Certification Partners(CIW)

What Certification Partners(CIW) does

Certification Partners (CIW), operating under the brand CIW (Certified Internet Web), is a vendor-neutral IT and Web technology certification publisher founded in 1997 and headquartered in Tempe, Arizona. The company develops and maintains a portfolio of standardized credentials organized into multiple tracks: Web Foundations Series (Internet Business Associate, Site Development Associate, Network Technology Associate), Web and Mobile Design Series, Web Development Series, Web Security Series, and newer categories including Artificial Intelligence, Data Science, Multimedia, Cyber Security, and Financial Management. Curriculum is delivered via self-study kits (coursebook, virtual labs, practice exams, and the uCertify-powered Course Mastery tool), and exams are delivered either through the Certiverse remote proctoring platform or traditional CTC testing centers, with credentials managed in the CertMetrics-powered CIW Candidate Information Center.

The business operates a primarily transactional, unit-priced revenue model: exam vouchers at $175, self-study kits ranging $219-$419, virtual labs at $79, and CTC vouchers $79-$269, sold direct via the ciwcertified.com e-commerce storefront as well as indirectly through a global channel of Authorized Training Partners (ATPs) and Authorized Academic Partners (AAPs) including universities, colleges, high schools, and learning centers. GTM mixes self-serve product-led purchasing, channel-led distribution through ATPs/AAPs, and inside sales for corporate training engagements. The company reports lifetime scale of 1M+ trained learners and 210,000+ certifications awarded, with credentials cited in job postings by Cisco, Raytheon, General Dynamics, Northrop Grumman, HP, BAE Systems, Citibank, and the U.S. National Security Agency.

Certification Partners is a privately-held company with no disclosed funding rounds, parent entity, or ownership structure. The business is operating, with active product development (including AI credentials added in 2023) and ongoing channel expansion. The company is small (11-50 employees), bootstrapped/cash-flow funded, and serves a horizontal mix of student, professional, educator, and corporate training customers rather than a vertically concentrated buyer base.

Name

Certification Partners(CIW)

Legal name

Certification Partners

Website

https://ciwcertified.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Certification Partners (CIW) is a vendor-neutral IT and Web technology certification publisher offering credentials across Web foundations, security, development, and emerging areas such as AI. It serves students, professionals, educators, and corporate training programs via e-commerce and global academic and training partner channels.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

IT Certification & Training

NAICS

Computer Training (611420), Professional and Management Development Training (611430), Educational Services (611)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Information Technology (IT) & Cybersecurity Certifications (EDAAANAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Continuing Education (CE/CPD) & Provider Accreditation Bodies (EDADACAF), Finance, Accounting & Risk (CFA/CPA/FRM) Certifications (EDAAANAD)

Keywords

• IT certification programs
• Vendor-neutral certification
• Web technology training
• Professional certification exams
• Online certification courses

Headquarters

HQ city

Tempe

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Exam Voucher Sales: One-time purchase of exam vouchers ($175 each) for remote exam delivery through Certiverse or CTC testing centers
2. Self-Study Kit Sales: Sale of comprehensive self-study kits with courseware, practice exams, and online resources ($219-$269 per kit)
3. Virtual Labs: Sale of virtual lab access ($79) for hands-on practical training
4. Student Guide/Courseware Sales: Sale of student guides with practice exams ($419) for structured learning
5. CTC Voucher Sales: Sale of CTC (Computerized Testing Center) vouchers ($79-$175) for traditional testing center exams

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Certification Partners (CIW) develops and delivers vendor-neutral IT and Web technology certification programs. It sells individual professional certifications across tracks such as Web Foundations, Web Development, Web Security, Web and Mobile Design, Artificial Intelligence, Data Science, and Cybersecurity, bundled with self-study kits, virtual labs, and exam vouchers delivered remotely through the Certiverse platform or via CTC testing centers. The company also licenses its curriculum to a global network of Authorized Training and Academic Partners.

Product overview

Certification Partners (CIW) provides vendor-neutral IT and Web technology certification programs. The core offering includes the CIW certification ecosystem consisting of multiple certification tracks: Web Foundations Series (Internet Business Associate, Site Development Associate, Network Technology Associate leading to Web Foundations Associate), Web and Mobile Design Series, Web Development Series, Web Security Series, and specialized certifications in Artificial Intelligence, Data Science, Cybersecurity, and Digital Marketing. Products include Self-Study Kits with comprehensive course materials, Virtual Labs for hands-on practice, exam vouchers (via Certiverse and CTC Online), and the CIW Candidate Information Center for credential management. The company has trained over 1 million students since 1997 and awards professional IT certifications through educational institutions and corporations worldwide.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• CIW Web Foundations Associate Certification Comprehensive entry-level certification validating understanding of Internet business, data networking, and Web site design; consists of three sub-certifications (Internet Business Associate, Site Development Associate, Network Technology Associate). Target audience: students and early-career IT professionals.
• Internet Business Associate Certification (IBA) Individual certification validating understanding of Internet business concepts and practices; foundational component of the Web Foundations Associate certification.
• Site Development Associate Certification (SDA) Individual certification validating foundational skills in Web site development.
• Network Technology Associate Certification (NTA) Individual certification validating understanding of data networking concepts and technologies.
• Web and Mobile Design Series Certification series covering Web design and mobile design topics, including User Interface Design Specialist.
• Web Development Series Certification series covering Web development topics including Advanced HTML5 & CSS3 Specialist and JavaScript Specialist.
• Web Security Series Certification series covering cybersecurity topics for Web professionals, including Web Security Associate.
• Artificial Intelligence Associate Certification Certification validating foundational understanding of artificial intelligence concepts and applications.
• Artificial Intelligence Data Science Specialist Certification Advanced AI certification focusing on data science applications and methodologies.
• Advanced HTML5 & CSS3 Specialist Certification Certification validating advanced skills in HTML5 and CSS3 Web development technologies.
• JavaScript Specialist Certification Certification validating JavaScript programming skills for Web development.
• Database Design Specialist Certification Certification validating database design principles and SQL database development skills.
• Data Analyst Certification Certification validating data analysis skills and knowledge.
• User Interface Design Specialist Certification Certification validating UI/UX design skills for digital products.
• Web Security Associate Certification Certification validating Web security skills and knowledge.
• Social Media Strategist Certification Certification validating social media marketing strategy skills.
• Ecommerce Services Specialist Certification Certification validating ecommerce services expertise.
• Cyber Specialist Certification Cybersecurity certification validating security assessment and protection skills.
• Multimedia Specialist Certification Certification validating multimedia content creation and development skills.
• Financial Management Specialist Certification Certification validating financial management skills for technology professionals.
• Modeling & Simulation Course Technical skill proficiency course covering modeling and simulation conceptualization, design, storyboarding, development methodologies, programming techniques, and implementation challenges.
• CIW Self-Study Kit Self-paced online learning package including coursebook, virtual labs, movie clips, Course Mastery, lesson quizzes, online exercises, and practice exams; available with or without exam vouchers.
• CIW Live Labs (Virtual Labs) Hands-on virtual lab environments for practical skill development across CIW certification topics.
• Certiverse Exam Vouchers Remote proctored exam vouchers enabling candidates to take CIW certification exams online through the Certiverse platform.
• CIW Candidate Information Center Online portal for CIW candidates to access exam results, download certificates, manage certifications, and generate transcripts.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 1 million students and professionals trained since 1997
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• CertiversecoreTechnology or IntegrationCertiverse is the remote exam delivery partner for CIW certifications, enabling candidates to take exams online through their platform. Vouchers for Certiverse exams are sold through CIW's online store at $175 per exam.
• uCertifycoreTechnology or IntegrationuCertify provides the Course Mastery online tool for CIW self-study programs. This tool delivers course review questions based on learning and memory research to boost retention and content mastery.
• CertMetricscoreTechnology or IntegrationCertMetrics provides the CIW Candidate Information Center portal where exam results are automatically imported within 24 hours of exam completion, and where candidates can download certificates and generate transcripts.
• Authorized Training Partners (ATPs)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorATPs are certified training organizations authorized to provide instructor-led CIW courses using official curriculum and courseware. They offer in-person training options for corporate and individual learners.
• Authorized Academic Partners (AAPs)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAAPs include universities, colleges, high schools, and middle schools that integrate CIW certifications into their academic programs and degree offerings. The program includes thousands of institutions globally.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• CompTIA: CompTIA is the most established vendor-neutral IT certification provider (A+, Network+, Security+, etc.), directly competing with CIW for the same foundational IT credential buyer. Both target students, IT professionals, and academic institutions seeking platform-agnostic IT certifications.
• EC-Council: EC-Council is a leading cybersecurity certification body (CEH, CHFI, ECSA) overlapping directly with CIW's Web Security Series and Cyber Specialist credential. Both serve individual learners and channel partners with cybersecurity-focused credentials.
• (ISC)²: (ISC)² offers premier vendor-neutral cybersecurity certifications (CISSP, SSCP, CCSP) that overlap with CIW's Web Security Associate, Cyber Specialist and broader security curriculum, targeting working IT security professionals for career advancement.
• Certiport (a Pearson business): Certiport delivers vendor-neutral and vendor-aligned IT certifications through academic institutions globally, competing head-to-head with CIW's Authorized Academic Partner channel in high schools and colleges for curriculum integration deals.

Broad incumbents

• PMI (Project Management Institute): PMI is a broader professional credentialing incumbent (PMP, CAPM) targeting IT and business professionals for career development. While not an IT-specific peer, it competes for the same professional development wallet share and corporate training budgets that CIW pursues.
• Cisco NetAcad: Cisco Networking Academy delivers networking and IT curricula embedded in thousands of academic institutions globally, with Cisco-aligned certifications. It competes with CIW's Authorized Academic Partner model but with vendor-tied content backed by a much larger corporate sponsor.
• Microsoft Learn / Certifications: Microsoft offers free training plus a broad portfolio of role-based certifications (Azure, Microsoft 365, Power Platform) that increasingly absorb IT professional credential demand and overlap with CIW's Web Development and Database curriculum areas.
• AWS Certifications: AWS Certification offers cloud-focused credentials (Solutions Architect, Developer, SysOps) backed by a hyperscaler with massive free training. While more cloud-specific than CIW, it absorbs a meaningful share of IT professional certification demand that might otherwise go to vendor-neutral providers.

Emerging players

• Coursera: Coursera partners with universities and tech companies to deliver IT and professional certificates (Google, IBM, Meta), some with recognized credentials. It overlaps with CIW's self-paced online delivery model and competes for the same IT upskilling learner, though with a subscription/plus model rather than transactional.
• Udemy: Udemy offers low-cost on-demand IT and certification prep courses. While not credential-issuing, it competes with CIW's self-study kits at a much lower price point for learners seeking affordable preparation for vendor-neutral and vendor-aligned IT certifications.

Market position

Strengths1 record

Weaknesses1 record

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CIWCertified
• Facebookfacebook.com/CertificationPartners

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 Certification Partners(CIW)