International Society of Nephrology

What International Society of Nephrology does

The International Society of Nephrology (ISN) is a Brussels-headquartered global professional membership association founded in 1960, dedicated exclusively to advancing worldwide kidney health. ISN serves nephrologists, kidney disease researchers, allied healthcare professionals, patients, and affiliated national and regional medical societies across more than 180 countries, with operations centers in Brussels, Belgium (global) and Cranford, New Jersey (Americas). The society operates a diversified four-stream revenue model: membership dues (with periodic 50% discount promotions), event registration and corporate sponsorships via the World Congress of Nephrology and ISN Frontiers meetings, journal subscriptions through Kidney International and Kidney International Reports, and grants/donations via the World Kidney Fund.

ISN's product surface centers on the ISN Academy online education platform (offering webinars, online courses, and the Research Skills Toolkit), the MYISN member portal, ChatISN online community, and the Global Kidney Care Podcast. Research infrastructure includes the ISN-ACT clinical trials platform, iNET-CKD international cohort studies, the ISN Global Kidney Health Atlas data platform, the ISN Observatory of CKDu (i3C), and the SharE-RR kidney registries. A growing toolkit portfolio spans CKD early screening, AKI, dialysis, rare kidney diseases, SGLT2i optimization, RAASi optimization, pregnancy and kidney disease, and green nephrology. ISN's grant programs (fellowships, sister centers, educational ambassadors, clinical research, CME, emerging leaders, and travel grants) function as both capacity-building initiatives and engagement mechanisms across low/middle-income and high-income countries.

ISN's go-to-market combines event-driven, community-led, and sales-led motions: annual flagship events (World Congress of Nephrology, ISN Frontiers) anchor high-touch engagement; the ISN Young network, Fellow of the ISN designation, ChatISN community, and Patient Liaison Advisory Group sustain ongoing participation; and digital channels (Insight Bi-Weekly newsletters, social media across seven platforms, webinars, online courses) drive top- and mid-funnel reach. ISN holds official relations status with the World Health Organization and the UN Economic and Social Council and was instrumental in adopting the first-ever WHO kidney health resolution.

Name

International Society of Nephrology

Legal name

International Society of Nephrology

Website

https://theisn.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1960

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The International Society of Nephrology is a Brussels-based global nonprofit professional association founded in 1960, serving nephrologists, researchers, and healthcare professionals across 180+ countries through membership, education (ISN Academy), scientific publishing (Kidney International), the annual World Congress of Nephrology, grant programs, and WHO-level policy advocacy for kidney health.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Medical Association Services

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

General Nephrology Practice (HLAKAHAA)

Keywords

• Nephrology professional association
• Kidney health education
• Medical research collaboration
• Clinical practice guidelines
• Global health advocacy

Headquarters

HQ city

Brussels

HQ country

Belgium

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership fees from nephrologists, researchers, and healthcare professionals worldwide. ISN offers 50% membership discount promotions.
2. Event Registration and Sponsorships: Revenue from World Congress of Nephrology and ISN Frontiers meetings including registration fees, exhibition space, and corporate sponsorships.
3. Journals and Publications: ISN publishes Kidney International and related journals, generating revenue through institutional subscriptions and licensing.
4. Grants and Donations: The World Kidney Fund accepts donations to support global kidney health programs and education in underserved regions.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

ISN delivers a comprehensive suite of professional services for the global nephrology community, including annual individual and institutional memberships, continuing medical education through the ISN Academy online platform, peer-reviewed scientific publishing via Kidney International and related journals, and grant programs (fellowships, sister centers, educational ambassadors) that build capacity in underserved regions. The society also runs the annual World Congress of Nephrology and ISN Frontiers meetings, drives global advocacy through official WHO and UN ECOSOC relations, and produces clinical toolkits, cohort studies, and the Global Kidney Health Atlas to advance kidney disease research and care worldwide.

Product overview

The International Society of Nephrology operates as a global professional medical association rather than a technology product company. Its core offerings include the ISN Academy online education platform, ISN Journals for scientific publishing (including Kidney International and Kidney International Reports), and the annual World Congress of Nephrology (WCN). The organization provides extensive clinical toolkits (CKD, AKI, Dialysis, Rare Kidney Diseases, SGLT2i optimization) and research initiatives including ISN-ACT clinical trials and the i3C chronic kidney disease observatory. ISN also supports global kidney health through fellowships, grants, advocacy programs, and environmental sustainability efforts via the GREEN-K Initiative. The MYISN member portal provides centralized access to member services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ISN Academy: Online education platform providing cutting-edge education from around the world to nephrology professionals
• MYISN
• World Congress of Nephrology
• ISN Frontiers
• World Kidney Day
• ISN-KDIGO
• Kidney International
• Kidney International Reports

Products and services

• ISN Academy Online education platform providing cutting-edge medical education, webinars, online courses, and educational resources for nephrology professionals worldwide.
• World Congress of Nephrology (WCN) Flagship annual international scientific and educational conference bringing together kidney health professionals for scientific presentations, continuing education, networking, and knowledge sharing. Includes abstract submissions, registration, and exhibition opportunities.
• ISN Journals (Kidney International, Kidney International Reports, npj Digital Medicine) Peer-reviewed scientific journals publishing nephrology research, including Kidney International, Kidney International Reports (open access), and npj Digital Medicine, with revenue generated through institutional subscriptions and licensing.
• MYISN Member Portal Online member portal providing access to ISN membership enrollment, membership services, resources, benefits administration, and professional networking for nephrologists and kidney health professionals.
• ISN Fellowships Fellowship grant program providing training and educational opportunities for nephrology professionals from developing regions to build kidney care capacity in underserved areas.
• ISN-ACT (Advancing Clinical Trials) Network Clinical trials network and toolkit coordinating international research efforts for kidney disease treatments and interventions across collaborating institutions.
• ISN Global Kidney Health Atlas Comprehensive research database documenting global kidney health infrastructure, workforce, and disease burden to support research, policy development, and capacity planning across countries.
• ChatISN Online Community Online discussion and networking platform connecting ISN members and kidney health professionals for peer exchange, collaboration, and community engagement.
• ISN Frontiers Meetings Themed regional scientific meetings focusing on specific topics in nephrology, held in various global locations and often organized in collaboration with local partner societies.
• World Kidney Day Campaign Annual global awareness campaign coordinated by ISN to promote kidney health education, prevention, and policy advocacy, reaching billions of people across participating countries.

Quantifiable outcome

• First-ever WHO kidney health resolution adopted, enabling countries to integrate kidney care into national health systems.
• +1 more outcomes

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• World Health Organization (WHO)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerISN has official relations status with WHO and has been instrumental in developing the first-ever WHO kidney health resolution. The society launches implementation strategies to help countries translate global commitments into practical measures at national levels.
• United Nations (ECOSOC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerISN holds official relations status with the UN Economic and Social Council, enabling participation in global health policy discussions.
• Chinese Medical Association (CMA) and Chinese Society of Nephrology (CSN)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerISN Frontiers Meeting 2026 will be held in Dalian, China, September 5-7, organized in collaboration with CMA and CSN.
• Malaysian Society of Nephrology (MSN)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWCN'27 will be held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and is proudly hosted by the Malaysian Society of Nephrology.
• KDIGO (Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerISN collaborates with KDIGO on webinars and clinical practice guidelines, including the ISN-KDIGO CKD Toolkit and joint webinars on sustainable dialysis and IgA nephropathy guidelines.
• The Transplantation Society (TTS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerISN-TTS Sister Transplant Centres Initiative provides transplant nephrology training through grand rounds and collaborative education programs.
• Declaration of Istanbul (DICG)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Declaration of Istanbul Custodian Group works to prevent organ trafficking and promote transplantation ethics globally.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Regional players

• African Association of Nephrology (AFRAN): Continental nephrology society for Africa. Comparable as a regional peer to ISN's mission of building kidney care capacity in LMICs, with overlapping educational programs and congresses for nephrology professionals in Africa.
• Asian Pacific Society of Nephrology (APSN): Regional nephrology society covering the Asia-Pacific region with its own congress and journals. Comparable as a regional peer to ISN, focused on a different geography but offering overlapping educational, congress, and member services for nephrologists.

Direct peers

• International Society for Peritoneal Dialysis (ISPD): International society dedicated to peritoneal dialysis. Comparable to ISN as a global specialty society focused on a specific kidney replacement modality, with overlapping journal, congress, and guideline activities for the dialysis community.
• The Transplantation Society (TTS): International professional society for transplantation medicine, with which ISN runs the Sister Transplant Centres Initiative. Comparable as a peer international medical society serving overlapping transplant nephrology specialists with journals, congresses, and training grants.
• European Renal Association (ERA): European nephrology society publishing Nephrology Dialysis Transplantation and running annual congresses. Closely comparable to ISN as a regional peer with overlapping journals, events, CME programs, and member services for nephrology professionals.
• American Society of Nephrology (ASN): The leading US nephrology professional society, publishing JASN and CJASN and running Kidney Week. Directly comparable to ISN as a national/regional peer offering overlapping journals, congresses, and member benefits targeting the same nephrology specialist audience.
• National Kidney Foundation (NKF): US-based nonprofit focused on kidney disease awareness, patient education, and clinician resources. Comparable to ISN in mission (kidney health advancement) though more patient-facing; NKF's KDOQI guidelines and clinician programs compete for nephrologist attention.
• International Pediatric Nephrology Association (IPNA): Global professional society for pediatric nephrologists. Comparable to ISN as a global subspecialty nephrology society with its own journals, congresses, fellowship programs, and educational content serving a narrower pediatric audience.
• KDIGO (Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes): Global nonprofit that develops and publishes the dominant clinical practice guidelines for kidney disease. Closely comparable to ISN as a mission-aligned global kidney health organization; ISN and KDIGO even co-publish toolkits and webinars, making KDIGO a partner and a content peer.

Others

• Declaration of Istanbul Custodian Group (DICG): International organization co-led with ISN that promotes ethical organ transplantation and combats organ trafficking. Comparable to ISN as a global kidney-related policy and ethics initiative, though narrower in scope and not a direct member-services competitor.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ISNkidneycare
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC5uy7AD8L1TYfHb38WUX5Hg
• Facebookfacebook.com/ISNkidneycare
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/isnkidneycare
• Instagraminstagram.com/isnkidneycare/?hl=fr

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 International Society of Nephrology