The Diana Initiative

What The Diana Initiative does

The Diana Initiative (TDI) is a U.S. 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation (EIN 82-2173128), founded in 2015 at DEF CON 23 and formally incorporated in 2017, that produces an annual diversity-focused conference and surrounding community programs for underrepresented people in Information Security: women, gender non-conforming and non-binary individuals, neurodivergent professionals, and students. Its core offering is a two-day, multi-track conference held during DEF CON and Hacker Summer Camp in Las Vegas, featuring speaker tracks, hands-on villages (Lockpicking, Career, Soldering, hardware hacking), workshops, a Capture the Flag competition, and a fashion-tech competition called Hacker Runway. Supplementary programs include a Neurodivergent Dinner underwritten by Adobe, a Scholarship Program that awards DEF CON human badges plus $1,000 USD (10 recipients in 2024), a Quiet Room staffed with Mental Health Hackers, a Community Room, a volunteer-run Reference Desk, Tour Groups, LHC Resume Reviewers in partnership with Lonely Hackers Club, and a Hacker Summer Camp podcast on YouTube.

The organization operates with no proprietary technology platform; its stack consists of standard third-party tools for ticketing (Zeffy), donations (PayPal Giving Fund, Benevity), streaming (YouTube, Discord), and content (a self-hosted blog and newsletter at tdi.mobi, plus a Google Sites main site). Revenue is assembled from corporate sponsorships at defined tiers (Platinum, Gold, Scholarship, CTF Prize, Room sponsors), individual tax-deductible donations, event ticket sales, and merchandise through the TDI Shop. Platinum sponsors are anchored by Meta, SiberX, and National Cyber League / Cyber Skyline, with a longer tail that includes Anaconda, Adobe, ICR-Team, Vulncheck, GRESearch, CAI.io, Packt, and CyberMaterial, and a community-partner network of more than 40 organizations including WiCyS, Black Girls Hack, OWASP, ISC2, Mental Health Hackers, Lonely Hackers Club, and the DC Maker Community. Reach scaled from a small suite event at Bally's and Paris in 2016, to 59 presentations at the Westin Las Vegas in 2019, to 1,700+ virtual attendees in 2020-2021, to roughly 2,500 combined attendees in the 2022 hybrid edition.

The go-to-market motion is event-driven and community-led: TDI leases its audience access from the DEF CON calendar window in Las Vegas each August, then leverages partnerships and social channels (LinkedIn, Mastodon on defcon.social, BlueSky, TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, newsletter) to recruit attendees, volunteers, and sponsors year-round. Pricing for paid components (Neurodivergent Dinner tickets, merchandise) is not publicly disclosed, and the organization discloses no revenue figures; operations are supported by 11-50 staff and a wider volunteer base typical of grassroots 501(c)(3) charity organizers.

Name

The Diana Initiative

Legal name

Diana Initiative, Inc

Website

https://dianainitiative.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Diana Initiative is a Las Vegas-based 501(c)(3) non-profit that runs an annual diversity-focused conference at DEF CON plus year-round programs (scholarships, Neurodivergent Dinner, Quiet Room) for women, gender non-conforming, and neurodivergent professionals in Information Security.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cybersecurity Community Conferences and Events

NAICS

Convention and Trade Show Organizers (561920)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Association & Society Conference Management (Nonprofit, Professional Bodies) (THAHACAA)

Keywords

• Cybersecurity community events
• InfoSec diversity conferences
• Non-profit security education
• Women in cybersecurity
• Inclusive hacker conferences

Headquarters

HQ city

Las Vegas

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Event Tickets: Revenue generated from ticket sales for events including Neurodivergent Dinner, DEF CON community events, and annual conferences.
2. Sponsorships: Corporate sponsors provide financial and in-kind support at various tiers (Platinum, Gold, Scholarship sponsors, CTF Prize sponsors, Community partners). Sponsors receive recognition at events and on website.
3. Donations: Tax-deductible donations from individuals and through employer matching programs (Benevity), PayPal Giving Fund, and other platforms. Donations support scholarship programs and operational costs.
4. Merchandise Sales: Sales of TDI-branded merchandise through the TDI Shop (tdi.mobi/shop).
5. Scholarship Program: Awards DEF CON human badges and $1,000USD to selected recipients. Funded through dedicated scholarship sponsorships.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

The Diana Initiative operates an annual diversity-focused conference and supporting community events during DEF CON and Hacker Summer Camp in Las Vegas, providing inclusive programming for underrepresented people in Information Security. Offerings include multiple speaker tracks, villages (lockpicking, career, soldering), CTF competitions, the Hack3r Runway fashion/tech contest, a Neurodivergent Dinner, scholarship program, Quiet Room, Community Room, resume review services, and guided tour groups.

Product overview

The Diana Initiative is a non-profit diversity-driven organization (not a technology product company) that operates a conference and community events focused on underrepresented people in Information Security. The core offering is The Diana Initiative Conference during Hacker Summer Camp/DEF CON in Las Vegas, supplemented by programs including the Neurodivergent Dinner, Scholarship Program, Quiet Room, Community Room, Reference Desk, Tour Groups, and Hacker Runway competition. These programs are designed to create inclusive spaces and support professional development for women and gender non-conforming individuals in the InfoSec community.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• The Diana Initiative Conference (TDI @ DEF CON) Annual diversity-focused conference held during Hacker Summer Camp / DEF CON in Las Vegas for underrepresented people in Information Security; features multiple speaker tracks, capture-the-flag competitions, villages (lockpicking, career, soldering), workshops, and the Hack3r Runway creative competition.
• Neurodivergent Dinner

Quantifiable outcome

• Awarded 10 DEF CON scholarships ($1,000 USD each) in 2024 to enable underrepresented individuals to attend Hacker Summer Camp

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• MetacoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPlatinum sponsor and Virtual Event Partner for The Diana Initiative. Meta supports the organization's mission to promote diversity in information security through major financial sponsorship.
• SiberXcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPlatinum sponsor supporting The Diana Initiative's annual conference and events.
• National Cyber League / Cyber SkylinecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPlatinum sponsor and Virtual Event Partner providing support for the organization's educational mission.
• AnacondacoreGTM or Marketing PartnerSpeaker Room Sponsor supporting The Diana Initiative conference sessions.
• AdobecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerNeurodivergent Dinner Sponsor providing funding to enable subsidized pricing for neurodivergent community members to attend the annual dinner event.
• ICR-TeamcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCommunity Room Sponsor at DEF CON 34, providing support for the community gathering space during the conference.
• PacktminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCTF Prize Sponsor providing book prizes for Capture the Flag competition participants.
• CyberMaterialminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCTF Prize Sponsor and Community Partner providing prizes and supporting community outreach.
• Lonely Hackers Club (LHC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with LHC to recruit volunteer resume reviewers for on-site support during DEF CON. LHC provides community room space for the resume review program.
• Mental Health HackerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to enhance the Quiet Room experience at DEF CON, providing mental health support resources and creating a calming environment for attendees.
• Women in CyberSecurity (WiCyS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner organization supporting diversity in cybersecurity. Both organizations work to advance women and underrepresented groups in the field.
• Black Girls HackcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner providing resources and support for Black girls and women pursuing InfoSec careers.
• OWASP FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner focused on improving software security, collaborating on web application security education and resources.
• ISC2coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner and professional certification body for cybersecurity professionals.
• Hacker Book ClubminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner hosting meetups in the TDI Community Room during DEF CON for book discussions and learning.
• DC Maker CommunityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for Hack3r Runway crafting activities, directing attendees to additional maker resources and soldering support.
• Hardware Hacking Village / Soldering Skills VillageminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership providing soldering iron access and hardware hacking support for Hack3r Runway participants.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• ISC2: ISC2 is a major non-profit professional association for cybersecurity professionals offering certifications, training, and member events. Comparable as a large-scale, mission-aligned cybersecurity professional community partner with overlapping diversity-in-InfoSec initiatives.
• DEF CON Communications: DEF CON is the largest annual hacker conference in the U.S. and the anchor event around which TDI's flagship conference is organized. Comparable as the parent event ecosystem TDI depends on for audience, venues, and visibility, though operating at vastly larger scale.
• OWASP Foundation: OWASP is a globally recognized non-profit foundation advancing software security through community-driven projects, education, and conferences. Comparable as a large non-profit cybersecurity community organization with which TDI maintains a strategic partnership and overlapping DEI mission.
• SANS Institute: SANS Institute is a major commercial cybersecurity training and certification organization that also operates community events and diversity scholarship programs. Comparable as a broad incumbent in cybersecurity education with overlapping workforce-development and DEI scholarship offerings.

Direct peers

• Women in CyberSecurity (WiCyS): WiCyS is the leading non-profit advancing women in cybersecurity through conferences, scholarships, and a professional community. Highly comparable to TDI in mission (women in InfoSec) and conference-driven delivery model, though WiCyS operates at larger scale with a broader year-round membership structure.
• Security BSides: Security BSides is a global network of community-driven, low-cost cybersecurity conferences organized by and for InfoSec practitioners. Direct peer in the community-organized cybersecurity conference model, with comparable volunteer-led operations and grassroots sponsorship structure.
• Latinas in Cyber: Latinas in Cyber is a non-profit community organization focused on increasing Latina representation in cybersecurity through networking, mentorship, and events. Directly comparable niche non-profit model serving underrepresented women in InfoSec.
• AnitaB.org (Grace Hopper Celebration): AnitaB.org operates the Grace Hopper Celebration, the largest gathering of women technologists globally. Comparable as a high-profile, mission-driven tech diversity conference organizer with corporate sponsorship and scholarship programs aimed at advancing women in technical fields.
• Black Girls Hack: Black Girls Hack is a non-profit organization supporting Black women and girls in cybersecurity through training, conferences, and community programs. Direct peer given overlapping mission (underrepresented groups in InfoSec), non-profit structure, and conference/community-event delivery model.

Emerging players

• Mental Health Hackers: Mental Health Hackers is a community organization supporting mental health awareness within the hacker/InfoSec community. Comparable as a small, mission-driven cybersecurity community partner that co-delivers programming with TDI (specifically the Quiet Room).

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/dianainitiative
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCqzohGI80B7I9-wOmcgJgjg
• Facebookfacebook.com/dianainitiative
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/dianainitiative
• Instagraminstagram.com/dianainitiative
• TikToktiktok.com/@dianainitiative?lang=en

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Diana Initiative