American Epilepsy Society

What American Epilepsy Society does

The American Epilepsy Society (AES), founded in 1936 and headquartered at 141 W. Jackson Blvd., Suite 1065, Chicago, IL, is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit professional medical society serving approximately 5,300 physicians, scientists, advanced practice providers, nurses, and allied epilepsy professionals. Its mission centers on advancing understanding, diagnosis, prevention, treatment, and cure of epilepsy, with strategic priorities spanning research coordination, clinical guidance, professional education, and advocacy. The society operates a portfolio of education and research products including the AES Learn online continuing-education catalog (learn.aesnet.org), the Epilepsy Currents peer-reviewed journal (bi-monthly, open access, published with SAGE Publishing), the annual AES Annual Meeting (the world's largest gathering of epilepsy professionals, with 5,950+ attendees in 2023), the Resident Epilepsy Surgery Course (jointly with ASSFN), and the Curing the Epilepsies conference series (coordinated with NINDS). Underlying technology spans a Microsoft Azure-hosted web platform, a member portal at my.aesnet.org, the AES Connect online community, and digital publications infrastructure.

AES monetizes through a diversified nonprofit revenue mix: recurring membership dues from its 5,300-member base, registration and exhibit/sponsorship fees from the Annual Meeting and specialty courses, multi-tier corporate support from pharmaceutical and medical device companies (Benefactor $500,000+ down to Patron $5,000-$9,999), charitable donations organized into giving circles (Innovators through Builders, plus the Legacy Circle for planned giving), and publication/educational product revenue. Its go-to-market is community-led: acquisition and retention run through the annual meeting, AES Connect, AES Learn, the Career Center, Epilepsy Currents, research funding programs, grants, and advocacy. Key institutional positions include ACCME accreditation with commendation, CMSS-code compliance, fiscal-agent and member status in the Epilepsy Leadership Council (~50 organizations), a 2025 AMA House of Delegates seat, and coordination of the NINDS-co-developed Epilepsy Research Benchmarks covering four research priority areas.

Name

American Epilepsy Society

Legal name

American Epilepsy Society

Website

https://aesnet.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1936

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The American Epilepsy Society is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit professional medical society of approximately 5,300 physicians, scientists, and allied health professionals advancing epilepsy research, clinical care, and education through its annual meeting, Epilepsy Currents journal, AES Learn platform, and NINDS-coordinated research benchmarks.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Medical Professional Society Services

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (611310), Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services (54)

SIC

Services-Health Services (8000), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Epilepsy & Seizure Disorders (HLAKAIAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Behavioral Health & Counseling (Social Work, Psychology, Substance Use CE) (EDAAALAD), Clinical Research Ethics & Human Subjects Protection Authorities (IRB/REC Oversight) (HLAJACAG)

Keywords

• Medical professional society
• Epilepsy research
• Continuing medical education
• Clinical practice guidelines
• Peer-reviewed journal

Headquarters

HQ city

West Hartford

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership fees from physicians, scientists, advanced practice providers, nurses, and other epilepsy professionals. The society had approximately 5,300 members as of December 2024.
2. Annual Meeting and Events: Registration fees, exhibit booth fees, and sponsorships from the AES Annual Meeting, the world's largest gathering of epilepsy professionals. Also includes the joint AES/ASSFN Resident Epilepsy Surgery Course.
3. Corporate Support and Sponsorships: Medical education grants, exhibiting fees, advertising, and sponsorships from pharmaceutical and medical device companies. Corporate supporters recognized at multiple giving levels (Benefactor $500,000+, Leader $250,000-$499,000, Partner $100,000-$249,999, etc.).
4. Donations and Planned Giving: Tax-deductible charitable contributions to support epilepsy research and attract young scientists to the field. Includes Legacy Circle for bequests and planned giving intentions, and giving circles (Innovators Circle $2,500+, Discovery Circle $1,000-$2,499, Explorers Circle $500-$999, Builders Circle $250-$499).
5. Publications and Educational Products: Revenue from the Epilepsy Currents journal (published by SAGE Publishing) and AES Learn educational products and courses.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

American Epilepsy Society is a 501(c)(3) professional medical society that provides continuing medical education, peer-reviewed research publication, clinical practice guidelines, research funding and benchmark coordination, and an annual scientific meeting to physicians, scientists, and allied health professionals dedicated to preventing, treating, and curing epilepsy. Member-facing products and services include the AES Learn online education catalog, the Epilepsy Currents journal, the AES Annual Meeting, specialty training courses (such as the Resident Epilepsy Surgery Course), clinical guidelines, research grants and fellowships, the BRIDGE Summer Internship, the Epilepsy Research Benchmarks framework, the Curing the Epilepsies Conference, a public Find a Doctor directory, and the Career Center job board.

Product overview

The American Epilepsy Society operates as a professional membership organization offering a unified portfolio of educational and professional resources for epilepsy specialists. The core offerings include the AES Learn online education platform with courses and credits, the Epilepsy Currents peer-reviewed journal, annual conferences and specialized training courses like the Resident Epilepsy Surgery Course, clinical guidelines, research funding programs including the BRIDGE Summer Internship, and career development resources through the Career Center. The society also maintains research frameworks including the Epilepsy Research Benchmarks and coordinates the Curing the Epilepsies Conference with NINDS. Member resources include the Find a Doctor referral database and the AES Connect community platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• AES Learn Online learning catalog providing continuing education resources, courses, and credit-earning opportunities for epilepsy professionals to stay current in the field.
• Epilepsy Currents A bi-monthly open access current-awareness journal providing reviews, commentaries, and abstracts from world literature on epilepsy research and treatment, surveyed and commented on by an editorial board of world experts, published by SAGE Publishing.
• AES Annual Meeting The world's largest gathering of epilepsy professionals, featuring scientific sessions, abstracts, exhibits, and networking opportunities; held annually in December in various U.S. cities.
• Clinical Guidelines Evidence-based clinical guidance documents providing recommendations for pharmacological, dietary, and surgical therapies for epilepsy treatment across different patient populations.
• Resident Epilepsy Surgery Course A joint AES and ASSFN two-day course at the Annual Meeting covering pre-operative evaluation and surgical interventions for epilepsy treatment, using didactic lectures and small group sessions for mid- to senior-level neurology and neurosurgery residents, with a $200 course fee and $500 travel scholarships for selected participants.
• Curing the Epilepsies Conference A research conference coordinated by AES and hosted by NINDS, bringing together the epilepsy research community to assess advances in basic, translational, and clinical science and revise research benchmarks.
• Epilepsy Research Benchmarks A comprehensive research priority framework organized into four areas covering understanding epilepsy causes, prevention, treatment options, and limiting co-occurring conditions, developed through stakeholder consensus and revised every 5-7 years.
• Career Center Job board platform connecting employers with job seekers in the epilepsy field, allowing employers to browse resumes and list current openings while job seekers can post resumes and browse open positions.
• BRIDGE Summer Internship Summer research internship program pairing undergraduates from underrepresented groups with mentors to introduce them to epilepsy science careers.
• Find a Doctor Directory of AES member professionals providing public access to information on epilepsy specialists and healthcare providers.

Quantifiable outcome

• 5,950+ attendees at AES 2023 Annual Meeting - world's largest gathering of epilepsy professionals
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability4 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 June 2026AES coordinates the Curing the Epilepsies 2026 conference with NINDS, hosted at the NIH Campus. The conference brings together all stakeholders within the epilepsy research community to assess advances, identify gaps, and explore opportunities. AES also coordinates the Epilepsy Benchmark Stewards Committee with NINDS for revising research benchmarks.
• Epilepsy Leadership Council (ELC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAES is a member of and serves as fiscal agent for the Epilepsy Leadership Council, which comprises nearly 50 professional organizations, disease-specific and patient advocacy organizations, governmental agencies, and professional societies focused on improving lives of people with epilepsy. ELC member organizations work together to identify shared needs, monitor advances, share information, and create a united voice for advancing research, care, and education.
• American Society of Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery (ASSFN)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAES and ASSFN jointly offer the Resident Epilepsy Surgery Course at the AES Annual Meeting. The two-day course shares up-to-date information about epilepsy surgery with neurology and neurosurgery residents, facilitating appropriate use of epilepsy surgery as a treatment for patients with intractable epilepsy.
• SAGE PublishingcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSAGE Publishing publishes Epilepsy Currents, the AES journal, a bi-monthly open access current-awareness journal providing reviews, commentaries and abstracts from the world's literature on epilepsy research and treatment.
• Microsoft AzurecoreTechnology or IntegrationAES uses Microsoft Azure as its web and data hosting services provider, with data centers located in the United States.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Regional players

• Epilepsy Research UK: Epilepsy Research UK is the leading UK-based epilepsy research and advocacy charity, with a focused mission on funding research. Comparable to AES's research funding and advocacy role but operating in the UK and concentrating on research rather than professional society functions.
• American Psychiatric Association: APA is a large US-based medical specialty society with a similar member-funded model, peer-reviewed journals, annual meetings, and CME programming. APA serves psychiatry, which intersects with epilepsy through co-morbidities and neuropsychiatric aspects of the disease.

Direct peers

• American Society for Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery: ASSFN is AES's co-development partner for the Resident Epilepsy Surgery Course and a related professional society for functional neurosurgeons. The two organizations share the epilepsy surgical community and joint educational programming.
• International League Against Epilepsy: ILAE is the global counterpart professional society for epilepsy, focused on international research, education, and classification. AES and ILAE co-publish guidelines, share members, and jointly advance the field's research benchmarks. ILAE operates globally while AES serves the US/Canada market.
• Child Neurology Society: Child Neurology Society serves pediatric neurologists, a major segment of AES's membership and a core audience for epilepsy clinical guidelines and pediatric epilepsy research. The two societies share members and frequently co-develop educational content.
• American Neurological Association: ANA is a senior academic professional society of neurologists and neuroscientists with similar structure to AES, including an annual meeting, journal, and CME programming. ANA's mission, member profile (physician-scientists), and association management model closely parallel AES.
• Epilepsy Foundation of America: The Epilepsy Foundation is the leading US patient advocacy and education organization for people with epilepsy and their families. Both organizations are members of the Epilepsy Leadership Council and serve overlapping communities (professionals and patients), with overlapping research, education, and awareness missions.

Broad incumbents

• Society for Neuroscience: Society for Neuroscience (SfN) is the large umbrella professional society for basic and translational neuroscience researchers, including those studying epilepsy mechanisms. AES's research mission overlaps with SfN's basic science focus, though SfN serves a broader neuroscience audience.
• American Academy of Neurology: American Academy of Neurology (AAN) is the larger umbrella professional society for neurologists in the US with 40,000+ members. AAN's annual meeting, journal Neurology, and CME programs are the most direct functional analogs to AES offerings, but AAN serves the entire neurology specialty while AES specializes in epilepsy.

Emerging players

• American College of Physicians: ACP is a large internal medicine professional society with comparable association management infrastructure, CME accreditation, journal (Annals of Internal Medicine), and advocacy function. While not epilepsy-specific, ACP represents the standard professional society governance and revenue model that AES follows.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/amepilepsysoc
• Facebookfacebook.com/109563799133673
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/american-epilepsy-society

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles19 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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