Caltech
Caltech is a private nonprofit research university in Pasadena, California, founded in 1891, that operates NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory under an FFRDC arrangement and conducts multidisciplinary research across physics, quantum computing, biology, engineering, and astronomy for government, academic, and industrial partners.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1891
- HeadquartersPasadena, United States
- Headcount5,001–10,000
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Caltech does
Caltech is a private nonprofit research university founded in 1891 in Pasadena, California, operating across six academic divisions: Biology and Biological Engineering; Chemistry and Chemical Engineering; Engineering and Applied Science; Geological and Planetary Sciences; Humanities and Social Sciences; and Physics, Mathematics and Astronomy. It is distinguished by a 3:1 student-to-faculty ratio with at least one PhD-level researcher per undergraduate, and maintains the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) under a 90-year FFRDC arrangement with NASA, managing robotic planetary missions including Voyager, Cassini-Huygens, Galileo, Perseverance, Curiosity, and the Psyche asteroid mission. The current NASA contract is valued at approximately $30 billion through September 2028, though NASA has announced it will competitively rebid management after that date.
The institute's research portfolio spans neutral-atom quantum computing (a 6,100-qubit array with 12.6-second coherence times, developed with Oratomic, requiring only 10,000-20,000 qubits for practical quantum computers), the NASA Cold Atom Lab aboard the ISS, R2 retrotransposon gene editing (30x more efficient than CRISPR), stretchable bioelectronic materials (SIRES and ElHyX platforms), lithography-based photonic chips, and the Deep Synoptic Array under construction in Nevada. Recent capital initiatives include the $70 million Ginsburg Center for Quantum Precision Measurement (opened June 2026) and approximately $200 million from Schmidt Sciences for the DSA, plus new partnerships with Cedars-Sinai and USC for translational medicine.
Revenue is generated through five streams: tuition and educational programs (undergraduate, graduate, executive, online), sponsored research and grants (federal agencies plus JPL operations), intellectual property licensing (including the active lawsuit against Zoom), donations and endowments (notable recent gifts from Broadcom, Duan Family, Ginsburg, and Sherman Fairchild Foundation), and the JPL NASA managed-services contract. Customer concentration is heavily weighted toward federal research funding, particularly through NASA, while the student, donor, and industrial partner base is broad.
Caltech firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Caltech
- Legal name
- California Institute of Technology
- Website
- https://caltech.edu
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1891
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 5,001–10,000 employees
- Short description
- Caltech is a private nonprofit research university in Pasadena, California, founded in 1891, that operates NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory under an FFRDC arrangement and conducts multidisciplinary research across physics, quantum computing, biology, engineering, and astronomy for government, academic, and industrial partners.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Caltech industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Higher Education Research University
- NAICS
- Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714), Space Research and Technology (92711)
- SIC
- Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731), Services-Testing Laboratories (8734), Laboratory Analytical Instruments (3826)
- akta.pro primary industry
- STEM-Focused Research Universities (Engineering & Applied Sciences) (EDAHABAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Engineering & Technology Institutes (Comprehensive) (EDAHAEAA), Biomedical Sciences & Medical Research Institutes (University-Based) (EDAHAGAI), Technical Universities with Energy, Materials & Sustainability Focus (EDAHAEAL)
Keywords
Where Caltech is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Pasadena
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices4 records
Markets served
Caltech business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Tuition and Educational Programs: Revenue from undergraduate and graduate education programs, executive education, and online education offerings
- Sponsored Research and Grants: Federal and private research funding through grants from NASA, NSF, DOE, and other agencies for JPL operations and campus research
- Intellectual Property Licensing: Patent licensing and technology transfer from research innovations including the videoconferencing patent lawsuit against Zoom
- Donations and Endowments: Philanthropic contributions from donors including Broadcom, Duan Family, Ginsburg, and Sherman Fairchild Foundation for facilities and research
- JPL NASA Contract: NASA contract for managing Jet Propulsion Laboratory operations under FFRDC arrangement, with the contract value estimated at $30 billion through 2028
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Undergraduate tuition for degree programs |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels7 records
Caltech product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Caltech is a private nonprofit science and engineering research university that delivers undergraduate and graduate degree programs, executive and online education, and operates large-scale research facilities including the Jet Propulsion Laboratory for NASA. It produces breakthrough research and technologies in quantum computing, space exploration, astrophysics, bioengineering, and autonomous systems, while providing highly trained graduates in science and engineering disciplines.
Product overview
Caltech operates as a premier research university with a portfolio of specialized research centers, institutes, and facilities rather than commercial products. The core research infrastructure includes the Space Radiation Laboratory conducting cosmic ray and X-ray astrophysics, the Center for Catalysis and Chemical Synthesis (3CS) for high-throughput chemical discovery, the Center for Molecular Medicine focused on cellular signaling research, and the Information Science and Technology (IST) initiative enabling cross-disciplinary computational research. The High Energy Astrophysics Group conducts research using the NuSTAR space telescope and developing the UVEX mission. These offerings represent research capabilities and institutional infrastructure rather than commercial products or services.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Undergraduate Studies On-campus bachelor's degree programs in physics, mathematics, astronomy, chemistry, biology, engineering, computer science, and humanities for high-achieving undergraduate students seeking STEM education with direct research access.
- Graduate Studies Master's and doctoral degree programs and postdoctoral research positions in science, engineering, and mathematics, with research funding support and faculty mentorship.
- Online Education Online courses and educational content delivered through online.caltech.edu for remote learners seeking Caltech STEM instruction.
- Executive Education Executive education programs through the Center for Technology and Management Education, serving technology managers and working professionals seeking advanced technical and management training from a leading STEM institution.
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) Operations Federally Funded Research and Development Center (FFRDC) management of NASA's lead center for robotic planetary exploration, operating missions including Mars rovers (Perseverance, Curiosity), Voyager, Cassini, Psyche, and the Deep Space Network under contract with NASA.
- Technology Transfer and Corporate Partnerships Patent licensing, technology transfer, and corporate research partnerships that commercialize Caltech research innovations, including videoconferencing technology and other patented inventions developed by Caltech faculty.
Quantifiable outcome
- JPL has launched iconic missions including Voyager, Galileo, Cassini-Huygens, Perseverance, and Curiosity Mars rovers
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Caltech
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Caltech technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability7 records
Feature8 records
Caltech partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- USCcoreUSC and Caltech received $7.8 million from ARPA-H to develop tear-based medical device for monitoring and treating dry eye disease and other health conditions; 18-month development timeline
- Cedars-Sinai Health Sciences UniversitycorePartnership includes joint translational discovery grants, co-hosted symposia, shared training opportunities, and joint faculty and student appointments to advance scientific research and healthcare innovation
- Amazon AWScoreAWS Center for Quantum Computing at Caltech, established in 2019, pursues dual strategy combining long-term fault-tolerant hardware R&D with near-term cloud access via Amazon Braket
- NASAcoreNASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory operated by Caltech since 1936 under FFRDC arrangement; NASA announced competition for JPL management contract expiring 2028
- Momentus Inc.minorMomentus Vigoride 7 mission includes ASTRA system produced by Caltech for autonomous in-space assembly
- DARPAminorDARPA contracted Caltech-produced ASTRA system for in-space assembly on Vigoride 7 mission
- SoCal Quantum Alliance (SQA)coreCoalition led by UCLA including USC, Caltech, JPL, and IBM to promote quantum science innovation, workforce development, and economic growth in California
Scale indicators9 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Caltech competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT): MIT is the closest peer as a private STEM-focused research university with a similar low student-faculty ratio, comparable engineering and physical sciences strength, Lincoln Laboratory (FFRDC analog to JPL), and overlapping quantum computing, biotech, and AI research portfolios. Both compete for the same faculty, students, and federal research dollars.
- Stanford University: Stanford is a peer private research university with overlapping strengths in engineering, physical sciences, and biomedical research, plus deep ties to Silicon Valley that complement Caltech's JPL/NASA focus. Both compete for federal grants, tech-transfer licensing, and elite STEM students.
- Princeton University: Princeton is a peer private research university with comparable small undergraduate size, low student-faculty ratio, and strong emphasis on theoretical physics, mathematics, and engineering — directly competing for the same pool of faculty and graduate students.
- Harvard University: Harvard is a peer private research university with overlapping leadership in physics, applied sciences (SEAS), and biomedical research, competing for federal research dollars, faculty, and graduate students at the highest tier.
- Johns Hopkins University: Johns Hopkins is the closest FFRDC-operating peer — it manages the Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) under Navy sponsorship, mirroring Caltech's JPL arrangement with NASA. Both universities pair elite academic research with major federally managed national-security-relevant labs.
- University of Chicago: UChicago is a peer private research university with comparable small undergraduate size, strong physical sciences, and Argonne National Laboratory management — the latter being the closest FFRDC parallel to JPL outside Johns Hopkins APL.
Regional players
- ETH Zurich: ETH Zurich is the leading European STEM-focused research university with comparable strength in physical sciences and engineering. While geographically separated, it competes with Caltech for global STEM talent, international research collaborations, and rankings positioning.
Broad incumbents
- Georgia Institute of Technology: Georgia Tech is a larger public STEM-focused research university with strong engineering and computing programs. It competes for federal research funding and STEM talent but lacks Caltech's FFRDC/JPL arrangement and brand premium.
Emerging players
- Atom Computing: Atom Computing is a leading neutral-atom quantum computing startup whose technology stack directly intersects with Caltech's research. It serves as both a commercialization partner (via Oratomic collaboration) and a potential competitor for the same talent pool.
- QuEra Computing: QuEra is a neutral-atom quantum computing startup whose research overlap and Harvard/MIT origins position it as both a research peer and a potential IP competitor to Caltech's emerging quantum stack.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Caltech social profiles
Digital presenceCaltech compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Caltech financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Caltech leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles14 records
Caltech subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Caltech funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds3 records
Investors2 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Caltech M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments14 records
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Caltech
What does Caltech do?
Caltech is a private nonprofit science and engineering research university that delivers undergraduate and graduate degree programs, executive and online education, and operates large-scale research facilities including the Jet Propulsion Laboratory for NASA. It produces breakthrough research and technologies in quantum computing, space exploration, astrophysics, bioengineering, and autonomous systems, while providing highly trained graduates in science and engineering disciplines.
Is Caltech a public or private company?
Caltech is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Caltech founded?
Caltech was founded in 1891. It employs 5,001 to 10,000 people.
Where is Caltech based?
Caltech is headquartered in Pasadena, United States, in the North America region.
How does Caltech make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Tuition and Educational Programs are the primary driver. The others are sponsored Research and Grants, intellectual Property Licensing, donations and Endowments and JPL NASA Contract.
Who are Caltech's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Stanford University, Princeton University, Harvard University, Johns Hopkins University and University of Chicago. ETH Zurich is listed as a regional player. Georgia Institute of Technology is listed as a broad incumbent. Emerging players are Atom Computing and QuEra Computing.
Does Caltech have an API?
No public API is recorded for Caltech.
What industry is Caltech in?
Caltech's product category is Higher Education Research University. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAHABAB, STEM-Focused Research Universities (Engineering & Applied Sciences), with a secondary code of EDAHAEAA, Engineering & Technology Institutes (Comprehensive). Its NAICS code is 6113 and its SIC code is 8731.