Next System Studies at Mason
Next System Studies at Mason is an academic research initiative at George Mason University that studies alternatives to current social, economic, and political systems through six programs, serving GMU students, Northern Virginia community organizations, and academic researchers.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2022
- HeadquartersFairfax, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Next System Studies at Mason does
Next System Studies at Mason (NSS) is an academic research initiative at George Mason University (GMU) that studies and develops alternatives to prevailing social, economic, and political systems. Founded in 2021 and launched publicly with its first Democratizing NOVA Summit in April 2022, NSS operates as a joint initiative of the Center for Social Science Research (CSSR) and the Department of Sociology and Anthropology (SOAN), with institutional support from the College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHSS) and the College of Engineering and Computing (CEC). It is organized as a portfolio of six interconnected programs: Democratizing NOVA (DNOVA), a community-university partnership for democratic regional transition in Northern Virginia; the Digital Commonwealth Lab, focused on democratic digital infrastructure; the Next Constitutions Research Lab, coordinating global scholarship on constitutional change; the Next System Fellows program, a student fellowship with internships and a $1,000 honorarium; the Next System Speaker Series; and the Next System Teach-Ins, a multi-site educational event held across the Americas.
The initiative does not develop commercial technology products and has no proprietary software or revenue-generating AI/ML capabilities. Its primary outputs are academic research, community partnerships, fellowship training, and educational events. The leadership team is small (approximately 5 personnel) and includes a director who is also a tenure-track assistant professor of sociology, a director of community-engaged research with a PhD in anthropology, a co-director of the Fellows program, and project managers for DNOVA and the Digital Commonwealth Project. Strategic research partners include The Democracy Collaborative, the Center for Economic Democracy, the Virginia Asian Chamber of Commerce, the Virginia Asian Foundation, and the Brooklyn Institute for Social Research, while fellowship internship partners span advocacy organizations such as Public Citizen, FairVote, Move to Amend, World Beyond War, and the Northern Virginia AFL-CIO.
As a non-commercial academic initiative within a public state university, NSS does not generate revenue in the traditional sense. Its funding flows through GMU college budgets, philanthropic giving via the university advancement portal, and co-sponsorship from external partners. The entity serves three primary constituencies: GMU students seeking careers in public service, research, and advocacy; Northern Virginia community organizations focused on community wealth building and civic participation; and academic researchers studying social movements, constitutional change, and democratic alternatives. The headquarters is at George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia, with programmatic reach extending to the broader Northern Virginia region and, through the Teach-Ins network, to 11 sites across the Americas.
Next System Studies at Mason firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Next System Studies at Mason
- Legal name
- Next System Studies at George Mason University
- Website
- https://nextsystem.gmu.edu
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2022
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Next System Studies at Mason is an academic research initiative at George Mason University that studies alternatives to current social, economic, and political systems through six programs, serving GMU students, Northern Virginia community organizations, and academic researchers.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Next System Studies at Mason industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Academic Research Services
- NAICS
- Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (54172), Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (541720)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Public Research Universities with Multi-Campus Systems (EDAHAAAI)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Social Sciences Scholarly Publishing (EDAGAFAD)
Keywords
Where Next System Studies at Mason is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Fairfax
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Next System Studies at Mason business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels6 records
Next System Studies at Mason product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Next System Studies at Mason is an academic research initiative at George Mason University that studies alternatives to current social, economic, and political systems. It runs research labs, fellowships, speaker series, and community-engaged programs aimed at students, scholars, and community partners.
Product overview
Next System Studies at Mason is an academic research initiative at George Mason University, not a technology product company. It operates as a multi-project portfolio focused on social systems transformation, comprising six interconnected programs: the Democratizing NOVA (DNOVA) community partnership for regional democratic transition; the Digital Commonwealth Lab for democratic digital infrastructure; the Next Constitutions Research Lab for constitutional change scholarship; the Next System Fellows educational program; the annual Next System Speaker Series; and the Next System Teach-Ins collaborative event series. These programs collectively advance research, education, and community engagement around democratic, just, and sustainable alternatives to current economic, political, and social systems.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Democratizing NOVA (DNOVA): A community-university partnership dedicated to a democratic, just, and sustainable transition in Northern Virginia
- Digital Commonwealth Lab
- Next Constitutions Lab
- Next System Fellows
- Next System Teach-Ins
Companies that use Next System Studies at Mason
Customer profileSegments3 records
Next System Studies at Mason technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Next System Studies at Mason partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
20 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.
- Center for Social Science Research (CSSR)coreNext System Studies is an initiative of the Center for Social Science Research at George Mason University. CSSR provides institutional support, research infrastructure, and administrative framework for NSS programs and activities.
- Department of Sociology and Anthropology (SOAN)coreNSS is jointly an initiative of the Department of Sociology and Anthropology, which provides academic oversight and faculty participation in NSS research and educational programs.
- College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHSS)coreCHSS provides institutional support and funding for Next System Studies as one of its research initiatives.
- College of Engineering and Computing (CEC)majorCEC supports Next System Studies in its efforts related to technology, digital infrastructure, and computational approaches to system change research.
- Virginia Asian Chamber of Commerce (VACC)majorVACC has co-sponsored DNOVA Summits and provides underwriting support for events and initiatives focused on building inclusive economic systems in Northern Virginia.
- Virginia Asian Foundation (VAF)majorVAF has co-sponsored DNOVA Summits and provides financial support for community-university partnerships focused on equitable regional development.
- Virginia Solidarity Economy NetworkmajorPartner organization for DNOVA initiatives focused on solidarity economy, cooperative development, and community wealth building in Northern Virginia.
- The Democracy CollaborativemajorStrategic partner for research on community wealth building, democratic economy, and systemic alternatives. Co-produces the Index of Systemic Trends report.
- Semillero de Economía Solidaria (SECOSOL)majorWorker cooperative incubator and developer partner providing internship opportunities for Next System Fellows focused on solidarity economy initiatives.
- Center for Economic Democracy (CED)majorStrategic partner focused on community wealth building, economic democracy, and policy development for alternative economic systems.
- Lazera MinistriesmajorCommunity partner for DNOVA initiatives focused on economic justice and community development in underserved communities.
- Move to AmendminorFellowship internship partner focused on campaign to end corporate personhood and money in politics.
- FairVoteminorFellowship internship partner organization working on electoral reform and democratic participation.
- Institute for Policy StudiesminorFellowship internship partner focused on progressive policy research and advocacy.
- Institute for Social EcologyminorFellowship internship partner focused on social ecology and environmental justice movements.
- Northern Virginia Federation of Labor (AFL-CIO)minorFellowship internship partner focused on labor rights and worker organizing in Northern Virginia.
- Poor People's ArmyminorFellowship internship partner focused on economic human rights campaigns.
- Public CitizenminorFellowship internship partner focused on consumer advocacy and democratic participation.
- World Beyond WarminorFellowship internship partner focused on war abolition and global peace movement.
- Brooklyn Institute for Social ResearchmajorAcademic partner contributing speakers and research collaboration on topics of social movements, racial capitalism, and democratic alternatives.
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Next System Studies at Mason competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- FairVote: NSS fellowship partner working on electoral reform and democratic participation. Directly comparable in its focus on democratic governance reform and systemic alternatives.
- The Democracy Collaborative: Community wealth-building research and policy organization that co-produces the Index of Systemic Trends with NSS and shares its focus on democratic and equitable economic alternatives. Directly comparable mission, methodology, and movement positioning.
- Institute for Policy Studies: Progressive policy research organization and NSS fellowship partner working on systemic alternatives, economic human rights, and democratic governance. Comparable in scholarly output and movement engagement.
- Brooklyn Institute for Social Research: Academic partner of NSS providing collaborative programming on social movements and democratic alternatives. Comparable as an alternative higher-education institution focused on critical social research.
- Public Citizen: NSS fellowship partner and consumer advocacy organization working on democratic participation and corporate accountability. Comparable as a long-standing movement organization addressing systemic reform.
- Demos: Public-interest think tank focused on democracy, economic justice, and racial equity — directly overlapping NSS's research agenda on democratic participation and alternative economic systems.
- Roosevelt Institute: Progressive economic think tank producing research on inequality, democratic economy, and structural reform. Closely comparable as a research-driven organization shaping alternative economic policy frameworks.
- Move to Amend: NSS fellowship partner running the campaign to end corporate personhood. Comparable as a movement organization addressing constitutional and structural reform.
- Center for Economic Democracy: NSS strategic partner focused on community wealth building and economic democracy policy. Directly comparable as a movement-academic hybrid pursuing systemic alternatives.
Broad incumbents
- Economic Policy Institute: Established economic policy research organization producing analysis on inequality and labor markets. Comparable in research-output methodology and progressive policy positioning, though broader in economic scope.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Next System Studies at Mason social profiles
Digital presenceNext System Studies at Mason financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Next System Studies at Mason leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Next System Studies at Mason funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Next System Studies at Mason 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 Next System Studies at Mason
What does Next System Studies at Mason do?
Next System Studies at Mason is an academic research initiative at George Mason University that studies alternatives to current social, economic, and political systems. It runs research labs, fellowships, speaker series, and community-engaged programs aimed at students, scholars, and community partners.
Is Next System Studies at Mason a public or private company?
Next System Studies at Mason is a private company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.
When was Next System Studies at Mason founded?
Next System Studies at Mason was founded in 2022. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Next System Studies at Mason based?
Next System Studies at Mason is headquartered in Fairfax, United States, in the North America region.
Who are Next System Studies at Mason's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are FairVote, The Democracy Collaborative, Institute for Policy Studies, Brooklyn Institute for Social Research, Public Citizen, Demos, Roosevelt Institute, Move to Amend and Center for Economic Democracy. Economic Policy Institute is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Next System Studies at Mason have an API?
No public API is recorded for Next System Studies at Mason.
What industry is Next System Studies at Mason in?
Next System Studies at Mason's product category is Academic Research Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAHAAAI, Public Research Universities with Multi-Campus Systems, with a secondary code of EDAGAFAD, Social Sciences Scholarly Publishing. Its NAICS code is 54172.