The Global Professional Body of IT Architects (IASA)

What The Global Professional Body of IT Architects (IASA) does

IASA Global is a not-for-profit professional association serving technology and business architects globally, founded in 2002 and headquartered in Dublin, Ireland. The organization operates as the global professional body for IT architects, built and run by architects for architects, providing standardized certification, structured education, and community networks. Its core offering is the CITA (Certified IT Architect) certification program spanning five progressive levels from Aspiring (Level 0) through Iasa Fellowship (Level 5), complemented by Academy Courses covering 10+ specialized architecture disciplines including AI, Cloud Native, Security, Software, Solution, Business, Integration, Agile, and Hybrid Infrastructure Architecture.

The organization monetizes through three primary revenue streams: recurring annual membership fees, course and training fees delivered in-person or online, and one-time certification examination fees. Distribution is multi-channel: direct membership through the website, in-person training in Dublin, Singapore, Malaysia, and Boston, self-paced and instructor-led online learning, and a partner reseller network including Technology Ireland ICT Skillnet (government-supported Irish ICT skills initiative), ATD Solution (APAC), ITCE, and Iasa Japan, plus learning partnerships with the Irish Computer Society and Scandinavian data associations.

Beyond certification and training, IASA operates a portfolio of community programs: the Chief Architect Forum for senior chief architect executives, Women in Architecture Forum, AI Architecture Forum, and Sustainability in Architecture community. The Atlas Program extends the offering into institutional channels through Atlas Corporate (employer partnerships) and Atlas University (academic integration, with TU Dublin as a named partner). The organization also runs the BILT Conference Series and 'The Argument' podcast as thought leadership channels, and publishes through A&G Publications and CIO.com. Geographic reach spans regional communities in Ireland, Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, Boston, and Seattle, with broader Asia Pacific coverage through partners in Singapore, Malaysia, and Japan.

Name

The Global Professional Body of IT Architects (IASA)

Legal name

IASA Global

Website

https://iasahome.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

IASA Global is a not-for-profit professional association providing certification, training, and community programs for technology and business architects worldwide, serving individual practitioners through its CITA certification and academy courses.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Certification & Training Services

NAICS

Professional Organizations (81392), Business Associations (813910), Professional and Management Development Training (611430), Computer Training (611420)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

International/Transnational Accreditation & Recognition Bodies (EDADACAG)

Keywords

• IT architecture certification
• Professional association training
• Technology architect education
• Enterprise architecture courses
• Professional membership programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Dublin

HQ country

Ireland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: Annual membership programs providing access to certification, learning resources, and community benefits
2. Course and Training Fees: Revenue from academy courses offered at various levels, including in-person and online delivery across different geographies
3. Certification Fees: Fees for certification examinations and maintenance across CITA certification levels

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

IASA Global is a not-for-profit professional association that delivers certification, structured training, and community programs for business and technology architects. Its core offerings are the CITA (Certified IT Architect) certification pathway (five levels from Aspiring to Fellowship) and a curriculum of Academy Courses spanning twelve architecture disciplines including AI, Cloud Native, Security, Solution, Business, Software, Integration, Agile, and Hybrid Infrastructure Architecture.

Product overview

IASA Global is a not-for-profit professional association for business technology architects, offering a unified platform of certification, education, and community programs. The core offering is the CITA (Certified IT Architect) certification program spanning five levels from foundation through fellowship, complemented by the Academy Courses covering twelve specialized architecture disciplines. The portfolio includes community programs such as the Chief Architect Forum, Women in Architecture Forum, AI Architecture Forum, and Sustainable Architectures. The Atlas Program connects professionals, universities, and employers through corporate and university tracks. Learning is delivered through multiple modes including in-person training, online learning, and structured mentoring. The organization also hosts the BILT Conference Series and produces 'The Argument' podcast for thought leadership content.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• CITA (Certified IT Architect): Certification program with levels from Foundation to Fellowship for technology architects
• ATLAS Program
• BILT Conference Series
• The Argument Podcast
• Chief Architect Forum (CAF)
• Women in Architecture Forum (WIA)
• AI Architecture Forum
• Sustainability in Architecture

Products and services

• CITA (Certified IT Architect) Certification Program Multi-level career certification pathway for technology architects covering five progressive levels: Aspiring (Level 0), CITA Foundation (Level 1), CITA Associate (Level 2), CITA Professional (Level 3), CITA Distinguished (Level 4), and Iasa Fellowship (Level 5). Designed for enterprise software architects, solution architects, and technology leaders seeking standardized professional recognition.
• IASA Academy Courses Structured training courses across 10+ architecture disciplines: Core Architecture, Solution Architecture, Business Architecture, Software Architecture, AI Architecture, Integration Architecture, Agile Architecture, Hybrid Infrastructure Architecture, Cloud Native Architecture, Security Architecture, and Intelligent Customer Interaction Architect. Delivered in-person and online for individual architects and corporate cohorts.
• Atlas Program Global program that connects professionals, universities, and employers to advance architecture outcomes. Includes Atlas Corporate (for employer-sponsored development of architecture teams) and Atlas University (for academic curriculum integration with TU Dublin and other institutions).
• IASA Membership (Full and Basic) Annual membership programs (Full IASA Membership and Basic Membership) that grant members access to certification pathways, learning resources, community forums, and ongoing professional benefits for technology architects.
• Structured Mentoring Program Mentor-based learning program in which IASA members learn architecture skills through guided mentorship with senior architects, complementing the formal CITA certification and Academy Course curriculum.
• BILT Conference Series Conference series dedicated to learning and professional development in architecture, serving as a flagship IASA event for in-person and hybrid attendee education and networking.

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Technology Ireland ICT SkillnetcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorIrish government-supported ICT skills initiative delivering IASA training programs in Ireland and Europe region
• ATD SolutioncoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAsia Pacific training partner delivering IASA certification courses in Singapore and Malaysia regions
• ITCEminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTraining delivery partner offering IASA course programs
• Iasa JapanminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorJapanese chapter and training partner for IASA programs in Japan region
• TU DublinminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity partnership through Atlas University program for academic integration of architecture curriculum

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• ISACA: Global professional association issuing CISA, CISM, CGEIT, and CRISC certifications for IT governance, risk, and security professionals. Operates a similar membership-plus-certification model targeting adjacent IT practitioner personas.
• The Open Group: The Open Group manages the TOGAF (The Open Group Architecture Framework) certification and is the most established vendor-neutral enterprise architecture credentialing body. Directly competes with IASA's CITA pathway for the same enterprise architect audience.
• IIBA (International Institute of Business Analysis): Professional association offering the CBAP and other business analysis certifications. Targets an adjacent practitioner persona (business analysis vs. architecture) with a similar chapter-based, certification-led model.
• (ISC)²: International non-profit professional association for cybersecurity professionals, best known for the CISSP certification. Closely comparable operating model: membership, certifications, chapters, and continuing education for IT specialists.

Broad incumbents

• AWS Training and Certification: Amazon's certification program including AWS Solutions Architect credentials. Displaces vendor-neutral architect certifications in employer hiring pipelines and is the primary competitive threat to IASA's solutions/cloud architecture tracks.
• Google Cloud Certification: Google's Professional Cloud Architect certification. One of the hyperscaler credentials competing with IASA's architect tracks for share-of-wallet and employer-recognized credibility.
• PMI (Project Management Institute): The dominant professional association for project management with the PMP certification. Broader and more mature than IASA, but shares the same professional-body-plus-certification operating model targeting IT-adjacent professionals.
• Microsoft Learn / Azure Certification: Microsoft's certification track for Azure architects and developers. Operates as a scaled, employer-reimbursed alternative to IASA's Cloud Native and Solution Architecture courses.

Others

• Bizzdesign: Enterprise architecture and business transformation tooling vendor. Adjacent ecosystem player whose tooling IASA practitioners use; also a tools partner in IASA's enterprise architecture stack.
• Gartner: Research and advisory firm whose enterprise architecture research and Hype Cycle reports heavily influence the practitioner community IASA serves. Not a competitor but a key ecosystem influence on architecture standards and tooling decisions.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@IASAOfficial
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/international-association-of-software-architects-iasa-

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 The Global Professional Body of IT Architects (IASA)