What DigitalC does

DigitalC is a Cleveland, Ohio-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2015 that delivers affordable high-speed home internet and digital-skills training to underserved urban households, primarily in Cleveland's Hough and MidTown neighborhoods with an expanding Detroit pilot. Its core product is Canopy — a next-generation Fixed Wireless Access (ngFWA) broadband network built on a hybrid fiber + wireless architecture using Tarana Wireless equipment (supplemented by Cambium Networks and InCoax Networks for MDU deployment and Everstream/Bluebird Fiber for backhaul), delivering symmetrical 100 Mbps service with approximately 10 ms local latency across Cleveland's dense urban footprint. By Q1 2025 the network covered 98,130 households across 88% of Cleveland's wards.

The company sells Canopy residential internet at a flat $18/month with no fees, contracts, or price hikes, and provides free service (200/100 Mbps) to Cleveland Metropolitan School District students and families, who represent 32% of subscribers. An integrated three-pillar offering pairs connectivity with Click digital-skills training and the MidTown Tech Hive co-working/event space (which includes the Hive Cafe), positioning DigitalC as the only ISP headquartered in Cleveland and explicitly "built for communities, by communities." Canopy Xtend serves Cleveland SMBs separately, and a Detroit pilot branded "Canopy, Powered by Connect 313" connects 450 families across three public-housing communities through partnerships with Rocket Community Fund and the Detroit Housing Commission.

Revenue is a hybrid of public-sector performance contracts (City of Cleveland $2.76M Year 1 plus $4.35M Year 2, plus a $10M State of Ohio grant), philanthropic capital (notably $20M from the Mandel and Myers Foundations in 2021 and $500K in-kind from Google Fiber in 2025), modest recurring residential and business subscriptions, and ongoing donations through digitalc.org. Since January 2024 DigitalC has connected more than 9,200 Cleveland homes, trained over 20,000 residents in digital skills, and recorded 87% reliability ratings and 84% would-recommend scores on City of Cleveland surveys — outcomes that triggered full performance payments and are anchoring the replication of "The Cleveland Model" nationally and internationally.

Name

DigitalC

Legal name

DigitalC

Website

https://digitalc.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

DigitalC is a Cleveland-based nonprofit that delivers $18/month symmetrical 100 Mbps home internet plus digital-skills training to underserved urban households via its Canopy next-generation fixed wireless network, serving 8,200+ Cleveland homes and a Detroit pilot.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonprofit Broadband Internet Services

NAICS

Wireless Telecommunications Carriers (except Satellite) (517112), Wired and Wireless Telecommunications Carriers (except Satellite) (51711)

SIC

Telephone Communications (No Radiotelephone) (4813)

akta.pro primary industry

Traditional CDN (Static & Dynamic Content Acceleration) (HDABAGAA)

Keywords

• Nonprofit broadband services
• Fixed wireless internet
• Affordable home internet
• Digital literacy training
• Community wireless networks

Headquarters

HQ city

Cleveland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Infrastructure, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Canopy Residential Subscription: Recurring monthly subscription at $18/month for residential Canopy internet service (symmetrical 100 Mbps, no fees, contracts, or price hikes). No fees/contracts, billed monthly to subscribers; the primary consumer revenue stream.
2. Canopy Xtend Business Internet: Cleveland's high-speed business internet solution, providing commercial-grade connectivity for local businesses (separate from residential Canopy).
3. Public-Sector Performance Contracts: Performance-based payments from the City of Cleveland tied to subscriber and digital-skills-training targets — $2.76M Year 1 and $4.35M authorized in May 2026 after exceeding 2025 goals.
4. Philanthropic Donations & Grants: Foundations, corporate, and state grants supporting the nonprofit mission — $20M from Mandel and Myers Foundations (2021), $10M State of Ohio broadband grant (2024), $500,000 in-kind from Google Fiber (2025), and ongoing public donations through digitalc.org.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

DigitalC delivers affordable high-speed internet under the Canopy brand — symmetrical 100 Mbps residential service for $18/month with no fees, contracts, or price hikes, plus Canopy Xtend business internet and MDU deployments. The nonprofit bundles connectivity with Click digital-skills training and the MidTown Tech Hive co-working/event space, operating Cleveland's first full citywide next-generation fixed wireless broadband network and replicating the model in Detroit and other Ohio communities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Canopy (Powered by DigitalC): DigitalC's residential and business high-speed home internet service offering symmetrical 100 Mbps at $18/month with no fees, contracts, or price hikes. Includes Canopy Xtend for business internet and the Detroit-branded 'Canopy, Powered by Connect 313.'
• Click (Powered by DigitalC)
• MidTown Tech Hive
• Hive Cafe

Products and services

• Canopy Residential Internet High-speed symmetrical 100 Mbps home internet for Cleveland and Detroit households at a flat $18/month with no fees, contracts, or price hikes. CMSD-scholar households receive 200/100 Mbps service. Higher-speed residential tiers available up to 1,000 Mbps down / 400 Mbps up.
• Canopy Xtend Business Internet Commercial-grade high-speed internet service marketed as Cleveland's high-speed business internet solution, sold to local Cleveland businesses. Pricing is not publicly listed but follows a monthly subscription model without long-term contracts.
• Canopy for Apartments / MDU Internet Property-wide Canopy internet deployments for apartment buildings and multi-dwelling-unit communities in partnership with landlords and community-development organizations such as Famicos Foundation and CMHA, using Cambium Networks and InCoax Networks equipment.
• Canopy, Powered by Connect 313 (Detroit) Free high-speed internet distributed via DigitalC's Canopy network in Detroit through a partnership with Connect 313, Rocket Community Fund, and Detroit Housing Commission. Replicates the Cleveland Model in Detroit public-housing communities.
• Canopy CMSD Students Program Free Canopy internet service for Cleveland Metropolitan School District families and students, providing 200/100 Mbps service to meet educational needs. 32% of Canopy subscribers are CMSD-scholar households.
• Click Digital Skills Training Tailored digital-skills training for Cleveland residents covering coding, drones, hydroponics, computer literacy, and other technology-focused courses. Bundled with Canopy internet service and delivered via community sites including the MidTown Tech Hive, the Greater Cleveland Food Bank, and partnerships with Cleveland Clinic and others. 10,105 digital-skills service records delivered in 2025 alone.
• MidTown Tech Hive Co-Working and Event Space Vibrant co-working, meeting, and event space located at 6815 Euclid Ave in Cleveland's Hough neighborhood, serving as DigitalC's headquarters and community hub. Hosts Tech MeetUps, Third Friday Pull-Ups, and other programming that has engaged 25,000+ people since launch.
• Hive Cafe Cafe and catering operation located inside the MidTown Tech Hive headquarters, operated by Chef Stacey Stoudemire, blending her catering background with health-conscious cuisine to fuel the location's tech-driven atmosphere.

Quantifiable outcome

• Connected 8,216+ households in Cleveland and 9,200+ since January 2024
• +7 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature5 records

Partnerships

23 partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• Rocket Community FundcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 July 2025Co-launch partner with Connect 313 and Detroit Housing Commission for the Free Internet Pilot in Detroit Public Housing (July 2025).
• Greater Cleveland Food Bank (GCFB)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 September 2024DigitalC opened a new office at the Greater Cleveland Food Bank in Sept 2024 to provide home internet service sign-up and digital-skills training for food-bank-connected residents.
• MicrosoftcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 March 2024Microsoft co-produced the "Driven to Connect" documentary with DigitalC, capturing Cleveland's connectivity movement as a model for cities nationwide. Documentary released March 3, 2024 and serves as a national storytelling asset.
• City of ClevelandflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerDigitalC is the nonprofit selected by the City of Cleveland to deploy a citywide broadband initiative — "The Cleveland Model." The City Council authorized a $2.76 million performance payment for Year 1 and an additional $4.35 million in May 2026 after DigitalC exceeded its 2025 contractual targets (4,862 new household subscriptions and 10,105 digital-skills service records). Cleveland's Bureau of Internal Audit verifies the metrics, and the model is being replicated nationally and internationally.
• Tarana WirelessflagshipTechnology or IntegrationTarana Wireless is the manufacturer of DigitalC's next-generation Fixed Wireless Access (ngFWA) equipment powering the Canopy network. The partnership enables deployment of symmetrical 100 Mbps service across Cleveland's dense urban footprint and tree canopy. Tarana is also featured in joint case studies, videos, and June 2025 Broadband Breakfast Juneteenth special.
• Cambium NetworkscoreTechnology or IntegrationCambium Networks supplies fixed wireless and networking technology for DigitalC's MDU (apartment) deployments. Joint case study published Oct 2025 accelerates Cleveland's broadband future across multi-tenant units.
• InCoax NetworkscoreTechnology or IntegrationInCoax Networks provides technology used alongside Cambium Networks to deploy broadband across MDU (apartment) buildings in Cleveland (joint case study Oct 2025).
• Everstream / Bluebird FibercoreTechnology or IntegrationDigitalC relies on Everstream as its fiber provider; Everstream was acquired by Bluebird Fiber amid bankruptcy proceedings and subsequently sold. DigitalC continues offering its $18 internet service despite the ownership transition, supported by a city contract and other funding.
• US IgnitecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUS Ignite provided the foundational support that fueled DigitalC's Cleveland Model and its expansion to Detroit, Michigan. Featured in joint case study Aug 2025.
• Connect 313flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerConnect 313 is DigitalC's Detroit partner; Canopy service is deployed in Detroit as "Canopy, Powered by Connect 313" — connecting 450 families in three public-housing communities as a pilot project.
• Detroit Housing Commission (DHC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment partner providing public-housing access for the Detroit pilot, connecting 450 families across three public-housing communities to free Canopy internet.
• Famicos FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity-development partner enabling Multi-Dwelling Unit (MDU) broadband deployment at Steeplechase apartments and other affordable-housing communities in Cleveland (Mar 2026 announcement).
• MetroHealthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity-health partner that co-celebrated connecting 1,000 Cleveland households to affordable internet (Dec 2022) and continues to collaborate on digital equity initiatives.
• Cleveland CliniccoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealthcare partner collaborating to launch free computer-literacy training course for seniors (April 2024).
• Dollar BankminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity-bank partner celebrating connecting 1,000 Cleveland households to affordable, reliable internet alongside MetroHealth and CMHA (Dec 2022).
• Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority (CMHA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHousing-authority partner hosting Summer Connection Block Party with DigitalC and connecting CMHA residents to Canopy service.
• Cleveland Metropolitan School District (CMSD)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducation partner providing free Canopy internet to CMSD families and students; 32% of Canopy subscribers are CMSD-scholar households receiving 200/100 Mbps service.
• BlueBridge NetworkscoreTechnology or IntegrationBlueBridge hosts DigitalC's second data center to increase high-speed internet capacity in Cleveland (100% increase in data centers in 2024).
• American Association for Public Broadband (AAPB)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDigitalC CEO Joshua Edmonds joined the AAPB board in October 2025, joining DigitalC into the broader public-broadband advocacy ecosystem.
• NSF (National Science Foundation)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed among DigitalC's partners on digitalc.org — provides research/funding support for the Cleveland Model.
• MetaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDigitalC, in collaboration with Meta, brought high-speed internet to affordable-housing residents in Cleveland (Aug 2022).
• CPL (Cleveland Public Library)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed among DigitalC's community partners on digitalc.org.
• ASC3minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed among DigitalC's community partners on digitalc.org.

Scale indicators19 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• PCs for People: National nonprofit providing low-cost home internet and refurbished computers to low-income households, with digital-skills training programs. Closest comparable to DigitalC's nonprofit ISP + digital-inclusion operating model.
• EveryoneOn: National nonprofit focused on digital inclusion, partnering with ISPs to provide low-cost internet and devices to underserved communities. Directly comparable mission and partnership-driven distribution model.
• Mobile Beacon: Nonprofit mobile broadband provider offering low-cost internet service to nonprofits, schools, and low-income individuals. Comparable nonprofit ISP model targeting digital equity.
• Connect 313: Detroit-based digital equity initiative partnered with DigitalC to deploy Canopy service in Detroit public housing. Directly comparable digital-inclusion mission and partnership structure.
• Connect Your Community (CYC): National digital-inclusion nonprofit that delivers broadband adoption training and affordable connectivity to low-income communities, similar to DigitalC's Click training and Canopy access.
• NYC Mesh: Community-built nonprofit mesh wireless network in NYC providing free or low-cost internet to residents. Comparable community-rooted, nonprofit wireless broadband operating model.

Emerging players

• Common Sense Media: Nonprofit focused on digital literacy, media education, and family-safe technology. Comparable to DigitalC's Click digital-skills training pillar, though without the ISP layer.
• Starry: Alternative broadband ISP using fixed-wireless technology to deliver low-cost home internet in select U.S. cities. Comparable technology architecture (FWA), for-profit vs. nonprofit mission.

Broad incumbents

• Google Fiber: Large incumbent fiber ISP and current DigitalC equipment donor. Overlapping mission of expanding high-speed broadband access, with vastly larger capital base and geographic footprint.

Others

• Next Century Cities: Nonprofit membership organization advocating for municipal broadband and digital equity. Comparable advocacy positioning and ecosystem role, not a direct ISP competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/DigitalC_org
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@DigitalC_org
• Facebookfacebook.com/DigitalCorg
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/digitalc
• Instagraminstagram.com/digitalc_org
• TikToktiktok.com/@digitalc_org

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds3 records

Investors3 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about DigitalC