The Arthur C. Clarke Foundation
The Arthur C. Clarke Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that promotes imagination to benefit humanity through annual awards, intergenerational programming, and youth education initiatives honoring Sir Arthur C. Clarke's legacy.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1983
- HeadquartersWashington, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What The Arthur C. Clarke Foundation does
The Arthur C. Clarke Foundation is a private 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1983 and headquartered in Washington, D.C. The Foundation's stated mission is to promote, enable, and recognize the power of imagination to benefit humanity, honoring the legacy of Sir Arthur C. Clarke — the author and futurist who calculated the geostationary satellite orbit. The Foundation operates four core programs: the annual Arthur C. Clarke Awards (Lifetime Achievement, Innovator, and Imagination in Service to Society categories), the Clarke Conversations on Imagination series, the Unleash Imagination intergenerational initiative (launched in 2017 for Clarke's centenary), and the HAL 9000 Challenge youth program (developed for 2025 launch) focused on ideas for beneficial AI and advanced technologies. Supporting youth programs include Clarke Changemakers and the Youth Video Challenge delivered through partnerships with Youth Service America, KID Museum, and UCSD's Arthur C. Clarke Center for Human Imagination.
The Foundation does not develop technology products or sell commercial services. Its assets are programmatic: a multi-decade awardee roster including Nobel laureates, astronauts, technologists, and authors (e.g., Stephen Hawking, Jeffrey Bezos, Elon Musk, Vinton Cerf, NASA, CERN); a global partner network spanning academic, cultural, and corporate institutions; and the Clarke brand and intellectual legacy. The annual Unleash Imagination event is hosted at the Embassy of France in Washington, D.C., with both in-person and virtual participation.
The Foundation's revenue model is donations and corporate sponsorships. It offers tiered event packages — Unleash Imagination Package at $1,000 (two seats, dinner, conversation access), Individual Evening Tickets at $300, and virtual program tickets at $10 (students) and $15 (adults) — with proceeds treated as donations supporting programs. Named corporate sponsors include SES, Hughes (EchoStar), Iridium, OneWeb, Eutelsat, Google, Lockheed Martin, Penguin Random House, and the Internet Society. The Foundation is governed by a Board of Directors led by Chair Timothy J. Logue, with key leadership including Vice Chair Charles G. Schott, Treasurer Marcia Johnson Bateson, and Executive Director Holly Russell.
The Arthur C. Clarke Foundation firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Arthur C. Clarke Foundation
- Legal name
- The Arthur C. Clarke Foundation
- Website
- https://clarkefoundation.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1983
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- The Arthur C. Clarke Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that promotes imagination to benefit humanity through annual awards, intergenerational programming, and youth education initiatives honoring Sir Arthur C. Clarke's legacy.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Arthur C. Clarke Foundation industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Nonprofit Innovation Awards and Education Programs
- NAICS
- Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Grantmaking and Giving Services (8132), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Education Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAK)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Research & Science Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAI), STEM, Digital Literacy & Maker Education Nonprofits (BPAGADAG), Arts, Culture & Humanities Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAJ)
Keywords
Where The Arthur C. Clarke Foundation is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Washington
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
The Arthur C. Clarke Foundation business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Others
Revenue model
- Donations and Sponsorships: The Foundation operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that relies on donations and corporate sponsorships to fund its programs, including the Unleash Imagination initiative, youth programs, and annual awards ceremony.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | One time | Unleash Imagination Package - $1,000 |
| Other | One time | Individual Evening Tickets - $300 |
| Other | One time | Virtual Program Individual Tickets |
| Other | One time | Virtual Program Package - $1,000 |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels7 records
The Arthur C. Clarke Foundation product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Arthur C. Clarke Foundation runs an annual Arthur C. Clarke Awards program recognizing individuals and organizations for contributions to technology, sciences, and arts, alongside the Clarke Conversations on Imagination discussion series and the Unleash Imagination intergenerational initiative. It also delivers youth programs including the HAL 9000 Challenge, Clarke Changemakers, and Youth Video Challenge, partnering with universities, museums, and satellite industry sponsors to promote imagination as a tool for addressing global challenges.
Product overview
The Arthur C. Clarke Foundation operates as a unified awards and education organization centered around its Unleash Imagination program. The core offerings include the annual Arthur C. Clarke Awards (Lifetime Achievement, Innovator, and Imagination in Service to Society categories), the Clarke Conversations on Imagination (live and streamed discussions), and the new HAL 9000 Challenge youth program. Supporting initiatives include Young Leaders Initiatives with Clarke Changemakers and Youth Video Challenge. All programs promote imagination paired with science, technology, and arts.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Unleash Imagination: An intergenerational initiative exploring how imagination fuels the future, launched in 2017 as part of Arthur C. Clarke's centenary celebration.
- HAL 9000 Challenge
- Arthur C. Clarke Awards
- Clarke Conversation on Imagination
Products and services
- Arthur C. Clarke Awards Annual awards program recognizing individuals and organizations for outstanding contributions to technology, sciences, and arts, with categories including Lifetime Achievement Award, Innovator Award, and Imagination in Service to Society Award.
- Clarke Conversations on Imagination Ongoing series of live and live-streamed curated conversations between highly imaginative solution seekers, bringing together awardees and experts to promote a culture for fresh ideas.
- Unleash Imagination Program Intergenerational initiative exploring how imagination fuels the future, combining the Young Leaders program, Clarke Conversations, Intergenerational Forum, and Clarke Awards.
- HAL 9000 Challenge Program inspired by 2001: A Space Odyssey that inspires young people to develop ideas, designs, policies, and programs for benefitting Earth inhabitants in a world dominated by AI and advanced technologies, featuring intergenerational pairing with adult experts and grants.
- Young Leaders Initiatives Youth leadership programs including Clarke Changemakers and Youth Video Challenge, focused on science, technology, engineering, arts and math powered by imagination (I-STEAM).
Companies that use The Arthur C. Clarke Foundation
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
The Arthur C. Clarke Foundation technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
The Arthur C. Clarke Foundation partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and secondary.
- Arthur C. Clarke Center for Human Imagination (UCSD)coreThe Foundation's sister organization located at the University of California San Diego. Collaborates on Clarke Conversations on Imagination and supports the Foundation's intergenerational programs.
- Youth Service AmericacorePartnership for presenting the Young Leaders Initiatives, including youth service programs and Global Youth Day initiatives.
- KID MuseumcorePartner for Young Leaders programming and I-STEAM education initiatives. Hosts Clarke Changemakers events.
- Carnegie Institution for SciencesecondaryPartner in Unleash Imagination 2018 programs for youth education in science and technology.
- Museum of Science FictionsecondaryPartner in 2018 Unleash Imagination programs focusing on science fiction and education.
- Hughes (Echostar Company)coreMarketing partner since 2018, supporting the Unleash Imagination program and annual awards ceremony. Hughes is a satellite communications company.
- SEScoreMajor sponsor and partner for the annual awards program. SES is a major satellite operator.
- IridiumsecondarySatellite communications company sponsoring the Unleash Imagination program.
- GooglesecondaryCorporate sponsor of the 2021 Unleash Imagination awards program.
- Penguin Random HousesecondaryPublisher sponsor providing literary connections to the awards program.
- Internet SocietysecondaryNonprofit sponsor supporting Internet and technology-focused programs.
- British Interplanetary SocietysecondaryPartner organization for the UK Arthur C. Clarke Awards given in partnership with the Foundation.
- OneWebsecondarySatellite communications company sponsoring the awards program.
- EutelsatsecondarySatellite operator sponsoring the awards program.
- Lockheed MartinsecondaryAerospace and defense company sponsoring the 2020 awards program.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
The Arthur C. Clarke Foundation competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- SETI Institute: Nonprofit research and education organization focused on the search for extraterrestrial intelligence and space science. Past recipient of the Clarke Foundation's Innovator Award (Jill Tarter, 2018), making it a peer in space science education and outreach.
- British Interplanetary Society: Long-standing space advocacy nonprofit and direct partner of the Clarke Foundation on the UK Clarke Awards. Shares the Clarke Foundation's space/technology mission and event-driven operating model.
- Internet Society: Nonprofit that supports Internet-related education and policy. Multiple overlapping leadership figures (Walda Roseman was COO) and a direct sponsor relationship, making it a tightly connected peer in the technology-philanthropy space.
- Lindau Nobel Laureate Meetings: Nonprofit that convenes Nobel laureates and young scientists. Highly comparable to the Clarke Foundation's intergenerational model and its prestige-driven events honoring top-tier scientists; both rely on institutional and corporate sponsorship.
- X Prize Foundation: Nonprofit that incentivizes breakthrough innovation through large cash prizes and recognition. Highly comparable to the Clarke Foundation's model of honoring visionary technologists and scientists; also pursues a global, mission-driven awards strategy rather than direct grants.
- World Science Festival: Nonprofit that produces public-facing events and conversations celebrating science. Shares the Clarke Foundation's emphasis on interdisciplinary dialogue between scientists, artists, and the public, and operates comparable flagship events and major donor fundraising.
Emerging players
- Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics: Independent research and science outreach nonprofit. Shares the Clarke Foundation's emphasis on theoretical science education and public engagement, but is focused on physics specifically rather than cross-disciplinary imagination.
Broad incumbents
- National Geographic Society: Large nonprofit with a science communication mission and past Clarke Award recipient (2023). Comparable in mission (science exploration, public education) but vastly larger in scale and resources, putting it in a broad incumbent position.
- IEEE Foundation: Philanthropic arm of IEEE supporting engineering and technology education. Shares the Clarke Foundation's mission of advancing technology for humanity and uses awards and educational programs, but operates at significantly larger scale with a professional society infrastructure.
- TED Foundation: Nonprofit behind the TED conference and ideas dissemination platform. Shares the Clarke Foundation's mission of spreading ideas at the intersection of technology, science, and society, but operates at significantly larger scale and reach.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
The Arthur C. Clarke Foundation social profiles
Digital presenceThe Arthur C. Clarke Foundation financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Arthur C. Clarke Foundation leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles12 records
The Arthur C. Clarke Foundation funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Arthur C. Clarke Foundation 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 The Arthur C. Clarke Foundation
What does The Arthur C. Clarke Foundation do?
The Arthur C. Clarke Foundation runs an annual Arthur C. Clarke Awards program recognizing individuals and organizations for contributions to technology, sciences, and arts, alongside the Clarke Conversations on Imagination discussion series and the Unleash Imagination intergenerational initiative. It also delivers youth programs including the HAL 9000 Challenge, Clarke Changemakers, and Youth Video Challenge, partnering with universities, museums, and satellite industry sponsors to promote imagination as a tool for addressing global challenges.
Is The Arthur C. Clarke Foundation a public or private company?
The Arthur C. Clarke Foundation is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was The Arthur C. Clarke Foundation founded?
The Arthur C. Clarke Foundation was founded in 1983. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is The Arthur C. Clarke Foundation based?
The Arthur C. Clarke Foundation is headquartered in Washington, United States, in the North America region.
How does The Arthur C. Clarke Foundation make money?
One revenue line is on record: donations and Sponsorships.
Who are The Arthur C. Clarke Foundation's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are SETI Institute, British Interplanetary Society, Internet Society, Lindau Nobel Laureate Meetings, X Prize Foundation and World Science Festival. Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics is listed as an emerging player. Broad incumbents are National Geographic Society, IEEE Foundation and TED Foundation.
Does The Arthur C. Clarke Foundation have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Arthur C. Clarke Foundation.
What industry is The Arthur C. Clarke Foundation in?
The Arthur C. Clarke Foundation's product category is Nonprofit Innovation Awards and Education Programs. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAKAK, Education Grantmaking Foundations, with a secondary code of BPAGAKAI, Research & Science Grantmaking Foundations. Its NAICS code is 813211.