Institute for Disease Modeling

What Institute for Disease Modeling does

The Institute for Disease Modeling (IDM) is a research and software organization operating as a division within the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation's Global Health Division. IDM develops and maintains open-source, agent-based computational models that simulate the transmission of infectious diseases and evaluate intervention strategies for diseases including malaria, HIV, HPV, tuberculosis, COVID-19, sexually transmitted infections, typhoid, and family planning. Its core platforms are EMOD (a C++-based stochastic agent-based modeling framework with disease-specific variants for malaria and HIV), Starsim (a Python and R framework under MIT license designed for laptop-level execution), and LASER (a high-performance Python framework optimized for spatial dynamics, initial 1.0 release in late 2025). Supporting infrastructure includes idmtools for HPC-integrated workflow management and disease-specific modules (HPVsim, Covasim, STIsim, FPsim, TBsim, Typhoidsim, laser-measles, emodpy-malaria, emodpy-hiv).

IDM's end users are ministries of health in low- and middle-income countries, NGOs and global funders including Gavi and the Global Fund, universities, and research institutions that use the models to inform vaccination strategies, HIV programs, tuberculosis control, and reproductive health interventions. All tools are distributed free of charge under MIT license via GitHub, the Python Package Index, and dedicated documentation sites. IDM generates no commercial revenue; its operations are funded through the Gates Foundation's endowment and philanthropic resources, and it operates through community engagement, academic publications, symposia, and research collaborations rather than traditional sales channels. Notable policy impacts include informing national HIV strategies across sub-Saharan Africa, supporting single-dose HPV vaccination adoption by 19 Gavi-supported countries (reaching 18.5M additional girls and potentially averting 297,000-370,000 cervical cancers), and cost-effectiveness analyses of Lenacapavir PrEP delivery in southern and eastern Africa.

In 2026, IDM became part of the scope of a $200 million, four-year Anthropic-Gates Foundation partnership targeting AI-driven drug discovery for neglected diseases and AI-powered educational tools in the Global South, signaling an increasing intersection of traditional computational epidemiology with frontier AI capabilities.

Name

Institute for Disease Modeling

Legal name

Institute for Disease Modeling

Website

https://idmod.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

The Institute for Disease Modeling, a division of the Gates Foundation's Global Health Division, develops open-source agent-based computational models (EMOD, Starsim, LASER) that simulate infectious disease transmission and inform intervention strategies for ministries of health, global funders, and researchers in low- and middle-income countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Computational Epidemiology Software

NAICS

Software Publishers (5132), Custom Computer Programming Services (541511), Scientific Research and Development Services (5417)

SIC

Services-Prepackaged Software (7372), Services-Computer Programming, Data Processing, Etc. (7370)

akta.pro primary industry

Digital Health, Health Information Systems & Data Programs (BPADAIAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Disease-Specific Global Programs (HIV/TB/Malaria/NTDs) (HLAJAKAF), Global Health Research, Clinical Trials & Product Development Partnerships (PDPs) (HLAJAOAM)

Keywords

• Disease modeling software
• Agent-based simulation
• Epidemiological modeling
• Infectious disease modeling
• Computational epidemiology

Headquarters

HQ city

Seattle

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Research Funding: IDM operates as part of the Gates Foundation's Global Health Division, funded through foundation grants rather than commercial revenue generation. The organization develops and provides free open-source modeling tools to the global health research community.
2. Open-source tool distribution: All modeling tools are provided freely under MIT license to the research community. No commercial licensing or product revenue is generated from tool distribution.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

IDM develops and freely distributes open-source computational disease modeling tools — agent-based simulation frameworks (EMOD, Starsim, LASER) with disease-specific modules for malaria, HIV, HPV, TB, COVID-19, STIs, typhoid, and family planning. The tools serve ministries of health, NGOs, global funders, and academic researchers to inform intervention strategies, resource allocation, and public health policy decisions in low- and middle-income countries.

Product overview

The Institute for Disease Modeling (IDM) operates as a research-focused organization within the Gates Foundation's Global Health Division, offering a suite of open-source computational disease modeling tools. The core portfolio centers on three agent-based modeling platforms: EMOD (built in C++ with Python interfaces), Starsim (Python and R), and LASER (Python). These are supported by disease-specific modules (emodpy-malaria, emodpy-hiv, Covasim, HPVsim, STIsim, FPsim, TBsim, Typhoidsim, laser-measles) and workflow infrastructure (emodpy, idmtools). The tools are freely available under MIT license for the research community to model infectious disease transmission, evaluate intervention strategies, and inform global health decisions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• EMOD (Epidemiological MODeling software): Agent-based modeling framework for disease transmission simulation
• Starsim
• LASER (Light Agent Spatial modeling for ERadication)
• HPVsim
• Covasim
• STIsim
• FPsim
• TBsim
• Typhoidsim

Products and services

• EMOD (Epidemiological MODeling software) A stochastic, agent-based modeling framework built in C++ that simulates the simultaneous interactions of agents to model disease transmission. Tracks individual movement, development, health, and other traits over lifetimes. Serves as the foundational disease transmission model with disease-specific variants for malaria, HIV, and generic diseases, used by researchers and public health decision-makers.
• Starsim An open-source disease modeling framework available for Python and R under the MIT license. Starsim models inform real-world public health decisions including HPV vaccination rollout, HIV prevention, tuberculosis programs, and family planning expansion. Designed to run on a laptop and produce locally relevant evidence for intervention decisions.
• LASER (Light Agent Spatial modeling for ERadication) A high-performance, agent-based simulation framework for modeling infectious disease spread with a spatial focus. LASER uses Python-based components with modular disease logic and can also be configured as a compartmental model. Available under the MIT license with design principles emphasizing efficient computation, modular design, spatial focus, and fast flexibility via NumPy, Numba, and C/OpenMP optimization.
• emodpy-malaria The primary Python interface for configuring and running malaria-specific EMOD simulations. Includes vector transmission, within-host parasite dynamics, malaria-specific interventions, and vector biology features such as larval habitat, insecticide resistance, and gene drives. Targets malaria researchers and public health program designers.
• emodpy-hiv The primary Python interface for configuring and running HIV-specific EMOD simulations. Includes within-host viral dynamics, HIV virology parameters, HIV-specific interventions, and cascade of care modeling. Targets HIV researchers, ministries of health, and global health organizations.
• idmtools A model-agnostic Python framework that streamlines the full modeling workflow: input file creation, model calibration, commissioning simulations locally and on HPC, and analyzing results. Compatible with custom R or Python models but purpose-built for EMOD. Provides Docker container support for local execution.
• Covasim An agent-based model of COVID-19 dynamics and interventions within the Starsim ecosystem. Simulates COVID-19 transmission and evaluates intervention strategies for pandemic response and public health decision-making.
• HPVsim Human papillomavirus transmission and cervical disease model within the Starsim ecosystem. Used to evaluate HPV vaccination strategies including single-dose vaccination impact for vaccination rollout planning.
• STIsim Sexually transmitted infections model within the Starsim ecosystem, including HIV. Used for modeling STI transmission, prevention, and treatment interventions.
• FPsim Family planning and reproductive health model within the Starsim ecosystem. Used to model family planning interventions and reproductive health outcomes for program design and policy decisions.
• TBsim Tuberculosis transmission and progression model within the Starsim ecosystem for modeling TB epidemiology and evaluating control strategies.
• Typhoidsim Typhoid transmission and control model within the Starsim ecosystem for evaluating typhoid control strategies and intervention programs.
• laser-generic A flexible, modular LASER framework for simulating non-vector disease transmission, from simple compartmental models to complex agent-based models with spatial dynamics. Includes API reference for laser-core, the engine and utilities used by all LASER packages.
• laser-measles A spatial epidemiological modeling toolkit within LASER for simulating measles transmission, evaluating vaccination strategies, and planning outbreak responses. Focuses on settings where measles remains a leading cause of vaccine-preventable death.
• emodpy Shared Python workflow infrastructure that integrates EMOD configuration with idmtools capabilities for running models on different platforms. Serves as the base package used by emodpy-malaria and emodpy-hiv.
• EMOD-Generic A modeling framework within EMOD best suited for low-complexity disease transmission modeling, such as measles. Part of the EMOD-Hub open source project.

Quantifiable outcome

• Models have informed national HIV strategies across sub-Saharan Africa and guided resource allocation decisions by governments and global health organizations
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

AI capability5 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.

• AnthropicflagshipTechnology or Integration · 14 May 2026$200 million four-year partnership between Anthropic and Gates Foundation announced May 14, 2026. Anthropic provides technical expertise and Claude usage credits while Gates Foundation contributes grant funding. Focus areas include AI-driven drug discovery for neglected diseases (HPV, polio, preeclampsia) and AI-powered educational tools in sub-Saharan Africa and India.
• Bill & Melinda Gates FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2011IDM is part of the Gates Foundation's Global Health Division. The foundation provides funding, mission direction, and operational support. IDM's goal aligns with the foundation's mission to create a world in which every person has the opportunity to live a healthy, productive life.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Avenir Health: Developer of the widely used Spectrum, Goals, and Time models for HIV, family planning, and TB projections used by UNAIDS, WHO, and country programs. Directly comparable open-source disease modeling tools serving the same global-health funder and ministry of health customer base.
• Epicentre (Médecins Sans Frontières): MSF's epidemiological research arm that conducts field-based infectious disease modeling and surveillance in low-resource settings. Comparable in mission, global-health disease focus, and operational research methodology.
• Vaccine Modelling Initiative (University of Oxford): Oxford-based research group that models vaccine impact and economics for HPV, measles, RSV, and other pathogens, directly informing WHO and Gavi decisions. Closely comparable to IDM's disease portfolio and policy-engagement model.
• Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME): UW-based global health research institute, also Seattle-headquartered and Gates-funded, that produces disease burden estimates and modeling outputs (GBD, IHME-Covid Projections) used by policymakers worldwide. Most directly comparable to IDM in mission, methodology, and funder relationships.
• Centre for Mathematical Modelling of Infectious Diseases (LSHTM): London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine center that develops mathematical and agent-based models for HIV, TB, malaria, and emerging infections. Highly comparable methodology and disease portfolio to IDM, with strong policy and funder relationships.
• Northeastern University MOBS Lab: Laboratory for the Modeling of Biological and Socio-technical Systems, known for high-profile COVID-19 forecasts (Lipsitch group) and measles modeling. Directly comparable in agent-based and network modeling of infectious diseases for policy use.
• MRC Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis (Imperial College London): Academic center that developed the influential CovidSim agent-based COVID-19 model and produces weekly global influenza and SARS-CoV-2 forecasts. Directly comparable in agent-based methodology, global-health focus, and policy-facing outputs.
• Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center - Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division: Seattle-based research division that conducts infectious disease epidemiology and statistical modeling for HIV, TB, and emerging pathogens. Geographically co-located with IDM and Gates Foundation; comparable in disease portfolio and Seattle research ecosystem participation.
• Johns Hopkins Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE): Operator of the iconic COVID-19 dashboard and developer of infectious disease surveillance and forecasting tools. Directly comparable as an academic disease modeling and data dissemination organization serving global policy and research users.

Broad incumbents

• Los Alamos National Laboratory (T-6 Theoretical Biology and Biophysics): US national laboratory that has historically operated large-scale disease transmission simulations (including EpiCast and related epidemiological tools) as part of a broader biosecurity and theoretical biology portfolio. Comparable in agent-based infectious disease modeling but operates as a much larger, multi-mission institution.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/idmod_org
• GitHubgithub.com/laser-base
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC8xEavQbGj0y_B_TSuwmMjw/featured?view_as=subscriber
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/institute-disease-modeling

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 Institute for Disease Modeling