Institute of the Americas

What Institute of the Americas does

The Institute of the Americas (IOA) is an independent, inter-American nonprofit organization (501(c)(3), EIN 95-3671557) established in 1981 and headquartered on the UC San Diego campus in La Jolla, California. It operates as a policy think tank and convening platform focused on energy, environment, and economic competitiveness across the Western Hemisphere, with reach spanning from Alaska to Argentina. Its work is organized around three core programmatic pillars — the Energy Program (active since 1992), the Environment Program, and the Economic Competitiveness Program — supplemented by specialized initiatives including the Water Security Program, Sustainable Shipping Initiative, Marine Research Program, Future Energy Leaders Initiative, Energy Ambassadors Program, STEAM education, and the CaliBaja Nearshoring Initiative. Knowledge outputs include the Energy Panorama newsletter, the Enlace quarterly newsletter, the IOA Podcast Series, the Digital Library of publications, and flagship events such as the annual La Jolla Energy Conference and Madrid Energy Conference.

The organization's underlying "technology" is its convening and research infrastructure: a network of Board members, Advisory Council members, 10+ Non-Resident Fellows, and an Energy Steering Committee comprising nine multinational corporate sponsors (Sempra Infrastructure, Shell, BP, Siemens Energy, Holland & Knight, Excelerate Energy, InterEnergy, Pluspetrol, and CGC), augmented by institutional partnerships with the Organization of American States (including its Inter-American Committee on Ports), CEBRI, ARPEL, the U.S. Department of State, Inter-American Dialogue, and Wilson Center. The Madrid Energy Conference extends the platform to Europe. The organization has a small professional staff of approximately 10-15, including a President & CEO (Richard Kiy, appointed August 3, 2020), a Vice President of Energy, program leaders, and operational staff, and is governed by a Board chaired by Javade Chaudhri (since November 2024).

IOA's revenue model is donation- and sponsorship-driven rather than commercial. It accepts individual donations through tiered monthly ($10-$75) and annual ($100-$5,000) recurring plans via its "Friends of IOA" program, operates a Legacy Society for planned giving, and receives corporate sponsorship through the Energy Steering Committee. It also receives grants from foundations and government agencies and maintains Guidestar Platinum Transparency (2024) and Charity Navigator 4-Star ratings. Customer and audience segments span government officials and policymakers, energy-sector executives, academic researchers and graduate students, and community leaders in Mexico — with the Energy Ambassadors program having trained 145 participants across 9 workshops in Baja California, Sonora, and Mexico City since 2019.

Name

Institute of the Americas

Legal name

Institute of the Americas

Website

https://iamericas.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1981

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Institute of the Americas is an independent, inter-American nonprofit think tank founded in 1981 on the UC San Diego campus that convenes policymakers, energy executives, and academics across the Western Hemisphere through policy research, flagship conferences, and fellowship programs focused on energy, environment, and economic competitiveness.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Inter-American Policy Research and Convening Services

NAICS

Business Associations (813910), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813), Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations (8139)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Management Consulting Services (8742), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Energy, Utilities & Infrastructure Congresses (THAHAJAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Executive Summits & Invitation-Only Forums (MPAGAGAK), Economic Research, Statistics & Policy Advisory (BPADAMAJ), Multilateral Diplomacy & International Representation (UN, Regional Bodies) (BPAIAIAC), Education Policy Research Institutes & Think Tanks (EDADADAA), STEM, Digital Skills & Innovation Partnerships (EDADALAJ)

Keywords

• Inter-american policy research
• Energy policy convenings
• Nonprofit think tank
• Public-private dialogue
• Hemispheric cooperation

Headquarters

HQ city

La Jolla

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donations and Grants: IOA operates as a nonprofit organization (EIN: 95-3671557) funded primarily through donations from individuals, corporations, foundations, and government agencies. The organization has a Legacy Society for planned giving and accepts wire transfers for larger donations. Donations can be directed to specific programs including Energy Program, Environment Program, Marine Program, Economic Competitiveness Program, or general support.
2. Corporate Sponsorships and Steering Committee Contributions: The Energy Steering Committee comprises corporate sponsors (Sempra Infrastructure, Shell, BP, Siemens Energy, Holland & Knight, Excelerate, InterEnergy, Pluspetrol, CGC) who provide strategic guidance and financial support for energy programming.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Institute of the Americas is an inter-American nonprofit policy organization that convenes government officials, corporate executives, and academics through flagship conferences (La Jolla Energy Conference, Madrid Energy Conference), workshops, and roundtables; produces policy research and publications on energy, environment, and economic competitiveness; and runs leadership and education programs including Future Energy Leaders, Energy Ambassadors, the Diplomatic Fellowship Program, and STEAM. Its work is organized around three programmatic pillars — Energy, Environment, and Economic Competitiveness — and is supported by a Digital Library, podcast, and quarterly newsletter.

Product overview

The Institute of the Americas operates as an inter-American public policy organization that functions as a platform-plus-initiatives model rather than a traditional technology product. The organization's core offerings include three main programmatic pillars: the Energy Program, Environment Program, and Economic Competitiveness Program. These are supported by specialized initiatives such as the Water Security Program, Sustainable Shipping Initiative, Marine Research Program, Future Energy Leaders Initiative, Energy Ambassadors Program, STEAM Program, and CaliBaja Nearhoring Initiative. The organization convenes stakeholders through flagship events including the La Jolla Energy Conference and Madrid Energy Conference. Knowledge products include a Digital Library, IOA Podcast Series, and various publications including the quarterly 'Enlace' newsletter. The Diplomatic Fellowship Program brings foreign policy professionals into the organization's work. All offerings are focused on policy research, convening, and education rather than commercial technology products.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Energy Program Policy-focused program that convenes thought leaders, shapes policy discourse, and informs policymakers and investors about key trends across the energy sector and its broader geopolitical context in the Americas.
• Environment Program Program that drives actionable cross-border strategies to address climate and environmental challenges through high-level convenings, technical collaboration, and integration of science, economics, and stakeholder engagement.
• Economic Competitiveness Program Program focused on investment and growth led by the private sector to catalyze expanded economic development and regional integration across the Americas.
• Water Security Program Program addressing water scarcity in the CaliBaja region through advancing water re-use strategies and binational partnerships to improve water resilience.
• Sustainable Shipping Initiative Initiative working to build capacity and raise awareness on environmental, economic, and health benefits of reducing the carbon footprint and ecological impacts of the shipping and port industry in Latin America.
• Marine Research Program Program utilizing a network of scientific collaborators producing research on conservation and sustainable management through multidisciplinary approaches spanning fisheries management, biodiversity conservation, and coastal and marine policy analysis.
• Future Energy Leaders Initiative Scholarship and mentorship initiative connecting UC San Diego graduate students with energy sector trailblazers through participation in conferences and research projects on Latin American energy transition.
• Energy Ambassadors Program Series of high-level dialogues and presentations directed at community leaders in Mexican states of Baja California and Sonora to deepen understanding of energy and sustainability issues, covering climate change, energy markets, regulation, natural gas, and renewable energy.
• STEAM Program Science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics education program offering residential summer camps, day camps (STEAM Labs), and professional development workshops for Latin American STEAM teachers.
• CaliBaja Nearshoring Initiative Initiative focused on economic integration and nearshoring opportunities in the CaliBaja binational region spanning San Diego, California and Baja California, Mexico.
• La Jolla Energy Conference Flagship annual conference convening energy officials and executives from across the globe to discuss critical energy issues and trends facing the Americas.
• Madrid Energy Conference Annual conference bringing together Europe and the Americas for dialogue on energy policy, investment, and transition strategies.
• North American Forum Forum addressing emerging issues of importance to North American countries on energy, environment, and economic competitiveness.
• Digital Library Online repository of publications, reports, research briefs, and multimedia content on energy, environment, and economic topics relevant to the Americas.
• IOA Podcast Series on Latin America Podcast series featuring discussions on Latin American affairs, energy issues, and geopolitical topics relevant to the hemisphere.
• Diplomatic Fellowship Program Annual residency program for mid-level foreign policy professionals to engage with civic, business, academic, and governmental institutions in Southern California to further IOA's mission.
• Enlace Quarterly Newsletter Quarterly newsletter covering program updates, events, publications, and hemispheric developments in energy, environment, and economic competitiveness.

Named customers4 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

Partnerships

19 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major, flagship and minor.

• UC San Diego (GPS, USMEX, Jacobs School, SIO, UCTV)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIOA is located on the UC San Diego campus and maintains formal affiliations with the Graduate School for Global Policy and Strategy (GPS), Center for U.S-Mexican Studies (USMEX), Jacobs School of Engineering, Scripps Institution of Oceanography (SIO), and University of California Television (UCTV). These partnerships provide research collaboration, student engagement, and platform distribution capabilities.
• CEBRI (Brazilian Center for International Relations)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInstitutional partner with formalized cooperation agreement for joint programmatic work aligned with shared goals on hemispheric economic and policy issues.
• Organization of American States (OAS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInstitutional partner with formalized cooperation agreement. IOA has become a strategic partner of the Inter-American Committee on Ports (CIP) of OAS for maritime sustainability work.
• ARPEL (Association of Oil, Gas and Renewable Energy Companies of Latin America and Caribbean)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInstitutional partner providing industry collaboration and joint programming on energy sector issues across the region.
• U.S. Department of StatecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInstitutional partner supporting diplomatic engagement and international cooperation on energy, environment, and economic policy issues.
• Inter-American DialoguemajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCollaborative partner for joint programs and activities without formal cooperation agreement, working on hemispheric policy dialogue.
• Wilson CentermajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCollaborative partner for joint programs and activities, particularly on Latin American policy research.
• Sempra InfrastructureflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerFlagship sponsor of Energy Steering Committee, providing strategic guidance and financial support for the Energy Program. Abraham Zamora serves as President, Mexico & Chief Sustainability Officer.
• ShellflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerFlagship sponsor of Energy Steering Committee providing strategic guidance and financial support for energy programming.
• BPcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSteering Committee member supporting Energy Program with strategic guidance and financial contributions.
• Siemens EnergycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSteering Committee member supporting Energy Program with strategic guidance and financial contributions.
• Holland & Knight LLPcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSteering Committee member providing legal and policy expertise alongside financial support for energy programming.
• Excelerate EnergycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSteering Committee member providing strategic guidance and financial support for LNG and energy infrastructure programming.
• InterEnergycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSteering Committee member with Rolando González Bunster serving as Chairman and CEO. Supports energy sector engagement.
• PluspetrolcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSteering Committee member supporting upstream and energy sector programming across Latin America.
• CGC (Compañía General de Combustibles)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSteering Committee member supporting energy programming with focus on Argentine and regional energy sector.
• Getting to Zero CoalitionmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIOA invited as supporting partner to promote decarbonization of shipping internationally, participating in Latin America Taskforce.
• IMO Maritime Technology Cooperation Center (MTCC) LATAMmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorWorking with MTCC-LATAM to identify and share best practices for ports and vessels on maritime sustainability issues.
• Our Oceans ConferenceminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorIOA has placed scrubber issues on the agenda of international fora including the Our Oceans Conference.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Inter-American Dialogue: Washington-based hemispheric policy think tank that convenes leaders and produces research on energy, economic, and political issues across the Americas — directly comparable mission, model, and audience to IOA.
• Wilson Center: Major Washington-based policy research and convening institution with a Latin America Program; comparable in running high-level public-private dialogues, fellowships, and energy/policy research across the hemisphere.
• Council of the Americas / Americas Society: Hemispheric business and policy membership organization convening corporate executives and government officials on Western Hemisphere issues including energy and economic integration — directly comparable convener model.
• Brazilian Center for International Relations (CEBRI): Rio-based policy think tank focused on Brazil's international relations and economic agenda; IOA is a formal institutional partner, making it a directly comparable peer in hemispheric convening.
• ARPEL: Association of Oil, Gas and Renewable Energy Companies of Latin America and the Caribbean — IOA's institutional partner and a directly comparable industry-convener for the regional energy sector.

Broad incumbents

• Atlantic Council: Global policy institution with substantial energy, Latin America, and climate programs; significantly larger and broader in scope but operates on a similar convening-and-research model with corporate sponsors.
• CSIS Americas Program: Major Washington think tank with dedicated Western Hemisphere programming covering energy, trade, and security — competes for the same corporate-sponsor and policymaker audience as IOA but at meaningfully larger scale.
• Brookings Institution (Latin America Initiative): Premier U.S. policy research institution with a dedicated Latin America Initiative producing research and convenings on energy and economic competitiveness — substantially larger scale, similar academic-anchored model.
• Aspen Institute: U.S.-based policy and leadership organization with convening, fellowship, and policy programs across multiple sectors; comparable operating model as a 501(c)(3) convener with corporate sponsors.

Regional players

• Getulio Vargas Foundation (FGV): Major Brazilian think tank and academic institution producing energy and economic-policy research; comparable in scale and mission as a Latin American policy convener, with stronger geographic concentration in Brazil.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/iamericas
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/IOAmericas
• Facebookfacebook.com/iamericas.org
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/institute-of-the-americas
• Instagraminstagram.com/instituteoftheamericas/?hl=en

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Institute of the Americas