Alliance for Innovative Regulation

What Alliance for Innovative Regulation does

Alliance for Innovative Regulation (AIR) is a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit founded in 2019 by Jo Ann Barefoot and David Ehrich to modernize financial supervision through responsible use of technology. It serves three primary constituencies: (1) financial regulators and central banks, which it equips with frameworks, policy guidance and convenings; (2) Minority Depository Institutions (MDIs) seeking digital modernization support, served through the MDI ConnectTech program; and (3) emerging-market regulators needing consumer-protection tools for digital financial services, served through grants-funded programs such as the Gates Foundation–backed emerging markets work. AIR does not sell products or charge fees; its mission is delivered free of charge to participants in exchange for grant support from foundations, government agencies, and corporate funders.

AIR's core offerings are research, convening, and framework products rather than software. The proprietary Innovation Elements Framework is a human-centered methodology for regulatory modernization; the Regtech Manifesto (published 2020) set out a roadmap for digitizing supervisory frameworks; TechSprints are intensive, hackathon-style events that bring regulators and technologists together on specific challenges (e.g., the ASET program with the U.S. State Department for anti-corruption emerging-tech solutions); the Barefoot Innovation podcast, with 250+ episodes by May 2026, is a flagship thought leadership platform hosted by the CEO. Specialized programs include MDI ConnectTech (Visa–funded), the Gender-Disaggregated Data for Inclusive Regulation Initiative with a 2026 Global Design Sprint, and the Stablecoins in Africa Playbook co-authored with CGAP and MIT Digital Currency Initiative.

AIR operates as an independent nonprofit funded by grants, with no disclosed parent or membership structure and no product revenue. Reported revenue streams span foundation grants (Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, four-year, multimillion-dollar), U.S. government funding (State Department INL via ASET), and corporate funding (Visa's MDI ConnectTech sponsorship, National Bankers Association Foundation support for MDI programs). Headcount is reported at 1–10 employees and "more than tripled" since founding, while program and geographic reach has scaled across at least 11 countries spanning North America, Europe, Africa, South Asia, Asia Pacific, and Latin America.

Name

Alliance for Innovative Regulation

Legal name

Alliance for Innovative Regulation Institute

Website

https://regulationinnovation.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Alliance for Innovative Regulation is a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit founded in 2019 that convenes financial regulators, central banks, and minority depository institutions through TechSprints, research publications, and the Barefoot Innovation podcast to advance responsible technology-enabled financial regulation worldwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

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, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Foundation Grants: AIR receives multi-year grants from foundations including the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (four-year, multimillion-dollar grant) to advance technology tools and policy guidance in emerging markets.
2. Government Funding: AIR was selected by the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) for the Anti-Corruption Solutions through Emerging Technologies (ASET) program.
3. Corporate Funding: Visa Inc. provided inaugural funding for the MDI ConnectTech program. National Bankers Association Foundation provides support for minority depository institution programs.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

AIR is a global nonprofit that convenes financial regulators, central banks, and financial institutions to modernize financial regulation through responsible use of technology. It delivers this mission through research publications (e.g., the Regtech Manifesto, Stablecoins in Africa Playbook), collaborative innovation events (TechSprints and Global Design Sprints), targeted programs (MDI ConnectTech, Gender-Disaggregated Data for Inclusive Regulation, ASET), the Barefoot Innovation podcast, and its proprietary Innovation Elements Framework for regulatory modernization.

Product overview

AIR is a nonprofit organization offering a portfolio of research, convening, and framework-based products focused on modernizing financial regulation through technology. The core offerings include the Innovation Elements Framework (a proprietary human-centered framework for regulators), TechSprints (collaborative innovation events), the Barefoot Innovation Podcast (a thought leadership platform), and specialized programs like Gender-Disaggregated Data for Inclusive Regulation, MDI ConnectTech, and ASET. These products work together to convene global leaders, advance regulatory innovation, and strengthen financial systems through collaboration and real-world solutions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Innovation Elements Framework

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and strategic.

• National Bankers Association FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe National Bankers Association is the nation's preeminent voice representing minority-owned and -operated banks. Together with AIR and the NBA, the NBAF has provided key support for the MDI ConnectTech program to help MDIs develop digital modernization strategies.
• InclusivcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAIR partnered with National Bankers Association and Inclusiv to launch the MDI ConnectTech Program, helping participating MDI banks and credit unions assess technology capability, identify upgrades and digital offerings, and establish road maps to implement third-party digital solutions.
• MIT Digital Currency InitiativestrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerAIR collaborated with MIT DCI and CGAP on the Stablecoins in Africa Playbook, translating global stablecoin principles into African market regulatory considerations.
• CGAPstrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerAIR collaborated with CGAP and MIT DCI on the Stablecoins in Africa Playbook, supporting policymakers in assessing risks and opportunities across diverse African markets and user segments.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• CGAP (Consultative Group to Assist the Poor): World Bank-hosted think tank focused on financial inclusion and pro-poor innovation; AIR co-authored the Stablecoins in Africa Playbook with CGAP, and both organizations target emerging-market regulators with policy guidance and research.
• Global Digital Finance (GDF): Industry-led organization producing the Global Stablecoin Regulatory Playbook that AIR's Africa companion paper builds on; both convene regulators and industry on digital asset policy frameworks.
• FinRegLab: U.S.-based nonprofit that produces empirical research to inform financial regulation, including AI/ML and consumer credit; comparable mission of bridging data, technology and rulemaking.
• MIT Digital Currency Initiative: MIT DCI researches and advises central banks on digital currencies (including CBDCs via F. Christopher Calabia); AIR and MIT DCI collaborate on stablecoin policy, making them direct collaborators and overlapping peers in the digital-asset regulation space.
• Aspen Institute Financial Security Program: Think-tank program focused on financial inclusion, consumer financial health, and equitable policy—closely aligned with AIR's mission of modernizing regulation to address exclusion and consumer harm.
• Center for Financial Inclusion (CFI) at Accion: Nonprofit action-research center advancing inclusive finance; comparable in scope (research + convening on inclusive financial systems) and target audience (regulators, financial institutions, funders).

Broad incumbents

• Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC): Washington-based think tank with a financial services and housing policy footprint producing research and convenings for U.S. policymakers; broader portfolio than AIR but overlapping on regulatory modernization topics.
• Milken Institute (Financial Markets and Innovation): Large think tank with a dedicated Financial Markets Program and Center for Financial Markets; overlaps with AIR on capital markets innovation, financial inclusion and policy convening, but at materially greater scale and budget.
• Institute of International Finance (IIF): Global association of financial institutions that produces research and policy advocacy on regulation, digital finance and sustainable finance; a much larger incumbent whose work covers many of the same themes AIR addresses.
• BIS Innovation Hub / Basel Committee on Banking Supervision: Bank for International Settlements oversees the Innovation Hub (central bank tech projects) and BCBS (regulatory standards); both dominate the global conversation AIR seeks to influence on digital finance, CBDC and regulatory modernization.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/AIRinnovate
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/alliance-for-innovative-regulation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Alliance for Innovative Regulation