What Secure World Foundation does

Secure World Foundation (SWF) is a private nonprofit foundation headquartered in Broomfield, Colorado, with operations extending to Washington DC, that promotes cooperative solutions for the secure, sustainable, and peaceful uses of outer space. Founded with the mission of advancing global stability through space sustainability, SWF serves a multi-stakeholder audience that includes national governments, UN bodies (notably the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space and the Open-Ended Working Group on Reducing Space Threats), commercial space operators, academic and research institutions, journalists, and civil society organizations. The foundation's neutrality as a private operating entity allows it to work across political divides and engage directly in multilateral norm-setting processes.

SWF's core product is the annual Global Counterspace Capabilities Report, now in its ninth edition (2026), which provides an open-source assessment of military space capabilities developed by 13 countries across five categories: co-orbital, direct-ascent, electronic warfare, directed energy, and cyber. The report is supported by an integrated portfolio of resources including thematic fact sheets (e.g., on ASAT testing, X-37B, US co-orbital programs, robotic rendezvous and proximity operations), Google Sheets datasets tracking the history of ASAT tests and robotic RPOs, YouTube animations of debris clouds, and GitHub-hosted code for Gabbard plots. Additional research outputs include the COPUOS Briefing Book, the Handbook for New Space Actors, and policy briefings on UN GGE and OEWG processes. The foundation also convenes the annual Summit for Space Sustainability (now in its 8th edition, held in Brasília, Brazil in November 2026), administers the Space Sustainability Research Fellowships, and manages the Dr. Michael Simpson Scholarship Fund.

As a nonprofit foundation, SWF does not sell products or services. Its operations are funded by foundation grants and donations, with the Republic of Korea identified as a programmatic government partner. All publications, reports, and fact sheets are distributed free of charge under Creative Commons (Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International) licensing, with executive summaries available in seven languages. SWF's go-to-market is community-led and event-driven, relying on thought leadership publications, direct briefings to UN Member States, and participation in external conferences (Prague Space Security Conference, Würzburger Europarechtstage, UN COPUOS) to reach its audience rather than traditional sales or marketing channels.

Name

Secure World Foundation

Legal name

Secure World Foundation

Website

https://swfound.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Secure World Foundation is a private nonprofit foundation that promotes cooperative solutions for space sustainability. It produces the annual Global Counterspace Capabilities Report covering 13 countries, hosts the Summit for Space Sustainability, and briefs UN Member States on space security and governance.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Space Policy Research and Advocacy

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Grantmaking and Giving Services (8132), National Security and International Affairs (9281)

akta.pro primary industry

Private Foundations (BPAGAKAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

International Grantmaking & Development Foundations (BPAGAKAH), Scholarship & Fellowship Foundations and Trusts (EDADAHAC), Environmental & Climate Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAM)

Keywords

• Space sustainability research
• Counterspace capabilities analysis
• Space policy advocacy
• Space governance
• Space security research

Headquarters

HQ city

Broomfield

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

Revenue model

1. Foundation Grants and Donations: Secure World Foundation is a private nonprofit foundation. The organization operates on funding received through grants and donations from various sources supporting space sustainability research and policy development.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Secure World Foundation is a private nonprofit foundation that promotes the secure, sustainable, and peaceful uses of outer space. It produces open-source research publications, fact sheets, and reports on counterspace capabilities and space governance, hosts events like the Summit for Space Sustainability, and runs fellowship programs to unite governments, industry, and academia around space sustainability solutions.

Product overview

The Secure World Foundation is a private nonprofit foundation (not a technology product company) whose primary offering is a portfolio of research publications, fact sheets, conferences, and fellowship programs focused on the secure, sustainable, and peaceful uses of outer space. Its flagship products include the annual Global Counterspace Capabilities Report (tracking military counterspace capabilities across 13 countries), supported by a suite of thematic fact sheets (e.g., on Chinese Direct-Ascent ASAT testing, X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle, US Co-Orbital ASAT Testing, Commercial and Civil RPO, Anti-Satellite Weapons Infographic). The Foundation also organizes the Summit for Space Sustainability and manages the Dr. Michael Simpson Scholarship Fund and Space Sustainability Research Fellowships. Additional publications include the COPUOS Briefing Book, Handbook for New Space Actors, and UN GGE/OEWG space threat briefing materials. The organization does not develop or sell commercial technology products.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Global Counterspace Capabilities Report Annual open-source assessment tracking counterspace capabilities (co-orbital, direct-ascent, electronic warfare, directed energy, and cyber) developed by 13 countries, serving as a comprehensive public record of global space security developments for governments, industry, academia, and media.
• Counterspace Report Supporting Fact Sheets Concise reference fact sheets providing focused summaries of specific anti-satellite testing programs, rendezvous and proximity operations, and reusable spacecraft activity, supporting the broader Global Counterspace Capabilities Report.
• The Counterspace Surge: A Year of Acceleration Insight publication highlighting major findings from the 2026 Global Counterspace Capabilities report, summarizing how 13 countries are developing capabilities to disrupt, deny, degrade, or destroy space systems.
• Anti-Satellite Weapons Infographic Visual infographic, produced with support from the Republic of Korea in partnership with Visual Capitalist, explaining the dangers of anti-satellite weapons and their long-term impact on space sustainability, covering the four countries that have conducted destructive ASAT tests.
• Summit for Space Sustainability Flagship annual convening organized by the Secure World Foundation that brings together governments, industry, and academia to discuss cooperative policy for safeguarding the space environment. The 8th edition took place in Brasília, Brazil in November 2026.
• Dr. Michael Simpson Scholarship Fund Annual scholarship fund supporting space sustainability research fellows, with applications opening annually to foster the next generation of space policy researchers.
• Space Sustainability Research Fellowships Annual fellowship program supporting researchers working on space sustainability topics, administered by the Secure World Foundation to advance pragmatic policies for safeguarding the space environment.
• UN GGE on Space TCBMs Briefing Materials Fact sheet summarizing the 2013 UN Group of Governmental Experts consensus report on transparency and confidence-building measures in outer space, covering voluntary norms for responsible space behavior.
• OEWG on Reducing Space Threats Briefing Materials Fact sheet summarizing the 2022-2023 UN Open-Ended Working Group process to address space threats through norms, behaviors, and dialogue, documenting outcomes and participation challenges.
• 2009 Iridium-Cosmos Collision Fact Sheet Educational fact sheet examining the first-ever accidental collision between two satellites in orbit, covering orbital debris generation, space situational awareness gaps, and legal and policy implications.
• COPUOS Briefing Book Comprehensive briefing book providing analysis and context for UN COPUOS (Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space) sessions and multilateral space governance discussions.
• Handbook for New Space Actors Reference handbook providing guidance for emerging spacefaring nations and new actors entering the space domain, covering policy, legal, and operational best practices.
• X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle Fact Sheet Concise reference document examining the X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle as a reusable experimental spacecraft, explaining its role in U.S. military space testing, on-orbit experimentation, and assessing claims about its potential as a space weapon.
• US Co-Orbital Anti-Satellite Testing Fact Sheet Fact sheet examining U.S. co-orbital anti-satellite testing history, including Project SAINT and the Delta 180 experiment, and explaining how the U.S. has developed underlying technologies for co-orbital counterspace capabilities.
• Commercial and Civil Robotic Rendezvous and Proximity Operations Fact Sheet Fact sheet covering the development of rendezvous and proximity operations (RPO) technologies by commercial and civil actors for space sustainability, including satellite inspection, refueling, repairs, and debris removal.

Quantifiable outcome

• SWF's Global Counterspace Capabilities reports have been cited by US congressional testimony, UN deliberations, and major international media
• +1 more outcomes

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Visual CapitalistminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022SWF partnered with Visual Capitalist to create an infographic explaining the dangers of anti-satellite (ASAT) weapons and their long-term impact on space sustainability. This visual resource was supported by the Republic of Korea.
• United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDr. Almudena Azcárate Ortega previously led Space Security Research at UNIDIR and currently retains an affiliation as a Fellow. SWF's work on space law and regulation builds on her experience leading UNIDIR's research projects and multilateral processes on outer space matters.
• University of WürzburgminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSWF participates in the Würzburger Europarechtstage conference hosted by the University of Würzburg, Germany, examining the European Union's engagement in outer space.
• Prague Space Security ConferenceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSWF participates in the annual Prague Space Security Conference, examining pressing challenges in space security and governance. The conference brings together senior officials, experts, and practitioners from across government, industry, and academia.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Space Foundation: Colorado-headquartered nonprofit promoting space awareness, sustainability, and industry education via reports, the annual Space Symposium, and policy advocacy. Most structurally similar organization to SWF, with broader industry focus but overlapping mission in space sustainability thought leadership.
• Stimson Center: Washington-based think tank with a leading Space Security and Stability program that publishes open-source analysis on counterspace threats, norms, and governance. Directly comparable to SWF's analytic scope, target audiences (policymakers, militaries, multilaterals), and publication model.
• Planetary Society: US nonprofit advocacy organization promoting space exploration, peaceful uses of space, and science policy through publications, lobbying, and a member-supported model. Comparable as a mission-driven space-focused foundation distributing research to engaged public and policy audiences.
• Atlantic Council: International affairs think tank with a dedicated Space Security program producing policy briefs and convening governments on responsible space behavior. Directly comparable on multilateral convening, space policy research, and engagement with both government and industry stakeholders.
• UN Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR): UN autonomous institute conducting research on space security, arms control, and responsible behavior in outer space. Highly comparable mission and audience; SWF's senior space law analyst previously led UNIDIR's space security research portfolio, and the two organizations collaborate on briefing UN Member States.
• Carnegie Endowment for International Peace: Global think tank with active work on space governance, multilateral diplomacy, and great-power competition in space. Comparable as a mission-driven research organization publishing open-access analysis targeted at policymakers and engaging across the US-China-Russia-Europe divide.

Broad incumbents

• The Aerospace Corporation: Federally funded research and development center with a Center for Space Policy and Strategy publishing on space security and sustainability. Much larger and government-aligned, but overlaps SWF in producing open-source space threat analysis for the policy community.
• Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS): Major bipartisan think tank with an Aerospace Project covering space security, counterspace, and commercial space. Comparable as a producer of authoritative open-source space policy analysis for US and allied policymakers, though broader in scope and larger in resourcing than SWF.
• RAND Corporation: Global policy research organization with a Space Enterprise Initiative producing open-source reports on space security, sustainability, and commercial trends. Comparable on analytic rigor, open publication model, and policy audience, though RAND is far larger and more diversified across policy domains.
• Brookings Institution: Major Washington think tank with active work on space policy, space sustainability, and international cooperation in outer space. Comparable in producing open-access research and convening experts, though Brookings' space portfolio is one program among many versus SWF's single-mission focus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/SWFoundation
• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/SwfoundOrg
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/secure-world-foundation
• Instagraminstagram.com/secure_world_foundation_

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Secure World Foundation