Institute for Quality and Innovation

What Institute for Quality and Innovation does

The Institute for Quality and Innovation (IQI) is an East Lansing, Michigan-based nonprofit founded in 1991 as the Capital Quality Initiative and renamed to its current form in 2018. The organization delivers leadership education, quality improvement training, events, and consulting services built on Dr. W. Edwards Deming's System of Profound Knowledge, targeting mid-to-senior-level leaders, quality improvement professionals, public sector and nonprofit staff, project managers, and change agents. The curriculum emphasizes Deming's 14 Points for Management, the 7 Deadly Diseases of Management, PDSA cycles, and operational definitions, and is taught primarily by Eric Budd, who serves as both board member and lead instructor.

IQI's core product is The Academy, a 12-week virtual six-unit course priced at $1,750 for members and $2,225 for non-members, with group rates available upon inquiry. The portfolio is layered with seasonal Spring and Fall Academy cohorts, Lunch & Learns, webinars, in-person training, virtual training programs, and an annual in-person conference (e.g., October 14, 2025 at UrbanBeat). Supporting resources include a Toolbox with PDSA forms, project selection tools, and team development guides, a monthly newsletter, and an IQI Academy Podcast. Delivery transitioned from in-person to virtual in 2020, broadening access beyond the Midwest region; there is no proprietary technology platform, with delivery relying on a standard learning management system, Squarespace-hosted website, Mailchimp newsletter, and Ticket Tailor event registration.

The organization operates as an independent nonprofit with no external investors, parent company, or venture funding, governed by a seven-member board of directors. Revenue streams consist of Academy course fees, annual membership fees, and event/conference fees. Since inception, the Academy has supported over 1,000 graduates from more than 50 organizations. IQI maintains a flagship partnership with the W. Edwards Deming Institute (co-hosting the Midwest Conference since 2002) and an affiliate-style Friends & Associates network of Deming-aligned consultants, authors, and practitioners.

Name

Institute for Quality and Innovation

Legal name

Institute for Quality and Innovation

Website

https://qualityandinnovation.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1991

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Institute for Quality and Innovation (IQI) is an East Lansing, Michigan nonprofit that delivers a 12-week virtual leadership course and educational events teaching W. Edwards Deming's System of Profound Knowledge to mid-to-senior leaders and quality improvement professionals.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Leadership Education

NAICS

Professional and Management Development Training (61143), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYEDAHAHAG

Human Resources, Organizational Behavior & Leadership Institutes

Education/Higher Education (Colleges & Universities)/Business Schools & Management Institutes

SECONDARYEDAHAHAI

Strategy, Consulting & General Management Institutes

Education/Higher Education (Colleges & Universities)/Business Schools & Management Institutes

Keywords

• Leadership development training
• Quality improvement education
• Professional development courses
• Deming System of Profound Knowledge
• Organizational transformation training

Headquarters

HQ city

East Lansing

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Academy Course Fees: Revenue from The Academy, a 12-week virtual leadership development course. Member pricing at $1,750 and non-member pricing at $2,225. Group rates available upon inquiry.
2. Membership Fees: Annual membership providing benefits including members-only newsletters, registration discounts, and staying up-to-date with IQI programs and resources.
3. Event Fees: Revenue from Annual Conference and other learning events including webinars and in-person training programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Institute for Quality and Innovation (IQI) delivers leadership and quality improvement education centered on The Academy, a 12-week virtual six-unit course teaching Dr. W. Edwards Deming's System of Profound Knowledge. The Academy is supplemented by seasonal cohort offerings (Spring/Fall), short-format events (Lunch & Learns, Webinars), in-person training, an annual conference, and a membership program with member discounts and exclusive newsletters.

Product overview

Institute for Quality and Innovation (IQI) offers a single unified educational product centered on The Academy, a 12-week virtual six-unit leadership development program based on Dr. W. Edwards Deming's System of Profound Knowledge. The Academy is supplemented by seasonal offerings (Spring Academy, Fall Academy), short-format events (Lunch & Learns, Webinars), and an Annual Conference. Supporting resources include a Toolbox with templates, guides, and book/audio recommendations, plus a newsletter and membership program offering registration discounts and exclusive content. The product portfolio functions as a comprehensive quality improvement education ecosystem rather than a modular software platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• The Academy A virtual 12-week, six-unit leadership development course teaching Deming's System of Profound Knowledge with 8-10 instructor-led sessions per unit, personalized feedback, a capstone project, LMS access, and access to practical tools. Designed for mid-to-senior-level leaders and quality improvement professionals.
• Spring Academy Six-unit virtual course offered in the spring semester (January-May), covering the System of Profound Knowledge including appreciation for a system, understanding variation, psychology, and a capstone presentation.
• Fall Academy Six-unit virtual course offered in the fall semester (September-December), mirroring the Spring Academy curriculum with focus on Deming's System of Profound Knowledge.
• Annual Conference Annual in-person conference for quality improvement professionals featuring speakers and networking opportunities, held October 14, 2025 at UrbanBeat from 8 AM to 7 PM.
• Lunch & Learns Brief educational sessions held during lunch hours covering quality improvement topics for professional development.
• Webinars Online educational sessions covering quality improvement, leadership, and Deming philosophy topics.
• In-Person Training On-site training programs for organizations seeking hands-on quality improvement education.
• Virtual Training Programs Online training programs accessible remotely, complementing the Academy curriculum.
• Membership Program Annual membership providing exclusive benefits including members-only newsletters, registration discounts on Academy and events, and staying up-to-date with IQI programs and resources.

Quantifiable outcome

• 1,000+ graduates trained from 50+ organizations
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 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

Partnerships

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

• W. Edwards Deming InstituteflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2002Founded by Dr. W. Edwards Deming to enrich society through the Deming philosophy. IQI (then CQI) co-hosted the first Midwest Conference with The W. Edwards Deming Institute in 2002. In 2016, CQI celebrated its 25-year anniversary with The W. Edwards Deming Institute Fall Conference in Lansing. Both organizations share the mission of increasing adoption of The Deming System of Profound Knowledge in schools and businesses.
• Lansing Community CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1991Early founding partner from 1991-1999. CQI partnered with LCC to introduce the CQI Academy for Quality Management Fundamentals. By 1996, CQI was fully integrated into LCC to leverage resources and expand impact. Jane Lucas served as the first director. By 1999, CQI became part of LCC's Business and Community Institute (BCI).
• Eric BuddcoreOthersBoard member and lead instructor for The Academy. Described by graduates as one of the best teachers. Contact for Friends & Associates page inquiries at [email protected].
• Marcia DaszkominorOthersFeatured on Friends & Associates page as an innovative consultant, speaker, and best-selling author. Has navigated leaders and teams for 25+ years to apply new leadership principles and transform for results.
• John A DuesminorOthersFeatured as an accomplished systems leader and improvement science scholar-practitioner. Author of 'Win-Win: W. Edwards Deming, the System of Profound Knowledge, and the Science of Improving Schools.'
• Jacob StollerminorOthersFeatured journalist, speaker, facilitator, and Shingo-Prize-winning author of 'The Lean CEO' and 'Productivity Reimagined.'
• David P. LangfordminorOthersFeatured international educator, consultant, speaker, author, and trainer who developed Langford Learning - a theory of improvement built upon Deming's System of Profound Knowledge.
• Christopher R ChapmanminorOthersOwner and chief agile/lean coach at Derailleur Consulting, Inc., Toronto-based consultancy helping customers apply Deming's philosophy, particularly in software development domains.
• Paul HollingworthminorOthers2024 American Society for Quality (ASQ) Deming Medalist. Helping people do more with less since 1992. Works with clients across government and not-for-profit sectors.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Center for Creative Leadership: CCL is a top-tier leadership development provider offering courses, coaching, and applied research for mid-to-senior leaders — directly comparable to IQI's leadership-focused Academy cohort. Both serve professionals seeking structured leadership skill-building via cohort-based programs.
• Lean Enterprise Institute: Lean Enterprise Institute educates practitioners on lean thinking and management systems, an adjacent quality-improvement methodology to Deming's System of Profound Knowledge. Targets similar mid-to-senior leaders and operates training, events, and a member community.
• The Ken Blanchard Companies: Ken Blanchard Companies delivers management and leadership training programs (e.g., Situational Leadership) to organizations worldwide. Comparable to IQI in its instructor-led, cohort-based leadership training model and target buyer of organizational leaders.
• W. Edwards Deming Institute: The W. Edwards Deming Institute, founded by Dr. W. Edwards Deming, advances the same System of Profound Knowledge that IQI teaches. IQI has co-hosted Midwest and Fall conferences with the Institute since 2002, making it the closest philosophical and ecosystem peer.
• Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI): IHI is a nonprofit focused on quality improvement training and certification for healthcare leaders, including cohort-based programs and an annual forum. Comparable to IQI in nonprofit quality-improvement education and the use of conferences plus structured courses.
• Crucial Learning (formerly VitalSmarts): Crucial Learning delivers training in communication, leadership, and influence skills through cohort courses and corporate partnerships. Comparable to IQI's Academy in course-based delivery targeting mid-to-senior leaders and quality/culture-change initiatives.

Broad incumbents

• FranklinCovey: FranklinCovey offers enterprise-wide leadership, execution, and culture training including the widely adopted '7 Habits' framework. Overlaps with IQI's leadership development focus but at much broader scale and via a multi-product portfolio rather than a Deming-specific niche.
• American Society for Quality (ASQ): ASQ is the largest U.S. professional membership body for quality practitioners, offering training, certifications, conferences, and publications that overlap heavily with IQI's curriculum on quality management and process variation. Significantly larger scale than IQI but covers a broader portfolio rather than the Deming niche.

Emerging players

• Strategy Management Group (Balanced Scorecard): Strategy Management Group provides training and consulting on the Balanced Scorecard framework for strategy execution and management systems. Comparable to IQI in its instructor-led methodology training for leaders, though focused on strategy execution rather than Deming's philosophy.
• Six Sigma Global Institute: Six Sigma Global Institute delivers online quality-management certifications and training, including lean Six Sigma programs. Comparable to IQI's quality-management curriculum but distributed digitally and competing for the same professional-development learner persona.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-institute-for-quality-and-innovation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 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 Institute for Quality and Innovation