University of Chicago Urban Labs

What University of Chicago Urban Labs does

University of Chicago Urban Labs is an academic research organization operating within The University of Chicago's Harris School of Public Policy, established in 2014 as an umbrella for evidence-based urban policy research. It comprises six thematic research labs—Crime Lab, Crime Lab New York, Education Lab, Energy & Environment Lab, Health Lab, and Inclusive Economy Lab (formerly the Poverty Lab, renamed in 2015)—each addressing a distinct dimension of urban life through randomized controlled trials and rigorous program evaluation. The organization partners with government agencies, school districts, community-based organizations, and philanthropic funders to design, test, and scale data-driven interventions in public safety, education, health, economic opportunity, and environmental policy. Operations span Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, Fresno, Trenton, Colorado, and internationally Punjab, Pakistan.

Urban Labs does not sell commercial products or services; instead it is funded by philanthropic donations, government contracts, and research grants. Documented funding events include an $18 million donation in 2022 from America Achieves, Ken Griffin (Citadel), and Arnold Ventures to scale high-dosage tutoring research, and a $1.1 million contract from the City of Chicago in 2017 to build Strategic Decision Support Centers (SDSCs) for the Chicago Police Department. The organization has also developed machine learning applications for specific use cases, including EPA inspection targeting models, methane leak prediction for Colorado's oil and gas sector, and lead exposure risk modeling for the Illinois Department of Public Health. Quantified program impacts include a 21% decrease in shooting victimizations within three months of SDSC deployment, a 9 percentage point increase in associate degree attainment for One Million Degrees participants, and a 3% reduction in residential water use from smart meter enforcement in Fresno.

The primary counterparties fall into three segments: government agencies and policymakers seeking evidence-based approaches to urban challenges; community-based organizations and nonprofits needing program evaluation capacity; and academic institutions and researchers collaborating on field research. The organization employs 11-50 staff across its labs and produces research reports, academic publications, policy briefs, and direct technical assistance to implementing partners rather than commercial deliverables.

Name

University of Chicago Urban Labs

Legal name

The University of Chicago

Website

https://urbanlabs.uchicago.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

University of Chicago Urban Labs is an academic research organization operating six thematic labs—Crime Lab, Education Lab, Energy & Environment Lab, Health Lab, and Inclusive Economy Lab—that partner with government agencies and community organizations to evaluate and scale evidence-based urban policy interventions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago, Illinois

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

University of Chicago Urban Labs is an academic research organization that conducts evidence-based, randomized controlled trial (RCT) studies and program evaluations addressing urban challenges. It comprises multiple specialized labs focused on crime and public safety, education, energy and environment, health, and economic inclusion, partnering with governments and organizations to test and scale interventions.

Product overview

University of Chicago Urban Labs is an academic research organization consisting of five research labs (Crime Lab, Crime Lab New York, Education Lab, Energy & Environment Lab, Health Lab, and Inclusive Economy Lab) that partner with cities, communities, and policymakers to address urban challenges through data-driven research and rigorous evaluation. Rather than offering a software product, the organization produces research reports, policy evaluations, and evidence-based recommendations across five key dimensions: crime, education, health, economic opportunity, and energy & environment. Additional offerings include the Innovation Fund for Safety, Justice, and Opportunity for funding promising interventions, and specialized programs such as the Health and Housing Program.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Crime Lab A research lab at the University of Chicago Urban Labs that studies crime, violence prevention, and public safety using rigorous evidence-based methods for government and community partners.
• Education Lab A research lab focused on evaluating education interventions and policies to improve student outcomes for schools, districts, and education-focused organizations.
• Energy & Environment Lab A research lab that studies energy use, environmental sustainability, and related urban policies to inform utility companies, municipalities, and environmental organizations.
• Health Lab A research lab that designs and evaluates health interventions, behavioral health programs, and public health initiatives targeting urban populations and health systems.
• Inclusive Economy Lab A research lab that examines labor markets, economic mobility, and inequality, evaluating programs designed to expand opportunity for workers and job seekers.
• Crime Lab New York A New York-based extension of the Crime Lab that partners with city agencies and community organizations to apply evidence-based public safety research locally.

Quantifiable outcome

• SDSCs led to 21% decrease in shooting victimizations within first three months
• +4 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability3 records

Partnerships

20 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Chicago Police DepartmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing partnership to implement data-driven crime prevention strategies including Strategic Decision Support Centers (SDSCs) and police workforce allocation models. The partnership has produced measurable reductions in shootings and improved resource deployment.
• Chicago Public SchoolscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with school districts to design, evaluate, and scale programs and practices that advance student learning and opportunity, including high dosage tutoring initiatives and postsecondary support programs.
• City Colleges of ChicagocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on community college support programs, developmental education reform, and pathways from high school to postsecondary education and workforce development.
• Heartland AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for READI Chicago (Rapid Employment and Development Initiative), a gun violence reduction program providing intensive programming to men at highest risk of shooting or being shot.
• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration to develop machine learning models to improve inspection targeting practices for facilities regulated under RCRA, Clean Water Act, and Clean Air Act.
• Illinois Department of Public HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to analyze costs and benefits of lead exposure screening models and support policy decisions on childhood lead poisoning prevention.
• California Air Resources Board (CARB)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to test effectiveness of real-time monitoring technology for reducing heavy-duty truck emissions and improving regulatory compliance.
• Colorado Department of Public Health and EnvironmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to identify tools addressing methane emissions monitoring and enforcement gaps in Colorado's oil and gas sector using machine learning and randomized controlled trials.
• Minneapolis Public SchoolscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership on Stable Homes Stable Schools program evaluating impact of school-based housing assistance on students experiencing homelessness.
• Chicago Housing AuthoritycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to evaluate housing assistance programs including Family Self-Sufficiency program and homelessness prevention initiatives.
• One Million DegreescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMulti-year research partnership evaluating wraparound support programs for community college students, including randomized controlled trials on degree attainment.
• ideas42minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on behavioral economics research including Chicago bag tax study evaluating impacts on consumer behavior.
• GiveDirectlycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-leadership of Stability Investment for Family Housing program providing unrestricted cash to families experiencing homelessness.
• Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL) North AmericacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partner providing methodological support for randomized controlled trials on community college student success and other programs.
• Federal Reserve Bank of MinneapolisminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partnership on Stable Homes Stable Schools evaluating school-based housing assistance.
• International Growth CentreminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for evaluating mechanized rice crop residue management program in Pakistan to reduce pollution from crop burning.
• Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of ChicagominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in evaluating Homelessness Prevention Call Center impact on rental assistance access.
• All Chicago Making Homelessness HistoryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in homelessness prevention research and call center evaluation.
• Chicago Coalition for the HomelessminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in homelessness research including prevention call center evaluation.
• Compass Working CapitalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to evaluate Family Self-Sufficiency program addressing asset-building barriers for families receiving federal housing assistance.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• MDRC: MDRC designs, evaluates, and scales social programs in education, employment, health, and other public policy areas. It is a direct comparison for Urban Labs' rigorous program evaluation, policy research, and government-facing implementation partnerships.
• Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL): J-PAL conducts randomized evaluations and other rigorous research to improve social policy, with a strong focus on poverty and education. Its evidence-generation model, academic affiliation, and government and nonprofit partnerships closely match Urban Labs' core activities.
• Urban Institute: Urban Institute conducts public policy research on cities, housing, education, health, economic opportunity, and related social issues. Its urban focus, research rigor, and engagement with public and nonprofit decision-makers make it a direct peer.
• California Policy Lab: California Policy Lab is a university-based research center that applies data science and empirical evaluation to state and local policy problems. Its model of partnering with government agencies and using data for program design is directly comparable to Urban Labs.
• Mathematica: Mathematica provides research, data analytics, program evaluation, and technical assistance to public agencies and foundations. Its combination of quantitative evaluation and policy implementation is closely comparable to Urban Labs' evidence and analytics work.

Broad incumbents

• Brookings Institution: Brookings conducts research and policy analysis on urban affairs, education, health, economic opportunity, and governance. It is a broad incumbent comparator for Urban Labs' policy research and evidence-to-policy dissemination model.
• RAND Corporation: RAND is an established research organization covering public policy, social programs, criminal justice, education, health, and environmental issues. It is broader than Urban Labs but comparable in its use of rigorous analysis and public-sector partnerships.

Emerging players

• ideas42: ideas42 applies behavioral science to design and test social interventions, including work with public-sector and nonprofit partners. It overlaps with Urban Labs in evidence-based interventions, experimentation, and translating research into real-world programs.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/playlist?list=PLbdLniPJ6F-7j1S0Q_MHn7jVCxQDPqHWq
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/university-of-chicago-urbanlabs

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about University of Chicago Urban Labs