Stanford Center for International Security and Cooperation (CISAC)
Stanford CISAC is a non-profit academic research center within Stanford's Freeman Spogli Institute that produces scholarly analysis, fellowships, and public programming on international security, including nuclear policy, arms control, biosecurity, and cybersecurity, for policymakers, scholars, students, and the public.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1986
- HeadquartersStanford, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Stanford Center for International Security and Cooperation (CISAC) does
Stanford Center for International Security and Cooperation (CISAC) is a non-profit academic research center founded in 1986 and housed within Stanford University's Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies at Encina Hall. CISAC functions as Stanford's hub for research on international security and cooperation, with core domains spanning nuclear weapons policy, arms control, nonproliferation, biosecurity, bioterrorism, cybersecurity, terrorism, missiles, and the political economy of international cooperation. The center is led by Co-director Scott D. Sagan and Deputy Director Harold Trinkunas, supported by an Associate Director for Finance and Administration, and draws on a faculty that includes former senior government officials such as Siegfried S. Hecker (Fifth Director of Los Alamos National Laboratory, 1986-1997) and Michael May (former Director of Livermore Laboratory).
CISAC's "products" are scholarly outputs and educational programs rather than commercial goods. The portfolio includes a publications program (books through Yale University Press, Stanford University Press, and Oxford University Press; articles in International Security, Security Studies, Foreign Affairs, and International Studies Quarterly; working papers and policy briefs), a fellowship program with an annual cohort (2026-2027 cohort announced June 2026), the S.T. Lee Lectureship and Payne Distinguished Lecture series for public engagement, the Master's in International Policy teaching contribution, and the annual CISAC Fellows' Policy Workshop. Distribution is free and digital via cisac.fsi.stanford.edu, with amplification through Twitter/X, YouTube, Facebook, a Bluesky presence, newsletter subscriptions, and earned media in The New York Times, Foreign Affairs, The Hill, and the Washington Post.
CISAC does not generate commercial revenue. Its operating model is institutional: funding flows from Stanford University's budget, research grants from government agencies, foundation grants, and private donations. All research, lectures, events, and educational programs are provided free of charge to scholars, policymakers, students, and the public. Headcount is reported at 11-50, consistent with a focused academic center rather than a large institute.
Stanford Center for International Security and Cooperation (CISAC) firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Stanford Center for International Security and Cooperation (CISAC)
- Legal name
- Stanford Center for International Security and Cooperation
- Website
- https://cisac.fsi.stanford.edu
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1986
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Stanford CISAC is a non-profit academic research center within Stanford's Freeman Spogli Institute that produces scholarly analysis, fellowships, and public programming on international security, including nuclear policy, arms control, biosecurity, and cybersecurity, for policymakers, scholars, students, and the public.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Stanford Center for International Security and Cooperation (CISAC) industry classification
Industry- Product category
- International Security Research and Policy Education
- NAICS
- Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Social Sciences & Public Policy Research Universities (EDAHABAD)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Military Graduate & Postgraduate Institutions (STEM/Defense Research) (EDAHAOAE)
Keywords
Where Stanford Center for International Security and Cooperation (CISAC) is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Stanford
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Stanford Center for International Security and Cooperation (CISAC) business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- University Funding and Grants: CISAC operates as part of Stanford University's Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies, receiving institutional funding along with research grants from government agencies, foundations, and private donors.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
Stanford Center for International Security and Cooperation (CISAC) product offering
Product offeringCore offering
CISAC conducts scholarly research and delivers educational programs on international security and cooperation, with emphasis on nuclear weapons policy, arms control, nonproliferation, biosecurity, cybersecurity, terrorism, and missile issues. As part of Stanford University's Freeman Spogli Institute, the center produces books, journal articles, policy briefs, and working papers; trains graduate students through the Master's in International Policy program; runs the CISAC Fellowship Program; and hosts public lecture series such as the S.T. Lee Lectureship and the CISAC Fellows' Policy Workshop.
Product overview
CISAC is Stanford University's academic hub for international security research and cooperation. Rather than a commercial product company, CISAC offers a portfolio of scholarly programs including publications (books, journal articles, policy briefs by faculty like David Holloway, Siegfried Hecker, and Steven Pifer), educational fellowship programs for emerging scholars, and public lecture series such as the S.T. Lee Lectureship. These programs collectively advance research on nuclear weapons, arms control, cybersecurity, terrorism, and emerging security challenges.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- CISAC Publications Program A scholarly publication program producing books, journal articles, policy briefs, working papers, and commentaries by CISAC faculty and fellows on international security topics including nuclear weapons, arms control, nonproliferation, cybersecurity, terrorism, and global governance. Outputs are made freely available to scholars, policymakers, journalists, and the public.
- CISAC Fellowship Program An annual fellowship program that brings researchers and practitioners to Stanford for academic and policy training in international security. Each cohort engages with CISAC faculty, contributes to the center's research outputs, and participates in events such as the Fellows' Policy Workshop.
- S.T. Lee Lectureship An annual endowed lecture series featuring distinguished speakers on international political, economic, social, and strategic policy issues, held at Stanford's Encina Hall. Recent speakers include Former Congressman and Ambassador to Turkey Jeff Flake.
Companies that use Stanford Center for International Security and Cooperation (CISAC)
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Stanford Center for International Security and Cooperation (CISAC) technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Stanford Center for International Security and Cooperation (CISAC) partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies (FSI)coreCISAC is housed within the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies at Stanford University. FSI serves as the parent institute, providing institutional support and administrative infrastructure for CISAC's research and educational activities.
Scale indicators2 records
Expansion highlights3 records
Stanford Center for International Security and Cooperation (CISAC) competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- RAND Corporation: Major research institution with deep programs in defense, nuclear security, and international policy. Overlaps with CISAC's analytical mandate but operates at far greater scale and with a strong contract-research model.
- Carnegie Endowment for International Peace: Major global think tank with extensive work on nuclear policy, arms control, and great-power relations. Overlaps with CISAC's research areas at much larger scale, with broader geographic operations and a more traditional think-tank model.
- Brookings Institution: Large, multi-disciplinary policy research organization with significant output on foreign policy, nuclear security, and international affairs. A more generalist, larger-scale comparator to CISAC's narrower security focus.
- Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS): Bipartisan policy research organization with extensive programming on nuclear, defense, and international security issues. Comparable in policy engagement and convening role, though CSIS operates as a dedicated think tank rather than a university center.
- International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS): London-based global think tank on defense and security with a heavy focus on nuclear posture, arms control, and military analysis. Comparable in analytical mandate and scholarly rigor, but with a global footprint and more policy-practitioner audience.
Emerging players
- Georgetown Center for Security and Emerging Technology (CSET): Policy research center focused on AI, cyber, and emerging technology security — an area CISAC increasingly engages in. Comparable as a university-anchored, donor-funded center producing data-driven security research and policy recommendations.
Direct peers
- Harvard Kennedy School Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs: Harvard's hub for research on international security, nuclear policy, and emerging technology risks. Directly comparable to CISAC as a leading university-based security studies center with policy engagement, fellows, and publications aimed at U.S. and global audiences.
- Princeton School of Public and International Affairs: Princeton's policy school and affiliated research centers, including the Science and Global Security program, conduct research on nuclear policy, arms control, and international security. Comparable to CISAC as a top-tier private research university policy unit engaging closely with U.S. national security.
- MIT Security Studies Program: MIT's interdisciplinary research and graduate program on international security, with strong faculty work in nuclear, cyber, and defense policy. Mirrors CISAC's blend of graduate teaching, policy research, and faculty-led scholarship.
- Hoover Institution (Stanford): Fellow Stanford-affiliated policy research institution with strong programs on national security, nuclear issues, and foreign policy. Closely comparable in mission, donor base, and policy influence, while differing in ideological orientation.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks4 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Stanford Center for International Security and Cooperation (CISAC) social profiles
Digital presenceStanford Center for International Security and Cooperation (CISAC) financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Stanford Center for International Security and Cooperation (CISAC) leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
Stanford Center for International Security and Cooperation (CISAC) funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Stanford Center for International Security and Cooperation (CISAC) 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 Stanford Center for International Security and Cooperation (CISAC)
What does Stanford Center for International Security and Cooperation (CISAC) do?
CISAC conducts scholarly research and delivers educational programs on international security and cooperation, with emphasis on nuclear weapons policy, arms control, nonproliferation, biosecurity, cybersecurity, terrorism, and missile issues. As part of Stanford University's Freeman Spogli Institute, the center produces books, journal articles, policy briefs, and working papers; trains graduate students through the Master's in International Policy program; runs the CISAC Fellowship Program; and hosts public lecture series such as the S.T. Lee Lectureship and the CISAC Fellows' Policy Workshop.
Is Stanford Center for International Security and Cooperation (CISAC) a public or private company?
Stanford Center for International Security and Cooperation (CISAC) is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Stanford Center for International Security and Cooperation (CISAC) founded?
Stanford Center for International Security and Cooperation (CISAC) was founded in 1986. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Stanford Center for International Security and Cooperation (CISAC) based?
Stanford Center for International Security and Cooperation (CISAC) is headquartered in Stanford, United States, in the North America region.
How does Stanford Center for International Security and Cooperation (CISAC) make money?
One revenue line is on record: university Funding and Grants.
Who are Stanford Center for International Security and Cooperation (CISAC)'s main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are RAND Corporation, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, Brookings Institution, Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) and International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS). Georgetown Center for Security and Emerging Technology (CSET) is listed as an emerging player. Direct peers are Harvard Kennedy School Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, Princeton School of Public and International Affairs, MIT Security Studies Program and Hoover Institution (Stanford).
Does Stanford Center for International Security and Cooperation (CISAC) have an API?
No public API is recorded for Stanford Center for International Security and Cooperation (CISAC).
What industry is Stanford Center for International Security and Cooperation (CISAC) in?
Stanford Center for International Security and Cooperation (CISAC)'s product category is International Security Research and Policy Education. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAHABAD, Social Sciences & Public Policy Research Universities, with a secondary code of EDAHAOAE, Military Graduate & Postgraduate Institutions (STEM/Defense Research). Its NAICS code is 6113 and its SIC code is 8200.