What International Mathematical Union does

The International Mathematical Union (IMU) is an international, non-governmental, non-profit scientific organization founded in 1920 and headquartered at the Weierstrass Institute for Applied Analysis and Stochastics (WIAS) in Berlin, Germany. It serves 84 member countries — each represented by a national adhering organization such as a mathematical society or academy — and its chartered mission is to promote international cooperation in mathematics, support the International Congress of Mathematicians (ICM) and other scientific meetings, and encourage mathematical activity across pure, applied, and educational dimensions.

IMU's portfolio centers on the quadrennial ICM (the premier global mathematics conference), a suite of internationally recognized awards including the Fields Medal, IMU Abacus Medal, Carl Friedrich Gauss Prize, Chern Medal Award, Leelavati Prize, ICM Emmy Noether Lecture, and Rolf Nevanlinna Prize, plus a network of standing commissions and committees covering developing countries (CDC), women in mathematics (CWM), publishing (CoP, including the Global Digital Math Library), mathematical instruction (ICMI), and the history of mathematics (ICHM). Outreach programs include the International Day of Mathematics (March 14), the Heidelberg Laureate Forum, the Fields Medal Symposium, and grant mechanisms such as the IMU Breakout Graduate Fellowship, Abel Visiting Scholar Program, and the Simons-funded IMU-Simons Research Fellowship Program for Developing Countries. Technology footprint is limited to operational tools (Sendinblue for newsletters, Google reCAPTCHA, Google Maps embed) and the GDML platform; IMU is not a technology-product company.

The organization's funding model is membership-dues based, with annual fees paid by adhering bodies in 84 member countries, supplemented by programmatic grants — most notably sustained Simons Foundation support since 2013 for developing-country research fellowships — and optional contributions to the IMU Reserve Fund (established 2022) for members in temporary distress. Governance is exercised through the General Assembly (next meeting: 20th GA, New York City, July 2026) and an Executive Committee, while a small Secretariat in Berlin handles operations. The organization is exempt from corporate ownership considerations and operates as a German-recognized charitable entity.

Name

International Mathematical Union

Legal name

International Mathematical Union

Website

https://mathunion.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1920

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The International Mathematical Union (IMU) is a non-profit, non-governmental scientific organization founded in 1920, serving 84 member countries by promoting international cooperation in mathematics through the quadrennial International Congress of Mathematicians, prestigious awards including the Fields Medal, commissions, and research fellowship programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

International Scientific Membership Organization

NAICS

Educational Support Services (61171), Educational Support Services (611710), Educational Services (611)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Math Circles & Mathematical Communities (EDAMAEAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Math Research, Projects & Modeling Programs (EDAMAEAL)

Keywords

• International mathematics cooperation
• Mathematics awards and prizes
• Mathematics congress organization
• Scientific research fellowships
• Mathematical sciences membership

Headquarters

HQ city

Berlin

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Member Dues: IMU operates primarily through membership dues from its 84 member countries. The organization also accepts contributions to the IMU Reserve Fund from countries, organizations, and individuals to assist members facing temporary extreme adverse circumstances.

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The International Mathematical Union promotes international cooperation in mathematics by organizing the quadrennial International Congress of Mathematicians (ICM), awarding prestigious mathematics prizes including the Fields Medal, administering grant and fellowship programs for mathematicians from developing countries, and coordinating specialized commissions covering mathematical education, publishing, women in mathematics, developing countries, and the history of mathematics. Services are delivered to 84 member countries through a Berlin-based Secretariat.

Product overview

The International Mathematical Union (IMU) is a global not-for-profit organization that serves as an international non-governmental organization advancing mathematics worldwide. IMU's portfolio consists primarily of: (1) the International Congress of Mathematicians (ICM) - the premier quadrennial mathematical gathering; (2) prestigious mathematical awards including the Fields Medal, IMU Abacus Medal, Carl Friedrich Gauss Prize, Chern Medal Award, Leelavati Prize, and Rolf Nevanlinlinna Prize; (3) newsletters (IMU News, CWM Newsletter); (4) commissions and committees addressing developing countries (CDC), women in mathematics (CWM), publishing (CoP), mathematical instruction (ICMI), and history of mathematics (ICHM); (5) grant and fellowship programs including the IMU Breakout Graduate Fellowship, Abel Visiting Scholar Program, and IMU-Simons Research Fellowship; (6) outreach initiatives such as the International Day of Mathematics, Heidelberg Laureate Forum, and Fields Medal Symposium; and (7) the Global Digital Math Library (GDML) for mathematical literature. The organization operates from its secretariat in Berlin, Germany.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• International Congress of Mathematicians (ICM)
• Fields Medal
• IMU Abacus Medal
• Carl Friedrich Gauss Prize
• Chern Medal Award
• Leelavati Prize
• ICM Emmy Noether Lecture
• IMU-Simons Research Fellowship Program for Developing Countries
• IMU Breakout Graduate Fellowship Program
• Abel Visiting Scholar Program
• International Day of Mathematics (IDM)
• Heidelberg Laureate Forum
• Global Digital Math Library (GDML)

Quantifiable outcome

• Organizes ICM 2026 in Philadelphia, USA with 20th IMU General Assembly in New York City

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• International Science Council (ISC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIMU is a member of ISC and represents the global voice for science. The organization collaborates on international scientific initiatives.
• Korea Institute For Advanced Study (KIAS)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHosted the IMU Executive Committee Meeting 2026 in Seoul, Republic of Korea over March 13-14, 2026.
• Weierstrass Institute for Applied Analysis and Stochastics (WIAS)coreOthersThe IMU server is hosted by WIAS, located in Berlin, Germany. The web server and IMU Secretariat operate under WIAS responsibility.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• International Science Council (ISC): ISC is the global umbrella for international scientific bodies and IMU is an ISC member. Comparable as a non-governmental international scientific membership organization coordinating across scientific disciplines, with similar governance and funding models.

Direct peers

• American Mathematical Society (AMS): AMS is the largest professional society for mathematicians in the United States, a key IMU adhering organization. Comparable as a membership-based mathematical society running journals, conferences, fellowships, and prizes for the global mathematics community.
• Clay Mathematics Institute: Clay Mathematics Institute funds and promotes mathematical research globally and administers the Millennium Prize Problems. Comparable to IMU as a mathematics-focused grantmaking and recognition body with international scope and prestige comparable to the Fields Medal.
• Mathematical Association of America (MAA): MAA is a U.S.-based professional society focused on mathematics at the undergraduate and educational levels. Comparable as a mathematical membership organization running conferences (e.g., MathFest), prizes, and programs analogous to IMU's commissions.
• London Mathematical Society (LMS): LMS is the UK's professional society for mathematics and a long-standing IMU adhering organization. Comparable as a national mathematics membership society running publications, grants, and prizes with a structure mirrored in IMU's commissions.
• International Astronomical Union (IAU): IAU is the international scientific union for astronomy, structured almost identically to IMU: member-country adhering organizations, a General Assembly, commissions, working groups, and prestigious prizes. Closest structural analog among the other ICSU/ISC member unions.
• International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC): IUPAC is the international scientific union for chemistry, with member-country adhering bodies, divisions, and a General Assembly. Comparable to IMU in governance structure, revenue model (national dues), and convening role for a global scientific discipline.
• Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics (SIAM): SIAM is an international society for applied and computational mathematics. Comparable to IMU as a peer-reviewed society running journals, conferences, and activity groups that overlap with IMU's applied-mathematics and information-science award domains.
• International Association of Mathematical Physics (IAMP): IAMP is the international scientific association for mathematical physics, with individual and institutional members, a triennial congress, and prizes. Comparable to IMU as an international membership body serving the mathematical community with overlapping disciplinary scope.

Regional players

• European Mathematical Society (EMS): EMS is the continental counterpart to IMU for European mathematical societies, with overlapping membership bases. Comparable in mission (promoting mathematics across pure, applied, and educational dimensions) and structure (member societies, committees, prizes, congresses).

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/InternationalMathematicalUnion
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/international-mathematical-union

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about International Mathematical Union