Institute for the Study of War

What Institute for the Study of War does

The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) is a non-partisan, non-profit 501(c)(3) public policy research organization founded in 2007 by Dr. Kimberly Kagan and headquartered in Washington, DC. It produces open-source intelligence (OSINT) on military conflicts and geopolitical competition, applying intelligence-community tradecraft to unclassified sources including social media, satellite imagery, and commercial data. Its core technical capability is a full intelligence cycle run on non-classified material, supported by a dedicated Geospatial Intelligence Team (launched 2022) that produces granular conflict maps and visual assessments. The organization publishes seven core daily assessment lines — Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, Russian Occupation Update, Russian Force Generation Update, Iran Update, China & Taiwan Update, Korean Peninsula Update, and Adversary Entente Task Force Update — plus the Cognitive Warfare Project, Map Room, Research Library, Briefing Room video series, and the Hertog War Studies Program. It operates 11-50 employees with all products distributed free of charge through understandingwar.org, email subscriptions, seven social platforms, media citations, and direct briefings.

ISW is funded entirely through charitable donations from individuals, foundations, and corporations; it explicitly refuses US or foreign government funding to preserve independence, holding a Four-Star Charity Navigator rating and a GuideStar Platinum Seal of Transparency. Primary end-users are US and allied government decision-makers (military and civilian leadership, Congressional officials), journalists and media organizations, humanitarian NGOs and demining organizations, and emerging national security leaders trained through the Hertog War Studies Program. The organization also operates two named centers — the General Jack Keane Center for National Security and the General David H. Petraeus Center for Emerging Leaders — and maintains strategic research partnerships with the Critical Threats Project (AEI) and the Coalition Defense of Taiwan (AEI). In 2025, ISW reported 74,000+ global media mentions (more than any foreign policy think tank), 1.2 million social followers, 390 million social impressions, 42 million website pageviews, 5,300+ custom maps produced, and 858 daily/weekly updates published.

Name

Institute for the Study of War

Legal name

Institute for the Study of War

Website

https://understandingwar.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Institute for the Study of War is a non-partisan 501(c)(3) founded in 2007 that produces daily open-source intelligence assessments, conflict maps, and geospatial analysis on military conflicts for US/allied government decision-makers, journalists, humanitarian organizations, and the public, funded entirely through private charitable donations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Defense Policy Research

NAICS

National Security (928110), National Security and International Affairs (9281)

SIC

Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700)

akta.pro primary industry

Intelligence (Strategic, Tactical & Technical) (BPAIAHAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Early Warning, Conflict Analysis & Prevention Programs (BPADAFAK), Threat Intelligence Services (BPAEADAC)

Keywords

• Conflict analysis research
• Open-source intelligence
• Defense policy analysis
• Military affairs research
• Geopolitical intelligence

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, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: ISW is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization funded through donations from individuals, foundations, and corporations. The organization explicitly states it does not accept financial contributions from US or foreign governments, ensuring independence and objectivity.
2. Educational Programs: Revenue from educational programming including the Hertog War Studies Program for undergraduates, fellowships, and professional staff rides.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

ISW produces daily open-source intelligence assessments across seven conflict portfolios (Russia-Ukraine, Middle East, China-Taiwan, Korea, Adversary Entente, Defense of Europe, Cognitive Warfare), published as running intelligence estimates, conflict maps, and planning exercises. The organization supplements these written products with a Geospatial Intelligence Team, a Map Room of interactive and static conflict maps, a Briefing Room multimedia series, and the Hertog War Studies Program for undergraduates. All products are distributed free of charge to government decision-makers, military leaders, media, humanitarian organizations, and the public.

Product overview

The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) is a non-partisan, non-profit public policy research organization that provides open-source intelligence analysis rather than a commercial technology product. ISW's core offerings include daily intelligence assessments across seven main product lines: Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, Russian Occupation Update, Russian Force Generation Update, Iran Update, China & Taiwan Update, Korean Peninsula Update, and Adversary Entente Task Force Update. These written products are supplemented by the Map Room (interactive and static conflict maps), Geospatial Intelligence program, Cognitive Warfare Project, Research Library, and Briefing Room video series. The organization also operates the Hertog War Studies Program for undergraduate education. All products are distributed through the organization's website at understandingwar.org. ISW does not offer a commercial software platform, API, or technology product in the traditional sense.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment
• Russian Occupation Update
• Russian Force Generation and Technological Adaptations Update
• Iran Update
• China & Taiwan Update
• Korean Peninsula Update
• Adversary Entente Task Force Update
• Conflict Maps (Map Room)
• Geospatial Intelligence
• Cognitive Warfare Project
• Hertog War Studies Program
• Research Library
• Briefing Room
• General David H. Petraeus Center for Emerging Leaders
• General Jack Keane Center for National Security

Quantifiable outcome

• ISW's maps are utilized by world leaders, military and intelligence professionals, and media organizations that broadcast to millions daily
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Critical Threats Project (CTP) at American Enterprise InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerISW partners with the Critical Threats Project, led by Dr. Frederick W. Kagan, at the American Enterprise Institute. Analysts routinely co-author joint research products including daily Iran Updates and assessments of Iran's regional proxy network and associated risks to the United States, allies, and partners.
• Coalition Defense of Taiwan (CDOT)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerISW partners with the Coalition Defense of Taiwan Project, led by Dan Blumenthal at the American Enterprise Institute. The partnership produces the China & Taiwan Update providing intelligence estimates on the Chinese Communist Party's paths to controlling Taiwan and jointly publishes strategic planning exercises on requirements for Coalition Defense of Taiwan.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• RAND Corporation: Large, established defense and policy research organization producing rigorous analysis for US and allied governments. Comparable in its defense-focused research mission and government client base, but operates at significantly greater scale with broader topic coverage.
• Brookings Institution: Premier Washington think tank covering foreign policy, defense, and economics. Comparable as a top-tier national security thought leader serving policymakers and media, with a much broader research portfolio and larger endowment.
• Carnegie Endowment for International Peace: Established foreign policy research organization with deep regional and geopolitical analysis programs. Comparable in serving informed policy elites with nonpartisan analysis, though with more academic orientation than ISW's military-operational focus.

Direct peers

• Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS): Major Washington-based bipartisan think tank producing defense and national security analysis. Comparable to ISW in serving policymakers, military leaders, and media with strategic assessments, though CSIS has a broader policy remit and much larger staff.
• Atlantic Council: Foreign policy think tank focused on international security, geopolitics, and US global engagement. Comparable in producing daily and ongoing analysis on Russia, China, and the Middle East for policymakers and media, with similar transatlantic orientation.
• Hudson Institute: DC-based foreign policy and national security think tank. Comparable in producing hawkish-leaning geopolitical analysis on China, Russia, and the Middle East for policymakers and media, with similar think tank operating model.
• Royal United Services Institute (RUSI): UK-based defense and security think tank producing analysis for government and military audiences. Comparable in mission and methodology of producing applied defense analysis for decision-makers, with similar thought-leadership positioning in its region.
• International Crisis Group: Independent NGO focused on conflict prevention and resolution through field-based analysis and policy advocacy. Comparable in producing conflict analysis for policymakers and media, though with a stronger conflict-resolution rather than military-operations orientation.
• Heritage Foundation: Conservative Washington think tank with major foreign and defense policy programs. Comparable as a DC-based policy competitor with overlapping national security portfolio and similar audience of policymakers, media, and engaged public.
• American Enterprise Institute (AEI): Conservative-leaning DC think tank and direct ISW partner through the Critical Threats Project and Coalition Defense of Taiwan. Co-publishes Iran Update and China/Taiwan assessments, making it the closest functional peer in joint analytic production.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/thestudyofwar
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/UnderstandingWarOrg
• Facebookfacebook.com/InstitutefortheStudyofWar
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/institute-for-the-study-of-war
• Instagraminstagram.com/thestudyofwar/?hl=en

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles28 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Institute for the Study of War