Inspire Leadership Network

What Inspire Leadership Network does

Inspire Leadership Network (legal entity: International CIO Leadership Association, LLC; DBAs include InspireCIO, InspireCISO, and InspireCMO) operates a C-suite technology executive peer-leadership network across more than 50 local chapters in North America, founded in 1998 and headquartered in the United States with 51-100 employees. Its core product is chapter-based membership: CIOs and CISOs pay recurring dues to participate in member-led, non-commercial local chapter programs conducted under the Chatham House Rule, supported by the Inspire Connect mobile app (iOS and Android) that enables member discovery and event registration. The company monetizes through two primary streams — subscription membership dues and Leadership Academy program fees — with the Academy delivering cohort-based executive education under three sub-programs: Next Generation Leader (NGL) for emerging directors and managers, Executive Leadership for VP and C-suite participants, and Board Readiness for VP-and-above leaders pursuing board service (led by instructor Jean Holley).

Go-to-market is community-led and event-driven: growth is generated through member referrals, 'plus one' guest programs, and chapter-initiated recruitment, while the flagship ORBIE Awards (recognizing CIO leadership across eight categories) and Converge conferences serve as top-of-funnel demand generation and brand-building events. Academy programs are sold both to individuals and to enterprises — Amtrak, Baker Hughes, Dow, Corning, NRG Energy, Liberty Mutual Insurance, Houston Astros, Grant Thornton, Deloitte, Lyft, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, and AIG are named enterprise customers — with published volume pricing (13% discount for 10+ participants, 27% for 20+). The organization governs itself through an updated Code of Conduct (May 2026), chapter-level Advisory Boards, an Executive Director function per chapter, and a Traffic Light Protocol layered atop the Chatham House Rule for sensitive information sharing.

No external funding rounds, M&A activity, leadership changes, or technology partnerships are disclosed in the available sources; the LLC appears founder/owner-operated with no parent entity and no public listing. The proprietary technology surface is narrow — limited to the Inspire Connect App — with no APIs, SDKs, integrations, patents, AI/ML capabilities, or data-asset disclosures. Geographic footprint is concentrated in North America, presenting a clear untapped international expansion vector.

Name

Inspire Leadership Network

Legal name

International CIO Leadership Association, LLC

Website

https://inspireleadershipnetwork.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Inspire Leadership Network is a private US peer-leadership network of more than 50 chapters serving C-suite technology executives (CIOs, CISOs) with membership programs, the ORBIE Awards, Converge events, and the Inspire Leadership Academy (Next Generation Leader, Executive Leadership, Board Readiness).

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Executive Peer Leadership Networking

NAICS

Professional and Management Development Training (611430), Professional Organizations (81392), Business Associations (813910), Convention and Trade Show Organizers (561920)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Executive Leadership & C-Suite Development (EDABAAAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Team & Group Executive Coaching (Leadership Teams) (EDABANAF), Corporate & Leadership Development (BPACANAA), Executive Leadership Summits (C-Suite, Board, Strategy Offsites) (THAHAMAA)

Keywords

• Executive peer network
• Leadership development programs
• CIO membership association
• Technology executive awards
• Professional networking chapters

Headquarters

HQ city

Atlanta

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: C-suite executives join as members through local Inspire chapters, paying membership fees for access to peer networking, events, and professional development programs.
2. Leadership Academy Programs: Revenue generated from enrollment in leadership development programs including Next Generation Leader (NGL), Executive Leadership, and Board Readiness. Programs are offered to individual team members and in bulk (10+, 20+ participants) with volume discounts.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Inspire Leadership Network operates a peer leadership membership network for C-suite technology executives (CIOs and CISOs) across 50+ local chapters in North America. The company sells annual chapter memberships and runs structured leadership development programs through the Inspire Leadership Academy, including Next Generation Leader, Executive Leadership, and Board Readiness cohorts. It also produces the ORBIE Awards and Converge conferences to recognize technology leadership and convene the community.

Product overview

Inspire Leadership Network operates as a peer leadership network for C-suite technology executives, comprising over 50 local chapters across North America. The organization offers three interconnected program areas: (1) the core membership network with Inspire Connect mobile app enabling peer relationships and chapter events, (2) the ORBIE Awards recognition program honoring CIO leadership achievement, and (3) Converge conferences for professional convening. The Inspire Leadership Academy provides three structured programs—Next Generation Leader for emerging leaders, Executive Leadership for VP/C-suite executives, and Board Readiness for those preparing for board service—all featuring cohort-based learning, executive coaching, and Credly digital badges for course completion.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ORBIE Awards: Annual awards program recognizing CIOs and technology executives for leadership excellence
• Converge
• Inspire Leadership Academy

Products and services

• Inspire Leadership Network Membership

Quantifiable outcome

• 1,500+ up-and-coming leaders have strengthened their leadership skills through Inspire Leadership Academy
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• BostonCIOcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 June 2026BostonCIO is one of over 50 chapters of the Inspire Leadership Network. As a chapter partner, BostonCIO hosts the BostonCIO ORBIE Awards, recognizing CIOs from organizations including Fidelity Investments, Marsh, Pegasystems, The Kraft Group, and Granite Telecommunications for leadership excellence.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Vistage Worldwide: Vistage is the largest peer-advisory and executive leadership organization globally, organizing C-suite members into confidential peer groups and chair-led sessions. It is the closest direct analog to Inspire's CIO/CISO chapter model, sharing subscription membership, peer-driven GTM, and recurring dues revenue.
• YPO (Young Presidents' Organization): YPO is a global peer community of CEOs and senior executives organized into chapters with member-led education, forums, and leadership development. Like Inspire, YPO monetizes via membership dues, runs signature events, and leverages Chatham-House-Rule trust to differentiate from transactional networking.
• Entrepreneurs' Organization (EO): EO is a peer network for entrepreneurs organized into local chapters with peer forums, leadership academies, and global events. Its chapter-driven, member-referral-led growth model, leadership programs, and annual event business mirror Inspire's playbook applied to a different executive segment.
• Information Technology Senior Management Forum (ITSMF): ITSMF is a peer leadership network for senior technology and business executives of color, with chapters and development programs. It overlaps directly with Inspire's CIO/CISO chapter-based peer model in both format and target persona.
• SIM (Society for Information Management): SIM is a long-standing CIO professional association running local chapters, leadership development, and peer-driven programming for senior technology executives. It competes most directly with Inspire's CIO/CISO constituency via chapter membership and leadership events.
• ISSA (Information Systems Security Association): ISSA is a global membership association for cybersecurity leaders including CISOs, with local chapters, peer networking, and leadership events. As Inspire expands via its InspireCISO sub-brand, ISSA represents the existing peer-network incumbent in the same persona.

Emerging players

• Chief: Chief is a private membership network for C-suite women leaders combining peer groups, leadership programming, and curated experiences. It mirrors Inspire's chapter-or-cohort structure and peer-driven leadership development, but for a different executive demographic.
• Athena Alliance: Athena Alliance operates a curated executive peer network for senior leaders (often technology and functional executives), with cohort leadership programs and member-driven community. It is an emerging peer-network alternative targeting overlapping executive personas.

Regional players

• The Executive Roundtable (TER): TER is a regional peer-group organization for senior technology leaders, running cohort-based peer forums and leadership programming primarily in Canada and parts of North America. It overlaps with Inspire's chapter model for CIOs but operates as a regional incumbent.

Broad incumbents

• Gartner Executive Programs: Gartner is the dominant incumbent advisor serving CIOs and technology executives, providing research, advisory, peer forums, and executive programs at scale. Inspire competes for the same executive mindshare and wallet but as a more specialized peer-network alternative.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/inspirecio

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 Inspire Leadership Network