Basis Research Institute is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit applied research organization founded in 2022 with the dual mission of understanding and building intelligence, and advancing society's ability to solve intractable problems. Rather than scaling up large models, Basis focuses on establishing the fundamental mathematical principles of reasoning, learning, and decision-making, and constructing open-source software that implements these principles. Their core technology draws from programming languages, compilers, and deep learning, with key projects including ChiRho (an experimental language for causal reasoning), R-ADA (a rational automated design agent for robotics), and collaborative intelligent systems research. The team brings expertise from MIT, Harvard, Columbia, and the Broad Institute in probabilistic programming, causal inference, neuroscience, and dynamical systems.
Funding Details
- Annual Budget
- $2,946,241
- Monthly Burn Rate
- $245,520
- Current Runway
- -
- Funding Goal
- -
- Funding Raised to Date
- $9,633,503
- Fiscal Sponsor
- -
Theory of Change
Basis believes that building fundamental mathematical principles of intelligence -- rather than scaling up existing approaches -- will create a universal reasoning engine capable of solving problems across domains. By encoding discovered principles into open-source software that serves as a foundation for tackling progressively harder challenges, the organization aims to compound its capabilities over time. Each solved challenge problem produces generalizable knowledge and software tools that make previously unsolvable problems tractable. By distributing this technology as open-source software, Basis seeks to democratize advanced reasoning capabilities and enable researchers, scientists, and policymakers worldwide to address complex scientific and societal problems including causal reasoning in epidemiology, automated scientific discovery, engineering design optimization, and participatory urban planning.
Grants Received
from Survival and Flourishing Fund
from Survival and Flourishing Fund
Projects
No linked projects.
People
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Details
- Last Updated
- Apr 2, 2026, 10:10 PM UTC
- Created
- Mar 18, 2026, 11:18 PM UTC