Aspen Digital
Aspen Digital is a nonpartisan policy program of the Aspen Institute that connects policymakers, practitioners, and technology builders through research, publications, and convenings on cybersecurity, AI governance, and digital inclusion.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2019
- HeadquartersWashington, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Aspen Digital does
Aspen Digital is a nonpartisan policy program of the Aspen Institute, founded in 2019 and headquartered in Washington, D.C. The organization focuses on technology policy and digital inclusion across five priorities: Cybersecurity, Empowered Communities, Responsible Innovation, Information Integrity, and Trusted News Media. Its functional purpose is to connect policymakers, practitioners, and technology builders through research, convenings, and educational resources so that technology development aligns with public interest. Headcount is 11-50 employees and the organization operates globally through partnerships with foundations, governments, and civil society organizations.
Aspen Digital's core offerings are research reports, policy handbooks, educational primers, and public awareness campaigns rather than commercial technology products. Key outputs include the "Feeding the Future" research report on AI alignment with food security needs (surveyed 115 practitioners across 20 UN regions), the "Defining Technologies of Our Time: Artificial Intelligence" policy handbook for legislators, "Benchmarks 101" and "AI 101" primers, the "Take9" national consumer cybersecurity awareness campaign, and the Community-Aligned AI Benchmarks methodology. Notable analytical frameworks include the Practitioner Needs Assessment Framework and the Cyber Defenders Winning Framework. Sub-brands include Take9, Alliance for Social Trust (with Allstate), and Community-Aligned AI Benchmarks (with Siegel Family Endowment support).
The business model is grant-funded nonprofit work. Aspen Digital does not sell commercial products or charge for its publications; revenue is not publicly disclosed and no pricing model exists. Funding flows from foundation grants and partnerships including Siegel Family Endowment, Pivotal Ventures, Allstate, and Fathom, alongside the $60M Workplace Innovation Now (WIN) Challenge co-launched with Pivotal. GTM centers on thought leadership, research publications, multi-stakeholder convenings, and events such as the Global Cybersecurity Group Meeting and Shared Futures 2026. Key stakeholder segments include state and local emergency managers (AIDE initiative with Markle Foundation and RAND), US consumers (Take9, Consumer Cyber Readiness report), global food security practitioners, and policymakers/legislators working on AI governance frameworks.
Aspen Digital firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Aspen Digital
- Legal name
- The Aspen Institute (operating Aspen Digital program)
- Website
- https://aspendigital.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2019
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Aspen Digital is a nonpartisan policy program of the Aspen Institute that connects policymakers, practitioners, and technology builders through research, publications, and convenings on cybersecurity, AI governance, and digital inclusion.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Aspen Digital industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Policy Research & Technology Governance
- NAICS
- Newspaper, Periodical, Book, and Directory Publishers (5131), Information (51)
- SIC
- Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Miscellaneous Publishing (2741)
- akta.pro primary industry
- EdTech & Digital Learning Policy Research (EDADADAK)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Government, Public Policy & Regulatory Reference (Public Administration, Regulatory Guidance) (EDAGAGAK), Digital Rights, Privacy & Free Expression Advocacy (BPAGAFAL), Digital Inclusion & Public Tech Access Training (Device/Internet/Basic IT) (EDAAAFAE), Data & Information Literacy (Search, Evaluation, Misinformation) (EDAAAIAI)
Keywords
Where Aspen Digital is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Washington
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Markets served
Aspen Digital business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
Aspen Digital product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Aspen Digital produces policy research reports, educational primers, and public awareness campaigns focused on technology policy and digital inclusion. Its work spans five priority areas — Cybersecurity, Empowered Communities, Responsible Innovation, Information Integrity, and Trusted News Media — and is delivered through publications, convenings, and frameworks for policymakers, practitioners, and the general public. Distribution is free of charge, supported by foundation grants and philanthropic partnerships.
Product overview
Aspen Digital is a policy and research organization (program of the Aspen Institute) focused on technology policy and digital inclusion, not a product company. Its offerings consist primarily of publications, research reports, educational primers, and public awareness campaigns. Key products include: research reports such as 'Feeding the Future' (on AI and food security), 'Defining Technologies of Our Time: Artificial Intelligence' (a policy handbook on AI legal definitions), and software security analysis; educational primers including 'Benchmarks 101', 'AI 101', 'Intro to Generative AI', and 'Finding Experts in AI' designed to help policymakers and the public understand AI; public campaigns such as 'Take9' cybersecurity awareness; and initiatives including Community-Aligned AI Benchmarks. The portfolio centers on policy guidance, research, and education rather than commercial technology products.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Take9: A national public service cybersecurity campaign empowering consumers to take simple steps to protect themselves online.
- Alliance for Social Trust
- Community-Aligned AI Benchmarks
Products and services
- Take9 A national public service cybersecurity campaign empowering consumers to take simple, meaningful steps to protect themselves online, led by Aspen Digital's Cyber Civil Defense team.
- Community-Aligned AI Benchmarks An initiative helping communities articulate their needs and aspirations to technology researchers and builders so that AI systems are designed to meet public priorities, piloted around SDG 2: Zero Hunger.
- Feeding the Future A research report aligning AI innovation with food security practitioner needs, based on a global survey of over 100 food security practitioners from 20 UN geographical regions across six food security domains.
- Defining Technologies of Our Time: Artificial Intelligence A policy handbook providing accessible guidance for policymakers on how to define AI in legal contexts, examining four lineages of AI definitions from NDAA, OECD, the Algorithmic Accountability Act, and the EU AI Act.
- Benchmarks 101 An educational primer explaining how AI systems are evaluated through benchmarks, equipping journalists, educators, and policymakers to interpret AI performance claims critically.
- AI 101 An introductory primer on artificial intelligence fundamentals designed for non-technical audiences such as journalists, educators, and policymakers.
- Intro to Generative AI An introductory guide focused specifically on generative AI technologies and their societal implications, aimed at non-technical audiences.
- Finding Experts in AI A resource guide pointing journalists, educators, and policymakers to vetted technical experts in artificial intelligence.
- 2025 Consumer Cyber Readiness Report An annual collaborative research report co-published by Consumer Reports, Aspen Digital, and Global Cyber Alliance, based on surveys of over 2,000 US adults covering consumer confidence in data privacy, scam trends, and demographic disparities in losses.
- Made to Measure (Software Security Analysis) An Aspen Digital project analyzing software security metrics and defender progress, including the publication "Wait, Are We Winning?!: Measuring Software Security," which builds on Veracode's State of Software Security reports and the Cyber Defenders Winning Framework.
Quantifiable outcome
- 35 workshops with nearly 100 organizations to help emergency managers adopt practical AI tools
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Aspen Digital
Customer profileSegments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Aspen Digital technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Aspen Digital partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.
- Markle FoundationcoreThe Markle Foundation partnered with Aspen Digital and RAND to launch the AIDE initiative, aimed at helping state and local emergency managers adopt practical AI tools for disaster preparedness and response. The initiative has conducted approximately 35 workshops with nearly 100 organizations.
- RAND CorporationcoreRAND partnered with Aspen Digital and Markle Foundation for the AIDE initiative to help emergency management agencies adopt practical AI tools, contributing research and analytical capabilities.
- National Cybersecurity Office of the Government of JapanflagshipAspen Digital announced collaboration with Japan's National Cybersecurity Office for the Global Cybersecurity Group Meeting in May 2026, convening global cyber leaders for high-level discussions.
- AllstatecoreAllstate partnered with the Alliance for Social Trust, an initiative of Aspen Digital, to announce awardees for the Trust in Practice Awards recognizing U.S. nonprofits improving trust.
- Consumer ReportscoreConsumer Reports partnered with Aspen Digital and Global Cyber Alliance to publish the fourth annual Consumer Cyber Readiness report, based on surveys of over 2,000 US adults on data privacy and cybersecurity topics.
- Global Cyber AlliancecoreGlobal Cyber Alliance collaborated with Consumer Reports and Aspen Digital to publish the 2025 Consumer Cyber Readiness report analyzing consumer cybersecurity trends and disparities.
- PivotalcoreThe Aspen Institute (parent of Aspen Digital) and Pivotal launched the Workplace Innovation Now (WIN) Challenge, a $60 million grant competition to discover and scale innovative workplace solutions.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Aspen Digital competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- CSIS (Center for Strategic and International Studies): Major bipartisan policy organization with significant cybersecurity and technology programs. Comparable as a convening and policy research entity, though with broader geopolitical focus beyond Aspen Digital's mandate.
- Carnegie Endowment for International Peace: Global think tank with technology and international policy programs. Comparable in nonpartisan positioning and convening authority, with similar multi-stakeholder approach to AI governance.
- Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF): Public policy think tank focused on technology, innovation, and digital economy. Comparable in producing technology policy research and analysis, with a more pro-innovation orientation than Aspen Digital.
Direct peers
- Consumer Reports: Nonprofit consumer research and advocacy organization that co-publishes the 2025 Consumer Cyber Readiness report with Aspen Digital. Comparable in mission to inform consumers and policymakers through research and reports.
- RAND Corporation: Global policy research nonprofit with extensive cybersecurity and AI ethics work. Aspendigital is already a partner on the AIDE initiative with RAND, validating the direct comparability in scope, methodology, and policy audience.
- Brookings Institution: A major nonpartisan think tank with a Center for Technology Innovation and AI governance program. Directly comparable as a policy research entity that produces reports, convenes stakeholders, and informs AI and cybersecurity regulation.
- New America (Open Technology Institute): Think tank with deep programs on technology policy, AI, and digital inclusion. Closely comparable as a research and convening entity working on AI governance and equitable tech adoption.
- Center for Democracy & Technology (CDT): Nonpartisan nonprofit focused on digital rights, AI governance, and online civil liberties. Comparable in mission to balance technology and democratic values, with focus on AI legislation and consumer protection.
Emerging players
- AI Now Institute: Research institute focused on AI's social and policy implications. Comparable in producing AI governance research and policy recommendations, though more narrowly focused on AI than Aspen Digital.
- Stanford Institute for Human-Centered AI (HAI): University-affiliated AI policy and research institute producing widely cited benchmarks and policy frameworks. Overlaps with Aspen Digital's Benchmarks 101 and Community-Aligned AI Benchmarks work, but with deeper academic affiliation.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Aspen Digital social profiles
Digital presenceAspen Digital financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Aspen Digital leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
Aspen Digital funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
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Aspen Digital M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Aspen Digital
What does Aspen Digital do?
Aspen Digital produces policy research reports, educational primers, and public awareness campaigns focused on technology policy and digital inclusion. Its work spans five priority areas — Cybersecurity, Empowered Communities, Responsible Innovation, Information Integrity, and Trusted News Media — and is delivered through publications, convenings, and frameworks for policymakers, practitioners, and the general public. Distribution is free of charge, supported by foundation grants and philanthropic partnerships.
Is Aspen Digital a public or private company?
Aspen Digital is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Aspen Digital founded?
Aspen Digital was founded in 2019. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Aspen Digital based?
Aspen Digital is headquartered in Washington, United States, in the North America region.
Who are Aspen Digital's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are CSIS (Center for Strategic and International Studies), Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF). Direct peers are Consumer Reports, RAND Corporation, Brookings Institution, New America (Open Technology Institute) and Center for Democracy & Technology (CDT). Emerging players are AI Now Institute and Stanford Institute for Human-Centered AI (HAI).
Does Aspen Digital have an API?
No public API is recorded for Aspen Digital.
What industry is Aspen Digital in?
Aspen Digital's product category is Policy Research & Technology Governance. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDADADAK, EdTech & Digital Learning Policy Research, with a secondary code of EDAGAGAK, Government, Public Policy & Regulatory Reference (Public Administration, Regulatory Guidance). Its NAICS code is 5131 and its SIC code is 8600.