About ISF
Founded in 2021 by Eric and Wendy Schmidt, with program chairs Fareed Zakaria, globally renowned journalist, and Jared Cohen, former head of Google Jigsaw, ISF is a year-long, non-residential fellowship program, that brings together rising leaders around the world, ages 25 to 35, from diverse fields, including government, academia, deep tech, military, journalism, research, and the arts to consider the future of geopolitics, the future of technology, and the future of democracy. In 2024, ISF was integrated into another effort launched by Dr. Schmidt, the Special Competitive Studies Project (SCSP).
This era of accelerating innovation presents new hybrid global challenges and opportunities that cut across disciplines, ranging from technology governance, economic competition, rising nationalism, and energy security. Yet, the fields of geopolitics and technology are siloed. Training and mentorship have become more specialized, failing to build the broad-reaching networks that can create cross-disciplinary solutions. That is where ISF comes in.
ISF is organized around a series of in-person convenings, alongside virtual programming, to help Fellows engage with each other, the ISF Alumni network of , and the broader SCSP community of global leaders working at the intersection of national security and technology. Our goal is to forge a global, interdisciplinary network of the next generation of problem solvers with extraordinary potential in geopolitics, innovation, and public leadership. We seek to build bonds across sectoral and national lines, so we can work together to navigate the geopolitical and technology challenges amidst a changing world order. We seek Fellows who 1) care about tech, geopolitics, and democracy, 2) are or will become leaders in their field, 3) bring an interesting or unique skillset or expertise to the program; and – most importantly – 4) want to contribute meaningfully to, and benefit from, this global community.
- 1 A Truly Global Network Unlike regionalized networks, ISF is a worldwide community focused on tackling shared global challenges.
- 2 The Intersection of Tech & Geopolitics While many foreign policy programs overlook the outsized impact of technology, ISF breaks down barriers by bringing together international strategists with experts in hard sciences and innovation.
The benefits of becoming an ISF Fellow take many forms. The program is personalized and tailored to Fellows’ needs as they grow during their fellowship year and beyond. All ISF Fellows receive access to the following benefits:
- 1 International Convenings Fellows participate in three in-person global convenings held each year in three different countries around the world. ISF covers all costs for transportation and accommodation for these events to ensure all Fellows can participate fully.
- 2 Virtual Programming Fellows are invited to exclusive virtual events, including briefings with subject-matter experts, Fellow-led discussions, and leadership lessons with program advisors.
- 3 Mentorship & Network Fellows gain direct access to ISF Advisors and an elite alumni of 400+ leaders around the world for ongoing collaboration and mentorship.
- 4 Publication Opportunities The program provides platforms for Fellows to share their insights and research with a global audience.
- 1 Time Committment Fellows attend three mandatory in-person convenings (3–4 days each). Outside of these summits, Fellows typically commit up to 4 hours per month to engage with flexible program offerings.
- 2 Language All programming and applications are conducted exclusively in English.
- 3 Location While convenings are in person, the program offers a mix of in-person, virtual, and hybrid events throughout the year.