IT History Society

What IT History Society does

IT History Society (ITHS) is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization, legally incorporated as IT History Society, Inc. in New York, that operates a web-based digital archive cataloging computing history from antiquity to the present. Its core product is a set of interconnected databases — a Hardware Database (covering mobile phones, video games, personal computers, mainframes, peripherals, and storage devices), a Company Timelines database (covering 1,072+ companies including Apple Computer, DEC, and Cray), a Software Database (operating systems, programming languages, telecommunications software), and a Honorees Database of computing pioneers. The platform is built and maintained by a volunteer-driven committee structure (Curation, Development, Editorial, Events, Honor, Membership, SysOps) under the leadership of Board Chair Aaron C. Sylvan, with a preservation partnership with the Internet Archive's Wayback Machine for long-term content durability.

ITHS generates revenue through a tiered membership program hosted on NeonCRM (Free Subscriber, Industry Professional, Senior (65+), Full-Time Faculty, Full-Time Student, and Associate tiers), tax-deductible donations enabled by its nonprofit status, and a major sponsorship program. Its go-to-market is community-led: content is curated by volunteers and partner archive owners, engagement is driven through live Zoom events featuring computing pioneers (Living Legends), a newsletter, and a presence across LinkedIn, Bluesky, Instagram, and Discord. The organization serves three primary personas — IT history enthusiasts, computing pioneers and honorees, and archive owners/curators — and offers mobile apps on iOS and Android in addition to its self-serve web platform.

Strategically, ITHS is investing in organizational capacity (Operating Plan 2026, 2026 Committee Search), ecosystem expansion (Partner Curation Network), and content distribution diversification (mobile apps, recurring Zoom programming). Its differentiation rests on decades of accumulated, human-curated historical data and a recognized brand in the computing heritage space; it discloses no AI/ML capabilities, no funding rounds, and no material revenue figures.

Name

IT History Society

Legal name

IT History Society, Inc.

Website

https://ithistory.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1977

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

IT History Society is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit operating a volunteer-curated web archive of computing history, including hardware, software, company timelines, and computing pioneer honorees, supported by membership dues, donations, and sponsorship.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Historical Computing Archives

NAICS

Libraries and Archives (51921), Web Search Portals, Libraries, Archives, and Other Information Services (5192)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Libraries, Archives & Special Collections (BPAGAHAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Archives, Special Collections & Preservation Operations (Rare Materials, Conservation) (EDAEAGAJ), Digital Archives, Libraries & Institutional Access Platforms (MPAJAMAJ)

Keywords

• Computing history archive
• Digital preservation database
• Hardware cataloging platform
• IT history research
• Computing pioneer records

Headquarters

HQ city

Belvedere Tiburon

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual and monthly membership fees at multiple tier levels including Free Subscriber, Industry Professional, Senior (65+), Full-Time Faculty, Full-Time Student, and Associate. Membership auto-renews monthly.
2. Donations: Tax-deductible donations as a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

IT History Society operates a comprehensive digital archive platform that catalogs and preserves computing history spanning from antiquity to the present. Its core products include interconnected databases of IT hardware (736+ mobile phones, 689+ video games, 829+ personal computers), software (48+ operating systems), company timelines (1,072+ companies including Apple, DEC, Cray), and honoree records of computing pioneers. The organization sustains this archive through a tiered membership program, tax-deductible donations, volunteer community curation, and partnerships with the Internet Archive's Wayback Machine for long-term preservation.

Product overview

IT History Society operates a comprehensive digital archive of computing history featuring multiple interconnected databases: a Hardware Database cataloging 736+ mobile phones, 689+ video games, and various computer categories; a Software Database with operating systems and programming languages; Company Timelines covering Apple Computer, DEC, Cray Inc., and 1,072+ other companies; and a Honorees Database recognizing computing pioneers. The organization also offers membership programs with tiered access, hosts Living Legends Zoom events with computing pioneers, and provides a Community Contribution Platform for users to share IT memories and stories. Additionally, the Partner Curation Program enables knowledge-sharing partnerships with other IT history websites.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Hardware Database

Quantifiable outcome

• Database spans from antiquity to the present with comprehensive hardware, software, and company entries

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Wayback MachineminorOthersCollaboration with Internet Archive's Wayback Machine to preserve materials and ensure longevity of archived content. ITHS works with the Wayback Machine to preserve partner materials and ensure digital preservation of computing history resources.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Computer History Museum: The Computer History Museum in Mountain View, CA is the largest and most well-funded institution dedicated to preserving computing history, with extensive hardware collections, exhibits, and educational programs. It operates at a significantly larger scale than ITHS and represents both a peer and a more resource-rich alternative in the same mission space.
• Internet Archive: The Internet Archive operates the Wayback Machine and is ITHS's stated preservation partner. As a massively scaled digital preservation nonprofit, it represents both a critical ally and a broader incumbent in the digital archiving and preservation space.
• Strong National Museum of Play: This Rochester, NY-based museum maintains significant video game and interactive technology collections, overlapping with ITHS's 689+ video game database entries. It represents a broader institutional player in digital entertainment heritage preservation.

Direct peers

• Charles Babbage Institute: Located at the University of Minnesota, the Charles Babbage Institute is a leading archive and research center for the history of computing, with extensive manuscript collections, oral histories, and scholarly resources. It directly competes with ITHS in preserving computing heritage through archival collections.
• Vintage Computing Federation: A community-driven organization that runs vintage computing events and festivals celebrating computing history. Similar to ITHS, it relies on volunteer enthusiasts to preserve and demonstrate vintage computing hardware and software.
• Living Computer Museum: Founded by Paul Allen, this museum maintained an active collection of vintage computing systems before scaling back operations. It represented a more well-funded, physical-museum approach to the same preservation mission that ITHS pursues digitally.

Regional players

• The National Museum of Computing: Located at Bletchley Park in the UK, this museum houses one of the world's largest collections of working historic computers and serves as a regional counterpart to ITHS's mission of preserving computing heritage, though primarily serving UK/European audiences.
• Deutsches Museum: One of the world's oldest science and technology museums located in Munich, Germany, with significant computing and information technology collections. It serves as a regional European counterpart in the broader tech heritage preservation ecosystem.

Emerging players

• Engineering and Technology History Wiki: A wiki-based archive of engineering and technology history maintained by volunteer contributors. It shares ITHS's community-driven digital preservation model but covers broader engineering topics rather than focusing exclusively on IT.
• American Computer Museum: A smaller museum in Bozeman, Montana focused on preserving computing history with exhibits on early computers, calculators, and computing pioneers. It serves a similar niche to ITHS but with a physical museum focus rather than a digital archive approach.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/it-history-society
• Instagraminstagram.com/ithistorysociety
• Xx.com/ithistoryorg

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 IT History Society