International Continence Society

What International Continence Society does

International Continence Society (ICS) is a UK-registered charity (registration number 1074929) founded in 1971 in Bristol, United Kingdom, that operates as a multidisciplinary global medical society serving healthcare professionals, researchers, and educators working in continence and pelvic floor disorders. The organization represents more than 3,000 members across disciplines including urology, gynecology, physiotherapy, nursing, and basic science, with a stated reach spanning 100+ countries. Beyond its membership function, ICS operates the ICS Standardisation Steering Committee, which defines the terminology used internationally for lower urinary tract dysfunction and related conditions, giving the society a de facto regulatory role in the field.

ICS generates revenue through four primary streams: membership dues from its 3,000+ member base, registration fees from its Annual Scientific Meeting (which draws 1,500+ delegates at approximately $720-$990 per registration and rotates globally, with Maastricht, Netherlands scheduled for 2026), article processing charges and subscriptions from two peer-reviewed journals (Continence with an impact factor of 1.2 and Continence Reports with an impact factor of 0.5) published in partnership with Elsevier, and educational product sales including EACCME-accredited eLearning courses, ICS TV recordings, podcast content, the 85-video Global Pelvic Pain Exchange Curriculum, and a Gold Pass providing access to recorded meeting sessions. Governance is provided by an Executive Committee led by General Secretary Tufan Tarcan and Scientific Committee Chair Francisco Cruz Miranda Rodrigues.

The society's strategic positioning rests on three integrated pillars: standards-setting through its Standardisation Steering Committee, knowledge dissemination via journals, meetings, and digital education, and community building through its multidisciplinary membership and partnerships with peer organizations including the European Association of Urology (EAU), International Urogynecological Association (IUGA), and International Pelvic Pain Society (IPPS). The organization employs between 2 and 10 staff (per LinkedIn) or 11-50 per broader firmographic data, reflecting a lean operational structure typical of professional society charities.

Name

International Continence Society

Legal name

International Continence Society

Website

https://ics.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1971

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

International Continence Society is a UK-registered charity founded in 1971 that serves 3,000+ healthcare professionals globally through peer-reviewed journals, rotating annual scientific meetings, standardized terminology, and multidisciplinary continuing education programs in continence and pelvic floor disorders.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Medical Professional Association

NAICS

Professional Organizations (81392), Health Care and Social Assistance (62)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Health Services (8000)

akta.pro primary industry

Female Pelvic Medicine & Reconstructive Surgery (Urogynecology) (HLAKAOAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Wound, Ostomy & Continence Care (WOC) at Home (HSABACAE)

Keywords

• Medical professional society
• Continence research
• Pelvic floor medicine
• Urology scientific meetings
• Peer-reviewed continence journals

Headquarters

HQ city

Bristol

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Membership subscriptions: ICS generates recurring revenue from annual membership fees (from just £80 per year as stated on the sign-in page). Membership provides access to journals, education content, meeting discounts, mentorship, and the members directory.
2. Annual Meeting registration fees: ICS charges registration fees for its Annual Scientific Meeting (e.g., ICS 2018 in Philadelphia had standard registration at $720–$990 for non-members and $830–$1,010 for bundled ICS membership + registration packages). Additional fees apply for workshops, cadaver workshops, and social events. Gold Pass for recorded session access is available for €70.
3. Journal and publication services: ICS operates open-access peer-reviewed journals 'Continence' (impact factor 1.2) and 'Continence Reports' (impact factor 0.5), published in partnership with Elsevier. Revenue is generated through discounted submission fees for members and potentially open-access article processing charges.
4. ICS TV and educational content: ICS TV provides world-class educational video content from international experts. Some content is freely accessible; member-only content requires ICS membership. ICS eLearning courses offer EACCME® credits for urodynamics training. ICS Masterclasses are free online interactive classes.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels12 records

Core offering

The International Continence Society is a UK-registered charitable professional association that serves more than 3,000 healthcare professionals and researchers globally working in continence, lower urinary tract, and pelvic floor disorders. Its core deliverables are an annual scientific meeting, peer-reviewed journals (Continence and Continence Reports), structured educational programmes (Masterclass, Pelvic Pain Exchange Curriculum, eLearning), member video and live-streaming channels (ICS TV, ICS Live, Gold Pass), podcasts, and the Your Continence Care public resource.

Product overview

The International Continence Society (ICS) offers a comprehensive suite of professional education and research products. The core offerings include ICS TV (educational video platform), ICS Journals (Continence and Continence Reports), ICS eLearning, ICS Podcast, and ICS Masterclass for online education with CME credits. ICS Annual Meetings provide in-person conferences, while ICS Live and Gold Pass offer virtual and on-demand access to sessions. Supporting resources include ICS Standards, ICS Glossary, ICS Calendar, Members Directory, Research Database, Mentorship Programme, and Observerships. The ICS Global Pelvic Pain Exchange Curriculum provides specialized content. Patient resources are available through 'Your Continence Care'. These products serve healthcare professionals across urology, urogynaecology, physiotherapy, nursing, and research disciplines.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Continence: Gold standard peer-reviewed journal publishing primary research, review articles, standardisation reports, consensus reports, and white papers in Open Access format.
• Continence Reports
• ICS TV
• ICS Podcast
• ICS Masterclass
• ICS eLearning

Products and services

• ICS Membership Paid individual membership in the International Continence Society, granting access to member benefits such as reduced event registration, journal access, and member-only educational content. Targeted at healthcare professionals and research scientists working in continence, lower urinary tract, and pelvic floor disorders.
• Annual Scientific Meeting Annual international scientific congress of the Society, bringing together clinicians and researchers in continence and pelvic floor medicine for presentation of original research, symposia, industry exhibition, and networking. Targeted at ICS members and the broader continence-care professional community.
• Continence Peer-reviewed scientific journal published by the International Continence Society, disseminating original research, reviews, and clinical communications on continence, lower urinary tract, and pelvic floor disorders. Targeted at clinicians, researchers, and institutional subscribers.
• Continence Reports Companion peer-reviewed journal to Continence, publishing case reports and shorter-form clinical content on continence and pelvic floor disorders. Targeted at clinicians and researchers in the field.
• ICS TV On-demand video library of recorded Society content such as meeting presentations, expert interviews, and educational segments, delivered to members and the continence-care community online.
• ICS Live Live-streamed broadcast of Society events, sessions, and programming delivered in real time to remote viewers of the annual scientific meeting and related programming.
• Gold Pass Premium access pass granting elevated entitlements to Society digital content, including on-demand video and live-streamed programming, for individual members and delegates.
• Masterclass Structured advanced educational programme of the Society providing in-depth training on topics within continence and pelvic floor medicine for clinicians and research scientists.
• Pelvic Pain Exchange Curriculum Structured educational curriculum addressing pelvic pain within the Society's continence and pelvic floor portfolio, delivered to clinicians and allied professionals.
• eLearning Online learning modules and courses delivered by the Society, providing self-paced continuing education on topics within continence, lower urinary tract, and pelvic floor disorders.
• ICS Podcast Audio podcast produced by the Society featuring interviews, scientific commentary, and educational discussions on continence and pelvic floor medicine for clinicians, researchers, and interested listeners.
• Your Continence Care Public-facing resource produced by the Society providing patient and public information on continence and pelvic floor care, intended for individuals seeking guidance alongside the clinician audience.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 200 million people globally are affected by incontinence — the primary condition addressed by the society's mission.
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• ElseviercoreTechnology or IntegrationICS has partnered with Elsevier as the publisher of its two open-access peer-reviewed journals, 'Continence' (impact factor 1.2) and 'Continence Reports' (impact factor 0.5). Elsevier provides publishing infrastructure, distribution, and indexing services while ICS retains editorial control.
• European Association of Urology (EAU)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerICS collaborates with the EAU through shared sessions (e.g., ICS-EUS Annual Meeting), joint committee work (e.g., EAU Guidelines panel members who are also ICS members), and cross-participation in scientific programmes. The EAU Functional Urology section and ICS share overlapping professional constituencies.
• International Urogynecological Association (IUGA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerICS and IUGA co-host joint meetings (e.g., ICS/IUGA 2010) and collaborate on educational content and guidelines. Both societies serve overlapping memberships in the field of female pelvic medicine and reconstructive surgery.
• Kenes Group (Conference organiser)majorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerKenes Group serves as the professional conference organiser for the ICS Annual Scientific Meeting (e.g., [email protected] for ICS 2018 in Philadelphia). Kenes handles registration, logistics, group registration, press registration, and payment processing.
• EACCME® (European Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerICS eLearning courses award EACCME® credits (European continuing medical education credits for physicians). This accreditation validates the educational quality of ICS programmes and is essential for attracting European healthcare professionals.
• Society of Urodynamics, Female & Pelvic Medicine and Urogenital Reconstruction (SUFU)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSUFU and ICS share members and collaborate on educational standards. Dr. Roger Dmochowski and other key opinion leaders serve on both societies' committees, creating a cross-pollination of research and clinical practice guidelines.
• American Urological Association (AUA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerICS and AUA have overlapping memberships and shared speakers at respective meetings. Individual trustees and committee chairs hold memberships in both organisations.
• IPPS (International Pelvic Pain Society)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerICS collaborates with IPPS on pelvic pain guidelines and education through the ICS Pelvic Pain Committee. Both societies contribute to the creation of standards and guidelines in pelvic pain.
• World Health Organization (implied via outreach programmes)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerICS mentions outreach programmes to improve access to continence care for the developing world through education, advocacy, and service. This implies partnerships with global health organisations, though specific named partners are not detailed in the available source material.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• International Urogynecological Association (IUGA): International society dedicated to urogynaecology and female pelvic medicine. Directly comparable to ICS given overlapping memberships, co-hosted joint meetings, and shared focus on pelvic floor disorders.
• American Urogynecologic Society (AUGS): US-based society for female pelvic medicine and reconstructive surgery. Comparable to ICS in mission and member profile, with overlapping urogynaecology focus and shared key opinion leaders.
• Society of Urodynamics, Female Pelvic Medicine & Urogenital Reconstruction (SUFU): US society focused on urodynamics, female pelvic medicine, and neuro-urology. Direct peer of ICS with overlapping scientific programmes and shared committee members.
• International Pelvic Pain Society (IPPS): Multidisciplinary society dedicated to chronic pelvic pain. Direct peer of ICS given collaboration on pelvic pain guidelines and joint committee work via the ICS Pelvic Pain Committee.
• International Children's Continence Society (ICCS): International society focused on paediatric continence. Direct peer of ICS in the continence field, addressing an adjacent paediatric segment of the same clinical area.

Broad incumbents

• European Association of Urology (EAU): Pan-European professional urology association with broad scope across urological subspecialties. Comparable to ICS as a partner and partial overlap via the EAU Functional Urology section, though far larger and broader in remit.
• American Urological Association (AUA): Leading US urological association with extensive journals, guidelines, and meetings. Comparable to ICS as a partner society with overlapping members, though operates at a much larger scale and broader scope.

Emerging players

• World Federation of Incontinent Patients (WFIP): Patient-advocacy organisation for people with incontinence. Comparable to ICS's public-facing mission under 'Your Continence Care', though focused on advocacy rather than professional education.

Others

• Elsevier (publisher partner): Academic publisher that hosts ICS's two open-access journals. Comparable as an enabler/infrastructure partner rather than a competitor, providing the publishing, indexing, and distribution backbone for ICS's research output.
• Kenes Group (conference organiser): Professional conference organiser handling ICS Annual Meeting logistics, registration, and press. Comparable as a key implementation partner rather than a peer; directly relevant to ICS's event-driven GTM motion.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/icsoffice
• Facebookfacebook.com/icsoffice
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/international-continence-society-ics-
• Instagraminstagram.com/icsoffice

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about International Continence Society