Lets Talk Science

What Lets Talk Science does

Let's Talk Science is a Canadian registered charity founded in 1993, headquartered in London, Ontario, that designs and delivers free STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) education programming for youth, educators, and families across Canada. Its core products include curriculum-aligned, bilingual classroom resources, hands-on outreach programs, and digital experiences such as the 2024 Tomatosphere Adventure Minecraft Education World, all delivered at no cost to end users through a national network of more than seven university-based outreach sites and a mobilized volunteer workforce. The organization also runs career-exploration programs — including the Let's Talk Careers Competition, which in October 2025 engaged more than 10,000 students across 386 schools — and has established a partnership with the Nova Scotia Department of Education to extend provincial reach.

The organization is funded almost entirely through donations and grants rather than fees for service. Its disclosed funding base includes a C$18.4 million grant from Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (December 2023), C$600,000 from the Toyota Canada Foundation for climate science programming (2022), a renewed C$150,000 Champions-tier commitment from DP World running through 2026, and additional support from the Government of Canada, RBC Foundation, Amgen, Rio Tinto, and Nova Chemicals. The free-pricing model and reliance on institutional and corporate philanthropy define the go-to-market: program reach (students, schools, provinces served) is the primary operating KPI rather than per-seat revenue. With 51-100 staff, Let's Talk Science sits at the mid-scale end of Canadian national education charities, leveraging volunteer capacity and university partnerships to extend delivery well beyond what its headcount alone would support.

Name

Lets Talk Science

Legal name

Let's Talk Science

Website

https://letstalkscience.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

1993

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Let's Talk Science is a Canadian registered charity founded in 1993 that delivers free STEM education programming to K-12 youth, educators, and families nationally through university-based outreach sites, funded by federal/provincial grants and corporate sponsors such as Toyota Canada and DP World.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

STEM Education Programs

NAICS

Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (541720), Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (54171)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

STEM, Digital Literacy & Maker Education Nonprofits (BPAGADAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Hands-on Science Exploration & Experiments (Lab Kits, Science Clubs) (EDAMABAA), Environmental Science & Sustainability Programs (Ecology, Climate, Conservation) (EDAMABAD), STEM Research & Inquiry Programs (Research Mentorship, Science Fair Prep) (EDAMABAC)

Keywords

• STEM education programs
• Youth science outreach
• Curriculum-aligned resources
• Volunteer-led education
• K-12 STEM engagement

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donations and Foundation Grants: Let's Talk Science, as a registered Canadian charity, is funded primarily through donations from individuals, corporations, and foundation grants. Major supporters include Amgen, the Government of Canada, Toyota Canada Foundation, Rio Tinto, Nova Chemicals, and the RBC Foundation. Revenue is received as recurring charitable donations and one-time grants rather than service fees.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Let's Talk Science is a registered Canadian charity delivering free, curriculum-aligned STEM education programming to K-12 students, educators, and families across Canada. The organization operates a network of 7+ university-based Outreach sites staffed by trained volunteers who deliver hands-on workshops, classroom presentations, and competitions, complemented by bilingual digital resources, professional learning for educators, and flagship programs including Tomatosphere, Let's Talk Careers, Climate Action Lab, and Energy 4 Travel. All programs and resources are provided at no cost to end users.

Product overview

Let's Talk Science is a Canadian STEM education organization offering a comprehensive suite of free programs and resources for early years through grade 12. The portfolio centers on flagship programs including Tomatosphere (a seed-based space science program now expanded into the Tomatosphere Adventure Minecraft Education world), Let's Talk Careers (career exploration competition), and the Living Space indoor environment project. Additional offerings include Climate Action Lab and Energy 4 Travel for sustainability education, the Let's Talk Science Challenge for competitive STEM events, and outreach programs delivered by volunteer-led university sites. The organization provides extensive educator resources including Professional Learning, lesson plans, hands-on activities, eBooks, podcasts, career profiles (700+), and topic-specific content covering space, climate, digital literacy, food and agriculture, and outdoor STEM. Programming is delivered through bilingual (English/French) web platforms, volunteer workshops, school visits, digital competitions, and summer programs like the Daily Discovery Series.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Tomatosphere A flagship science education program where students grow tomato seeds that have been exposed to space-like conditions, learning about plant biology, scientific inquiry, and space exploration through hands-on experimentation. Targeted at K-12 students.
• Tomatosphere Adventure A Minecraft Education world that gamifies the Tomatosphere experience, allowing students to explore plant biology experiments, photosynthesis, and space colonization in an interactive virtual environment. Developed with the Canadian Space Agency and Logics Academy.
• Let's Talk Careers Competition A career exploration competition platform that engages students with career profiles, videos, and a national competition to discover opportunities in skilled trades and STEM fields.
• Let's Talk Science Challenge A competitive STEM event where students participate in design challenges, engineering competitions, and hands-on scientific activities to develop problem-solving and critical thinking skills.
• Climate Action Lab A program focused on climate science and sustainability education, equipping youth with skills and awareness related to climate action and environmental impact through hands-on activities.
• Energy 4 Travel A sustainability-focused educational program that teaches youth about energy, transportation, and environmental impact through interactive learning experiences.
• Summer Daily Discovery Series A weekly summer program for ages 9-11 (Grades 4-6) featuring daily activities exploring outdoors and science topics, with new themes each week including Time Travellers, Deep Sea Science, Eco Heroes, and more.
• Living Space A STEM project for grades 6-9 where students analyze indoor carbon, water, and heat data, compare conditions to the International Space Station, and create action plans to improve classroom environments.
• STEM Storytime A program combining storytelling with STEM concepts for young learners, making scientific concepts accessible through narrative and hands-on activities.
• STEM Club Ongoing club activities providing continued STEM learning opportunities for students outside traditional classroom settings.
• Outreach Program Volunteer-led classroom workshops, presentations, and community events bringing free STEM education to schools across Canada through university-based outreach sites.
• Professional Learning Accredited professional development for educators to build confidence and develop teaching practices for inspiring future-ready youth in STEM subjects.
• Let's Talk News Educational news content covering current scientific developments and discoveries, helping students stay informed about real-world STEM applications.
• Career Profiles A database of over 700 career profiles featuring professionals in various STEM fields, showcasing career pathways, job responsibilities, and motivational stories for students.
• eBooks Digital books providing in-depth educational content on various STEM topics for classroom and home use.
• Podcast Collection Audio content exploring STEM topics, scientific discoveries, and career stories for educational purposes.
• Marine and Climate Education Initiative (Nova Scotia) Bilingual curriculum-aligned STEM resources for Nova Scotia educators covering marine topics, climate science, ocean acidification, coastal resilience, and microplastics for grades 7-12.
• Space Education Resources Educational materials focused on space science, astronomy, planetary exploration, and space-related STEM concepts for students and educators.
• Digital Literacy Resources Resources teaching online safety, essential tech skills, and digital citizenship for students of all ages.
• STEM at Home Resources and activities for families to explore STEM concepts together at home, including hands-on experiments and educational content.

Quantifiable outcome

• Nearly 23 million program interactions with youth, educators, and volunteers since 1993
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Nova Scotia Department of Education and Early Childhood DevelopmentcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Let's Talk Science partners with the Nova Scotia Department of Education and Early Childhood Development to develop and deliver marine and climate education resources for K-12 students across Nova Scotia. The collaboration supports curriculum-aligned programming through the province's education system.
• Logics AcademycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Logics Academy collaborates with Let's Talk Science on the Tomatosphere Adventure Minecraft Education world, a gamified learning platform that enables students to explore space and agricultural concepts. This partnership combines educational expertise with technology platform capabilities.
• Canadian Space AgencycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024The Canadian Space Agency collaborates with Let's Talk Science on the Tomatosphere Adventure Minecraft Education world, bringing authentic space science concepts into K-12 classrooms through an interactive Minecraft Education environment. The partnership supports the Tomatosphere program's global reach and scientific credibility.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Actua: Canada's largest STEM outreach charity network, delivering hands-on STEM programs to youth across Canada through university and college partnerships. Directly comparable as a national, volunteer-driven, free STEM education nonprofit competing for the same government grants and school-board relationships.
• Science World British Columbia: Vancouver-based science center and registered charity providing STEM programming, exhibits, and outreach to BC schools and families. Comparable as a registered Canadian charity delivering free or low-cost STEM education resources and competing for similar provincial curriculum integration opportunities.
• Science North: Sudbury, Ontario-based science center providing STEM programming, school visits, and outreach across Northern Ontario. Comparable as a STEM education charity operating bilingual programming with school delivery and free community outreach models.
• Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics: Canadian charitable organization delivering free physics education resources, teacher training, and outreach to K-12 students. Comparable as a registered charity providing free curriculum-linked STEM resources, professional learning for educators, and national outreach programming.

Broad incumbents

• Ontario Science Centre: Province-wide science center operating exhibits, school programs, and digital STEM resources across Ontario. Comparable as a larger established STEM education institution offering overlapping programming (school visits, teacher resources) but with a facility-based rather than volunteer-delivery model.
• Code.org: US-based nonprofit providing free K-12 computer science and STEM curriculum to schools globally. Comparable as a large free-to-user STEM education nonprofit with similar volunteer and educator-network delivery, though focused on computer science and operating in a different geography.

Regional players

• Discovery Centre (Nova Scotia): Halifax-based science center providing STEM programming, school workshops, and outreach to Atlantic Canadian schools. Comparable as a regional charity delivering school-based STEM programming with curriculum integration, particularly relevant given Let's Talk Science's Nova Scotia Department of Education partnership.
• STEM Learning (UK): UK-based charity providing free STEM resources, teacher CPD, and school enrichment programs. Comparable as a national charity delivering curriculum-aligned STEM resources and teacher professional learning, though serving a different geographic market.

Emerging players

• Engineers Without Borders Canada: Canadian nonprofit delivering engineering and systems-thinking education to university students and K-12 youth. Partial overlap with Let's Talk Science on volunteer-driven delivery model and university partnerships, though focused more on engineering and global development topics.

Others

• Tomatosphere (Heinz History Center / First the Seed Foundation): Original Tomatosphere program now operated by Let's Talk Science with university and space-agency partners. Listed here as ecosystem reference rather than competitor — Tomatosphere is the anchor company's own flagship program rather than a peer.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/letstalkscience
• YouTubeyoutube.com/LetsTalkScience
• Facebookfacebook.com/letstalkscience
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/let's-talk-science
• Instagraminstagram.com/letstalkscience_hq

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds3 records

Investors3 records

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M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Lets Talk Science