What Netroots Nation does

Netroots Nation is a 501(c)(4) nonprofit organization that has operated an annual U.S. progressive political conference since 2006. The event convenes progressive activists, organizers, candidates, labor groups, and allied nonprofit and media organizations for multi-day programming that includes keynotes, panel sessions, trainings, and networking. Past headliners include figures such as Barack Obama, Joe Biden, Elizabeth Warren, and Kamala Harris, underscoring the conference's positioning within the Democratic and progressive infrastructure.

The core product is the annual in-person conference, which the organization describes as drawing 3,000+ attendees, 150+ sessions, and 400+ speakers. Operational technology is centered on event-management tooling: registration and the conference app run on the Socio Events platform, and the organization uses Facebook Live for streaming. Leadership comprises a small staff (1-10 employees) including an Interim Executive Director (Eric Thut) and a Communications Director (Mary Rickles), with governance provided by a Board chaired by Cheryl Contee.

Revenue is generated through four primary streams: conference registration fees, corporate and organizational sponsorships, exhibitor fees, and donations. Sponsorship relationships with progressive ecosystem entities (including ActBlue, AFT, NNGP VAN, and Pacifica Radio) anchor a portion of revenue, supplemented by donations typical of a 501(c)(4) advocacy structure. The organization's recent strategic posture has emphasized geographic rotation of the conference across major U.S. cities (Pittsburgh 2022, Philadelphia 2026, Denver 2027), venue and labor partnerships, and the preservation of programming continuity through the COVID-19 pandemic via a temporary virtual pivot.

Name

Netroots Nation

Legal name

Netroots Nation

Website

https://netrootsnation.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Netroots Nation is a 501(c)(4) nonprofit that runs an annual progressive political conference, drawing 3,000+ attendees, 150+ sessions, and 400+ speakers. It serves activists, candidates, labor groups, and allied progressive organizations through registration, sponsorship, exhibitor, and donation revenue streams.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Political Conferences and Advocacy Events

NAICS

Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Nonprofit, Social Services & Community Development Congresses (THAHAJAO)

akta.pro secondary industries

Government & Public Sector Congress & Summit Planning (THAHACAC), Virtual/Hybrid Conference Production & Platform Management (THAHACAM)

Keywords

• Progressive political conferences
• Annual advocacy events
• Activist networking events
• Political organizing training
• Nonprofit conference organizing

Headquarters

HQ city

San Francisco

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Conference Registration: Revenue generated from attendee registration fees for the annual conference. Tiered pricing with early-bird discounts, scholarship opportunities, and standard registration rates.
2. Sponsorships: Corporate and organizational sponsors pay to support the conference and gain visibility among progressive attendees and organizations.
3. Exhibitor Fees: Organizations pay booth fees to exhibit in the Town Square, enabling direct engagement with attendees.
4. Donations: Tax-deductible donations accepted through Netroots Foundation for scholarship funding.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Netroots Nation produces an annual multi-day progressive political conference featuring keynotes, panel discussions, and organizing trainings, attended by more than 3,000 progressive activists, candidates, and organizational leaders. The event is delivered both in-person and through a virtual/hybrid format using a dedicated conference app and Facebook Live streaming, and it includes a Town Square exhibitor and sponsor floor for aligned nonprofit and progressive organizations.

Product overview

Netroots Nation operates a single unified product: its annual three-day progressive conference. The core offering includes the in-person and hybrid conference event with multiple integrated program components—trainings, panels, keynotes, and Town Square exhibition—all accessible through a proprietary conference app. The conference app serves as the central digital hub for attendees to navigate programming, connect with other participants, and access recorded content. Virtual attendance options supplement the in-person experience through livestreaming capabilities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Netroots Nation Annual Conference Multi-day annual progressive political conference held in-person, featuring keynotes, panel discussions, and organizing trainings, and drawing more than 3,000 progressive activists, candidates, and organizational leaders. Open to individual attendees via registration and to nonprofit/progressive organizations via sponsorships and Town Square exhibitor space.
• Virtual/Hybrid Conference Access Virtual and hybrid attendance option for the annual Netroots Nation conference, enabling remote participants to access keynote, panel, and training content through a dedicated conference app and Facebook Live streaming.
• Town Square Exhibitor and Sponsor Floor Dedicated exhibitor and sponsor floor within the annual Netroots Nation conference where mission-aligned nonprofit organizations and progressive brands purchase sponsorship and exhibitor packages to engage directly with the 3,000+ activist attendees for advocacy, recruitment, and donor engagement purposes.

Quantifiable outcome

• 65% women and 65% people of color among speakers (NN16)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• ActBlueminorGTM or Marketing PartnerProgressive fundraising platform listed as a partner organization; appears on website partner/affiliate section for conference support
• AFT (American Federation of Teachers)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerMajor teachers' union featured as sponsor and exhibitor at the conference
• Pacifica RadiominorGTM or Marketing PartnerProgressive radio network partner providing media coverage and promotion
• UNITE HERE Local 274coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLabor union partnership for NN26 Philadelphia conference; union picket line referenced during conference schedule indicating strong labor relationships
• Screening LiberallyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner curating film screening series track at the conference with feature films, short videos, and panel discussions
• Center for Media JusticeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganized keynote plenary session on digital culture and racial justice at NN16 St. Louis
• New Media MentorsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization providing training support and mentorship for progressive digital organizing
• Pennsylvania Convention CentercoreOthersHost venue for NN26 conference in Philadelphia; provides accessibility services including accessible restrooms, elevators, service animal relief stations, and scooter rentals

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• SXSW (South by Southwest): SXSW is a large multi-track annual conference combining keynotes, panels, trainings, and exhibitor halls. Like Netroots Nation, it monetizes through tiered registration, sponsorships, and exhibitor fees, and runs a mobile event app - making it a strong operational peer for conference production, attendee experience, and sponsor packaging.
• CPAC (Conservative Political Action Conference): CPAC is the mirror-image counterpart to Netroots Nation on the conservative side: an annual multi-day political conference drawing thousands of activists, candidates, and donors with keynotes from presidents and party leaders. It is the most structurally comparable political gathering in the U.S. and the closest analog in scale, format, and ecosystem function.
• Aspen Ideas Festival: Aspen Ideas Festival is a multi-day ideas and policy conference featuring prominent political, civic, and thought leaders in panels, keynotes, and trainings. Its public-policy orientation and high-profile speaker roster are directly comparable to Netroots Nation's progressive policy programming.
• TED Conference: TED is a premium thought-leadership conference built around high-profile keynotes, curated programming, and a strong sponsor/exhibitor ecosystem. Its annual format and focus on idea dissemination are structurally similar to Netroots Nation's keynote- and panel-driven model.

Emerging players

• RightsCon: RightsCon is the leading global conference on digital human rights, drawing activists, NGOs, and policy makers for trainings and panels. It overlaps with Netroots Nation's progressive training and advocacy programming and competes for cause-driven sponsorship dollars.
• Personal Democracy Forum: Personal Democracy Forum focuses on the intersection of technology and progressive politics, convening organizers, technologists, and campaigns. It addresses an overlapping audience with Netroots Nation's "digital organizing" training tracks and is a partial competitor for the same activist segment.

Broad incumbents

• Dreamforce: Dreamforce is Salesforce's annual user conference, drawing tens of thousands of attendees for keynotes, trainings, and partner exhibits. It is a relevant operational benchmark for how a large annual conference monetizes registrations, sponsorships, and a proprietary mobile app.
• CES (Consumer Electronics Show): CES is the largest annual U.S. trade show, demonstrating the upper bound of conference production at scale (100,000+ attendees, 1,000+ exhibitors). While politically agnostic, it serves as the canonical reference for how a flagship annual event can be operationalized with sponsorships, exhibitor halls, and conference apps.

Others

• Netroots Foundation: Netroots Foundation is the affiliated 501(c)(3) arm that channels tax-deductible donations to Netroots Nation scholarship funding. It is ecosystem-adjacent, serving as the philanthropic funding conduit that directly supports Netroots Nation's scholarship and accessibility initiatives.
• Socio Events: Socio Events is the event-management platform that powers Netroots Nation's registration, mobile app, and virtual access infrastructure. As a technology vendor, it is comparable as the enabling platform layer that the conference relies on for attendee experience.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/Netroots_Nation
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/NetrootsNation
• Facebookfacebook.com/NetrootsNation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/netroots-nation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 Netroots Nation