Works In Progress
Works In Progress is an independent London-based media publication producing long-form journalism on scientific and technological progress. It operates an integrated content ecosystem spanning online articles, a Substack newsletter, podcast, films, books imprint, and a $100/year print magazine subscription serving a global, well-educated readership.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2022
- Headquarters—
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What Works In Progress does
Works In Progress is an independent London-based media publication that produces long-form, in-depth journalism on the ideas, mechanisms, and history of scientific and technological progress. Founded in 2022, it operates an integrated content ecosystem spanning an online magazine (worksinprogress.co), a free Substack newsletter, a podcast (WIP Podcast), a Films section featuring documentaries, and a Books in Progress publishing imprint. The company serves well-educated readers interested in understanding how innovation and economic change actually occur, covering topics including cities, state capacity, biotechnology, energy, history, and culture. Its roster of contributors includes writers such as Samuel Hughes, Virginia Postrel, Ben Southwood, and Alex Chalmers.
The core technology is a digital publishing platform supporting website content delivery, newsletter distribution via Substack, audio podcast hosting, and video/film hosting, supplemented by a print production capability for the paid magazine. The business model is primarily consumer-direct: the print magazine subscription at $100 per year for six issues is the central paid product, while all other content (articles, newsletter, podcast, films) is distributed free to build audience reach. Distribution is global, with the readership spanning the United Kingdom, United States, Germany, Japan, and Australia, accessed through direct web traffic and Substack. Payment processing is handled through Stripe ([email protected], [email protected]), and the publication appears to be founder-led with no disclosed venture capital, private equity, or institutional investment structure. The legal entity is "Works in Progress Magazine," operating privately with 15 employees.
Works In Progress firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Works In Progress
- Legal name
- Works in Progress Magazine
- Website
- https://worksinprogress.co
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2022
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Works In Progress is an independent London-based media publication producing long-form journalism on scientific and technological progress. It operates an integrated content ecosystem spanning online articles, a Substack newsletter, podcast, films, books imprint, and a $100/year print magazine subscription serving a global, well-educated readership.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Works In Progress industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Digital Media Publishing
- NAICS
- Periodical Publishers (51312)
- SIC
- Periodicals: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2721), Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Science, Technology & Gaming Magazines (MPAJAEAL)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- News, Politics & Current Affairs Magazines (MPAJAEAO)
Keywords
Works In Progress business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Annual print magazine subscription |
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
Works In Progress product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Works In Progress is an online magazine publication covering scientific and technological progress through in-depth articles on technology, history, economics, science, culture, and policy. The publication operates a multi-format content ecosystem including a free website, a free Substack-delivered newsletter, a podcast, documentary films, a books imprint, and a $100-per-year print magazine subscription delivering six physical issues annually.
Product overview
Works in Progress is a unified media publication focused on scientific and technological progress. The portfolio consists of the core online magazine (worksinprogress.co) delivering in-depth articles on topics spanning technology, history, economics, science, and culture; a free newsletter (worksinprogress.news) distributing content to subscribers; a podcast providing audio versions of articles; a Films section with documentaries and series; a Books in Progress publishing imprint (books.worksinprogress.co); and a premium Print Magazine subscription service at $100/year for six physical issues. The products work together as an integrated content ecosystem covering the ideas driving human progress.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Books in Progress: A books publication arm of Works in Progress covering progress-related literature
- WIP Podcast
- WIP Newsletter
Products and services
- Works in Progress Magazine (Online) An online publication covering scientific and technological progress through in-depth articles on topics including technology, history, economics, science, and culture, accessible free via the website.
- Print Magazine Subscription A premium print subscription service offering six issues per year delivered by mail for $100 annually, including access to current issues such as Issue 25.
- Newsletter (WIP Newsletter) A free digital newsletter delivering articles on ideas driving scientific and technological progress to subscribers' inboxes via Substack.
- WIP Podcast An audio podcast providing audio content accompanying the publication's written articles on progress, science, and technology topics.
- Films Documentary content including series and feature films covering topics of scientific and technological interest.
- Books in Progress A publishing imprint producing books exploring themes of progress, technology, and innovation, distributed via a dedicated books platform.
Companies that use Works In Progress
Customer profileSegments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Works In Progress technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Works In Progress partnerships and signals
Strategic signalRecent moves4 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Works In Progress competitors and assessment
Company assessmentOthers
- Substack: Newsletter and subscription publishing platform that powers Works in Progress's free newsletter distribution. Comparable as a publishing and audience-monetization platform, though Substack itself is an infrastructure provider rather than a content competitor.
Broad incumbents
- Wired: Major consumer magazine covering technology, science, and culture. Overlaps with Works in Progress on technology and innovation themes but serves a much broader audience with a different editorial voice.
- The Economist: Long-form journalism covering economics, science, technology, and policy with a distinctive analytical voice. Comparable in blending economics, technology, and progress coverage in a paid subscription model, but at vastly larger scale.
- MIT Technology Review: Established technology magazine covering emerging technologies and innovation, published by MIT. Comparable in covering technological progress, but operates at much larger scale and as part of an institutional media portfolio.
- The Atlantic: General-interest magazine with strong long-form essays on science, technology, culture, and ideas. Overlaps with Works in Progress on long-form analytical writing on progress-related topics.
Direct peers
- New Scientist: A weekly magazine covering scientific and technological developments for a general educated audience. Comparable as a print-plus-digital science publication with subscription-based monetization.
- Noema Magazine: A magazine exploring the big ideas shaping the future across science, technology, and governance. Comparable as a long-form digital magazine targeting intellectually engaged readers.
- Nautilus Magazine: A science-focused magazine blending accessible long-form essays with investigative reporting on scientific progress. Comparable as a science-and-ideas magazine with both digital and print components.
- Aeon Magazine: Publishes long-form essays on ideas in science, philosophy, and society. Comparable to Works in Progress as a digital-first ideas publication with high editorial standards, though broader in scope.
- Asterisk Magazine: A magazine focused on technological progress, innovation, and the mechanisms behind human advancement. It is the closest direct competitor to Works in Progress in both editorial mission and long-form essay format.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Works In Progress social profiles
Digital presenceWorks In Progress financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Works In Progress leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Works In Progress funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Works In Progress 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 Works In Progress
What does Works In Progress do?
Works In Progress is an online magazine publication covering scientific and technological progress through in-depth articles on technology, history, economics, science, culture, and policy. The publication operates a multi-format content ecosystem including a free website, a free Substack-delivered newsletter, a podcast, documentary films, a books imprint, and a $100-per-year print magazine subscription delivering six physical issues annually.
Is Works In Progress a public or private company?
Works In Progress is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Works In Progress founded?
Works In Progress was founded in 2022. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Who are Works In Progress's main competitors?
Substack is listed as an others. Broad incumbents are Wired, The Economist, MIT Technology Review and The Atlantic. Direct peers are New Scientist, Noema Magazine, Nautilus Magazine, Aeon Magazine and Asterisk Magazine.
Does Works In Progress have an API?
No public API is recorded for Works In Progress.
What industry is Works In Progress in?
Works In Progress's product category is Digital Media Publishing. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAJAEAL, Science, Technology & Gaming Magazines, with a secondary code of MPAJAEAO, News, Politics & Current Affairs Magazines. Its NAICS code is 51312 and its SIC code is 2721.