Institute for Security and Technology
The Institute for Security and Technology (IST) is a nonprofit critical action think tank based in Oakland, California, that unites technology experts, policymakers, and industry leaders to develop actionable solutions to emerging security challenges. Founded in 2016 as Technology for Global Security and rebranded in 2020, IST operates across three pillars: Future of Digital Security, Geopolitics of Technology, and Innovation and Catastrophic Risk. Its flagship initiatives include the Ransomware Task Force (whose 48 recommendations have driven significant U.S. and international policy changes), the SL5 Task Force (developing security standards for frontier AI systems against nation-state threats), and programs examining AI integration into nuclear command, control, and communications systems.
Funding Details
- Annual Budget
- $4,436,894
- Monthly Burn Rate
- $369,741
- Current Runway
- -
- Funding Goal
- -
- Funding Raised to Date
- -
- Fiscal Sponsor
- -
Theory of Change
IST believes that catastrophic and existential risks from emerging technologies, particularly AI and nuclear weapons, can be mitigated by bridging the gap between technologists who understand the capabilities and policymakers who set the rules. By convening cross-sector coalitions of experts (as in the Ransomware Task Force and SL5 Task Force), producing concrete policy recommendations, developing technical standards and prototypes, and building hands-on technical literacy among policymakers, IST aims to create actionable pathways that translate discourse into impact. Their Innovation and Catastrophic Risk pillar specifically addresses the integration of AI into nuclear command systems and the security of frontier AI development, operating on the theory that proactive technical and policy interventions can prevent the most severe outcomes before they materialize.
Grants Received
from Open Philanthropy
from Survival and Flourishing Fund
Projects
No linked projects.
People
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Details
- Last Updated
- Apr 2, 2026, 10:09 PM UTC
- Created
- Mar 18, 2026, 11:18 PM UTC