our history

IQT is the most trusted leader in accelerating the transition of groundbreaking technologies from the private to the public sector to advance the national security and economic prosperity of America and its allies. Set up in 1999 as an independent, not-for-profit strategic investment firm by the CIA, we’ve spent a quarter century building unparalleled expertise that we draw on to help startups adapt their highly innovative products in ways that both maximize mission impact for our government partners and enhance the startups’ commercial success.

From our origins as a U.S.-centric organization focused on information technology, we’ve grown into a global investment platform that spans a wide range of frontier technologies, from biotechnology to microchips and from AI to space systems. We’ve also developed many enduring strategic relationships and now work with over a dozen different U.S. government partners as well as with the United Kingdom and Australia. We share our deep global insights into the venture capital-backed technology ecosystem with these partners and are constantly evolving our operations to ensure we are at the leading edge of tech-driven innovation.

IQT offices around the globe

37.532600

127.024612

34.5644527

133.123282

38.525109

-98.5463321

53.472217

-2.3060336

46.7126081

8.0703385

63.0778973

14.8098968

40.4378494

-3.8355912

1.3759506

103.7652247

61.7756569

9.4998615

-43.0825259

171.6137492

43.0949919

12.3023006

31.2614177

34.7128628

53.4232387

-7.9705158

50.9915988

10.2056751

46.7235578

2.4777178

62.1330022

25.0317324

53.3586889

-106.606088

50.5268688

4.5231809

47.6070309

13.8276065

-25.0459379

131.4438877

our team

IQT’s expertise ranges from technical experts to operations personnel, and from investors to program managers—spanning a range of technologies, including space systems, AI, biotech, microelectronics, and many more.

our milestones

From Silicon Valley ideation in 1998 to formation in 1999, IQT was founded to leverage one of the country’s greatest strengths – the innovation engine of the private sector. IQT’s purpose then – and today – is to bridge the gap between the technology needs of the intelligence and defense communities and the innovative capabilities of the private sector. Discover key milestone’s over IQT’s 25-year tenure.

f.a.q.s

Summary content and lead in to this section

General IQT Information

Is IQT a government entity?

No. IQT is a not-for-profit with 501(c)3 designation in the United States. It’s not a government entity nor a part of the CIA.

Who are IQT’s government partners?

IQT’s unique arrangement pairing government problems with hi-tech problem solvers has produced countless solutions for the CIA, DIA, FBI, NGA, NRO, NSA, DHS, including CBP and other DHS components, U.S. Cyber Command, and the UK and Australian national intelligence communities. IQT recently welcomed the Office of Naval Research, U.S. Central Command, and U.S. Space Force as new government partners and looks forward to supporting their missions.

What types of investments does IQT make?

After identifying a promising company, IQT has two primary tools for building a relationship a work program transaction, or an equity-only investment.

Work programs typically involve an investment between $500 thousand and $3 million dollars and are structured as a development and licensing agreement for the company to adapt its technology for the needs of the U.S. intelligence and defense communities.

Equity-only investments typically range between $250 - $500 thousand dollars where IQT receives a small equity stake and status as a board observer. These investments serve as a critical window into new technologies and on-ramp towards IQT’s unique technology transfer opportunities.

Does IQT Invest in international companies?

Absolutely. There are no geographic boundaries on foresight and innovation and we have investments in companies based across the globe including the UK, EMEA, Asia-Pacific, and Canada.

Does country of origin affect the likelihood that IQT will make an investment—i.e. are there any countries IQT may not conduct business in?

As noted above, innovative technologies are being developed everywhere. We have never made an investment in a Chinese or Russian company. We abide by all federal laws and regulations, some of which preclude us from doing business with a small number of countries.

Why is it good to use U.S. taxpayer money to invest in private companies overseas?

Our nation’s national security agencies face an ever-growing and continuously evolving set of threats to our country’s security. They know that novel solutions and technologies that enable America to stay ahead of and counter those threats are being developed in all corners of the world.

IQT identifies and invests in emerging technologies that promise to have significant national security impact and commercial success. Via our modest investment approach, we can significantly reduce financial pressure on the government and the taxpayer to adapt technology and deliver much-needed capabilities. By harnessing commercially available tech, government doesn’t have to foot the bill for the ground-up development of expensive custom-built solutions.

Importantly, IQT often invests alongside venture capital firms and other sources of private-sector investment, which means the initial and long-term development costs to the national security communities—and to the taxpayer--are much lower than they would be without this co-investing.

contact

General Contact

info@iqt.org

Media Contact

media@iqt.org

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MENLO PARK, CA
BOSTON, MA
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