Iswe Foundation
Iswe Foundation is a UK-registered nonprofit innovation centre that designs citizens' assemblies and open-source deliberative platforms (Assemblis, Global Citizens' Assembly) to advance participatory governance for governments, movements, funders, and civic innovators globally.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2018
- HeadquartersUnited Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Iswe Foundation does
Iswe Foundation is a UK-registered non-profit limited by guarantee (Company no. 11218920), headquartered in Stroud, United Kingdom, founded by Rich Wilson—an internationally recognised deliberative democracy expert who previously founded Involve in 2003 and co-founded the Global Citizens' Assembly in 2019. The organisation operates as an independent innovation centre working at the intersection of politics, movement-building, and systems thinking, with a team of approximately 13-17 staff. Its mission is to catalyse a global shift towards participatory political systems by partnering with governments, civil society movements, philanthropists, and civic innovators on democratic design, research and evaluation, campaigns, ecosystem-building, and institutional innovation.
Iswe's core product portfolio consists of two interconnected offerings: Assemblis, an open-source, multilingual civic infrastructure platform (hosted at assemblis.org) that enables any community to plan, facilitate, and document local assemblies at any scale; and the Global Citizens' Assembly (GCA), a permanent global deliberative body that connects local community assemblies to international climate governance, with the 2026 iteration on Food and Climate drawing 105 delegates from more than 60 countries. These are complemented by an extensive research and publications library covering the Cycle of Democratic Culture framework, the 'People in the Lead' policy paper proposing a UN Citizens' Track, and thematic deep-dive reports. Technology integrations include collaborations with Metagov (tool interoperability), Fora/Cortico (statistical modelling and LLM-based sensemaking of citizen inputs), and Socratus (visual thinking for 'Little Data').
Revenue is generated primarily through philanthropic grants and strategic consulting/advisory services rather than commercial product sales. Notable funding includes nearly $1 million for the COP26 Global Assembly (2021, from the Scottish Government and European Climate Foundation) and over $3 million for the 2026 GCA on Food and Climate (from Wellcome, Quadrature Climate Foundation, CECG, European Climate Foundation, and Global Challenges Foundation). Go-to-market is partner-driven: Iswe co-designs and co-delivers projects with its collaborators rather than selling software licences, supported by thought leadership content (insights library, newsletter, conference participation at COP26/29/30 and Oxford 2024) and earned media in outlets including the Guardian, BBC, Forbes, and Reuters.
Iswe Foundation firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Iswe Foundation
- Legal name
- Iswe Foundation
- Website
- https://iswe.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2018
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Iswe Foundation is a UK-registered nonprofit innovation centre that designs citizens' assemblies and open-source deliberative platforms (Assemblis, Global Citizens' Assembly) to advance participatory governance for governments, movements, funders, and civic innovators globally.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Iswe Foundation industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Civic Engagement & Deliberative Democracy Services
- NAICS
- Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)
- SIC
- Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Prepackaged Software (7372)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Climate Policy, Governance & NDC Support (BPADALAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Climate Change Mitigation & Adaptation (BPAGAGAF), Environmental Education, Capacity Building & Community Engagement (BPADALAO), Climate Change Mitigation, Adaptation & Resilience Programs (BPAIAMAD)
Keywords
Where Iswe Foundation is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Iswe Foundation business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Foundation Funding: Iswe Foundation operates as a nonprofit and raises funding from foundations, governments, and philanthropists. Funding supports political systems change initiatives, the Global Citizens' Assembly, and field-building activities.
- Strategic Consulting and Advisory Services: Iswe collaborates with partners around the world providing practical experience, networks, and tools. They advise on policy engagement, build research agendas, and support field-wide strategies for governance transformation.
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels8 records
Iswe Foundation product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Iswe Foundation designs and delivers deliberative democracy initiatives, partnering with governments, movements, funders, and civic innovators on people-powered projects. Its two flagship programs are Assemblis, an open-source, multilingual civic infrastructure platform that gives communities the tools to run local assemblies, and the Global Citizens' Assembly, a permanent global deliberative initiative linking local voices to international climate decision-making. The foundation also produces policy research and frameworks such as the Cycle of Democratic Culture and the People in the Lead paper.
Product overview
Iswe Foundation is an independent not-for-profit innovation centre that does not operate a traditional software product. Its core offerings consist of two interconnected programs: (1) Assemblis, an open-source, multilingual online platform for running community assemblies, and (2) the Global Citizens' Assembly, a permanent global deliberative body hosted at globalassemblies.org that connects local community assemblies to international climate governance. These are supported by research publications, policy frameworks (such as the 'Cycle of Democratic Culture' and the 'Hierarchy of Democratic Needs'), and advocacy work that together form an ecosystem of tools, platforms, and intellectual frameworks aimed at political systems change.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Assemblis: A new civic infrastructure for democratic action—built to give anyone, anywhere, the tools to run a community assembly on the issues that matter most to them. An open-source, multilingual platform designed for inclusion.
- Global Citizens' Assembly
Products and services
- Assemblis
- Global Citizens' Assembly
Quantifiable outcome
- 89% of people globally want stronger government action on climate
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Iswe Foundation
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Iswe Foundation technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Iswe Foundation partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.
- United NationsflagshipThe Global Citizens' Assembly received official support from UN Secretary General António Guterres and operates as part of the global climate governance infrastructure. ISWE works with UN partners to bring citizen participation into UN processes.
- COP30 BrazilflagshipCOP30 host established the Global Citizens' Assembly at their request, with Brazil's COP Presidency committed to a 'Mutirão' spirit of collective effort. COP30 CEO Ana Toni explicitly endorses the Global Citizens' Assembly as bringing bottom-up approach to global decision-making.
- Global Citizens' Assembly Coalition (100+ organisations)flagshipCoalition of more than 100 organisations running the Global Citizens' Assembly. ISWE is a founding partner in this initiative working alongside governments, civil society organisations, researchers, and UN partners.
- Food Systems for the FuturecorePartner organisation for the 2026 Global Citizens' Assembly on Food and Climate. CEO Ertharin Cousin provides expertise on food systems transformation and food justice.
- Global Citizens' Assembly Network (GloCan)coreISWE works with the Global Citizens' Assembly Network on research, including technical papers on participant selection, accountability, impact, fair design, and power imbalances in deliberative processes.
- Centre for Climate Change and Social Transformation (CAST)coreResearch partnership with CAST at Cardiff University. Co-authored papers including 'Who holds the power? Challenges and opportunities for Citizens' Assemblies' and comparative analysis of French and UK assemblies.
- Rochdale Borough CouncilcorePartnership to document and share the Rochdale Good Help Model for public service transformation. ISWE supported the documentation of how Rochdale embedded the Good Help Model across its public service landscape.
- Good Help Movement ( Nesta and Osca)coreGood Help began as a partnership between Nesta and Osca exploring how well public services supported people's self-efficacy. ISWE works with this movement to transform public services through relational, community-powered approaches.
- COP30 (Brazil)flagshipCOP30 in Belém, Brazil established the Global Citizens' Assembly at the request of Brazil. The Assembly aims to shape global climate ambition and ensure more equitable outcomes for COP30 legacy.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Iswe Foundation competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Democracy International: Germany-based network of organisations and experts promoting deliberative democracy and citizens' assemblies worldwide. Overlapping methodology and transnational reach.
- newDemocracy Foundation: Australian independent research and development organisation running citizens' assemblies and deliberation experiments. Operates in a closely overlapping niche with comparable advisory and capacity-building services.
- Involve: UK-based democratic reform charity also founded by Rich Wilson and focused on citizens' assemblies, deliberative democracy, and public engagement. It is the closest comparable organisation and shares talent and history with Iswe.
- Healthy Democracy: US nonprofit that designs and runs Citizens' Initiatives Review and deliberative processes at state level. Comparable model of pairing deliberation with policy influence.
- Sortition Foundation: UK-registered charity that promotes the use of sortition (random selection) in citizens' assemblies globally. Directly comparable mission, methodology, and policy-advocacy focus.
- MASS LBP: Canadian civic-design firm that designs and delivers citizens' assemblies for governments. Comparable service offering to Iswe's professional-services stream and direct competitor for government assembly contracts.
Broad incumbents
- Open Government Partnership: Multistakeholder initiative of 75+ countries working on government transparency and citizen participation. A broader incumbent in the participatory-governance space that overlaps with Iswe's policy-advocacy goals.
Emerging players
- Cortico (Fora platform): US nonprofit building the Fora platform for sensemaking and listening at scale. Overlaps with Iswe's 'Little Data' / sensemaking approach to citizen deliberation.
- Metagov: US-based research collective building interoperable tools for online governance and deliberation. Technology-level peer of Iswe's Assemblis platform and an active collaboration partner.
Regional players
- Global Challenges Foundation: Swedish foundation funding governance reform and global citizens' assembly initiatives. Currently both a partner/funder of Iswe and a parallel operator in the same field.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Iswe Foundation social profiles
Digital presenceIswe Foundation compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Iswe Foundation financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Iswe Foundation leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
Iswe Foundation funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
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Iswe Foundation 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 Iswe Foundation
What does Iswe Foundation do?
Iswe Foundation designs and delivers deliberative democracy initiatives, partnering with governments, movements, funders, and civic innovators on people-powered projects. Its two flagship programs are Assemblis, an open-source, multilingual civic infrastructure platform that gives communities the tools to run local assemblies, and the Global Citizens' Assembly, a permanent global deliberative initiative linking local voices to international climate decision-making. The foundation also produces policy research and frameworks such as the Cycle of Democratic Culture and the People in the Lead paper.
Is Iswe Foundation a public or private company?
Iswe Foundation is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Iswe Foundation founded?
Iswe Foundation was founded in 2018. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Iswe Foundation based?
Iswe Foundation is headquartered in United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Iswe Foundation make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Foundation Funding is the primary driver. The others are strategic Consulting and Advisory Services.
Who are Iswe Foundation's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Democracy International, newDemocracy Foundation, Involve, Healthy Democracy, Sortition Foundation and MASS LBP. Open Government Partnership is listed as a broad incumbent. Emerging players are Cortico (Fora platform) and Metagov. Global Challenges Foundation is listed as a regional player.
Does Iswe Foundation have an API?
No public API is recorded for Iswe Foundation.
What industry is Iswe Foundation in?
Iswe Foundation's product category is Civic Engagement & Deliberative Democracy Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPADALAA, Climate Policy, Governance & NDC Support, with a secondary code of BPAGAGAF, Climate Change Mitigation & Adaptation. Its NAICS code is 813312 and its SIC code is 8600.