ISD (Institute for Strategic Dialogue)

What ISD (Institute for Strategic Dialogue) does

ISD (Institute for Strategic Dialogue) is an independent non-profit counter-extremism and democracy research organization founded in 2006 and headquartered in London, with operating entities in the United States, Germany, France, Jordan, and Canada and a staff of approximately 109. Its core work combines digital threat monitoring, policy research, training, and city-level prevention programming, with stated coverage of 40+ governments and a Strong Cities Network spanning 290+ cities. The technology backbone is a Digital Analysis Unit that tracks over 1,000 hate, conspiracy, and extremist channels across mainstream and alt-tech platforms using machine learning, natural language processing, and bespoke automated hate speech detection software, supplemented by the Authoritarian Interference Tracker (an interactive database of 290+ Russian, Chinese, and Iranian interference incidents). On top of this intelligence layer, ISD delivers educational and capacity-building programmes — Extreme Dialogue, Be Internet Citizens, Young Digital Leaders, the Business Council for Democracy (120+ German companies), the Coalition to Counter Online Antisemitism, and the Online Civil Courage Initiative — targeting governments, policymakers, businesses, educators, civil society, and law enforcement.

ISD is funded almost entirely through grants and donations from governments, major foundations (Gates, Mercator, Alfred Landecker, Hertie, Robert Bosch Stiftung), and corporate philanthropies (Google.org), with additional income from individual donor programmes in USD, GBP, and EUR. There is no commercial product revenue; the economic model is institutional grant and donation-driven, supplemented by advisory and partnership engagements with public-sector and corporate clients. The organization's go-to-market relies on direct engagement with policymakers, publication-driven thought leadership, multilateral partnerships (UN, Christchurch Call), and convening platforms (Strong Cities, BC4D) rather than traditional sales channels.

Name

ISD (Institute for Strategic Dialogue)

Legal name

Institute for Strategic Dialogue

Website

https://isdglobal.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

ISD (Institute for Strategic Dialogue) is a London-based non-profit that researches extremism, hate, and foreign information manipulation, advising 40+ governments and running a 290+ city Strong Cities Network, with digital threat-monitoring technology supporting training, policy, and prevention programmes across six countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Counter-Extremism Research and Policy Advisory

NAICS

Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (54172), Marketing Research and Public Opinion Polling (54191), Justice, Public Order, and Safety Activities (922)

SIC

Services-Computer Programming, Data Processing, Etc. (7370)

akta.pro primary industry

Humanitarian-Development-Peace Nexus & Resilience Programming (BPADAEAK)

akta.pro secondary industry

Military ISR, EW & SIGINT Payloads (Airborne) (IMABAMAF)

Keywords

• Counter-extremism research
• Hate speech analysis
• Digital threat monitoring
• Civic education programmes
• Policy advisory services

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Grants and Foundation Funding: Primary funding from foundations and institutional grants to support research, programming, and operations
2. Individual and Corporate Donations: Donations accepted in USD, GBP, and EUR currencies through one-time and monthly giving programs with tiered amounts
3. Partnership Programs: Partnerships with companies and civil society organizations for programmatic work and advisory services

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

ISD is a non-profit think tank that delivers counter-extremism and counter-authoritarianism research, policy advisory, training, and digital threat monitoring services. Its core offering combines field-leading research reports, bespoke technology for monitoring extremist networks, and global capacity-building programmes for governments, cities, businesses, and civil society.

Product overview

The Institute for Strategic Dialogue (ISD) is a fiercely independent non-profit organization focused on safeguarding individual rights, democratic process, national security and public safety against authoritarianism and extremism globally. Rather than a single unified product, ISD operates as a research and programming organization offering multiple interconnected programmes: threat monitoring and analysis services through its Digital Analysis Unit; education and prevention programmes including Extreme Dialogue, Young Digital Leaders, and Be Internet Citizens; city-based prevention networks through Strong Cities and Young Cities; corporate training via the Business Council for Democracy; and civil society coordination through initiatives like the Coalition to Counter Online Antisemitism. These offerings range from direct service delivery (training, education) to intelligence/analysis products (Digital Analysis Unit, Authoritarian Interference Tracker) to network/capacity-building programmes (Strong Cities, CCOA).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Strong Cities Network: An independent, apolitical, global network of cities dedicated to addressing hate, extremism, and threats to social cohesion, with more than 290 member cities
• Extreme Dialogue
• Young Cities
• Be Internet Citizens
• Business Council for Democracy (BC4D)
• Coalition to Counter Online Antisemitism (CCOA)

Products and services

• Strong Cities Network Independent global network of more than 295 cities dedicated to addressing all forms of hate, extremism, and threats to social cohesion, launched at the United Nations in 2015. Provides a forum for members to engage, learn, and share best practices for local prevention of violent extremism.
• Extreme Dialogue Educational programme supporting educators and young people to confront the realities of hate and extremism through dialogue-based interventions.
• Young Cities Programme fostering collaboration between young people and local governments to address the most pressing issues in their communities, including hate, polarisation, extremism, and violence.
• Be Internet Citizens Digital citizenship skills programme building young people's ability to critically evaluate information across the UK.
• Business Council for Democracy (BC4D) Cross-sector platform bringing together companies committed to democracy, training employees on digital civic culture and democratic processes through workplace-based interventions. More than 120 major German companies have joined the initiative.
• Coalition to Counter Online Antisemitism (CCOA) Pan-European network of organisations taking a whole-of-society approach to counter online antisemitism, providing resources including the CCOA toolkit for digital human rights education.
• Digital Analysis Unit Advanced digital threat monitoring system tracking over 1,000 hate, conspiracy, and extremist channels across alt-tech and mainstream platforms, providing real-time analysis and rapid response capabilities using machine learning and natural language processing.
• Authoritarian Interference Tracker Interactive tool mapping more than 290 incidents of Russian, Chinese, and Iranian interference targeting Western democracies.
• Online Civil Courage Initiative (OCCI) Initiative launched in 2018 supporting hundreds of French civil society actors dedicated to countering hate and extremism online, developed in partnership with Google through the Google Impact Challenge for Safety.
• Young Digital Leaders (YDL) Digital citizenship and media literacy curriculum providing young people aged 12-15 with skills for responsible citizenship in the internet age.
• Youth Civic Action Academy (YCAA) Programme designed to empower young Jordanians to take an active role in preventing violence and building social cohesion in their local communities through media literacy and counter-extremism training.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 40 governments supported with advisory services
• +5 more outcomes

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability6 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core, major, historical, research partner, government partner, international framework and program partner.

• Hertie FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-leads the Business Council for Democracy (BC4D) initiative with ISD Germany and Robert Bosch Stiftung. The Hertie Foundation provides co-funding for this unique education programme which trains adults on digital civic culture through their workplace.
• Robert Bosch StiftungcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-supports the Business Council for Democracy (BC4D) initiative alongside Hertie Foundation and ISD Germany. Provides funding and strategic support for this workplace-based digital civic culture training program.
• City of LondonmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with ISD UK to launch the Shared Endeavour Fund in 2020, supporting civic funding and support partnerships for civil society organizations tackling hate and extremism.
• Club of ThreehistoricalStrategic or Co-development PartnerPolicy-led dialogue between senior political figures, academics and experts founded by ISD to address issues regarding social cohesion and security cooperation including antisemitism. Extended back to ISD's founding.
• CASM Technologyresearch partnerTechnology or IntegrationPartnership since 2022 to research links between pro-Kremlin disinformation and domestic extremist and conspiracist communities across Europe, mapping Russian influence campaigns.
• Public Safety Canadagovernment partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal department partnership through which ISD Canada advances collaborative, data-driven solutions to safeguard Canadian democratic institutions and citizens.
• Christchurch Callinternational frameworkStrategic or Co-development PartnerISD CEO Sasha Havlicek addressed the Christchurch Call Leaders Summit in 2022, convened by New Zealand PM Jacinda Ardern and French President Emmanuel Macron, speaking about challenges in addressing terrorist and violent extremist activity online.
• What the Fakeprogram partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerFrench partner organization working with ISD to design additional resources and campaigns against disinformation in France.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Market position

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/isdglobal
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@isdglobal
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/isdglobal

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles24 records

Subsidiaries6 records

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 ISD (Institute for Strategic Dialogue)