framework, distributed to governments, citizens, civil society, and the scientific community.

Product overview

Earth4All is an international research and advocacy initiative backed by scientists and economic thinkers focused on transforming the global economic system to prioritize people and planet. The organization does not offer a software product or technology platform. Its offerings consist entirely of non-digital research outputs, publications, and engagement programs: the Earth for All book (a survival guide for humanity), periodic Earth for All surveys on economic systems change, analytical deep-dive reports on topics such as the Universal Basic Dividend and decarbonization pathways, citizens' assembly facilitation guides, interactive storybooks, card games, and workshop facilitation materials. These are advocacy and educational resources rather than software products or services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Earth for All: A Survival Guide for Humanity (Book)

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and regional.

• Club of RomecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Club of Rome is the parent organization of Earth4All. Earth4All builds on the legacies of The Limits to Growth and Planetary Boundaries framework. The initiative brings together economists, scientists and multidisciplinary thought leaders under the Club of Rome's umbrella to accelerate the shift towards wellbeing and prosperity for all on a stable planet.
• Stockholm Resilience CentrecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-creator of the Planetary Boundaries framework which Earth4All builds upon. Provides scientific advisory and research collaboration.
• Partnership for Economic Policy (PEP)regionalStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-authored Kenya National Engagement report with Earth4All, providing economic policy expertise for national transformation strategies.
• Kenya Institute for Public Policy Research and Analysis (KIPPRA)regionalStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment think tank co-authoring Kenya National Engagement report as part of Earth4All's country-level engagement program.
• Millennium InstituteregionalStrategic or Co-development PartnerDevelopment economics institute co-authoring Kenya National Engagement report, contributing modeling and development expertise.
• Power Shift AfricaregionalStrategic or Co-development PartnerAfrican climate think tank collaborating on Africa-focused deep-dive papers including 'Africa's just transition opportunity' analysis.
• Independent Expert Group on Just Transition and DevelopmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerExpert group whose analysis on just transition Earth4All's Africa paper explores, contributing to coherent approach to climate, energy and development policies.
• Global Commons AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in commissioning the Earth for All Survey 2024 covering 18 G20 countries, providing global survey data on economic transformation attitudes.
• Global Citizens' Assembly CoalitioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition launching Global Citizens' Assembly for People and Planet at COP30, with Earth4All advocating for citizen participation in climate decision-making.
• WeAll (Wellbeing Economy Alliance)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal collaboration organizing Draw the Line Global Days of Action, hosting joint panels on economic systems change with Earth4All.
• Rahvakogu (Estonian participatory democracy organization)regionalStrategic or Co-development PartnerCivil society organization conducting Citizens' Panel on Good Life in Estonia, inspired by Earth4All turnarounds framework.
• Joint Research Centre (EU)regionalStrategic or Co-development PartnerEU research body hosting workshops on Beyond GDP measurement frameworks, with Earth4All researchers contributing recommendations to UN High Level Expert Group.
• Transformational Economics Commission MemberscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational commission of leading economic thinkers including Kate Pickett, Robert Costanza, Sandrine Dixson-Declève, and others exploring new economic paradigms.
• Scientific Advisory TeamcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerScientists including Luana Schwarz and Jonathan Donges from Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) providing research and modeling support.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• World Economic Forum: Earth4All delivered an 'Alternative Davos Address' positioning against WEF's economic framing. WEF is the broader incumbent convening global leaders on economic and climate policy and reaching many of the same policymaker and media audiences.
• OECD: OECD's Beyond GDP initiative and wellbeing frameworks directly overlap with Earth4All's SIW work. As an intergovernmental policy body with direct member-state access, OECD is the broader incumbent pursuing parallel measurement and policy reform agendas.
• World Resources Institute: Global research organization producing sustainability research and policy analysis with overlapping climate, food systems, and economic transformation agendas, but at much larger scale and broader scope.
• United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP): Multilateral body coordinating international environmental policy and engaging with COP processes where Earth4All is active. Operates at much larger scale with direct governmental mandate on climate and sustainability.

Direct peers

• Wellbeing Economy Alliance (WeAll): Global collaboration organizing Draw the Line Global Days of Action and joint panels on economic systems change with Earth4All. Both organizations advocate for post-growth, wellbeing-based economic models with overlapping membership and partner networks.
• Global Challenges Foundation: Foundation supporter of Earth4All and operator of parallel governance/policy research on global catastrophic risks. Operates with similar convening, scenario modeling, and policy-advocacy approach.
• Stockholm Resilience Centre: Co-creator of the Planetary Boundaries framework that Earth4All builds on. Both are research/advocacy organizations working at the intersection of systems science, planetary limits, and economic policy transformation.
• New Economics Foundation: UK-based think tank pioneering post-growth, wellbeing-economy research and policy recommendations. Shares Earth4All's framing of economic systems transformation, citizen engagement, and alternatives to GDP.

Others

• Club of Madrid: Similar membership-based international organization of leaders focused on democratic governance and policy reform. Comparable structure (membership network, thought leadership, advocacy) and brand positioning in the global policy ecosystem.

Emerging players

• Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK): Scientific partner via Luana Schwarz and Jonathan Donges on Earth4All's Scientific Advisory Team. Conducts the integrated assessment and Earth-system modeling that underpins Earth4All's Giant Leap and Too Little Too Late scenarios.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/globalchallengesnetwork

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Club of Rome