UN Institute for Disarmament Research

Name

UN Institute for Disarmament Research

Legal name

United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research

Website

https://unidir.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1988

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

UNIDIR is an autonomous UN institution founded in 1988 that conducts independent research on disarmament and international security, serving all 193 UN Member States with policy portals, databases, fellowships, and training programs at no cost.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Geneva

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Voluntary Contributions from Member States: UNIDIR operates as an autonomous institution within the United Nations, funded primarily through voluntary contributions from UN Member States and other donors. The institute does not charge for its research, publications, or services.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

UNIDIR conducts independent research on disarmament and international security and translates it into practical outputs for UN Member States, including policy portals, databases, data dashboards, analytical publications, scenario compendia, and capacity-building fellowships. All research, tools, and training are provided free of charge as a public good to governments, diplomats, and the broader international security community.

Product overview

UNIDIR operates as a research institute offering a portfolio of policy portals, databases, dashboards, and capacity-building programs focused on disarmament and international security. The core offerings include policy-focused platforms (AI Policy Portal, Cyber Policy Portal, Space Security Portal), data visualization tools (Arms Flows Dashboard, MEAC Dashboards), knowledge repositories (Lexicon for Outer Space Security, BWC Database), and fellowship/training programs (Women in AI Fellowship, Women in Cyber Fellowship, UNIDIR Academy). The Centre of Excellence on AI, Peace and Security serves as an umbrella initiative consolidating UNIDIR's AI governance work with three pillars: knowledge (research), dialogue (convening), and action (practical tools and capacity-building). The institute functions as a neutral platform providing research, dialogue, and capacity-building rather than a commercial technology product company.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• AI Policy Portal A comprehensive policy portal providing an overview of the AI policy landscape for UN Member States and stakeholders working on AI governance in international peace and security.
• Cyber Policy Portal A comprehensive overview of the cyber policy landscape for all 193 UN Member States, intergovernmental organizations, and multistakeholder initiatives focused on cybersecurity.
• Space Security Portal A policy portal focused on space security issues and governance for UN Member States and relevant stakeholders.
• BWC National Implementation Measures Database Database tracking national implementation measures related to the Biological Weapons Convention.
• Lexicon for Outer Space Security A terminology and reference resource for outer space security discussions and policy development.
• Nuclear Weapon-Free Zone Hub A hub providing resources and information on nuclear weapon-free zones worldwide.
• Middle East WMD-Free Zone Compass A strategic tool for navigating and tracking progress toward a Middle East weapons of mass destruction-free zone.
• Data Dashboards for Managing Exits from Armed Conflict Interactive dashboards providing data and analysis for managing transitions from armed conflict to peace.
• Arms Flows and Early Warning Dashboard Dashboard visualizing arms flow data and providing early warning indicators for conflict analysis.
• National Cyber Survey Survey tool assessing national implementation of UN recommendations on responsible use of ICTs.
• Women in AI Fellowship A week-long training program for women diplomats on the technical, legal, governance, and ethical dimensions of AI, particularly in international peace and security applications.
• Women in Cyber Fellowship Capacity-building initiative supporting women delegates and leaders on international cybersecurity and their participation in UN cyber governance processes.
• UNIDIR Academy Comprehensive training platform including the Disarmament Orientation Course, Youth Disarmament Orientation Course, Training on Norms/International Law and Cyberspace, and BWC Advanced Education Course.
• UNIDIR Futures Lab A research initiative focused on foresight and emerging technologies in disarmament and international security.
• Centre of Excellence on AI, Peace and Security A dedicated platform for strengthening global governance of AI in the context of international peace and security, serving as the umbrella for UNIDIR's work on AI and security with three pillars: knowledge, dialogue, and action.
• RAISE (Roundtable for AI, Security and Ethics) A multistakeholder platform facilitating cross-regional and multisectoral dialogue on AI governance in security and defence, launched in partnership with Microsoft.
• Scenario Compendium for Lethal Autonomous Weapon Systems A reference tool presenting 43 scenarios of potential lethal autonomous weapon systems use, examining IHL compliance challenges across land, naval, and air domains.
• Gender and Disarmament Hub Hub providing resources on gender perspectives in disarmament and arms control.
• Youth and Disarmament Hub Hub engaging youth in disarmament discussions and providing resources for young people interested in the field.

Quantifiable outcome

• 132 publications produced annually
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• MicrosoftflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2025Microsoft is a key strategic partner for UNIDIR's AI, Security and Ethics initiatives. The partnership includes the Roundtable for AI, Security and Ethics (RAISE), the Global Conference on AI, Security and Ethics (with nearly 500 in-person attendees and 1,000+ online), and support for the Women in AI Fellowship. The collaboration aims to facilitate cross-regional and multisectoral dialogue on responsible AI governance in security and defence.
• Global Forum on Cyber Expertise (GFCE)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe GFCE coordinates the Women in International Security and Cyberspace (WiC) Fellowship, for which UNIDIR serves as co-organizer and content partner. UNIDIR delivers comprehensive training to women diplomats on international cybersecurity and OEWG participation.
• Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and TradecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAustralian DFAT co-sponsors the WiC Fellowship alongside Canada, Germany, Netherlands, New Zealand, UK, and EU Institute for Security Studies. Supports training for women diplomats on international ICT security.
• CERN Science GatewayminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUNIDIR's Women in AI Fellowship includes a visit to CERN Science Gateway, where fellows take guided tours and learn about emerging technologies at CERN, witnessing a successful science and technology organization born from international cooperation.
• Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUNIDIR in partnership with OHCHR launched an initiative for the development of a Framework of Responsible Industry Behaviour for AI in the Military Domain, providing practical voluntary guidelines co-developed with industry and governments.
• Tsinghua UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUNIDIR Director Robin Geiss signed a partnership agreement with Tsinghua University during engagements in Beijing. The partnership includes participation in a panel on unmanned systems and Global Vision lecture at the university.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Toda Peace Institute: Toda Peace Institute is an independent policy research institute focused on disarmament, peacebuilding, and global governance, producing research and convening dialogues on arms control that overlaps with UNIDIR's mandate.
• International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS): IISS is a comparable independent research institute focused on international security and defence policy, publishing strategic analysis, databases, and convening policymakers — a natural competitor for institutional readership and donor funding.
• Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI): SIPRI is the closest direct peer to UNIDIR: an independent peace and disarmament research institute producing data, policy analysis, and publications for governments and multilateral bodies, with overlapping focus areas (nuclear, arms flows, emerging military tech).
• Small Arms Survey: Small Arms Survey is the leading global research source on small arms issues, producing data, policy analysis, and monitoring tools that directly overlap with UNIDIR's conventional weapons and ammunition management work.
• VERTIC (Verification Research, Training and Information Centre): VERTIC is a specialised NGO focused on verification and implementation of arms-control and non-proliferation treaties (BWC, CWC, NPT), a niche direct peer where UNIDIR researcher alumni have previously worked and whose work often complements UNIDIR's treaty-implementation databases.

Emerging players

• ICT4Peace Foundation: ICT4Peace is a specialised foundation promoting responsible state and non-state behaviour in cyberspace; it operates in adjacent cybersecurity-governance areas where UNIDIR's Cyber Policy Portal and OEWG support compete for visibility and donor attention.
• Centre for the Study of Existential Risk (CSER): CSER is an academic research centre at the University of Cambridge studying existential and global catastrophic risks including AI and emerging military technologies, an emerging peer in the AI-security governance space where UNIDIR is scaling up.

Broad incumbents

• Chatham House (Royal Institute of International Affairs): Chatham House is a broader incumbent international-affairs research institute covering security, conflict, and technology policy, with overlapping research on AI, cyber, and arms control that competes for the same donor and policymaker audiences as UNIDIR.
• Carnegie Endowment for International Peace: Carnegie is a major global think tank producing independent research on international peace and security, including AI governance and nuclear policy, overlapping significantly with UNIDIR's analytical outputs and convening role.

Regional players

• EU Institute for Security Studies (EUISS): EUISS is the EU's autonomous security think tank, a direct collaborator on UNIDIR's Women in Cyber Fellowship and an analogue at the EU level, producing policy analysis on arms control, cyber, and AI that overlaps substantively.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/UNIDIR
• YouTubeyoutube.com/unidir
• Facebookfacebook.com/unidirgeneva
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/unidir
• Instagraminstagram.com/un_disarmresearch/?hl=en

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about UN Institute for Disarmament Research