Smoothstack
Smoothstack operates a Hire-Train-Deploy workforce transformation model, identifying high-aptitude talent and training them through proprietary Six Stack and MEI frameworks for Fortune 500 enterprises and federal agencies.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2018
- HeadquartersMclean, United States
- Headcount501–1,000
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Smoothstack does
Smoothstack is a U.S.-based workforce transformation company operating a Hire-Train-Deploy (HTD) model that identifies high-aptitude candidates, trains them through proprietary Six Stack™ screening and Mirrored Environment Immersion (MEI™) frameworks, and deploys enterprise-ready engineers. The company's core technology product is the Six Stack process combined with cohort-based MEI training that mirrors client technology stacks and workflows, producing engineers with 2-3 years equivalent experience in 8-12 weeks. Smoothstack delivers this through vertical-specialized talent solutions in financial services, healthcare, semiconductor, data centers, telecommunications, and federal government, plus technology-specific solutions certified through partnerships with SAP, Workday, AWS, Databricks, MuleSoft, Pega, Salesforce, and ServiceNow. Supporting infrastructure includes the Smoothstack Learn LMS and a free Generative AI Certification Program.
The company sells to two primary buyer segments: Fortune 500 enterprises (including Apple, Cisco, Disney, Wells Fargo, Capital One, GM, T-Mobile, PwC, Marriott, Fannie Mae, Best Buy, Nike, GE, Fifth Third Bank, Direct TV, and Monsanto) and federal government clients through its Fedstack division. Fedstack, launched in 2024, holds CMMC Level 2 certification and DoD SkillBridge approval, serving Department of Defense programs and federal agencies requiring cleared, compliant workforce. Smoothstack covers all upfront training costs in its engagement model, with quote-based multi-year contracts generating professional services revenue from enterprise clients and government contract revenue from federal buyers.
The business is headquartered in McLean, Virginia, with 501-1,000 employees distributed across Virginia, Texas (45% of workforce), and West Virginia. Founded in 2018 by John Akkara, Smoothstack is privately held, founder-controlled, MBE-certified, and recognized on the Inc. 5000 (2024) with a 2025 Gold Stevie Award and HIRE Vets Medallion. The company has transformed more than 2,500 technology careers, reports 98% retention and 90% conversion to full-time employment, and operates a U.S.-only footprint with no disclosed institutional funding.
Smoothstack firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Smoothstack
- Legal name
- Smoothstack, Inc.
- Website
- https://smoothstack.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2018
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 501–1,000 employees
- Short description
- Smoothstack operates a Hire-Train-Deploy workforce transformation model, identifying high-aptitude talent and training them through proprietary Six Stack and MEI frameworks for Fortune 500 enterprises and federal agencies.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Smoothstack industry classification
Industry- Product category
- IT Staffing and Workforce Transformation Services
- NAICS
- Employment Placement Agencies (561311)
- SIC
- Services-Employment Agencies (7361)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Professional & Technical Direct Hire (IT, Engineering, Finance, Healthcare) (BPACAFAC)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Cloud, DevOps & Infrastructure Staffing (BPACADAD), DevOps, SRE & Platform Engineering (CI/CD, IaC, Containers) (EDABAFAC), Incumbent Worker Training & Upskilling (EDAAAOAE), Cloud & DevOps Training (Cloud, Containers, CI/CD, SRE) (BPAEANAG)
Keywords
Where Smoothstack is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Mclean
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices4 records
Markets served
Smoothstack business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others
Revenue model
- Workforce Development Services: Hire-Train-Deploy model where Smoothstack identifies, trains, and deploys custom-skilled tech talent to enterprise clients. The company covers all upfront training costs and deploys talent to client projects. Revenue derived from professional services fees for talent placement and workforce solutions.
- Enterprise Talent Pipeline Solutions: Provides enterprises with tech talent pipelines and custom-skilled professionals. Benefits include access to unavailable talent, risk reduction on hiring costs and attrition, and scalability. Revenue model based on placement fees and ongoing engagement.
- Federal/Government Workforce Solutions: Fedstack division provides compliant workforce solutions to Federal agencies and prime contractors requiring validated cybersecurity standards. CMMC Level 2 certification supports uninterrupted participation in DoD programs.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Enterprise Workforce Solutions |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels8 records
Smoothstack product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Smoothstack operates a Hire-Train-Deploy (HTD) workforce model that identifies high-aptitude candidates through its proprietary Six Stack screening process, trains them on client-specific technology stacks via Mirrored Environment Immersion (MEI), and deploys enterprise-ready engineers to Fortune 500 companies and federal government agencies. The company covers all upfront training costs and bills clients for the deployed talent, with specialized divisions including Fedstack for federal/defense work and technology-specific talent solutions across AWS, Salesforce, ServiceNow, SAP, Workday, Databricks, Pega, and MuleSoft.
Product overview
Smoothstack is a workforce transformation company operating a Hire-Train-Deploy (HTD) model that identifies high-aptitude talent, trains them through proprietary Six Stack screening and Mirrored Environment Immersion (MEI) frameworks, and deploys enterprise-ready engineers. The core offering consists of the HTD workforce model augmented by Fedstack for federal government services (including CMMC Level 2 certified talent), and technology-specific talent solutions through partnerships with Salesforce, ServiceNow, Workday, SAP, Pega, AWS, Databricks, and MuleSoft. Supporting infrastructure includes Smoothstack Learn LMS for free courses and certification programs including Generative AI certification. The company also operates specialized programs like IT Warriors for military veterans and Uptime Crew for semiconductor/data center industries.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Hire-Train-Deploy (HTD) Workforce Solution End-to-end workforce transformation service that recruits candidates, trains them on client-specific technology stacks over 8-12 week cohorts, and deploys them to enterprise IT projects. Targets Fortune 500 companies and federal agencies needing scalable tech talent pipelines.
- Fedstack Federal Workforce Solutions Federal-focused workforce solutions division delivering cleared technology talent and CMMC Level 2 compliant workforce for DoD programs, federal agencies, and prime contractors. Includes cleared talent up to TS/SCI full scope for federal environments.
- Smoothstack Learn Proprietary learning management system providing on-demand courses, free training programs, and certification preparation including Generative AI certification with Databricks exam vouchers.
- Generative AI Certification Program Free certification program offering live expert-led training, Databricks Generative AI exam vouchers, and hands-on experience in AI technologies for individuals pursuing AI roles in tech.
- IT Warriors Program DoD SkillBridge approved program helping active-duty military, veterans, and reservists transition into civilian IT careers through intensive technology training and direct placement with Smoothstack enterprise clients.
- Uptime Crew Specialized workforce development program for data center and semiconductor industries, providing technicians, operators, and field service engineers trained on client-specific infrastructure for advanced tech factories and always-on operations.
- ServiceNow Talent Solutions Delivery of AI-native ServiceNow professionals trained across ITSM, ITOM, HRSD, SecOps, and GRC modules for enterprise ServiceNow implementations and workflow automation initiatives.
- Salesforce Talent Solutions Net-new certified Salesforce software engineers, developers, and administrators delivered through the Salesforce Talent Alliance for enterprise CRM implementations.
- Databricks Consulting Practice Databricks software engineers and consulting services for Lakehouse Platform implementation, data modernization, migrations, governance, and analytics strategies.
- AWS Talent Solutions AWS-certified DevOps and cloud engineers delivered as an AWS Training and Services Partner, custom-trained for cloud architecture, development, testing, and deployment projects.
- SAP Talent Solutions Certified SAP consultants and developers delivered through SAP partnership, providing net-new certified talent at scale for enterprise ERP implementations.
- Workday Talent Solutions Workday software engineers delivered as a Workday Workforce Development Partner, certified and trained within client-specific technology environments.
- Pega Talent Solutions Pega software engineers delivered as a Pega Workforce Development Partner, trained on Pega's low-code platform and AI-driven process automation capabilities.
- MuleSoft Talent Solutions MuleSoft developers delivered as a Salesforce Talent Alliance member, certified for integration platform expertise within Salesforce ecosystems.
Quantifiable outcome
- 98% retention rate for deployed engineers
- +6 more outcomes
Companies that use Smoothstack
Customer profileNamed customers19 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Smoothstack technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability7 records
Feature4 records
Smoothstack partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- SAPcoreCertified SAP partner developing net-new, certified SAP consultant and expert talent at scale. Training programs produce fully qualified, highly productive resources from Day One for SAP implementations.
- WorkdaycoreWorkday Workforce Development Partner delivering net-new, certified Workday software engineers trained within clients' specific technology environments.
- AWScoreAmazon Web Services Training and Services Partner skilling and delivering certified DevOps engineers at scale for cloud transformation projects.
- DatabrickscoreDatabricks Consulting and Training Partner providing net-new Databricks talent at scale to maximize Lakehouse Platform investments. Partnership announced for driving business value.
- MuleSoftcoreSalesforce Talent Alliance member developing net-new, certified MuleSoft talent at scale for integration platform implementations.
- PegacorePega Workforce Development Partner delivering net-new, certified Pega software engineers trained within clients' specific technology environments for AI-driven process automation.
- SalesforcecoreSalesforce Talent Alliance member developing net-new, certified Salesforce software developer talent at scale. Supports CRM specialists and full-stack developers for enterprise Salesforce implementations.
- ServiceNowcoreRiseUp ServiceNow global program participant helping close IT skills gap and fuel tech employment equity. Develops AI-native ServiceNow professionals across ITSM, ITOM, HRSD, SecOps, and GRC.
- DoD SkillBridgecoreApproved industry partner for Department of Defense SkillBridge program. Program called IT Warriors helps veterans transition to civilian IT careers while addressing technology professional demand.
- Virginia Values Veterans (V3)minorParticipates in V3 program bringing together Virginia veterans and employers with long-term strategies for recruiting, hiring, and retaining veterans.
- American Council on Education (ACE)minorACE Learning Evaluations validation allows Smoothstack participants to earn up to 49 college credits, supporting veterans and transitioning military pursuing college degrees.
- On Point StrategycorePartnership for GSA OASIS+ Total Small Business Contract award, enabling federal IT services procurement through government contract vehicle.
- National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE)minorCampus organization partnership targeting under-represented groups in IT industry through educational outreach at colleges and universities.
Scale indicators11 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Smoothstack competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Revature: Revature is the closest direct competitor, operating a Hire-Train-Deploy model that recruits, trains, and places entry-level technology talent with enterprise and government clients. Both companies deploy cohorts of trained engineers into client environments and compete for similar Fortune 500 and federal business.
- Apprenti: Apprenti runs a workforce development program that sources diverse, non-traditional talent and places them into technology apprenticeships at large employers. It mirrors Smoothstack's emphasis on underrepresented populations and skills-based hiring for IT roles.
- Andela: Andela is a global technical talent marketplace that sources, vets, and matches engineers with enterprise clients. While its sourcing model differs, it competes for the same enterprise IT staffing wallet and increasingly emphasizes trained and certified talent delivery.
Broad incumbents
- Insight Global: Insight Global is one of the largest US staffing and talent solutions providers with deep enterprise IT staffing capabilities. It competes with Smoothstack for enterprise tech talent placements but does not own the upstream training model.
- TEKsystems: TEKsystems is a leading IT staffing and services firm serving Fortune 500 clients across cloud, DevOps, data, and application development. It overlaps with Smoothstack's target buyers and tech stack focus but operates a traditional staffing model.
- Robert Half: Robert Half is a publicly traded staffing firm with a sizable technology placement practice. It competes with Smoothstack for enterprise IT hires, particularly in project-based and contract-to-hire engagements, though it does not operate the training layer.
Emerging players
- Per Scholas: Per Scholas is a national nonprofit providing tuition-free technology training and career support to adults from underrepresented communities. It competes for the same talent pool and increasingly partners with employers on direct hire pipelines similar to Smoothstack's model.
- Year Up: Year Up is a workforce development nonprofit offering training and corporate internships for young adults from underserved communities. It overlaps with Smoothstack's talent sourcing mission and enterprise employer relationships.
- General Assembly: General Assembly provides bootcamp-style training in tech, data, and digital skills with employer hiring partnerships. It overlaps with Smoothstack's training infrastructure but is more focused on individual learner outcomes than enterprise deploy models.
- NPower: NPower is a national nonprofit providing free technology training and job placement for veterans and underserved young adults. It shares Smoothstack's IT Warriors-style veteran-to-tech pipeline and competes for similar employer partnerships.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Smoothstack social profiles
Digital presenceSmoothstack compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance8 records
Smoothstack financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Smoothstack leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles13 records
Smoothstack subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Smoothstack funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Smoothstack M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Smoothstack
What does Smoothstack do?
Smoothstack operates a Hire-Train-Deploy (HTD) workforce model that identifies high-aptitude candidates through its proprietary Six Stack screening process, trains them on client-specific technology stacks via Mirrored Environment Immersion (MEI), and deploys enterprise-ready engineers to Fortune 500 companies and federal government agencies. The company covers all upfront training costs and bills clients for the deployed talent, with specialized divisions including Fedstack for federal/defense work and technology-specific talent solutions across AWS, Salesforce, ServiceNow, SAP, Workday, Databricks, Pega, and MuleSoft.
Is Smoothstack a public or private company?
Smoothstack is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Smoothstack founded?
Smoothstack was founded in 2018. It employs 501 to 1,000 people.
Where is Smoothstack based?
Smoothstack is headquartered in Mclean, United States, in the North America region.
How does Smoothstack make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Workforce Development Services are the primary driver. The others are enterprise Talent Pipeline Solutions and federal/Government Workforce Solutions.
Who are Smoothstack's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Revature, Apprenti and Andela. Broad incumbents are Insight Global, TEKsystems and Robert Half. Emerging players are Per Scholas, Year Up, General Assembly and NPower.
Does Smoothstack have an API?
No public API is recorded for Smoothstack.
What industry is Smoothstack in?
Smoothstack's product category is IT Staffing and Workforce Transformation Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPACAFAC, Professional & Technical Direct Hire (IT, Engineering, Finance, Healthcare), with a secondary code of BPACADAD, Cloud, DevOps & Infrastructure Staffing. Its NAICS code is 561311 and its SIC code is 7361.