California Council on Science and Technology

What California Council on Science and Technology does

California Council on Science and Technology (CCST) is a nonpartisan, nonprofit scientific advisory organization established in 1988 by unanimous vote of the California Legislature through Assembly Concurrent Resolution 162, and incorporated in California with its headquarters in Sacramento. CCST was created to provide California policymakers with independent, objective advice from the state's leading scientists and research institutions, modeled after the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. The organization serves the California Governor's Office, the State Legislature, and executive branch agencies, delivering expert briefings, commissioned reports, testimony, and in-office consultations on complex science and technology issues including AI governance, climate change, wildfire resilience, energy infrastructure, and public health. Services are provided at no cost to California government, with CCST instead funded through state appropriations, partner institution contributions, and private philanthropy.

CCST's core offerings include the Science & Technology Policy Fellowship program, which annually recruits, trains, and places PhD scientists, engineers, and social scientists into the California State Legislature and Executive Branch for year-long placements (expanded from 10 to 15 fellows per cohort in 2019). Additional core services include expert briefings, annual Science & Technology Week and Science Day events, the Disaster Resilience Initiative, and a growing portfolio of AI-focused services including the AI Policy Initiative (2024), the AI Science Advisors residency program (2026), and the Legislative Staff Academy on AI. The organization also curates a Distinguished Experts network of 54 senior scientists and Nobel Laureates, and produces peer-reviewed publications on topics ranging from natural gas storage to oil and gas water reporting. Operational delivery is supported by a network of 12 Partner Institutions (UC, CSU, California Community Colleges, Caltech, Stanford, USC) and 6 Federal Laboratory Affiliates (NASA Ames, JPL, Lawrence Berkeley, Lawrence Livermore, Sandia, SLAC), accessed primarily through direct advisory engagement rather than any technology platform.

CCST is funded through three primary streams: state appropriations originating from the 1988 legislative authorization, recurring institutional support from California's public and private research universities and federal laboratories, and private philanthropy from foundations and individuals including the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, Simons Foundation, Hewlett Foundation, Heising-Simons Foundation, and Irwin Jacobs. The organization has approximately 20 programmatic staff based in Sacramento and has operated continuously for 38+ years, with no parent company, no subsidiaries, and no equity ownership structure. Revenue figures are not publicly disclosed.

Name

California Council on Science and Technology

Legal name

California Council on Science and Technology

Website

https://ccst.us

Company type

Private

Founded year

1988

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

CCST is a nonpartisan nonprofit founded in 1988 by the California Legislature that provides independent scientific and technical advisory services — expert briefings, commissioned reports, fellowships, and AI policy guidance — to the California Governor's Office, State Legislature, and executive branch agencies at no cost.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Sacramento

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations

Revenue model

1. State of California Funding: CCST receives financial support from the State of California as established by the California Legislature in 1988.
2. Private Philanthropy: CCST receives support from private philanthropists and foundations including Irwin Jacobs, Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, Simons Foundation, and others through annual giving and major gifts programs.
3. Partner Institution Support: CCST operations are supported by California's major post-secondary institutions including University of California, California State University, California Community Colleges, Caltech, Stanford, USC, and federal laboratories.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels12 records

Core offering

CCST is a nonpartisan nonprofit that provides scientific and technical advisory services to California state policymakers. Core offerings include placing PhD scientists as year-long Science & Technology Policy Fellows in the California Legislature and Executive Branch, producing impartial expert briefings and peer-reviewed reports on state policy issues, and running initiatives on disaster resilience and AI governance for the Governor's Office and state agencies.

Product overview

CCST operates as a nonpartisan nonprofit advisory organization offering a portfolio of science policy services rather than a unified software product. The core offerings include the Science & Technology Policy Fellowship (placing PhD scientists in government), Expert Briefings, annual events (Science & Technology Week, Science Day), the Disaster Resilience Initiative, and Artificial Intelligence services (including the AI Policy Initiative, AI Science Advisors program, and Legislative Staff Academy). Supporting offerings include the Distinguished Experts network and peer-reviewed Publications and Reports. These services work together to bridge scientific expertise with California state policymakers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Science & Technology Policy Fellows: A program that annually recruits and places PhD scientists, engineers, and social scientists into California's Legislature and Executive Branch for a year-long fellowship.
• Science & Technology Week
• Science Day
• Disaster Resilience Initiative
• AI Policy Initiative
• Science in Public Service Award
• Science Translators Showcase
• Distinguished Experts
• AI Science Advisors Program

Products and services

• Science & Technology Policy Fellowship Annual cohort-based program that recruits, trains, and places PhD scientists, engineers, and social scientists into the California State Legislature and Executive Branch offices for one-year fellowships to strengthen policies with science and technology expertise.
• Expert Briefings Succinct, impartial expert briefings providing Capitol decision makers with information on California challenges including climate change, human mobility, wildfire, and other policy topics to meet tight deadlines of state leaders.
• Science & Technology Week Annual week-long celebration of the importance of science in informing California policymaking, featuring panels, briefings, awards, and networking across policy leaders and Partner Institutions.
• Science Day Annual event connecting scientists and policymakers across sectors, held in collaboration with the California Natural Resources Agency, featuring panels, brainstorming sessions, and a Science Translators showcase.
• Disaster Resilience Initiative Evidence-based recommendations and analysis for increasing California's resilience to intersecting disasters such as wildfires, droughts, pandemics, and other extreme events.
• AI Policy Initiative and AI Science Advisors Program Services providing guidance on AI governance and responsible AI innovation, including AI Science Advisors embedded in California Governor's Office of Emergency Services and Department of Technology, plus the Legislative Staff Academy on AI.
• Distinguished Experts Network Invited roster of distinguished scientists, technical experts, Nobel Laureates, and entrepreneurs who serve as a resource to CCST for policy analysis and expert guidance.
• Publications and Reports Peer-reviewed scientific reports on topics including energy, wildfire, fumigant alternatives, forest health, pandemic action, and oil and gas water reporting, produced through a rigorous study and peer review process.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 1,600 bills, briefings, hearings, and bill analyses impacted by S&T Policy Fellows
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered major, strategic and core.

• Omidyar Network with Kapor FoundationmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Philanthropic partners announcing launch of Legislative Academy on AI with CCST, focused on responsible, equitable, and ethical AI.
• Conservation X LabsstrategicStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Two-year collaboration supporting Fire Grand Challenge, focusing on scaling stewardship solutions and amplifying voices of those who have cared for California's landscapes for generations.
• NASA Ames Research CentercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2005Federal laboratory partner providing aerospace, technology, and research expertise. Part of CCST Federal Laboratory Affiliates program established in 2005.
• Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2005Federal laboratory partner managed by Caltech for NASA, contributing space science and technology expertise.
• Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2005DOE national laboratory partner providing cutting-edge research expertise across multiple scientific disciplines.
• Lawrence Livermore National LaboratorycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2005DOE national laboratory partner contributing scientific and technical expertise to CCST's policy advisory services.
• Sandia National LaboratoriescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2005DOE national laboratory partner providing science and technology research expertise.
• SLAC National Accelerator LaboratorycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2005DOE national laboratory partner contributing advanced research capabilities and expertise.
• National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and MedicinecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2004CCST is modeled after the National Academies and entered into a memorandum of understanding in 2004 to cooperate to mutual benefit. In 2007, CCST partnered with National Academies for the first national convocation on state-level science and technology policy.
• University of CaliforniacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1988Major academic partner providing scientific expertise and research collaboration for CCST's policy advisory services. UC system represents one of California's largest public higher education systems.
• California State UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1988Major academic partner providing scientific expertise and research collaboration. CSU system is one of the largest public university systems in the nation.
• California Community CollegescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1988Academic partner representing California's community college system, providing expertise across various disciplines.
• California Institute of Technology (Caltech)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1988Elite research university partner contributing scientific and engineering expertise to CCST's advisory services.
• Stanford UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1988Leading research university partner providing expertise across science and technology domains for policy guidance.
• University of Southern CaliforniacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1988Major research university partner contributing expertise to CCST's scientific advisory network.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Brookings Institution: Brookings is a large, established public policy organization producing research across AI, climate, and economic policy — overlapping with CCST's AI and disaster resilience domains but operating as a much broader think tank.
• RAND Corporation: RAND is a much larger, established policy research organization providing independent analysis across defense, health, education, and emerging technology — overlapping with CCST on science-policy advisory but operating at greater scale and broader scope.
• Bipartisan Policy Center: A larger, established policy organization that produces cross-ideological policy analysis and recommendations. CCST's nonpartisan state-level science advisory function parallels BPC's nonpartisan federal advisory role on a much smaller scale.

Direct peers

• American Academy of Arts and Sciences: A parallel honorary and advisory body that publishes policy studies and convenes scientists and policy leaders. Both organizations serve as trusted, nonpartisan institutional advisors connecting scientific expertise with governance.
• American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS): AAAS runs the Science & Technology Policy Fellowship program (the federal-level analog of CCST's fellowship) and advocates for science in policy at the federal level. Both organizations operate as convening bodies for scientists in government service.
• Federation of American Scientists (FAS): FAS is a nonprofit that translates scientific research into actionable policy advice across federal and state levels. Both FAS and CCST leverage networks of scientists to inform government decision-making on emerging technology and security topics.
• National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine: CCST is explicitly modeled after the National Academies and entered an MOU with them in 2004. Both organizations provide independent scientific advice to policymakers and convene expert networks, though the National Academies operate at the federal level while CCST focuses on California state policy.
• Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS): UCS is a nonprofit that mobilizes scientists to influence policy on climate, energy, and emerging technologies. Both UCS and CCST leverage scientific networks for policy influence, though UCS is more advocacy-oriented while CCST is strictly nonpartisan.

Regional players

• Council of State Governments (CSG): CSG is a regional, nonpartisan organization serving all three branches of state government, comparable to CCST in providing structured support to state policymakers but operating across all U.S. states rather than a single one.
• National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL): NCSL supports state legislators across all 50 states with research and policy expertise. It is a state-level analog to CCST's legislative support function but covers all policy domains rather than specializing in science and technology.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ccstorg
• Facebookfacebook.com/ccstorg
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/7574392
• Instagraminstagram.com/ccstorg

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

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 California Council on Science and Technology