Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE)

What Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE) does

Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1987 by Steve Mariotti that delivers project-based entrepreneurship education to youth aged 5-24, primarily in under-resourced communities where at least 50% of students qualify for free/reduced lunch. Since inception, NFTE has reached nearly 2 million learners through in-school, after-school, summer, online, and hybrid programs delivered across 7 U.S. regional offices plus global operations in 50+ countries. Student demographics skew toward people of color (65%) and female (43%), with alumni outcomes including 86% employment/education engagement and 25% business formation rates.

NFTE's product portfolio is built around three layers: the NFTE Pathway Programs (BizCamp, Tech BizCamp, Exploring Careers, Startup Tech—20 to 170 hours of instruction for grades 5-12), the NFTE Enterprise Programs (Start It Up!, Next-Level Startup, Operation Mindset, Teach to Work—targeting postsecondary and workforce learners), and a competition stack culminating in the NFTE Youth Entrepreneurship Showcase. Underlying the curriculum is the proprietary Entrepreneurial Mindset Index (EMI), a validated assessment instrument measuring 8 noncognitive skill domains. Delivery runs on Canvas LMS, with industry-recognized credentials (ESB, Design for Delight, QuickBooks, Adobe) integrated through partnerships with Certiport and Intuit. The 3,000+ volunteer network of business leaders contributes roughly 10,000 hours annually.

NFTE's revenue model is philanthropic: it charges no student fees and is funded through foundation grants (Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, Motorola Solutions Foundation, Citi Foundation, Invest For Kids), corporate sponsorships and presenting partnerships (EY US, Santander, PayPal, Zuora, Mastercard, Mary Kay), individual donations ($500/student/year), and matching gift programs (Britebound up to $2M). GTM is B2B partnership-led, targeting school districts, community-based organizations, and postsecondary institutions through direct outreach, with competitions and alumni networks generating community-led demand. Current leadership: President & CEO Dr. J.D. LaRock, following founder Steve Mariotti's passing in October 2024.

Name

Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE)

Legal name

Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship

Website

https://nfte.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1987

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1987 that delivers project-based entrepreneurship education and certifications to youth in under-resourced U.S. communities and 50+ countries through schools, competitions, and a validated Entrepreneurial Mindset Index curriculum.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel

Revenue model

1. Philanthropic Grants: NFTE receives substantial grant funding from foundations including the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, Motorola Solutions Foundation, and others. These grants fund specific regional programs, curriculum development, and competition initiatives.
2. Individual and Corporate Donations: Tax-deductible donations from individuals, corporate partners (EY, PayPal, Santander, Intuit, Citi), and family foundations at various giving levels from Angel Investors ($50,000+) to Entrepreneurial Leaders ($1,000,000+).
3. Corporate Sponsorship: Sponsorships for competitions and events including the National Youth Entrepreneurship Showcase and World Series of Innovation, with corporate partners providing both funding and volunteer support.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

NFTE delivers project-based entrepreneurship education curricula and programs to middle school, high school, and postsecondary learners through partnerships with schools, districts, and community-based organizations. Programs are modular (20-180 hours), delivered in-person, online, or hybrid, and culminate in regional, national, and global pitch competitions. The offerings include the World Series of Innovation, Pathway Programs (BizCamp, Tech BizCamp, Exploring Careers, Startup Tech), and Enterprise Programs (Start It Up!, Next-Level Startup, Operation Mindset, Teach to Work).

Product overview

NFTE offers a comprehensive suite of entrepreneurship education programs delivered through a platform-plus-modules architecture. The core portfolio includes the World Series of Innovation (a global online competition), the NFTE Pathway Programs (BizCamp, Tech BizCamp, Exploring Careers, and Startup Tech providing 20-170 hours of instruction for grades 5-12), and the Enterprise Programs (Start It Up!, Next-Level Startup, Operation Mindset, and Teach to Work targeting postsecondary and workforce learners). Supporting offerings include ESB Prep for certification preparation and Founders Forum as an alumni incubator. All programs are delivered through the Canvas learning management system and culminate in regional, national, and global pitch competitions unified under the NFTE Youth Entrepreneurship Showcase. The programs are designed for youth in under-resourced communities and primarily serve schools with 50%+ free and reduced lunch eligibility rates.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• World Series of Innovation
• NFTE Pathway Program: BizCamp
• NFTE Pathway Program: Tech BizCamp
• NFTE Pathway Program: Exploring Careers
• NFTE Pathway Program: Startup Tech
• NFTE Enterprise Program: Start It Up!
• NFTE Enterprise Program: Next-Level Startup
• NFTE Enterprise Program: Operation Mindset
• NFTE Enterprise Program: Teach to Work
• Founders Forum
• NFTE Youth Entrepreneurship Showcase
• Mott Million Dollar Challenge
• NFTE Alumni Network

Quantifiable outcome

• 86% of NFTE alumni are employed or actively engaged in furthering their education
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and major.

• Certiport (Pearson VUE)coreTechnology or IntegrationNFTE curriculum is Certiport-recommended, preparing students for Entrepreneurship and Small Business (ESB) certification, Design for Delight Innovator certification, and Adobe certifications. Partnership enables industry-recognized credentials for students.
• IntuitcoreTechnology or IntegrationIntuit provides Design for Delight (D4D) design thinking tools integrated into NFTE curriculum. Students prepare for Certiport D4D certification. Partnership also includes QuickBooks certification preparation for students.
• EY USflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerEY US serves as presenting sponsor for National Youth Entrepreneurship Showcase and supports the EY Youth Scholars program with scholarships recognized at Entrepreneur Of The Year galas. Corporate volunteers judge competitions and mentor students.
• PayPalmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerPayPal has partnered with NFTE for over 10 years, hosting the Chicago Youth Entrepreneurship Showcase and providing corporate volunteers and sponsorship support for regional events.
• SantandermajorGTM or Marketing PartnerSantander sponsors NFTE competitions and events as presenting partner, contributing funding and corporate volunteer engagement across regional showcases.
• BriteboundcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerBritebound provides 25% matching gifts for new or increased donations up to $2 million, maximizing impact of individual giving to NFTE's Fuel a Future campaign.
• VentureLabcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVentureLab is a key implementation partner for the Mott Million Dollar Challenge and other youth entrepreneurship initiatives, collaborating on competition administration and program delivery.
• Afterschool AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAfterschool Alliance partners with NFTE to administer the Mott Million Dollar Challenge, expanding access to entrepreneurship education through out-of-school time programs.
• Young Entrepreneur InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerYoung Entrepreneur Institute collaborates with NFTE on the Mott Million Dollar Challenge as part of the consortium of entrepreneurship education organizations.
• United Nations (UN SDG Alignment)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNFTE's World Series of Innovation engages youth ages 13-24 in developing entrepreneurial solutions aligned with UN Sustainable Development Goals, providing global relevance and framework.

Scale indicators14 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Young Entrepreneur Institute: Young Entrepreneur Institute provides K-12 entrepreneurship education programming and competition platforms, and is also a Mott Challenge partner; comparable to NFTE in serving schools and youth entrepreneurship outcomes.
• BUILD: BUILD is a youth entrepreneurship nonprofit serving under-resourced high school students with venture-building programs and mentors, making it a closely overlapping peer in mission, target demographic, and B2B school-district GTM motion.
• VentureLab: VentureLab delivers K-12 entrepreneurship curriculum and competitions and is a Mott Million Dollar Challenge co-administrator with NFTE; it overlaps directly in target schools, age group, and curriculum-based delivery model.
• Junior Achievement (JA): Junior Achievement is the largest global nonprofit delivering K-12 work readiness, financial literacy, and entrepreneurship education, and the most direct competitor to NFTE in the U.S. and international school-channel entrepreneurship curriculum market.
• DECA: DECA is a major student organization preparing high school and postsecondary students for careers in marketing, finance, hospitality, and management through competitions and curriculum, overlapping NFTE's competition-driven, credentialing-oriented approach.

Broad incumbents

• 4-H: 4-H is a large U.S. youth development organization with entrepreneurship curricula and competitions delivered through extension networks; it overlaps NFTE in target age group and entrepreneurship programming but operates as a much broader youth development portfolio.

Others

• Babson College - Lewis Institute for Social Innovation: Babson is the leading academic institution in entrepreneurship education research and ecosystem building; it is comparable to NFTE as a thought-leadership and ecosystem anchor in youth entrepreneurship education rather than a direct service provider.

Regional players

• Foróige: Foróige is Ireland's national youth development organization and an NFTE global licensing partner adapting NFTE curriculum for Irish delivery, making it a peer in mission and content but operating exclusively in a different geography.
• Unistream: Unistream is an Israeli youth entrepreneurship education nonprofit that licenses NFTE curriculum for local delivery, serving a comparable under-resourced youth mission but concentrated in a single non-U.S. geography.

Emerging players

• NAF (National Academy Foundation): NAF operates career-themed academies (including entrepreneurship pathways) within U.S. high schools serving under-resourced students, with overlapping school-district distribution and workforce credentialing orientation but a broader career-academy scope.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/NFTE
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/NFTEGlobal
• Facebookfacebook.com/nfte
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/network-for-teaching-entrepreneurship
• Instagraminstagram.com/nfte
• TikToktiktok.com/@nftemindset

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds3 records

Investors3 records

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

M&A2 records

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE)