American Institute for Contemporary German Studies

What American Institute for Contemporary German Studies does

The American Institute for Contemporary German Studies (AGI) is a private nonprofit policy research institute headquartered at 1776 Massachusetts Ave NW, Suite 600, in Washington, DC. Founded in 1983, AGI operates with a small staff of 1-10 employees and is formally affiliated with Johns Hopkins University. The institute's mission is to strengthen the German-American bilateral relationship by producing expert analysis, fostering networks, and convening stakeholders across transatlantic policy domains. It serves policy researchers, U.S. and German government officials, students, and academic professionals engaged in European and international affairs.

AGI's core offerings are organized around three research programs: Foreign & Security Policy (covering defense, NATO, Ukraine, and transatlantic security cooperation); Geoeconomics (analyzing trade policy, economic relations, and the global trading system); and Society, Culture & Politics (examining social, cultural, and political dynamics including LGBTQ+ communities, migration, and political parties). These programs produce a portfolio of outputs including policy reports, the "Transatlantic Perspectives" publication series, a podcast, a video series, and a regular blog called "The Wider Atlantic." In addition to ongoing programs, AGI runs dedicated multi-year research projects, such as the 2025-2026 LGBTQ+ Communities project (which produced the publication "Heated Relations"), the AfD Understanding project, and the 2025 Bundestag Election analysis project.

The institute's business model is characteristic of a small policy nonprofit: revenue is generated through donations, corporate and institutional sponsorships, foundation grants, and event-based fundraising, with the annual Global Leadership Award Dinner serving as its flagship fundraising and recognition event. The organization partners with the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) on the DAAD/AGI Research Fellowship program to support academic exchange. Distribution occurs through the institute's website, digital content channels (podcast, blog, video), and in-person events held primarily in Washington, DC, with claimed markets spanning North America and Europe.

Name

American Institute for Contemporary German Studies

Legal name

American Institute for Contemporary German Studies

Website

https://aicgs.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1983

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

AGI is a Washington, DC-based nonprofit policy research institute affiliated with Johns Hopkins University that produces expert analysis, publications, podcasts, and events to strengthen the German-American relationship across security, economic, and societal policy domains.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Policy Research Services

NAICS

International Affairs (92812), National Security (928110)

SIC

International Affairs (9721)

akta.pro primary industry

Economic Research, Statistics & Policy Advisory (BPADAMAJ)

akta.pro secondary industry

Technical Committees, Working Groups & Expert Panels (BPADANAB)

Keywords

• Policy research services
• Transatlantic relations analysis
• Think tank research
• Foreign policy briefings
• International affairs publications

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The American Institute for Contemporary German Studies (AGI) is a nonpartisan, nonprofit policy research institute that produces expert analysis, publications, and programming on German-American relations. It operates three core research programs (Foreign & Security Policy, Geoeconomics, and Society, Culture & Politics), delivers publications, policy reports, podcasts, videos, and a blog, and convenes flagship events such as the annual Global Leadership Award Dinner. The institute is affiliated with Johns Hopkins University.

Product overview

The American Institute for Contemporary German Studies (AGI) is a policy research institute that provides knowledge, insights, and networks to strengthen German-American relations. Rather than a unified software product, AGI offers a portfolio of research programs, publications, events, and digital content. The core programs span Foreign & Security Policy, Geoeconomics, and Society, Culture & Politics. These programs produce publications (policy reports, Transatlantic Perspectives), podcasts, videos, and blog content. AGI also conducts dedicated research projects such as the LGBTQ+ Communities project (2025-2026), the AfD Understanding project, and the Bundestag Election analysis. The institute hosts flagship events including the annual Global Leadership Award Dinner and provides expert analysis on transatlantic affairs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Foreign & Security Policy Program

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Johns Hopkins UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAGI is affiliated with Johns Hopkins University, with the logo appearing alongside AGI branding on the website, indicating a formal institutional relationship.
• DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDAAD partners with AGI through the DAAD/AGI Research Fellowship program, supporting academic exchange and research collaboration between German and American scholars.

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Atlantic Council: Major U.S. foreign policy think tank with dedicated transatlantic and Europe-focused programs. Comparable to AGI through its emphasis on U.S.-Europe relations, policy publications, and events, though it operates at significantly larger scale.
• German Marshall Fund of the United States: Leading U.S. think tank explicitly dedicated to strengthening transatlantic relations between Europe and the United States. Direct peer to AGI given shared German-American/transatlantic policy focus, similar publication and convening model, and comparable donor-supported nonprofit structure.
• Chatham House: Royal Institute of International Affairs in London, producing research on global affairs including European and transatlantic relations. Comparable to AGI through its international affairs research, publications, and convening model, with broader geographic remit.
• Carnegie Endowment for International Peace: Major international affairs think tank with global centers and policy research on Europe, transatlantic relations, and geoeconomics. Comparable to AGI through policy publications and international affairs focus, but with significantly larger scale and global footprint.
• Deutsche Gesellschaft für Auswärtige Politik (DGAP): Germany's leading foreign policy think tank producing research, publications, and convening on German and European foreign policy. Mirror-image peer to AGI based in Berlin, with overlapping thematic focus on transatlantic relations and similar thought leadership model.

Regional players

• Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik (SWP): German government-affiliated institute providing policy advice on international politics and security. Comparable to AGI through its foreign and security policy research, but operates primarily with a German government/mandate lens rather than the bilateral U.S.-Germany framing.
• Körber Foundation: German operating foundation running dialogue programs on transatlantic relations, foreign policy, and societal issues. Comparable to AGI through shared transatlantic convening and policy discourse, though based in Hamburg with a primarily German donor base.

Broad incumbents

• Brookings Institution: One of the largest U.S. think tanks covering foreign policy, economics, and governance. Publishes on Germany, Europe, and transatlantic relations, overlapping with AGI's research areas, but at substantially greater scale and broader topical coverage.
• Council on Foreign Relations: Premier U.S. foreign policy institution producing research, publications, and events on global affairs. Overlaps with AGI on U.S.-Germany and broader transatlantic policy analysis, but CFR operates at vastly larger scale and broader geographic scope.
• Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS): Major bipartisan U.S. policy research organization with strong programs on Europe, transatlantic security, and geoeconomics. Comparable to AGI in research methodology and donor-supported nonprofit model, but with significantly more resources and global reach.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/aicgs
• Facebookfacebook.com/aicgs
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/aicgs

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about American Institute for Contemporary German Studies