THE SIMONS FOUNDATION, INC.
The Simons Foundation is a private philanthropy founded in 1975 by Jim Simons that advances basic science and mathematics through grantmaking, the Flatiron Institute's five computational research centers, the SFARI autism initiative, and science publications such as Quanta Magazine.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1975
- HeadquartersNew York, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What THE SIMONS FOUNDATION, INC. does
The Simons Foundation is a private philanthropy founded in 1975 by mathematician and investor Jim Simons, headquartered in New York City, and governed under chair Marilyn Hawrys Simons with David Spergel serving as President since 2021. Its mission is to advance the frontiers of research in mathematics and the basic sciences. It does this primarily as a grantmaker and operator of in-house research, not as a seller of products or services. Funding flows through endowment returns, and program areas span Mathematics and Physical Sciences, Life Sciences, SFARI (autism), Neuroscience, Simons Collaborations, the Flatiron Institute, Science/Society/Culture, and Multidisciplinary Programs.
The foundation's core technical engine is the Flatiron Institute, which it operates as a wholly-owned research division running five computational centers: the Center for Computational Astrophysics (CCA), Center for Computational Biology (CCB), Center for Computational Mathematics (CCM), Center for Computational Neuroscience (CCN), and Center for Computational Quantum Physics (CCQ). These centers produce large-scale simulation suites (Quijote, CAMELS), the Santa Cruz Semi-Analytic Model, and AI/ML tools including SimBIG for cosmological parameter estimation and Denario, an autonomous AI research companion. The foundation runs the Simons Award Manager (SAM) as its grantmaking infrastructure, publishes Quanta Magazine and The Transmitter as science communication channels, and supports awards and travel grants tied to events such as ICM 2026 and the Fields Medals.
The foundation is funded by the Simons family endowment and supplements private philanthropy with international collaboration networks. Its customers, in operational terms, are the global academic research community — individual researchers, graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and research institutions — rather than paying enterprises. Pricing is not applicable because the foundation does not sell products or services; instead it distributes grant funding, fellowships, in-house research output, and public-facing science journalism. Distribution channels include direct grant programs, the five Flatiron research centers, Simons Collaborations across multiple institutions, public lectures, ICM-affiliated programming, and media properties such as Quanta.
THE SIMONS FOUNDATION, INC. firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- THE SIMONS FOUNDATION, INC.
- Legal name
- Simons Foundation
- Website
- https://simonsfoundation.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1975
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- The Simons Foundation is a private philanthropy founded in 1975 by Jim Simons that advances basic science and mathematics through grantmaking, the Flatiron Institute's five computational research centers, the SFARI autism initiative, and science publications such as Quanta Magazine.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
THE SIMONS FOUNDATION, INC. industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Scientific Research Philanthropy
- NAICS
- Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813), Voluntary Health Organizations (813212), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (54172)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Private Foundations (BPAGAKAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Research & Science Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAI), Health & Medical Research Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAL), Education Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAK), Scholarship & Fellowship Foundations and Trusts (EDADAHAC)
Keywords
Where THE SIMONS FOUNDATION, INC. is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- New York
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
THE SIMONS FOUNDATION, INC. business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Philanthropic Endowment: The Simons Foundation is funded primarily through the endowment of Jim Simons and Marilyn Simons, using investment returns to fund grants and research operations.
- Research Grants and Funding: The foundation provides grant funding to researchers, institutions, and collaborations in mathematics, physical sciences, life sciences, autism research, and neuroscience.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels9 records
THE SIMONS FOUNDATION, INC. product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Simons Foundation is a private philanthropy that advances research in mathematics and the basic sciences by providing grants, fellowships, and collaborative research funding to academic researchers and institutions. It also operates the Flatiron Institute, which conducts computational scientific research across five centers covering astrophysics, biology, mathematics, neuroscience, and quantum physics, and it publishes science journalism through Quanta Magazine and The Transmitter.
Product overview
The Simons Foundation is a private philanthropy advancing research in mathematics and basic sciences through grantmaking and the Flatiron Institute. The Flatiron Institute is a division conducting computational research through five centers (Computational Astrophysics, Computational Biology, Computational Mathematics, Computational Neuroscience, and Computational Quantum Physics), plus the Scientific Computing Core. These centers develop AI/ML tools including SimBIG for cosmological analysis, the Quijote and CAMELS simulation suites, and the Denario autonomous AI research companion. The foundation also operates SFARI for autism research, Quanta Magazine for science journalism, and provides funding through programs like the Simons Society of Fellows. The overall portfolio is a platform of research divisions plus grantmaking programs, not a unified software product.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Flatiron Institute: A division of the Simons Foundation that conducts computational research across astrophysics, biology, mathematics, neuroscience, and quantum physics
- SFARI
Products and services
- Flatiron Institute A division of the Simons Foundation that conducts computational research across five centers, developing software, simulations, and AI tools for scientific discovery in astrophysics, biology, mathematics, neuroscience, and quantum physics.
- SFARI (Simons Foundation Autism Research Initiative) A program area dedicated to advancing understanding of autism spectrum disorders through research funding, grants, and scientific collaboration with the research community.
- Quanta Magazine
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 300 gravitational wave detections contributed to through research
- +8 more outcomes
Companies that use THE SIMONS FOUNDATION, INC.
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
THE SIMONS FOUNDATION, INC. technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability8 records
Feature8 records
THE SIMONS FOUNDATION, INC. partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
18 partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- International Mathematical Union (IMU)corePartnership with IMU for ICM 2026 travel grants, providing support to 688 mathematicians from 76 developing countries to attend the International Congress of Mathematicians in Philadelphia
- Commission for Developing Countries (CDC)corePartnership with CDC to support mathematicians from developing countries to attend ICM 2026
- American Mathematical Society (AMS)corePartnership with AMS for ICM 2026, the first ICM in the United States since 1986
- Simons Collaboration on the Global Brain (SCGB)coreResearch collaboration focused on neuroscience and neural circuits, part of the Simons Foundation's autism and neuroscience research initiatives
- Simons Collaboration on Learning the UniversecoreCollaboration directed by Greg Bryan of Columbia University to understand and determine the evolution and initial conditions of the universe using observations via Bayesian forward modeling
- Simons Collaboration on Ocean Processes and Ecology (SCOPE)coreCollaboration focused on microbial oceanography and marine ecosystem research
- Simons Collaboration on Probabilistic Paths to Quantum Field TheorycoreCollaboration directed by Scott Sheffield at MIT bringing together experts in probability, analysis, and mathematical physics to develop probabilistic foundations for Euclidean QFT
- Simons Collaboration on New Structures in Low-Dimensional TopologycoreCollaboration bringing together mathematicians and physicists to study three- and four-dimensional manifolds with applications to physics
- Simons Collaboration on Confinement and QCD StringscoreCollaboration working on understanding quark confinement and Yang-Mills theory through string theory approaches, directed by Igor Klebanov at Princeton
- Simons Collaboration on Localization of WavescoreCollaboration focused on wave localization phenomena in mathematical physics
- Simons Collaboration on Plasticity and the Aging BraincoreCollaboration exploring how the brain grows old, with funding for research awards, fellows, and conferences
- Simons Collaboration on Mott Multichannel (Simons Foundation)corePart of the Simons Collaborations in MPS focusing on condensed matter physics
- Simons ObservatorycoreCollaboration on cosmic microwave background research, with CCA leading data reduction pipeline development
- NASA (James Webb Space Telescope, Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope)corePartnership providing semi-analytic forecasts using JWST and Roman Space Telescope data for galaxy formation research
- Stony Brook University Simons Center for Geometry and PhysicscoreUniversity-based center supported by Simons Foundation for geometry and physics research
- University of Birmingham Institute of Gravitational Wave AstronomycoreAcademic partnership with Will Farr, who holds joint position at University of Birmingham and Stony Brook University/CCA
- Lean Focused Research Organization (FRO)coreLean FRO received $5 million gift from Simons Foundation International and related support from Simons Foundation for proof assistant software development
- Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS-V)coreCollaboration on galaxy formation research using SDSS-V panoptic spectroscopy data
Scale indicators13 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
THE SIMONS FOUNDATION, INC. competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- John Templeton Foundation: The Templeton Foundation funds research at the intersection of science, philosophy, and theology, with significant grants in cosmology, psychology, and mathematics. It is an emerging-style peer in basic science philanthropy with some overlap in MPS and mathematics, but a distinct mission framing.
Direct peers
- Alfred P. Sloan Foundation: The Sloan Foundation is a private grantmaking foundation that supports basic scientific research in mathematics, physics, computer science, and economics, with fellowships and research programs. It is a direct peer: comparable focus on basic science, similar scale of grants, and direct overlap with MPS program areas.
- Kavli Foundation: The Kavli Foundation funds basic science research in astrophysics, nanoscience, neuroscience, and theoretical physics and operates endowed institutes at major universities. It is a direct peer in pure science philanthropy and shares the model of endowing research institutes to advance long-horizon scientific agendas.
- Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation: The Moore Foundation funds science, environmental conservation, and patient care improvement, with major commitments to fundamental research, including chemistry, physics, and data science. Comparable to the Simons Foundation in its emphasis on basic science grantmaking and investigator-driven research programs.
- Arnold and Mabel Beckman Foundation: The Beckman Foundation supports fundamental research in chemistry and the life sciences and funds instrumentation, young investigators, and centers. It is a direct peer in basic science philanthropy with a similar focus on early-career programs and instrumentation, though at a smaller scale.
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI): HHMI is a large private biomedical research organization that funds investigator scientists, runs its own research campus (Janelia), and awards grants in life sciences. It is the closest direct peer to the Simons Foundation in structure (private philanthropy + internal research) and in funding life and physical sciences, though HHMI is more heavily concentrated in biomedicine.
- Research Corporation for Science Advancement: Research Corporation for Science Advancement is one of the oldest U.S. science foundations, supporting early-career researchers in physics, chemistry, and astronomy through Cottrell Scholars and other award programs. It is a direct peer in the basic science grantmaking niche, though at a meaningfully smaller scale.
Broad incumbents
- Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI): CZI is a large philanthropic organization that funds biomedical research, science education, and computational biology through its Science program and Bio Hub network. It is a broad incumbent peer with strong overlap in computational biology and neuroscience, and a comparable ambition to deploy computational tools for scientific discovery.
- Wellcome Trust: Wellcome is one of the world's largest research-focused charitable foundations, supporting discovery research, translational science, and public engagement in health. It is a broad incumbent peer given comparable scale, international footprint, and a research-centric funding model that overlaps with SFARI's neuroscience portfolio.
- Helmsley Charitable Trust: The Helmsley Charitable Trust is a large private foundation with significant programs in health, education, and conservation, including biomedical research funding. It is a broad incumbent peer given comparable scale and a portfolio that includes health research investments adjacent to SFARI's mission.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
THE SIMONS FOUNDATION, INC. social profiles
Digital presenceTHE SIMONS FOUNDATION, INC. financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
THE SIMONS FOUNDATION, INC. leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
THE SIMONS FOUNDATION, INC. subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries2 records
THE SIMONS FOUNDATION, INC. funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
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THE SIMONS FOUNDATION, INC. M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
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Frequently asked questions about THE SIMONS FOUNDATION, INC.
What does THE SIMONS FOUNDATION, INC. do?
The Simons Foundation is a private philanthropy that advances research in mathematics and the basic sciences by providing grants, fellowships, and collaborative research funding to academic researchers and institutions. It also operates the Flatiron Institute, which conducts computational scientific research across five centers covering astrophysics, biology, mathematics, neuroscience, and quantum physics, and it publishes science journalism through Quanta Magazine and The Transmitter.
Is THE SIMONS FOUNDATION, INC. a public or private company?
THE SIMONS FOUNDATION, INC. is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was THE SIMONS FOUNDATION, INC. founded?
THE SIMONS FOUNDATION, INC. was founded in 1975. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is THE SIMONS FOUNDATION, INC. based?
THE SIMONS FOUNDATION, INC. is headquartered in New York, United States, in the North America region.
How does THE SIMONS FOUNDATION, INC. make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Philanthropic Endowment is the primary driver. The others are research Grants and Funding.
Who are THE SIMONS FOUNDATION, INC.'s main competitors?
John Templeton Foundation is listed as an emerging player. Direct peers are Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, Kavli Foundation, Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, Arnold and Mabel Beckman Foundation, Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) and Research Corporation for Science Advancement. Broad incumbents are Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI), Wellcome Trust and Helmsley Charitable Trust.
Does THE SIMONS FOUNDATION, INC. have an API?
No public API is recorded for THE SIMONS FOUNDATION, INC..
What industry is THE SIMONS FOUNDATION, INC. in?
THE SIMONS FOUNDATION, INC.'s product category is Scientific Research Philanthropy. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAKAA, Private Foundations, with a secondary code of BPAGAKAI, Research & Science Grantmaking Foundations. Its NAICS code is 813211.