What Iasa Global does

IASA Global is a not-for-profit professional association serving business technology architects worldwide, structured as a member-governed organization built and run by practicing architects. Founded in 2006 as IASA Ireland by Gar Mac Críosta and expanded globally under CEO Paul Preiss, the association operates a five-tier certification pathway (Aspiring, CITA-Foundation, CITA-Associate, CITA-Professional, CITA-Distinguished) plus Fellowship, anchored by the proprietary BTABoK (Business Technology Architecture Body of Knowledge) and the Structured Canvas Approach methodology consisting of more than 75 canvases, cards and worksheets for practicing architecture teams.

The association monetizes through certification exam fees, instructor-led training courses (in-person and online) across ten architecture specializations including Core, Solution, Business, Software, AI, Integration, Agile, Hybrid Infrastructure, Cloud Native, Security, and Intelligent Customer Interaction Architecture, a €2,750-per-participant Structured Mentoring Program delivered through the Chronus platform, and tiered annual membership dues (Basic and Full) required for credential maintenance. Distribution combines a self-serve online learning platform, in-person academies in Dublin and Singapore, and a regional partner network spanning Ireland, the Nordics, APAC (ATD Solution), and Japan. Supporting programs include the Atlas Program (Corporate and University tracks) for enterprise and academic partnerships, the BILT Conference Series, the Chief Architect Forum, and specialty communities focused on AI Architecture, Women in Architecture, and Sustainable Architectures.

IASA reports over 5,000 certified CITA-F architects, 3,000+ CITA-A, 500+ CITA-P, and 5,000+ CITA-D globally, with 200+ organizations trained through the Arc4Dev course. The customer base is distributed across individual practitioners and a small number of enterprise accounts (Systembolaget AB, Ireland's HSE), with no public revenue disclosure given its not-for-profit status. Recent product momentum in 2024 includes new course launches in AI Architecture and Intelligent Customer Interaction Architecture, positioning the organization around emerging AI-driven architecture practice.

Name

Iasa Global

Legal name

IASA Global

Website

https://iasaglobal.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

IASA Global is a not-for-profit professional association offering vendor-independent certifications and training for business technology architects worldwide, anchored by its proprietary BTABoK framework and a five-tier CITA credentialing pathway.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Certification and Training Services

NAICS

Professional Organizations (81392), Business Associations (813910), Professional and Management Development Training (611430), Educational Services (611)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

International/Transnational Accreditation & Recognition Bodies (EDADACAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

Conformity Assessment, Testing, Inspection & Certification Cooperation (BPADANAD)

Keywords

• Architecture certification
• Professional training
• Technology architecture
• IT certification
• Architect education

Headquarters

HQ city

Austin

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Certification Fees: Revenue from certification examinations at various levels (CITA-F, CITA-A, CITA-P, CITA-D) including exam fees and board review costs.
2. Training Courses: Revenue from instructor-led courses (in-person and online) across multiple architecture specializations including Core, Solution, Business, Software, AI, Integration, Agile, Hybrid Infrastructure, Cloud Native, and Security Architecture.
3. Structured Mentoring Program: Personalized mentoring program at €2750 per participant, providing one-on-one guidance from senior architects for career development.
4. Membership Dues: Tiered membership (Basic, Full) required for certification maintenance and providing access to resources, communities, and member benefits.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Iasa Global is a not-for-profit professional association that delivers vendor-independent certification and training programs for business technology architects. Its core offering is the multi-level CITA certification pathway (Foundation through Distinguished plus Fellowship) anchored on the proprietary BTABoK framework, supplemented by a portfolio of instructor-led specialization courses, online learning, structured mentoring, corporate training, and global community programs.

Product overview

Iasa Global is a not-for-profit professional association for business technology architects, offering a comprehensive certification pathway from Aspiring (Level 0) through Distinguished (Level 4) and Fellowship (Level 5), plus a portfolio of specialized training courses. The core BTABoK (Business Technology Architecture Body of Knowledge) serves as the foundational reference for all offerings. The certification and training ecosystem includes Arc4Dev for developers entering architecture, Core Architecture (CITA-F) as the foundation certification, and multiple CITA-Associate level specializations (Solution, Business, Software, AI, Integration, Agile, Hybrid Infrastructure, Cloud Native, Security, and Intelligent Customer Interaction Architecture). Higher certifications (CITA-Professional and CITA-Distinguished) provide board-level peer validation. Supporting programs include the Atlas Program for corporate and university partnerships, Structured Mentoring for personalized development, and communities including CAF, WIA, AI Architecture Forum, and Sustainability in Architecture. The organization also hosts the BILT Conference Series and produces podcasts including 'The Argument'.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• CITA: Certified IT Architect certification program with multiple levels: Foundation (CITA-F), Associate (CITA-A), Professional (CITA-P), and Distinguished (CITA-D).
• BTABoK
• Atlas Program
• Chief Architect Forum (CAF)
• Women in Architecture Forum (WIA)
• AI Architecture Forum
• Sustainable Architectures
• Arc4Dev
• BILT Conference Series
• The Argument

Products and services

• BTABoK (Business Technology Architecture Body of Knowledge) The foundational body of knowledge for business technology architecture, serving as the reference framework for all Iasa certifications and training programs. Developed and maintained by practicing architects globally.
• Iasa Aspiring (Level 0) Certification Entry-level certification for aspiring architects and those beginning business and technology architecture skills development. Prerequisites for the certification career pathway.
• CITA-Foundation (CITA-F) - Level 1 Certification First official level of certification for practicing architects, establishing the core baseline for successful IT architects. 75 multiple-choice questions, 70% passing grade, 2.5-hour open book exam.
• CITA-Associate (CITA-A) - Level 2 Certification Specialization-focused certification based on Iasa specialization courses combined with 3-5 years of architecture experience. Includes Solution, Business, Software, AI, Integration, Agile, and Hybrid Infrastructure architecture specializations.
• CITA-Professional (CITA-P) - Level 3 Certification First level of board certification for experienced architects, validated by a community of practicing architects. Requires minimum 10 years industry experience and extensive documentation review.
• CITA-Distinguished (CITA-D) - Level 4 Certification Highest level of board certification achievable, demonstrating mastery across a career as a practicing architect. Targets existing CITA-Ps with more than 10 years experience.
• Iasa Fellowship - Level 5 Pinnacle of professional recognition awarded by Iasa Global, honoring the most esteemed architects for significant, lasting contributions to the profession.
• Arc4Dev (Architecture for Developers) Course Introduction to architecture for developers and technical staff wanting to pursue an architecture career. Covers architectural styles, requirements, design by intention, and agile architecture concepts.
• Core Architecture Course (CITA-F Level 1) Foundation course covering architecture lifecycles, deliverables, stakeholder management, customer-centric design, value measurement, and quality attributes. Also called Iasa Foundation (CITA-F level).
• Solution Architecture Course Develops architects' skills to function as project delivery architects for midsize to large projects. Covers 4 primary aspects of solution architecture and project life cycles.
• Business Architecture Course Comprehensive business architecture training covering processes, capabilities, people, strategic improvements, value streams, capability-based transformation, and benefits realization.
• Software Architecture Course Advanced software architecture training covering software engineering, architectural styles, patterns, domain-driven services, integration methods, testing, and quality attributes.
• AI Architecture Course Comprehensive AI delivery and strategy course covering AI principles, MLOps, LLMOps, agentic AI patterns, MCP, A2A protocols, AI governance, and AI Center of Excellence models.
• Integration Architecture Course In-depth integration architecture course covering APIs, microservices, messaging, event architectures, blockchain, and legacy system modernization to microservices.
• Agile Architecture Course Agile Architecture at Scale course covering scaled agile frameworks, team of teams practices, architecture in agile environments, and digital enterprise transformation.
• Hybrid Infrastructure Architecture Course 5-day course on designing, implementing, and managing hybrid infrastructure solutions covering IaaS, PaaS, SaaS, cloud security, GDPR compliance, and cloud business cases.
• Cloud Native Architecture Course Master class on cloud native architecture covering cloud patterns, microservices, DevOps, deployment, integrations, disaster recovery, scalability, and cloud monitoring.
• Security Architecture Course Security architecture training for information security professionals covering risk architecture, security capabilities, design patterns, security roadmaps, and stakeholder communication.
• Intelligent Customer Interaction Architect Course Senior-level course bridging AI technology, business needs, and human engagement for designing intelligent customer interactions. Covers Gearwheel Model, RICI Model, and CVI framework.
• Structured Mentoring Program Personalized mentoring program connecting BT architects with experienced mentors for competency development. Features Chronus platform, weekly assignments, and final certification review.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 5,000 certified CITA-F Foundation architects globally
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

AI capability6 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core, regional and minor.

• ATD SolutioncoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAsia Pacific training partner delivering Iasa certification programs across Singapore, Malaysia and wider APAC region with in-person and online options.
• Iasa JapanregionalChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorJapanese chapter and partner organization delivering Iasa certification and training programs in Japan.
• WVEminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerDigital delivery partner supporting Iasa program delivery and implementation.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Market position

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@IASAOfficial
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/iasa-global
• Xx.com/iasaglobal
• Facebookfacebook.com/IasaGlobal

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Iasa Global