About Us
Building the Global Infrastructure for Tech Diplomacy
The Tech Diplomacy Institute is the world’s first permanent, neutral platform for coordinating global technology governance.
Established in collaboration with UNESCO, we address the defining challenge of our era: 170+ nations lack Tech Ambassadors, fragmented regulation costs the global economy $2.8 trillion annually, and 89% of countries are excluded from critical decisions about AI, cybersecurity, and digital trade.
We solve this through four interconnected pillars: establishing Tech Ambassador positions with governments, convening global diplomatic forums, providing strategic advisory and research, and building official capacity through executive training programs.
Our network spans governments, technology companies, leading academics, and civil society organizations—united in the mission to democratize innovation diplomacy and ensure coordinated, multilateral governance of technologies that affect us all.
Vision & Mission
Our Vision
A world where technology and diplomacy converge to solve global challenges and foster international cooperation.
Our Mission
To pioneer the field of tech diplomacy by connecting leaders, driving innovative policy, and shaping the future of international relations in the digital age.
Our Values
The Tech Diplomacy Institute is guided by our core values—integrity & trustworthiness, collective benefit, equity and digital justice, and diversity and inclusion—which are closely aligned with UNESCO’s Science Diplomacy Values and Principles.
Integrity & Trustworthiness
We maintain the highest standards of diplomatic conduct, ensuring that all stakeholders can engage with confidence in our neutrality and commitment to evidence-based dialogue.
Collective Benefit
We prioritize solutions that advance both national sovereignty and global cooperation, recognizing that technology governance challenges require collaborative responses that strengthen all participants.
Equity & Digital Justice
We ensure that all nations—regardless of size, resources, or current technological capacity— have a meaningful voice and agency in shaping global technology governance frameworks.
Diversity & Inclusion
We actively promote participation from underrepresented regions, sectors, and communities, recognizing that effective technology governance requires diverse perspectives and expertise.
Why We Exist
Technology has become the defining arena of international relations—yet the global system to govern it is fundamentally broken.
The Global Gap:
170+ Nations Without Tech Representation
Only ~20 of 193 UN member states have appointed dedicated Tech Ambassadors to navigate the $24 trillion digital economy. 89% of nations are excluded from critical decisions about AI, data flows, and digital trade that will shape their futures.
$2.8 Trillion Annual Cost of Fragmentation
Conflicting regulations, trade barriers, and diplomatic tensions create massive inefficiencies in the global digital economy—costing $2.8 trillion every year (Economist Impact, 2025).
The Regulatory Chaos:
Every major technology breakthrough triggers hundreds of separate, uncoordinated national responses:
• 140+ conflicting data protection laws
• 60+ distinct AI governance frameworks
• 40+ cryptocurrency regulatory regimes
• 40+ social media platform regulations
The cost: innovation stifled, businesses paralyzed, citizens confused.
No Neutral Platform for Coordination
Despite technology’s borderless nature, no permanent multilateral forum exists for governments, industry, and civil society to coordinate on technology governance. Power asymmetries widen as countries in the Global South face technological dependencies and underrepresentation in global decision-making.
Traditional diplomacy cannot keep up with the speed and complexity of technological innovation.
The Tech Diplomacy Institute was created to solve this crisis—the world’s first permanent, neutral platform for tech diplomacy, established in collaboration with UNESCO to democratize global tech governance.
We bridge governments, industry, academia, and civil society to build the coordinated infrastructure the digital age demands.
Our Approach
Multilateral Coordination
Bringing nations together to build consensus, share best practices, and develop common frameworks for technology governance.
Capacity Building
Equipping diplomats and policymakers with deep technical expertise, and technologists with diplomatic skills—creating a new generation of leaders who speak both languages.
Evidence-Based Policy
Conducting rigorous research that informs national strategies, international treaties, and institutional reforms.
Inclusive Participation
Ensuring developing nations, LDCs, and underrepresented regions have equal access to training, networks, and decision-making processes.
Cross-Sector Collaboration
Bridging governments, international organizations, tech companies, academia, and civil society to solve complex challenges together.
In collaboration with
Established in Collaboration with UNESCO
The Tech Diplomacy Institute was founded in collaboration with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)—the UN agency leading global dialogue on technology ethics, AI governance, and digital inclusion.
This collaboration ensures our work is grounded in UN values, reaches all Nation States, and contributes directly to the Sustainable Development Goals.
Our Partners
