Cyber Center of Excellence

What Cyber Center of Excellence does

Cyber Center of Excellence (CCOE) is a San Diego-based nonprofit mutual benefit corporation founded in 2014 that operates as a regional cybersecurity ecosystem convener. Its core function is mobilizing businesses, academia, and government to grow San Diego's cyber economy, which the organization and the San Diego Regional EDC sized at $4.3 billion in economic impact with 29,000 jobs supported, 15,000 direct cyber roles, and 50,000 cyber-related talent (60% diverse versus 25% globally) in an October 2025 study. CCOE is not a technology product company; it does not develop proprietary cybersecurity tools and instead orchestrates programs that deliver workforce development and free community security services.

CCOE's core offerings include the San Diego Cyber Clinic (launched in 2024 with CSUSM, National University, and SDSU, supported by a $1M Google.org grant through the Consortium of Cybersecurity Clinics), CyberHire San Diego (a workforce bridge with San Diego Workforce Partnership and Regional EDC), the Cyber Insiders Podcast (Davey award-winning), a Member Marketplace, a Career Center, and a regional resiliency program branded Secure San Diego. Programmatic outcomes include 100+ organizations served and 400+ students trained through the Cyber Clinic, plus 200+ CyberHire participants, 122 certifications earned, and 53 placements in IT or cybersecurity roles.

CCOE's business model is a nonprofit membership-and-grant hybrid. The organization monetizes through Sentinel and Armor membership tiers (with named members including Accenture, Booz Allen, Deloitte, Qualcomm, Thales, SDG&E, Scripps Health, and Sharp Healthcare), corporate sponsorship of events such as San Diego CyberCon, GRC Conference, and Navy Gold Coast Cyber Track, and grant funding from sources such as Google.org and the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education. Membership pricing is not publicly disclosed and the Cyber Clinic is provided free of charge to qualifying community organizations, consistent with its mission-driven operating model.

Name

Cyber Center of Excellence

Legal name

Cyber Center of Excellence Association

Website

https://sdccoe.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Cyber Center of Excellence is a San Diego-based nonprofit founded in 2014 that convenes businesses, academia, and government to grow the regional cyber economy through workforce development programs, the San Diego Cyber Clinic, membership services, and industry events.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cybersecurity Workforce Development & Regional Ecosystem Services

NAICS

Business Associations (813910)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Cybersecurity Staffing (BPACADAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Privacy, Data Protection & Cyber Governance (GRC) (BPAHAFAF), IT, Software & Cybersecurity Training (EDAGANAF)

Keywords

• Cybersecurity workforce development
• Regional cyber economy
• Cyber clinic services
• Nonprofit cyber ecosystem
• Cyber talent pipeline

Headquarters

HQ city

San Diego

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: CCOE operates as a membership-based nonprofit organization. Organizations become members to access networking opportunities, the member marketplace, career center resources, and to support the regional cyber economy. Membership tiers include Sentinel and Armor members with varying levels of visibility and benefits.
2. Grants and Funding: CCOE receives grant funding from organizations such as Google for the San Diego Cyber Clinic program. The Cybersecurity Clinics Fund supports workforce development and provides free cybersecurity services to the community.
3. Sponsorships: Corporate sponsors support CCOE events and programs, gaining visibility and association with the regional cyber ecosystem. Organizations like those listed in the Sentinel and Armor membership tiers provide sponsorship support.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Cyber Center of Excellence (CCOE) is a San Diego-based nonprofit that operates a collaborative cybersecurity ecosystem. Its core offerings include the San Diego Cyber Clinic (student-delivered free cybersecurity services to community organizations), CyberHire San Diego (workforce development for underserved job seekers), the Cyber Insiders Podcast, a Member Marketplace, a Career Center job board, regional resiliency programs, and thought leadership events. The organization mobilizes businesses, academia, and government to grow the regional cyber economy.

Product overview

Cyber Center of Excellence (CCOE) is a nonprofit organization that operates as a collaborative cybersecurity ecosystem rather than a traditional product company. Its core offerings include the San Diego Cyber Clinic (a collaborative workforce development program where students provide free cybersecurity services to the community), CyberHire San Diego (workforce development initiative), Cyber Insiders Podcast (award-winning media content), Member Marketplace, Career Center, and event programs. The organization mobilizes businesses, academia, and government to grow the regional cyber economy and create a more secure digital community.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• San Diego Cyber Clinic: A collaborative workforce development and regional resiliency initiative providing free cybersecurity services to local organizations, training students through partnerships with CSUSM, National University, and SDSU.
• CyberHire San Diego
• Cyber Insiders Podcast

Products and services

• San Diego Cyber Clinic A collaborative workforce development and regional resiliency program where graduate students from CSUSM, National University, and SDSU provide free cybersecurity services to local businesses, critical infrastructure operators, government agencies, and nonprofits. Services include cybersecurity risk assessments, incident response planning, penetration testing, CMMC readiness, and other security services.
• CyberHire San Diego A workforce development partnership with San Diego Workforce Partnership and San Diego Regional EDC that bridges education and employment by aligning talent supply chains to business needs. Provides job-readiness support, subsidized cybersecurity certification costs, and access to paid internship opportunities for primarily low-income and underserved job seekers.
• Secure San Diego A regional resiliency program that facilitates collaboration between the region's cyber industry, academia, local government, utilities, transportation, law enforcement, and military to create a more secure cyber environment and position San Diego as a leader in collaborative cyber innovation.
• National Security Challenges An innovation program that sources industry solutions to defense and infrastructure-championed challenges and creates open dialog between the cyber industry, innovation sectors, academia, and government for real-time problem solving.
• CCOE Membership Program (Sentinel and Armor tiers) A paid membership program offering Sentinel and Armor tiers that provides organizations with access to the member marketplace, career center, networking events, and visibility within the regional cyber ecosystem.
• Career Center An online job board connecting the global cyber workforce, students, and veterans with San Diego job opportunities, training, and career pathways.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 100 organizations served with free cybersecurity services through the San Diego Cyber Clinic
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability4 records

Partnerships

27 partnerships are on record, tiered core, important and supporting.

• California State University San Marcos (CSUSM)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Founding partner of the San Diego Cyber Clinic. University students participate in the clinic providing cybersecurity services to the community as part of their capstone experiences.
• National UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Founding partner of the San Diego Cyber Clinic. University students participate in the clinic providing cybersecurity services to the community as part of their capstone experiences.
• San Diego State University (SDSU)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Founding partner of the San Diego Cyber Clinic. University students participate in the clinic providing cybersecurity services to the community as part of their capstone experiences.
• Consortium of Cybersecurity ClinicscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024CCOE leads the first multi-institution clinic in the Consortium, working to establish 15 new cyber clinics by 2024 and 25 by 2025 as part of a national effort to bolster the cybersecurity workforce.
• San Diego Workforce PartnershipcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with the San Diego Workforce Partnership and San Diego Regional EDC to bridge the gap between education and employment through CyberHire, aligning talent supply chains to dynamic business needs.
• San Diego Regional EDCcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to conduct biennial economic impact and workforce studies, deliver data and analysis to policymakers, and encourage regional economic and workforce development.
• National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborates on National Security Challenges and hosts the annual San Diego Cyber Track at the Department of the Navy Gold Coast event to foster collaboration between the cyber industry, innovation sectors, academia, and government.
• FBIcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCCOE earned the FBI's Community Leadership Award and hosts the FBI Executive Briefing Series to educate regional key sectors and further the cybersecurity industry.
• San Diego Regional Cyber LabimportantStrategic or Co-development PartnerFacilitates collaboration between the region's cyber industry, academia, local government, utilities, transportation, law enforcement and military to create a more secure cyber environment.
• CyberHirecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEngages underrepresented populations including minorities, women, neurodiversity, veterans, and foster youth to increase diversity and inclusivity in the cyber talent pipeline.
• NFAR CybersupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to provide vocational cyber programs engaging underrepresented populations.
• Women in Cyber (WiCyS)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to support women in cybersecurity and promote diversity in the workforce.
• Girl ScoutssupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to provide cybersecurity workshops and engage young girls in cyber education.
• Raices CybersupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to engage underrepresented populations in cybersecurity careers.
• US ValorsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to support veterans in cybersecurity career transitions.
• Haiku Games That TrainsupportingTechnology or IntegrationProvides innovative workforce development resources like games that train cybersecurity skills.
• NAVWARcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNaval Information Warfare Systems Command - one of the anchor defense organizations in San Diego's cyber ecosystem.
• CISAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency - federal partner supporting regional cybersecurity efforts.
• Booz Allen HamiltonsupportingTechnology or IntegrationSentinel member providing cybersecurity insights and thought leadership content.
• DeloittesupportingTechnology or IntegrationSentinel member providing cybersecurity insights and thought leadership content.
• QualcommsupportingTechnology or IntegrationSentinel member and anchor technology company in San Diego's cyber ecosystem.
• SDSUcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKey academic partner providing cybersecurity research, workforce development, and hosting events.
• Sharp HealthcaresupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerSentinel member representing healthcare sector critical infrastructure.
• Scripps HealthsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerSentinel member representing healthcare sector critical infrastructure.
• SDG&EsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerSentinel member representing critical infrastructure/energy sector.
• National UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKey academic partner in the San Diego Cyber Clinic consortium.
• AccenturesupportingTechnology or IntegrationSentinel member providing cybersecurity insights and thought leadership.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• SANS Institute: Largest established cybersecurity training and certification provider globally, with deep employer relationships and a workforce-development arm. Comparable curriculum and certification scope to CCOE's CyberHire, but operates at national/international scale as a paid-training incumbent.
• ISACA: Global professional association for IT governance, risk, cybersecurity and audit professionals, offering certifications, training and chapters. Comparable to CCOE in GRC focus, membership model and chapter events; CCOE hosts ISACA chapters.
• ISSA (Information Systems Security Association): International nonprofit professional association for cybersecurity practitioners, with chapters, events and education. Comparable to CCOE as a membership-based cyber professional community; CCOE hosts ISSA meetups, reinforcing overlap.

Direct peers

• Women in Cybersecurity (WiCyS): Nonprofit professional organization advancing women in cybersecurity through training, mentoring and recruitment. Comparable to CCOE in diversity-focused cyber workforce mission; CCOE partners with WiCyS, reinforcing overlap.
• Cyber Florida: State-funded nonprofit operating the Florida Center for Cybersecurity, focused on workforce development, cyber research and ecosystem convening. Highly comparable to CCOE as a state/regional cyber-economy nonprofit with similar mission, funding model and program portfolio.
• Cybrary: Online cybersecurity training and workforce development platform serving individuals and enterprise teams with certification prep. Comparable to CCOE in cybersecurity upskilling focus and employer pipeline, though a for-profit delivery model.
• Per Scholas: National nonprofit offering tuition-free technology workforce training including cybersecurity tracks, with employer partnerships for placement. Comparable mission, beneficiary population and employer-led model to CCOE's CyberHire program.
• National Cybersecurity Alliance: Nonprofit focused on public awareness and workforce education in cybersecurity, coordinating national campaigns and industry coalitions. Comparable nonprofit convening model targeting both individuals and organizations, similar to CCOE's community-outreach function.
• NPower: National nonprofit that provides tuition-free tech and cybersecurity training to underserved adults, with career placement services. Directly comparable to CCOE's CyberHire program in target population (low-income, underrepresented job seekers), training-plus-placement model, and nonprofit funding structure.

Others

• Consortium of Cybersecurity Clinics: Multi-university consortium that supports and certifies student-run cybersecurity clinics nationwide. CCOE is a core partner and leads the first multi-institution nonprofit-led clinic in the Consortium; positioned as an enabling ecosystem rather than a direct competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/sdccoe
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cyber-center-of-excellence

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Cyber Center of Excellence