What Schmidt Sciences does

Schmidt Sciences is a private nonprofit philanthropy founded in 2024 by Eric and Wendy Schmidt and headquartered in New York. The organization funds scientific research across five centers: AI & Advanced Computing, Astrophysics & Space, Biosciences, Climate, and Science Systems. Core programmatic vehicles include the AI2050 fellowship program (99 fellows across 8 countries), the Humanities and AI Virtual Institute (HAVI), a portfolio of climate-focused virtual institutes (VICC, VIEW, DEVI, OBVI, VESRI, Research Frontiers Network), the Science of Trustworthy AI research agenda, and the Eric and Wendy Schmidt Observatory System comprising four next-generation astronomical instruments (the Lazuli space telescope, the 1,650-dish Deep Synoptic Array in Nevada, the Argus Array in Texas, and LFAST).

The underlying technology base spans funded research infrastructure rather than proprietary products: radio telescope arrays processing 200 terabits per second, a 3.1-meter space telescope with a coronagraph, AI and machine learning tools for carbon cycle and water modeling, multilingual NLP for historical archives, and formal verification methods for neural networks. Funding operates exclusively through closed nominations and targeted calls; Schmidt Sciences does not accept unsolicited proposals, and all funded research operates under open-data models.

The business model is philanthropic rather than commercial: revenue derives entirely from the Schmidt family endowment, and capital is deployed via grants, fellowships, and institutional partnerships with universities and research organizations worldwide (Caltech, Cornell Tech, Princeton, Harvard, IISc, IITs, NUS, University of Cape Town, and others). The organization's GTM motion is a curated, invitation-only selection process supported by PR, conferences, and a global newsletter. Notable documented commitments include approximately $200 million for the Deep Synoptic Array, $45 million over five years for carbon cycle research, $33 million over five years for freshwater research through VIEW, $18 million for the 2025 AI2050 cohort, $11 million for HAVI teams, and over $7 million jointly with NASA for the arXiv repository upgrade.

Name

Schmidt Sciences

Legal name

Schmidt Sciences LLC

Website

https://www.schmidtsciences.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2024

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Schmidt Sciences is a private nonprofit philanthropy founded in 2024 by Eric and Wendy Schmidt that funds scientific research across AI, astrophysics, biosciences, climate, and science systems through grants, fellowships, and virtual institutes at universities and research institutions worldwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Scientific Research Philanthropy

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211)

akta.pro primary industry

Research & Science Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

Private Foundations (BPAGAKAA)

Keywords

• Scientific research funding
• Philanthropy grants
• AI safety research
• Climate science initiatives
• Research fellowships

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Philanthropic Grant Funding: Schmidt Sciences operates as a philanthropic foundation funded by Eric and Wendy Schmidt. The organization provides grants, fellowships, and funding to academic researchers and scientific institutions. Revenue comes exclusively from endowment and donations rather than commercial operations.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Schmidt Sciences is a private philanthropy that deploys capital via grants, fellowships, and virtual institutes to advance scientific research across five interconnected pillars: AI and AI safety, astrophysics, biosciences, climate and energy, and science systems. It both funds and builds research initiatives, underwriting large-scale infrastructure such as the Eric and Wendy Schmidt Observatory System alongside distributed consortia such as the Virtual Climate Institutes.

Product overview

Schmidt Sciences is a philanthropy organization founded in 2024 by Eric and Wendy Schmidt that funds scientific research across five centers: AI & Advanced Computing, Astrophysics & Space, Biosciences, Climate, and Science Systems. The organization operates primarily through virtual institutes and fellowship programs rather than a unified software product. Key offerings include the AI2050 fellowship program supporting beneficial AI research, the Humanities and AI Virtual Institute (HAVI) applying AI to cultural scholarship, and multiple climate-focused virtual institutes (VICC, VIEW, DEVI, OBVI, VESRI). Under the Eric and Wendy Schmidt Observatory System, Schmidt Sciences funds four astronomical instruments: the Lazuli space telescope, Deep Synoptic Array, Argus Array, and LFAST. Additional programs include Science of Trustworthy AI research and the AI at Work initiative studying employment impacts. Schmidt Sciences functions as a research funder and convener rather than a product company.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• AI2050: A Schmidt Sciences initiative funding researchers to pursue projects that help AI create immense benefits for humanity by 2050.
• Humanities and AI Virtual Institute (HAVI)
• Eric and Wendy Schmidt Observatory System
• Virtual Institute for the Carbon Cycle (VICC)
• Virtual Institute for Earth's Water (VIEW)
• Ocean Biogeochemistry Virtual Institute (OBVI)
• Decarbonization and Energy Virtual Institute (DEVI)
• Virtual Earth Systems Research Institute (VESRI)

Products and services

• AI2050 A flagship Schmidt Sciences program focused on AI and AI safety research, funding researchers and initiatives aligned with the foundation's AI pillar.
• Schmidt Science Fellows Program A postdoctoral fellowship program operated in partnership with the Rhodes Trust that supports early-career scientists in conducting interdisciplinary research across Schmidt Sciences' five research pillars.
• Virtual Climate Institutes A consortium of 12 universities coordinated by Schmidt Sciences to conduct climate and energy research through virtual institute structures, enabling coordinated multi-institution work under the foundation's climate and energy pillar.
• Eric and Wendy Schmidt Observatory System A large-scale observatory and telescope system developed with Caltech, IPAC, and the Monterey Institute for Research in Astronomy (MIRA), funded by Schmidt Sciences to support astrophysics research under its astrophysics pillar.
• Science of Trustworthy AI Research Program A research program dedicated to the science of trustworthy AI, supporting the foundation's AI and AI safety pillar.

Quantifiable outcome

• Deep Synoptic Array expected to double known radio sources in universe within first 24 hours
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability13 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• California Institute of Technology (Caltech)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 June 2026Caltech is constructing the Deep Synoptic Array (1,650 radio dishes) in Nevada's Great Basin desert. Schmidt Sciences provided funding for this project, with construction targeted to begin in 2027 and completion by 2029. The array will survey the sky 100 times faster than existing telescopes.
• Google DeepMindcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 June 2026Joint $10 million funding initiative for multi-agent AI safety research. Partners include Schmidt Sciences, Google DeepMind, Cooperative AI Foundation, ARIA, and Google.org. Applications open until August 8, 2026.
• Cooperative AI FoundationmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 June 2026Co-partner in $10 million multi-agent AI safety research funding initiative.
• Advanced Research and Invention Agency (ARIA)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 June 2026Co-partner in $10 million multi-agent AI safety research funding initiative.
• Google.orgmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 June 2026Co-partner in $10 million multi-agent AI safety research funding initiative.
• Cal PolyminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 June 2026Schmidt Sciences funding supports Engineering Synthetic Cells course using cell-free protein expression systems.
• Indian Institute of Science (IISc)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 April 2026Partner in India's Climate and Energy Frontiers (ICEF) report with 350+ researchers from seven leading Indian institutions.
• IIT DelhimajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 April 2026Partner in ICFF report mapping scientific priorities for India's climate and energy future.
• IIT BombaymajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 April 2026Partner in ICFF report focusing on oceans and water cycle research.
• IIT MadrasmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 April 2026Partner in ICFF report; co-prepared report with Schmidt Sciences identifying Tamil Nadu and Gujarat as models for clean energy transition.
• IIT KanpurmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 April 2026Partner in ICFF report mapping scientific priorities for India's climate and energy future.
• National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and MedicinemajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 April 2026Joint Eric and Wendy Schmidt Awards for Excellence in Science Communications, presenting 24 awards totaling $640,000 to science communicators.
• NASAcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 November 2025Joint $7M+ grant with NASA to upgrade arXiv open-access research repository, migrating to cloud infrastructure and modernizing code.
• Cornell TechcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 7 November 2025Recipient of $7M+ grant from Schmidt Sciences and NASA for arXiv upgrade project.
• Schmidt Ocean InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization under Schmidt family philanthropy. OBVI program works in partnership with Schmidt Ocean Institute for ocean biogeochemistry research.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Arc Institute: Independent research organization founded in 2021 focused on complex disease and computational biology, partnering with Stanford, UCSF, and UC Berkeley. Comparable to Schmidt Sciences' Biosciences and AI centers in mission, tech-philanthropist funding origin, and virtual-institute model.
• Open Philanthropy: Research-focused philanthropy recommending grants in AI safety, biosecurity, and scientific research. Overlaps with Schmidt Sciences in AI2050 and Science of Trustworthy AI funding areas, though smaller in scale and more focused on policy-adjacent work.

Direct peers

• Schmidt Ocean Institute: Another Schmidt-family philanthropy focused on ocean research and exploration. Operates the research vessel Falkor and partners with Schmidt Sciences on the OBVI program for ocean biogeochemistry — making it a direct peer in both funding source and overlapping scientific mission.
• Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI): One of the largest US private funders of biomedical and fundamental research, supporting investigator-led science at universities. HHMI's model of long-term, large-scale research grants to individual scientists and its Janelia Research Campus are directly comparable to Schmidt Sciences' fellowship and Virtual Institute programs.
• Wellcome Trust: UK-based global charitable foundation supporting science, health, and climate research with a multi-billion-dollar endowment. Comparable to Schmidt Sciences in mission breadth, large-scale grantmaking to academic researchers, and emphasis on open science.
• Allen Institute: Private research organization established by Paul Allen funding large-scale science in brain science, cell science, and AI. Comparable to Schmidt Sciences in operating a hybrid model of internal labs plus external research grants and in tech-philanthropist funding origin.
• Kavli Foundation: Private foundation supporting basic research in astrophysics, nanoscience, neuroscience, and theoretical physics through endowed institutes at major universities. Highly comparable to Schmidt Sciences in mission, scale, and focus on ambitious multi-year science initiatives.
• Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation: Major US private foundation funding science, environmental conservation, and patient care improvement. Comparable in scale and emphasis on long-horizon, high-impact science projects, including major investments in astronomical observatories and data-driven environmental research.
• Schmidt Family Foundation: Sibling philanthropic organization also created and funded by Eric and Wendy Schmidt. While the Schmidt Family Foundation focuses on environmental and cross-cause giving, the two entities share the same funding source, leadership family, and mission space, making them the most direct comparators for capital allocation and governance.
• Simons Foundation: Major private philanthropy established by Jim Simons funding basic science research across mathematics, physics, life sciences, and astronomy. Operates its own research institute (Flatiron) and is one of the largest private science funders in the US — directly comparable in scale, mission, and program structure to Schmidt Sciences.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments1 record

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Frequently asked questions about Schmidt Sciences