Internet Society

What Internet Society does

The Internet Society is a global nonprofit organization founded in 1992 by Internet pioneers, headquartered in Reston, Virginia with principal offices in Washington D.C. and Geneva. It operates as a US 501(c)(3) public charity and District of Columbia nonprofit corporation, governed by a Board of Trustees with a global community of more than 150,000 individual members, 80+ organizational members, and 120+ chapters across 105 countries. Its mission is to support an open, globally connected, secure, and trustworthy Internet, addressing the estimated 2.2 billion people still offline through connectivity, governance, security, and policy programs.

The organization's portfolio spans programmatic initiatives rather than commercial products. Core offerings include Community-Centered Connectivity (building local networks in refugee settlements, indigenous communities, and underserved regions), Sustainable Peering Infrastructure (IXP development across 50 countries that drove 40 of 50 country broadband cost reductions above 10%), the Internet Society Pulse measurement platform, the NDSS Symposium for security research, and the Internet Impact Assessment Toolkit for policy analysis. It also administers the Internet Hall of Fame, the Jonathan B. Postel and Itojun Service Awards, and a fellowship program developing Internet leaders. The 2025 launch of the Common Good Cyber Fund with G7 backing and a $50M/year target represents a significant programmatic expansion into nonprofit cybersecurity, alongside the Safer Internet Initiative committing over $40 million through 2029.

Revenue is generated through diversified nonprofit funding streams: individual and organizational donations, organizational membership dues, meeting sponsorships, grants from governments and foundations, and critically the Public Interest Registry (PIR) subsidiary which manages .ORG and other nonprofit TLDs and provides primary funding for programs and operations. The organization also operates IETF LLC as a separate corporate home for Internet standards bodies and runs the Internet Society Foundation as a grantmaking arm. Distribution relies on the chapter network, online member portal, fellowship programs, and direct grantmaking, with no commercial pricing model as individual membership is free.

Name

Internet Society

Legal name

Internet Society

Website

https://internetsociety.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1992

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

The Internet Society is a global 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1992 that advocates for an open, secure Internet through 150,000+ volunteers, 120+ chapters, and programs in connectivity, governance, and cybersecurity across 150 countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Internet Governance and Digital Development (Nonprofit)

NAICS

Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Digital Development & ICT4D / GovTech Technical Assistance (BPADAEAL)

akta.pro secondary industry

Digital Inclusion & Public Tech Access Training (Device/Internet/Basic IT) (EDAAAFAE)

Keywords

• Internet governance
• Internet infrastructure
• Community connectivity
• Internet policy advocacy
• Network measurement

Headquarters

HQ city

Reston

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual and Organizational Donations: The Internet Society receives funding through individual and organizational donations. Donations are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law for the US 501(c)(3) organization.
2. Organizational Membership Dues: Companies, non-profits, academic institutions, and governmental organizations pay membership dues to support the organization and gain access to its network and resources.
3. Meeting Sponsorships: Sponsorships from organizations supporting Internet Society events and programs.
4. Grants: Grant funding from governments, foundations, and partners including the Internet Society Foundation for specific programs and initiatives.
5. Public Interest Registry (PIR) Funding: PIR, a subsidiary of Internet Society, manages .ORG and other nonprofit TLDs and provides primary funding for programs and operations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels11 records

Core offering

The Internet Society is a global nonprofit that promotes the open development, evolution, and use of the Internet through policy advocacy, technical standards engagement, community-driven connectivity programs, and capacity-building grants. It publishes Internet measurement data via the Internet Society Pulse platform and runs operational initiatives such as the NDSS Symposium, IXP infrastructure support, the Internet Hall of Fame, and a network of 120+ chapters worldwide.

Product overview

Internet Society is a global nonprofit organization (not a commercial product company) that advocates for an open, globally connected, secure, and trustworthy Internet. Founded in 1992 by Internet pioneers, the organization operates through a portfolio of mission-driven programs and initiatives rather than a unified commercial product. Key offerings include: Community-Centered Connectivity initiatives that help underserved populations build their own networks; Sustainable Peering Infrastructure through Internet Exchange Point development; Internet Society Pulse for Internet measurement; NDSS Symposium for security research; the Common Good Cyber Fund for nonprofit cybersecurity; the Safer Internet Initiative for online safety; Online Learning and Fellowship Programs for capacity building; and Recognition Programs including the Internet Hall of Fame and Jonathan B. Postel Service Award. These initiatives are funded through the Internet Society Foundation, grants, and partnerships with organizations like Meta.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Internet Society Pulse An open data and analytics platform that tracks Internet health metrics, including shutdowns, resilience, and global connectivity trends, used by researchers, policymakers, and journalists worldwide.
• Network and Distributed System Security (NDSS) Symposium An annual academic symposium that convenes applied security researchers and practitioners to present peer-reviewed work on Internet, network, and distributed-system security.
• Public Interest Registry (.ORG) The Internet Society's subsidiary that operates the .ORG top-level domain registry, providing domain registration services to organizations, mission-driven entities, and individuals worldwide under PIR's independent stewardship.
• Internet Impact Assessment Toolkit A methodological toolkit and analytical framework that helps policymakers, technologists, and civil society evaluate how proposed laws, regulations, and technical changes affect the Internet.

Quantifiable outcome

• 40 of 50 countries saw cost of basic mobile broadband fall by more than 10% after IXP and peering support
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• Potraz (Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 June 2026Partnership with Internet Society - Zimbabwe Chapter to complete a basic ICT skills training program for persons with disabilities in Lupane, Zimbabwe. 35 participants from Lupane, Dete, and Binga districts completed the program aimed at driving national digital inclusion.
• Community Empowerment & Transformation Agency (CETA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 May 2026Partnership established two community-owned digital hubs serving over 4,500 refugees and community members at Rhino Camp Refugee Settlement in Uganda. CETA partnered with Internet Society, Hello World, and RENU to train refugees to build and manage their own networks, with full community ownership from ideation through deployment and maintenance.
• Hello WorldcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 May 2026Partner in the Rhino Camp Refugee Settlement connectivity initiative, working alongside CETA, Internet Society, and RENU to establish community-owned digital hubs serving over 4,500 people.
• Research and Education Network for Uganda (RENU)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 May 2026Partner in the Rhino Camp Refugee Settlement connectivity initiative, contributing technical expertise for establishing community-owned digital hubs serving over 4,500 people, predominantly refugees.
• AFRINICcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 27 July 2025Internet Society President and CEO Sally Wentworth delivered remarks calling for collective support to stabilize AFRINIC's operations. AFRINIC manages critical Internet number resources for over 2,400 organizations across Africa as one of five Regional Internet Registries.
• Global Cyber AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 June 2025Co-launched the Common Good Cyber Fund with Internet Society, backed by G7 leaders. Global Cyber Alliance is part of the 7-member secretariat managing the $50 million yearly budget fund to support nonprofits protecting the Internet.
• CyberPeace InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 June 2025Part of the 7-member Common Good Cyber secretariat managing the $50 million yearly budget fund to support nonprofits protecting the Internet.
• Shadowserver FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 June 2025Part of the 7-member Common Good Cyber secretariat managing the $50 million yearly budget fund to support nonprofits protecting the Internet.
• MetamajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 March 2025Extended multi-year partnership with Meta including launch of a new Connectivity Co-Funding Initiative to expand Internet access in underserved regions.
• Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternet Society provides corporate home for IETF since 1992. IETF LLC was established in 2018 as a single-member LLC of the Internet Society to provide a separate corporate legal home for groups responsible for Internet infrastructure standards.
• Public Interest Registry (PIR)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPIR is a subsidiary of Internet Society and manages .ORG top-level domain along with other TLDs for nonprofit organizations. PIR's activities provide funding for the Internet Society and Internet Society Foundation.
• Internet Society FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerA District of Columbia nonprofit corporation and US 501(c)(3) public charity, subsidiary of Internet Society. Central resource for grant programs expanding Internet access, building resilience, promoting digital inclusion, and enabling research on Internet future and sustainability.
• Connected Giving Foundation (CGF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerA Pennsylvania nonprofit corporation and US 501(c)(3) public charity, subsidiary of Internet Society. Manages investment assets for the benefit of Internet Society and Internet Society Foundation.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Access Now: Global nonprofit defending digital rights through policy advocacy, grants, and emergency response (including their 24/7 Digital Helpline). Directly comparable to Internet Society in advocacy scope, geographic reach, and civil-society engagement.
• Mozilla Foundation: Nonprofit that champions an open, healthy Internet through product stewardship (Firefox), advocacy, and grantmaking. Overlaps with Internet Society on Internet health metrics, encryption advocacy, and supporting public-interest technology.
• NetHope: Nonprofit consortium helping humanitarian and development organizations leverage technology. Overlaps with Internet Society on digital inclusion for underserved populations and Internet-for-development programs globally.
• ICANN (Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers): The closest peer to Internet Society in the Internet governance ecosystem. ICANN coordinates the domain name system and IP address allocation globally. Both organizations advocate for the multistakeholder model and participate in international Internet governance forums, though ICANN focuses on unique identifiers while Internet Society has a broader policy and connectivity mandate.
• Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF): Leading nonprofit defending civil liberties in the digital world. Shares Internet Society's focus on encryption, open standards, and opposing Internet fragmentation, with comparable policy advocacy muscle and donor-supported funding model.
• Association for Progressive Communications (APC): International network of civil society organizations working on Internet access, digital rights, and feminist internet principles. Closely comparable to Internet Society in membership-driven model and developing-world connectivity focus.
• Global Cyber Alliance (GCA): Nonprofit delivering concrete, measurable improvements in cybersecurity. Co-secretariat partner with Internet Society on the Common Good Cyber Fund, making it a near-direct operational peer in nonprofit cybersecurity delivery.
• World Wide Web Foundation: A nonprofit advocating for an open, accessible Web as a public good. Highly comparable to Internet Society in mission (digital inclusion, Web access, online rights) and stakeholder community (researchers, policymakers, civil society).

Broad incumbents

• ITU (International Telecommunication Union): UN specialized agency for information and communication technologies. Operates in the same Internet governance and connectivity space as Internet Society but with a state-centric (rather than multistakeholder) governance model, representing the structural alternative Internet Society actively opposes.

Emerging players

• DiploFoundation: Nonprofit focused on Internet governance capacity building, diplomacy training, and policy research. Comparable to Internet Society on Internet governance education and developing-country policy engagement, though narrower in operational scope.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/internetsociety
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/InternetSocietyVideo
• Facebookfacebook.com/InternetSociety
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/219986
• Instagraminstagram.com/internetsociety

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments1 record

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Frequently asked questions about Internet Society