Hidden expertise
Brilliant research makes no impact if nobody sees it.
Policymakers and practitioners have no time for journals.
You might be the world’s leading expert in your niche. Your research is specific, meticulous, and nuanced. But the policymaker or practitioner who needs your insights can’t find them.
The information problem
Practitioners and policymakers need specific, niche and trustworthy human expertise
Broad, generic knowledge is becoming abundant as AI floods the information ecosystem. Finding trustworthy, nuanced insight is becoming harder – not easier. And it was already hard.
University research remains one of the most trusted sources of evidence available. Yet most of it remains inaccessible to anyone outside of academia. Insights are hidden within lengthy text and elaborate complexities.
A structural problem
Most research was never written to be read outside academia
Academic papers are designed to satisfy peer review – not to communicate with the practitioner who needs the insight.
They are often long, technical, and written for a specialised audience. For busy policymakers and practitioners, reading a full paper is rarely realistic.
Only 2.5% of academic publications are turned into plain-language summaries, and those that are often simplify the work rather than translating its full nuance.
92% of social and behavioural scientists say the ultimate goal of their work is to benefit society. But for that to happen, research findings need to be communicated differently.
Source: SAGE
What Acume does
Acume offers two ways for your expertise to create real-world impact
Share your research widely through a research brief for free. Then choose to be consulted and paid for your expertise – entirely on your terms.
Step one - Publish a research brief in our open access library
- Quick to create – our AI tool creates a draft brief from your paper in minutes.
- Accessible to practitioners – present your research in a format designed for decision-makers
- Reach a global audience – briefs are discoverable by organisations seeking evidence
- You remain the author – publishing is free and you retain full ownership and control
Watch video on how it works
Step two - Put your expertise to work directly
Once you have published a research brief, you are invited to become an expert advisor.
Organisations come to Acume when they need specialised expertise they cannot easily find elsewhere. When your knowledge matches a challenge, you may be invited to provide advice through a one-hour paid consultation.
Paid one-hour consultations with NGOs, governments, and policymakers
Opportunities matched to your expertise
Flexible and entirely optional
Fair compensation based on experience, not geography
Direct insight into practice — see how your research informs real-world decisions
Getting started
Getting involved on Acume is simple.
1. Create your profile
Include your research areas, methods, and expertise so practitioners and organisations can find your work. Your profile helps us match your research briefs and expertise to relevant challenges.
2. Turn papers into briefs
Use our AI-assisted tool to generate a draft brief from one of your papers, then edit and publish it in your own words. You can also add the insight and context built through your research that may not appear in the paper itself.
3. Make your research discoverable
Your brief becomes part of Acume’s open evidence community, where policymakers, NGOs, and practitioners search for insights they can apply.
4. Opt in to advisory opportunities
If you choose, you can make yourself available for expert consultations. When organisations need specialised expertise, we may invite you to take part in a paid advisory session.