Forge Institute
Forge Institute is a Little Rock, Arkansas-headquartered private cybersecurity training and workforce development organization operating bootcamps, a military SkillBridge program, defense startup accelerators, and applied threat research for government, defense, and enterprise clients.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2018
- HeadquartersLittle Rock, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Forge Institute does
Forge Institute is a private cybersecurity training, workforce development, and applied research organization founded in 2018 by Lee Watson and headquartered in Little Rock, Arkansas. The company operates a portfolio of programs spanning the cyber domain: Forge Academy delivers instructor-led bootcamps and courses in Red Team Operations, OSINT (101-104), Blue Team Operations, GRC, Malware Analysis / Forensics, and executive cybersecurity; Forge Fellowship provides a SkillBridge pathway for transitioning U.S. military service members into cyber careers; Phoenix Xcelerator runs a 12-week aerospace and defense startup accelerator; and the Emerging Threat Center conducts applied research on cyber threats and resilience. Adjacent programs include Embers Xcelerator, Atomic Anvil, Project Phoenix, the Consortium for Cyber Innovation, and the annual Forge Summit convening national experts in AI, Cyber, and Irregular Warfare. The organization describes its underlying technology as cybersecurity training, workforce development, and applied research in AI, cyber, and irregular warfare domains, with proprietary course catalog of 14+ entries spanning red-team, blue-team, OSINT, GRC, and executive tracks, plus partner-delivered offensive content via Specter Ops.
The business model combines three revenue mechanics: tuition-bearing training courses with per-seat pricing of $2,500 to $7,750 and up to 75% reimbursement through the Arkansas Office of Skills Development; paid professional cybersecurity services covering consulting, risk assessments, and incident response for enterprise and government clients; and ecosystem-style programs (free vulnerability scans, accelerator cohort participation) where revenue is indirect through follow-on services or sponsorship. Visible customers and partners include Tyson Foods, Acxiom, Arvest Bank, Oaklawn Hospital, the U.S. Army, the U.S. Air Force (including Little Rock Air Force Base), the University of Arkansas system (Fayetteville and Little Rock), and Arkansas Electric Cooperative Corp. The board and advisory ranks include former senior intelligence-community officials (former CIA Deputy Director for Science and Technology Dawn Meyerriecks, former NCSC Acting Director Michael Orlando, and other CIA, FBI, NSA, and military veterans), which the organization treats as a central differentiator.
Since founding, Forge Institute championed passage of the Arkansas Cyber Initiative (SB632 / ACT 1085, signed May 10, 2019), secured cumulative grant funding of approximately $2.88 million from the State of Arkansas, the U.S. Small Business Administration, and the Arkansas Economic Development Commission across 2022-2024, and expanded its program portfolio into defense startup acceleration. The operating footprint is regional (Arkansas headquarters plus a Fayetteville office) with a national convening role through the Forge Summit and Phoenix Xcelerator, headcount is 11-50 employees, and active programs include the Phoenix Xcelerator 2025 cohort (Demo Day scheduled May 29, 2025) and Forge Summit 2026 (October 13-14, 2026 in North Little Rock).
Forge Institute firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Forge Institute
- Legal name
- Forge Institute
- Website
- https://forge.institute
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2018
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Forge Institute is a Little Rock, Arkansas-headquartered private cybersecurity training and workforce development organization operating bootcamps, a military SkillBridge program, defense startup accelerators, and applied threat research for government, defense, and enterprise clients.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Forge Institute industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Cybersecurity Training and Workforce Development
- NAICS
- Computer Training (611420), Computer Training (61142)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Cybersecurity Technical Skills (Security Engineering, SOC, Pen Testing) (EDABAFAF)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Defense & Security (EDABALAH), Cybersecurity (General) (EDAOAIAB)
Keywords
Where Forge Institute is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Little Rock
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
Forge Institute business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Professional Services: Paid professional services including cybersecurity consulting, assessments, and implementation. Subject to standard of care for the cybersecurity industry in Arkansas.
- Non-engaged Services: Free cybersecurity services including best practices protocols, supplier/vendor risk management, consumer privacy compliance, and incident response guidance. Provides scans of internet services to observe potential vulnerabilities.
- Training Programs: Various training courses including Red Team Operations, Blue Team Operations, GRC, OSINT, and executive cybersecurity training with tuition fees ranging from $2,500 to $7,750 per participant
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Adversary Tactics: Red Team Operations - 4-day intensive course |
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | OSINT 104: Collections Management - 2-day course |
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | OSINT 103: Network Engagement - 4-day course |
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Forge Your Future: Cybersecurity Pathway for High School Students |
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | GRC: Governance, Risk, and Compliance Training |
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | PowerShell: Automation Essentials - 3-day course |
| Freemium | Monthly | Non-engaged Services (Free tier) |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels4 records
Forge Institute product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Forge Institute delivers cybersecurity training bootcamps, workforce development programs, and applied research for government, defense, and enterprise clients. It runs an aerospace and defense startup accelerator (Phoenix Xcelerator), a military transition program (Forge Fellowship), instructor-led courses across offensive and defensive cyber operations, and an annual summit convening national experts in AI, Cyber, and Irregular Warfare.
Product overview
Forge Institute is a cybersecurity training and workforce development organization offering a multi-product portfolio of programs and courses. The core offerings include Forge Academy (training bootcamps), Forge Fellowship (military transition program), Phoenix Xcelerator (aerospace/defense accelerator), Embers Xcelerator (startup accelerator), Forge Mentorship, Emerging Threat Center, Forge Summit, and the Consortium for Cyber Innovation. The institute provides over 20 instructor-led courses spanning cybersecurity fundamentals, red/blue team operations, OSINT, GRC, threat hunting, and executive training. Programs are designed for various audiences including students, transitioning military, professionals, and executives, with partnerships across government, military, and industry stakeholders.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Forge Academy: Bootcamps and training programs for workforce development in cybersecurity and technology
- Forge Fellowship
- Embers Xcelerator
- Atomic Anvil
- Project Phoenix
- Phoenix Xcelerator
- Emerging Threat Center
- Forge Summit
- Consortium for Cyber Innovation
- American Cyber Alliance (ACA)
Products and services
- Forge Academy Training and bootcamp programs offering cybersecurity courses for various skill levels, including live instructor-led sessions and a course catalog covering Red Team Operations, Blue Team Operations, OSINT, GRC, malware analysis, forensics, and executive training. Targeted at individual professionals, enterprise teams, government agencies, and defense organizations.
- Forge Fellowship (SkillBridge Program)
Quantifiable outcome
- Phoenix Xcelerator Demo Day scheduled for May 29, 2025
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Forge Institute
Customer profileNamed customers11 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Forge Institute technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
Forge Institute partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Phoenix Xcelerator 2025 Cohort CompaniescoreAerospace and defense startups selected for the 12-week Phoenix Xcelerator accelerator program receive mentorship, access to defense networks, and funding opportunities, culminating in Demo Day on May 29, 2025.
- AcxiomcoreCustomer logo displayed on website partnership section; provides cybersecurity training services and workforce development support
- Arvest BankcoreCustomer logo displayed on website partnership section
- Tyson FoodscoreCustomer logo displayed on website partnership section
- U.S. ArmycoreCustomer logo displayed on website partnership section
- U.S. Air ForcecoreCustomer logo displayed on website partnership section; partnership with Little Rock Air Force Base for STEM program
- University of Arkansas FayettevillecoreAcademic partnership with logo displayed on website; collaboration on research and workforce development
- University of Arkansas at Little RockcoreAcademic partnership including Consortium for Cyber Innovation, digital forensics courses, and research collaboration
- Specter OpscorePartnership to deliver Adversary Tactics: Red Team Operations training program, providing advanced offensive cybersecurity skills training
- Office of Skills DevelopmentcoreState government partnership to extend Forge Fellowship SkillBridge program impact on transitioning service members; provides up to 75% tuition reimbursement grants for eligible employers
- Arkansas Electric Cooperative CorporationcoreEnergy sector cybersecurity partnership including Consortium for Cyber Innovation research
- Arkansas Aerospace & Defense AllianceminorChad Causey, Executive Director of Arkansas Aerospace & Defense Alliance, is listed on the team/advisory page
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Forge Institute competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- OffSec (Offensive Security): OffSec delivers penetration testing and red team training (OSCP, OSEP, OSED), directly overlapping with Forge Institute's Adversary Tactics: Red Team Operations course. Both serve cybersecurity professionals pursuing advanced offensive security certifications.
- INE Security: INE (formerly eLearnSecurity) provides technical cybersecurity and IT training with hands-on labs, covering penetration testing, network security, and blue team skills—directly comparable to Forge Institute's instructor-led academy.
- Antisyphon Training: Antisyphon offers instructor-led cybersecurity courses including red team, blue team, OSINT, and GRC, with per-seat pricing that directly parallels Forge Academy's catalog and channel model. Both target the same practitioner audience with similar course lengths and price points.
Broad incumbents
- SANS Institute: SANS is the dominant cybersecurity technical training provider offering bootcamps, certifications (GSEC, GIAC, SEC504, SEC560 red/blue team), and workforce development programs across government, defense, and enterprise. It is the benchmark incumbent against which Forge Academy's Red Team, Blue Team, and GRC courses compete.
- Booz Allen Hamilton (Cyber Talent Network): Booz Allen is a major federal/defense cyber services and workforce development contractor with deep Army and Air Force relationships, directly paralleling Forge Institute's defense channel. Both feed cleared cyber talent into defense and intelligence customers.
Emerging players
- TCM Security: TCM Security offers practical ethical hacking and penetration testing training (PJWT, PNPT), competing with Forge Institute's red team courses. While smaller than SANS, TCM targets a similar entry-to-intermediate practitioner market with comparable course structures.
- Hack The Box: Hack The Box delivers gamified cybersecurity upskilling, red/blue team labs, and certifications (HTB CPTS), targeting the same practitioner workforce-development niche as Forge Academy. Both compete for entry-level-to-intermediate cyber talent development.
- Cyber Attack Defender (Cybrary): Cybrary provides online cybersecurity skill development and certification prep for individuals and teams, comparable in audience and breadth to Forge Academy. Both address workforce gaps through structured learning paths, though Cybrary is subscription-based while Forge is course-based.
Regional players
- Digital Forensics Corp: A specialized cyber training and consulting firm offering incident response and digital forensics courses comparable to Forge Institute's Blue Team Operations and Forensics curricula. Smaller and more regionally focused, serving similar enterprise and government clients.
Others
- National Cyber Group / NICCS (DHS): While not a direct competitor, NICCS and DHS-affiliated workforce frameworks define the certification and training ecosystem in which Forge Institute's courses (DoD 8570 mapping) compete. Forge's CCI Consortium and Arkansas Cyber Initiative policy work aligns with NICCS priorities.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Forge Institute social profiles
Digital presenceForge Institute financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Forge Institute leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
Forge Institute funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds3 records
Investors3 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Forge Institute 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 Forge Institute
What does Forge Institute do?
Forge Institute delivers cybersecurity training bootcamps, workforce development programs, and applied research for government, defense, and enterprise clients. It runs an aerospace and defense startup accelerator (Phoenix Xcelerator), a military transition program (Forge Fellowship), instructor-led courses across offensive and defensive cyber operations, and an annual summit convening national experts in AI, Cyber, and Irregular Warfare.
Is Forge Institute a public or private company?
Forge Institute is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Forge Institute founded?
Forge Institute was founded in 2018. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Forge Institute based?
Forge Institute is headquartered in Little Rock, United States, in the North America region.
How does Forge Institute make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Professional Services are the primary driver. The others are non-engaged Services and training Programs.
Who are Forge Institute's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are OffSec (Offensive Security), INE Security and Antisyphon Training. Broad incumbents are SANS Institute and Booz Allen Hamilton (Cyber Talent Network). Emerging players are TCM Security, Hack The Box and Cyber Attack Defender (Cybrary). Digital Forensics Corp is listed as a regional player. National Cyber Group / NICCS (DHS) is listed as an others.
Does Forge Institute have an API?
No public API is recorded for Forge Institute.
What industry is Forge Institute in?
Forge Institute's product category is Cybersecurity Training and Workforce Development. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDABAFAF, Cybersecurity Technical Skills (Security Engineering, SOC, Pen Testing), with a secondary code of EDABALAH, Defense & Security. Its NAICS code is 611420 and its SIC code is 8200.