A new model for research

Transforming big, open-ended questions into data, tools, and insight—for a world that won’t wait. 

Our approach

What we do 

We pursue open-ended research projects and build tools designed to meet the needs of a fast-changing world. Our work blends rigorous inquiry with real-world application, aiming to strengthen collective decision-making and help us all navigate the technological and societal transformations of our time. 

We believe research is a public good—meant not just to understand the world, but to help build a better one. We aim to accelerate and reimagine social science research, uncover the causes and consequences of societal challenges, and bridge the gap between research and impact.

How we work 

We operationalize complex research projects to test ideas, evaluate tools, and generate new data—especially in areas where proposed solutions to emerging challenges outpace existing evidence or where viable solutions have yet to be imagined or explored. We focus where traditional institutions lack the capacity, agility, or incentives to act, investing in high-impact research that fills critical gaps.

Our work embraces complexity. We foster interdisciplinary collaboration and cross-sector partnerships to design research that reflects real-world decision-making contexts. We combine long-term vision with adaptability, evolving our tools and approach in step with social and technological change. Our practical, iterative approach thoughtfully partners with participants to yield nuanced, high-quality data—deepening understanding that can inspire progress and inform better policies, systems, and tools.

Our values 

Integrity

Interdisciplinary Collaboration

Impact Orientation

Inclusive Innovation

Elizabeth Rhodes
Research Director

"The future is built, not just imagined—and building it well starts with asking better questions today. We see the Unconditional Cash Study as the foundation for a broader research agenda on promoting agency and inclusive participation in our rapidly evolving society. While our recent work focuses on unconditional cash, our goals are larger: to learn from lived experiences and understand what enables people to thrive amid technological, economic, and social transformation."

Photo of Elizabeth Rhodes

We research the pivotal questions of our time and share what we learn. 

Rigorous, interdisciplinary research

Complex social challenges require research approaches that can capture both statistical significance and human complexity. In our Unconditional Cash Study, by combining survey data, administrative records, and in-depth interviews, we measure causal effects across key domains—like employment, mental health, and housing stability—while illuminating the mechanisms that drive change. Qualitative research explores the 'why' and 'how' behind people's experiences and behavior, providing essential context and nuance that quantitative data alone cannot capture. 

Research as a public good

We operationalize complex projects to collect new data on important, open-ended questions and share the datasets, novel tools, and operational learnings from our work to contribute to the public and research community. By making our work openly accessible, we aim to provide a strong foundation that inspires future research, sparks new ideas, and informs evidence-based policy. More to come. 

A collaborative model for the complex challenges of our time

Our most recent project—a large-scale randomized controlled trial of unconditional cash transfers—reflects our commitment to advancing evidence on pivotal questions of our time. In partnership with individuals, nonprofits, companies, and academic institutions, our work contributes to imagining a new, responsive social contract that meets people's needs in a changing world. We're expanding this work with new studies on rural economic mobility and exploring whether access to AI tools—paired with education—can broaden who benefits from emerging technology and unlock new pathways for participation and shared prosperity.