Silicon Valley ISSA
Silicon Valley ISSA is a volunteer-run, not-for-profit regional chapter of ISSA International providing cybersecurity education, networking, and CISSP certification prep to 250+ Bay Area information security professionals via annual membership dues and corporate event sponsorships.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded-
- HeadquartersPortland, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Silicon Valley ISSA does
Silicon Valley ISSA is a regional chapter of the Information Systems Security Association (ISSA) International, operating as a not-for-profit professional association serving information security practitioners in the Silicon Valley / San Francisco Bay Area. The chapter is governed entirely by a volunteer board of directors (six listed board roles, no paid staff) and serves more than 250 information security staff, consultants, managers, and executives drawn from small businesses to Fortune 100 companies. Its mission is to provide educational forums, publications, and peer-interaction opportunities that enhance the professional growth of its members, with no proprietary technology stack (the input explicitly states "not a technology company"). Products and services include annual chapter membership, monthly in-person chapter meetings (typically the third Tuesday evening, 6:00-8:30 PM with dinner), the G.R.I.T. CISSP certification prep program (a 12-week, 21-session practitioner-led course claiming a 100% historical pass rate), free job postings for members, and certification guidance resources covering CISSP, CISA, CISM, GIAC, CompTIA Security+, and ISC2 specializations.
The business model is community- and sponsorship-driven. Annual membership dues total $125 per member ($95 to ISSA International plus $30 to the chapter), functioning as a recurring subscription. The second revenue stream is corporate event sponsorship from cybersecurity vendors and solution providers (e.g., Fortinet, Adobe, Netskope, CrowdStrike, Snyk, Abnormal Security, Axonius, Arctic Wolf, Semgrep, Kite Cyber, Upwind, Maro, Redblock), who fund and often host chapter events at their facilities across the Bay Area. Distribution is regional and direct: events are held at venues such as Fortinet (Sunnyvale), Adobe Founders Tower (San Jose), NetApp (San Jose), and Hacker Dojo (Mountain View), with virtual/hybrid options for the G.R.I.T. program. Marketing runs through sv-issa.org, LinkedIn, Twitter (@SV_ISSA), Slack, the Luma event platform, and word-of-mouth. The chapter does not disclose financial metrics and has no external investors, M&A history, or funding rounds; it is structurally a sub-unit of ISSA International (headquartered in Portland, Oregon, USA).
Silicon Valley ISSA firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Silicon Valley ISSA
- Legal name
- Information Systems Security Association (ISSA)
- Website
- https://sv-issa.org
- Company type
- Private
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Silicon Valley ISSA is a volunteer-run, not-for-profit regional chapter of ISSA International providing cybersecurity education, networking, and CISSP certification prep to 250+ Bay Area information security professionals via annual membership dues and corporate event sponsorships.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Silicon Valley ISSA industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Professional Association / Cybersecurity Community
- NAICS
- Educational Services (611), Computer Training (61142), Computer Training (611420), Educational Support Services (61171), Business Schools and Computer and Management Training (6114)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Information Technology & Cybersecurity Certification Prep (CompTIA, Cisco, Microsoft, AWS, ISC2/ISACA) (EDANAIAF)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Certification & Exam Prep Course Marketplaces (EDAFAIAJ), Information Technology (IT) & Cybersecurity Certifications (EDAAANAA)
Keywords
Where Silicon Valley ISSA is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Portland
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Silicon Valley ISSA business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Membership Dues: Annual membership dues comprising ISSA International fee ($95) plus Silicon Valley Chapter dues ($30), totaling $125 per year. Members receive access to chapter events, certification prep programs, job postings, and networking opportunities.
- Event Sponsorships: Corporate sponsors fund chapter events, programs, and activities. Sponsors include cybersecurity vendors and solution providers seeking visibility among Silicon Valley security professionals.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | ISSA International + SV Chapter Membership |
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | G.R.I.T. CISSP Certification Prep Program |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels7 records
Silicon Valley ISSA product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Silicon Valley ISSA is a not-for-profit professional association chapter that delivers cybersecurity education, networking, and career advancement services to information security professionals in the Silicon Valley region. Its core offering is annual chapter membership (priced at $125 total: $95 ISSA International + $30 chapter dues) which grants access to monthly educational meetings, peer networking forums, certification preparation resources, and free job postings. Its flagship educational product is the G.R.I.T. CISSP Certification Prep Program, a 12-week instructor-led course covering all eight CISSP domains.
Product overview
Silicon Valley ISSA is a not-for-profit professional association chapter providing cybersecurity education, networking, and career advancement services. The organization operates a member-supported model offering educational programming through its G.R.I.T. Program for CISSP certification preparation, monthly chapter meetings featuring industry speakers, job postings, and certification guidance resources. The core product is chapter membership, with the G.R.I.T. program representing the flagship educational offering.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- G.R.I.T. Program: CISSP Certification Prep program offered by the chapter - a structured, practitioner-focused preparation course covering all 8 CISSP domains with 21 live instructor-led sessions over 12 weeks.
Products and services
- SV-ISSA Chapter Membership Annual membership in the Silicon Valley ISSA chapter providing access to educational forums, publications, peer interaction, monthly meetings, certification prep programs, free job postings, and networking opportunities. Priced at $125/year ($95 ISSA International + $30 chapter dues). For information security professionals in the Silicon Valley area.
- G.R.I.T. CISSP Certification Prep Program A structured 12-week CISSP certification preparation program featuring 21 live instructor-led sessions covering all eight CISSP domains. Free for SV-ISSA members in good standing (any chapter); participants must purchase the CISSP Official Study Guide. Documented 100% historical pass rate over five years. For working security professionals pursuing CISSP certification.
- Monthly Chapter Meetings Regular monthly educational meetings held on the third Tuesday evening of each month (6:00 PM - 8:30 PM) featuring industry speakers, presentations on cybersecurity topics, and networking opportunities, with dinner typically provided. Open to members and prospective members.
- Job Posting Service Free job posting service for SV-ISSA members and Bay Area security professionals. Postings are accepted in Word or HTML format and expire after 90 days. For security professionals seeking employment and employers seeking candidates.
- Certification Guidance Resources Curated educational resources and guidance for major security certifications including CISSP, CISA, CISM, GIAC, CompTIA Security+, SSCP, CAP, ISSAP, ISSEP, and ISSMP. Provided as informational guidance for members pursuing professional certifications.
Quantifiable outcome
- 100% historical pass rate on CISSP certification through G.R.I.T. program
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Silicon Valley ISSA
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Silicon Valley ISSA technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Silicon Valley ISSA partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
17 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Pacific Hackers AssociationcoreCollaboration on the I Am Machine documentary screening event. Pacific Hackers Association partnered with SV-ISSA to co-host a screening of the documentary about Len Noe, exploring human augmentation and cybersecurity implications.
- SnykminorEvent sponsor for The Alien & The AI Horizon event on GenAI Security. Snyk supports chapter programming through financial sponsorship.
- FortinetcoreEvent venue host for multiple chapter meetings. Fortinet provides meeting space at their Sunnyvale campus (909 Kifer Rd, Sunnyvale, CA 94086) for chapter events.
- Kite CyberminorEvent sponsor for November 2024 configurations security event
- AdobecoreEvent venue host at Adobe Founders Tower (333 W San Fernando St, San Jose, CA 95113) for Hacker Valley Media presentation event
- SemgrepminorEvent sponsor for Modern CISO Realities panel discussion
- Abnormal SecurityminorWinter Holiday Party 2024 sponsor
- AxoniusminorWinter Holiday Party 2024 sponsor
- RedblockminorWinter Holiday Party 2024 sponsor
- CrowdStrikeminorWinter Holiday Party 2024 sponsor
- UpwindminorEvent sponsor for March 2025 AI and Quantum cybersecurity event
- NetskopeminorWinter Holiday Party 2025 sponsor
- MarominorSponsor for December 2025 Winter Holiday Party and February 2026 I Am Machine event
- Arctic WolfminorEvent sponsor for January 2026 RRE security research presentation
- NetskopeminorHost for April 2026 Mission-Driven Founder event with complimentary parking provided
- ISSA InternationalcoreParent international organization providing framework, standards, resources, and international networking for local chapters. ISSA International comprises 60,000+ professionals in 135 countries.
- Hacker DojominorEvent venue host for February 2026 I Am Machine documentary screening at 855 Maude Ave, Mountain View, CA 94043
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Silicon Valley ISSA competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- ISACA: Global professional association for IT governance, security, and audit; offers CISA and CISM certifications which SV-ISSA explicitly lists as part of its certification prep resources.
- (ISC)²: Global nonprofit certifying body for CISSP and other security credentials; directly referenced by SV-ISSA's flagship G.R.I.T. program and serves the same information security professional audience.
- SANS Institute: Major cybersecurity training and GIAC certification provider; competes for the same certification-prep spend and security practitioner audience that SV-ISSA serves through G.R.I.T.
Direct peers
- IAPP: International Association of Privacy Professionals; operates as a membership-based professional association providing certification, training, and chapter-based networking for security-adjacent practitioners.
- InfraGard: FBI-affiliated public-private partnership of security professionals; operates regional chapters serving the same information security practitioner audience with educational and networking programming.
- OWASP Foundation: Open community organization for application security practitioners; operates via local chapters and free educational events with a comparable volunteer-led, community-driven membership model.
- Cloud Security Alliance: Global nonprofit dedicated to cloud security best practices and certifications (CCSK, CCSP); overlaps with SV-ISSA on cloud/DevSecOps topics and practitioner development.
- ISSA International: The parent organization of which Silicon Valley ISSA is a regional chapter; same mission of professional development for information security professionals, with global membership of 60,000+ across 135 countries.
- (ISC)² SF Bay Area Chapter: Regional (ISC)² chapter serving the same Bay Area information security professional community with monthly meetings, CISSP prep, and similar volunteer-run programming — direct geographic competitor.
- BSides San Francisco: Community-organized security conference in the Bay Area; competes for the same Silicon Valley practitioner audience and sponsors with free/low-cost, volunteer-run events.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Silicon Valley ISSA social profiles
Digital presenceSilicon Valley ISSA financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Silicon Valley ISSA leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles11 records
Silicon Valley ISSA funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Silicon Valley ISSA 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 Silicon Valley ISSA
What does Silicon Valley ISSA do?
Silicon Valley ISSA is a not-for-profit professional association chapter that delivers cybersecurity education, networking, and career advancement services to information security professionals in the Silicon Valley region. Its core offering is annual chapter membership (priced at $125 total: $95 ISSA International + $30 chapter dues) which grants access to monthly educational meetings, peer networking forums, certification preparation resources, and free job postings. Its flagship educational product is the G.R.I.T. CISSP Certification Prep Program, a 12-week instructor-led course covering all eight CISSP domains.
Is Silicon Valley ISSA a public or private company?
Silicon Valley ISSA is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Silicon Valley ISSA founded?
Silicon Valley ISSA was founded in -1. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Silicon Valley ISSA based?
Silicon Valley ISSA is headquartered in Portland, United States, in the North America region.
How does Silicon Valley ISSA make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Membership Dues are the primary driver. The others are event Sponsorships.
Who are Silicon Valley ISSA's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are ISACA, (ISC)² and SANS Institute. Direct peers are IAPP, InfraGard, OWASP Foundation, Cloud Security Alliance, ISSA International, (ISC)² SF Bay Area Chapter and BSides San Francisco.
Does Silicon Valley ISSA have an API?
No public API is recorded for Silicon Valley ISSA.
What industry is Silicon Valley ISSA in?
Silicon Valley ISSA's product category is Professional Association / Cybersecurity Community. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDANAIAF, Information Technology & Cybersecurity Certification Prep (CompTIA, Cisco, Microsoft, AWS, ISC2/ISACA), with a secondary code of EDAFAIAJ, Certification & Exam Prep Course Marketplaces. Its NAICS code is 611 and its SIC code is 8200.