Afghan Institute for Strategic Studies

What Afghan Institute for Strategic Studies does

The Afghan Institute for Strategic Studies (AISS) is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) policy think tank founded in 2012 and headquartered in Kabul, Afghanistan, with regional offices at the University of Sussex in Brighton, UK, and in Woodbridge, Virginia, USA. It operates as Afghanistan's first and only institute dedicated to strategic studies, functioning as a platform-plus-initiatives architecture that convenes international dialogue forums — including the Herat Security Dialogue, Washington Darbar, and multiple bilateral/trilateral dialogue series (Afghanistan-Iran, Afghanistan-India, Afghanistan-Pakistan, Afghanistan-Russia, Afghanistan-Central Asia, and the Afghanistan-Iran-India Trilateral) — alongside a publication portfolio covering books, research papers, AISS Reports, and the Mehr Brief newsletter. The organization also administers the Avicenna Award and operates Radio Nowruz as a media sub-brand.

AISS serves policymakers, analysts, academics, civil society representatives, and human rights defenders, with primary customer segments being policy makers/government officials and analysts/researchers/academics. Its business model relies on donations, institutional grants, and partnership funding from a network that includes the National Endowment for Democracy (NED), National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), International IDEA, multiple embassies (US, France, India), Spain's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and academic institutions including Georgetown University, University of Sussex, Allameh Tabataba'i University, and the University of Pittsburgh. With 7 employees, AISS operates as a lean organization that distributes content through its website, social media (Facebook, Twitter, YouTube), email newsletter, international conferences, and Radio Nowruz, with a geographic operational footprint spanning Afghanistan, India, Pakistan, Iran, Germany, UK, USA, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, and Russia.

Name

Afghan Institute for Strategic Studies

Legal name

AISS, Afghan Institute for Strategic Studies

Website

https://aiss.af

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

AISS is a nonprofit policy think tank founded in 2012 that organizes international dialogue forums, produces strategic research publications, and administers the Avicenna Award focused on Afghanistan and regional security, serving policymakers, academics, civil society, and human rights defenders globally.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Policy Research and Strategic Studies

NAICS

National Security (928110), National Security and International Affairs (928)

SIC

International Affairs (9721)

akta.pro primary industry

Intelligence (Strategic, Tactical & Technical) (BPAIAHAD)

Keywords

• Strategic policy research
• International dialogue forums
• Regional security studies
• Peace building dialogues
• Policy publications

Headquarters

HQ city

Kabul

HQ country

Afghanistan

HQ region

Asia

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: As a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization, AISS relies on donations from individuals, institutions, and supporters to fund its operations, forums, publications, and events.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

AISS is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) think tank that conducts strategic studies on Afghanistan and the surrounding region. It convenes international dialogue forums such as the Herat Security Dialogue and Washington Darbar, produces research publications including books, policy briefs (Mehr Brief), research papers and AISS Reports, and administers the Avicenna Award for intercultural dialogue. The organization also operates Radio Nowruz, a media channel covering political, cultural and social developments in Afghanistan.

Product overview

AISS is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) think tank organization operating as a platform-plus-initiatives architecture. The core platform is a digital dialogue and publication hub that organizes Forums and Dialogues (including the Herat Security Dialogue, Washington Darbar, and various bilateral/trilateral dialogues), publishes research and policy content (Books, Research Papers, Mehr Brief, AISS Reports), and administers the Avicenna Award. Secondary offerings include Radio Nowruz media channel and event management for international conferences. The organization does not offer a commercial software product but provides intellectual exchange platforms, research publications, and recognition programs focused on strategic studies, peace, and dialogue in Afghanistan and the region.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Radio Nowruz: A channel to inform the political, cultural, and social situation in Afghanistan, the region, and the world. While observing the accepted principles and ethics of journalism, Radio Nawruz provides the audience with a proper understanding of the Nowruz civilization and high human values. It is a station of art, literature, and knowledge.
• Washington Darbar
• Herat Security Dialogue
• Avicenna Award

Products and services

• Herat Security Dialogue An annual international dialogue organized by AISS that brings together domestic, regional, and international experts and officials to discuss Afghanistan's multiple crises, providing a platform for stakeholder exchange on peace and security.
• Washington Darbar An annual interdisciplinary conference held in Washington, D.C. designed to foster intellectual dialogue on major religious, cultural, and political debates shaping contemporary societies.
• Avicenna Award Afghanistan's first international award, initiated by AISS to honor distinguished individuals, institutions, and projects advocating dialogue, intercultural exchange, mutual coexistence, and non-violent approaches, named after scholar Avicenna.
• Publications (Books, Research Papers, Mehr Brief, AISS Reports) Published works including academic books, research papers, policy briefs (Mehr Brief), and comprehensive AISS Reports covering strategic studies topics related to Afghanistan and the region, distributed to policymakers, academics, and civil society.
• Radio Nowruz A radio channel informing audiences about political, cultural, and social situations in Afghanistan, the region, and the world, focused on journalism ethics, Nowruz civilization values, and the station's positioning as an outlet for art, literature, and knowledge.
• Bilateral and Trilateral Dialogue Programs A portfolio of ongoing bilateral and trilateral dialogue programs organized by AISS that convene stakeholders for focused discussion on specific bilateral relationships and regional partnerships, including Afghanistan-India Security Dialogue, Afghanistan-Iran Cultural Dialogue, Afghanistan-Pakistan Dialogue, Afghanistan-Iran-India Trilateral Dialogue, Afghanistan-Central Asia Dialogue, and Afghanistan-Russia Bilateral Dialogue.

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational IDEA is listed as a partner organization, providing support for democracy and electoral assistance programs related to Afghanistan.
• University of SussexcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity of Sussex houses AISS's UK office and collaborates on the Sussex Afghanistan Forum dialogue series.
• Center for Jewish Civilization, Georgetown UniversitymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership on Jewish heritage and Persianate world studies, including events on Jews and Afghanistan.
• Arab Center for ResearchmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborates on research and dialogue programs related to regional security and politics.
• Museum of the Bible, WashingtonminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner on heritage and cultural programs, including events on Jewish history in Afghanistan.
• The American Sephardi FederationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on Sephardi and Jewish heritage programs related to Afghanistan.
• Allameh Tabataba'i UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIranian academic partner for cultural and political dialogue programs.
• Center for Governance and Markets, University of PittsburghminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner for governance and market-related research on Afghanistan.
• Muslim-American Leadership Alliance (MALA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner on Muslim-American leadership and community engagement programs.
• US Embassy in AfghanistanminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDiplomatic partner supporting US-Afghanistan related programs and initiatives.
• French Embassy in AfghanistanminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDiplomatic partner for French-Afghanistan cultural and political exchange programs.
• Embassy of India in AfghanistanminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDiplomatic partner for India-Afghanistan Security Dialogue and cultural programs.
• Spain's Ministry of Foreign AffairsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment partner supporting international dialogue and cooperation programs.
• Centre for Studies of Afghanistan and the RegioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional think tank partner collaborating on Afghanistan and regional security studies.
• Beth Ron RymerminorOthersIndividual supporter and partner for AISS initiatives.
• Albania Prime Minister's OfficeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment partner for international cooperation on Afghanistan affairs.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Middle East Institute: Policy institute covering the broader region including Afghanistan. Comparable as a nonprofit think tank producing strategic analysis and hosting convening events with regional and US stakeholders.
• International Crisis Group: Global conflict-prevention think tank producing influential reports and briefings on fragile states including Afghanistan. Comparable in producing policy research and convening dialogue, but operates at far larger scale across many geographies.
• Royal United Services Institute (RUSI): UK-based defense and security think tank producing analysis relevant to Afghanistan and regional security. Comparable in producing security-focused research and engaging Western policy audiences, with UK institutional overlap.
• Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS): Major bipartisan US think tank with active Afghanistan and South Asia programming. Comparable in convening power and policy research, but part of a much broader global portfolio.
• Carnegie Endowment for International Peace: Major global policy think tank with South Asia and Afghanistan analysis. Comparable in producing policy publications and hosting high-level dialogue, but operates as a broad-incumbent global institution rather than Afghanistan-specialized.
• United States Institute of Peace (USIP): US-funded institute focused on conflict prevention and peacebuilding with significant Afghanistan programming. Comparable convening capacity and policy research output, but a US-government institution rather than an independent nonprofit.
• Atlantic Council – South Asia Center: Washington-based think tank with a South Asia program engaging on Afghanistan policy. Comparable convening function and policy research, but operates at much broader geographic and topical scale.
• Brookings Institution – Center for Universal Education / Afghanistan work: Major US policy institution with longstanding Afghanistan analysis and programming. Comparable as a research-publication-and-convening platform serving policymakers, but at significantly larger scale and broader scope.

Direct peers

• Afghanistan Analysts Network (AAN): Independent Afghan policy research nonprofit producing field-based analysis on politics, security, and society. Comparable in subject focus, nonprofit structure, and reliance on international donor funding.
• Afghanistan Research and Evaluation Unit (AREU): Long-established Afghanistan-focused research organization producing policy-relevant analysis on governance, security, and livelihoods. Directly comparable to AISS in mission, Afghanistan focus, and donor-funded research model.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/AISS_Afg
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCaMfvBwezTLbhRFTha7-DHQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/AISSAfghanistan
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/afghan-institute-for-strategic-studies

Compliance1 record

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 Afghan Institute for Strategic Studies