South Dakota School of Mines and Technology

What South Dakota School of Mines and Technology does

South Dakota School of Mines and Technology (operating as South Dakota Mines) is a public STEM university founded in 1885 and located in Rapid City, South Dakota, at the edge of the Black Hills. It is governed by the South Dakota Board of Regents and serves undergraduate, graduate, and international students across 20+ STEM majors and 30+ minors, supported by an 11:1 student-faculty ratio. The institution markets itself via measurable graduate outcomes — 94% job placement within six months and an average starting salary of $76,805 for 2025 graduates — and runs multiple revenue channels including undergraduate and graduate admissions, the South Dakota Advantage program for neighboring states, summer camps, and continuing education.

Name

South Dakota School of Mines and Technology

Website

https://sdsmt.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1885

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

South Dakota Mines is a public STEM university in Rapid City offering 20+ engineering, science, and technology programs to undergraduate, graduate, and international students, with specialized applied research in carbon capture, battery technology, rare earth extraction, and AI-driven energy optimization.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education (STEM)

NAICS

Surface Coal Mining (212114), Support Activities for Metal Mining (213114), Other Metal Ore Mining (21229)

SIC

Metal Mining (1000), Bituminous Coal & Lignite Surface Mining (1221)

akta.pro primary industry

Exploration & Resource Development (Critical Minerals) (IMAKAFAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Mine Development & Processing EPC (Critical Minerals) (IMAKAFAM), Coalbed Methane & Coal Mine Methane (Degasification, Capture) (IMAKAIAL), Mine Construction & Development Contracting (Shaft Sinking, Tunneling, Pre-Strip, Civil Works) (IMAKAKAG)

Keywords

• STEM higher education
• Engineering degree programs
• Applied research services
• Clean energy research
• Advanced manufacturing R&D

Headquarters

HQ city

Rapid City

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

South Dakota Mines is a public engineering, science, and technology university that delivers undergraduate and graduate STEM degree programs across 20+ majors and 30+ minors, including Chemical, Civil, Electrical, Mechanical, Mining, and Materials Engineering, Physics, Geology, and Atmospheric Sciences. The institution also operates specialized research centers (CEPS, CNAM-Bio) and applied research programs in carbon capture, battery manufacturing, rare earth extraction, and AI-driven clean energy, supported by partnerships with national laboratories and industry.

Product overview

South Dakota Mines is an engineering, science, and technology university offering undergraduate and graduate degree programs in STEM fields. The institution provides 20+ STEM majors and 30+ minors across various departments, along with non-degree programs, summer camps, and professional development opportunities. The university's research portfolio includes specialized centers focused on sustainable energy storage (CEPS), biomaterials (CNAM-Bio), and various sustainability initiatives including Bee Campus USA designation. Research activities span carbon capture technology, rare earth element extraction, battery technology development, and AI-driven optimization projects. The institution also supports innovation through startup commercialization (Carbon EnZero) and maintains campus sustainability programs including renewable energy generation, LEED-certified housing, and comprehensive recycling initiatives.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• STEM Academic Programs Undergraduate and graduate degree programs in engineering, science, and technology, offering 20+ STEM majors and 30+ minors across departments including Chemical and Biological Engineering, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Materials and Metallurgical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Mining Engineering and Management, Physics, Geology, Atmospheric & Environmental Sciences, and Biomedical Engineering. Intended for prospective and current students pursuing STEM degrees.
• Materials, Metallurgy & Forensics Summer Camp Summer camp program for prospective and current students to explore materials, metallurgy, and forensics disciplines through hands-on engineering activities and labs on the SDSMT campus.
• Mining & Explosives Summer Camp Summer camp program introducing students to mining engineering and explosives-related activities and demonstrations on the SDSMT campus.
• Pre-Professional Health Summer Camp Summer camp program for students interested in exploring pre-professional health career pathways, hosted on the SDSMT campus.
• Go to Mines Open House Signature on-campus open house program for prospective students including campus tours, student panels, academic fair, and faculty meet-and-greets. Upcoming events scheduled for June 12, July 25, October 17, and November 14, 2026.
• CEPS Research Center (Center for Green Solid-State Electric Power Generation and Storage) Research center developing eco-friendly, safe, and economically feasible all-solid-state energy storage technology for portable and medical applications, automotive industry, centralized and decentralized electric grids, military applications, and energy security. Solid-state battery evaluation programs with industry partners (e.g., Critical Resources Ltd) are conducted under the CEPS framework.
• CNAM Biomaterials Center (Composite and Nanocomposite Advanced Manufacturing) Research center synthesizing low-cost biodegradable biopolymers from renewable sources using polymer-producing microbes and extremophilic bioprocessing, and developing commercially viable processes to transform these materials into valuable biopolymer and biocomposite products.
• Carbon EnZero Carbon Capture Technology Startup commercializing carbon capture technology developed at South Dakota Mines by Dr. Tanvi Govil, using specialized enzymes derived from extremophile microbes to capture 100% of CO2 from industrial flue gases in minutes and convert it into minerals, with a beta launch planned for 2026. The startup won $20,000 at the South Dakota Governor's Giant Vision Business Plan Competition.

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability3 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Idaho National LaboratorycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2026Two-year U.S. Department of Energy project combining Mines' physics-informed AI expertise with INL's energy research capabilities to develop predictive models optimizing biomass drying methods using recovered waste heat from nuclear power plants. Includes student training and workforce development aligned with national clean-energy priorities.
• Critical Resources LtdcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSolid-state battery evaluation program conducted under CEPS (Center for Green Solid-State Electric Power Generation and Storage) framework. Validation of Dry Supersonic Deposition (DSD) technology for manufacturing lithium iron phosphate cathodes. Company filed two provisional U.S. patent applications covering DSD and solid-state battery projects.
• Carbon EnZerominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStartup commercializing carbon capture technology developed at South Dakota Mines by Dr. Tanvi Govil. Won $20,000 at South Dakota Governor's Giant Vision Business Plan Competition. Beta launch planned for 2026.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Colorado School of Mines: Closest comparable institution: a public STEM university with a parallel name pattern ('School of Mines'), strong mining engineering heritage, and active research in critical minerals, batteries, and clean energy. Highly comparable in mission, size, and student outcomes profile.
• Missouri University of Science and Technology (Missouri S&T): Formerly Missouri School of Mines, this public STEM university shares a near-identical institutional history and focus areas including mining engineering, materials science, and energy research. Highly comparable in governance (state university) and program mix.
• Montana Technological University: Formerly Montana Tech of the University of Montana, this public institution specializes in mining engineering, metallurgical engineering, and geology with a similar size, rural location, and applied STEM focus.
• New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology: State-funded STEM university with strong mining, petroleum, and geological engineering programs, similar mission and regional positioning in the Mountain West. Closely comparable on faculty size and research depth.
• Michigan Technological University: Public research university emphasizing engineering, mining, and applied sciences in a rural setting. Comparable on engineering breadth, industry partnerships, and STEM graduate outcomes.

Broad incumbents

• Idaho National Laboratory: Federal research partner on the biomass AI/drying project, INL is the lead US lab for nuclear energy research. While not a university, it shares a comparable research footprint in clean energy and serves as an active collaboration counterpart.
• Purdue University: Much larger public STEM university with comparable engineering programs (mining, materials, mechanical) and a national reputation for industry-connected graduate outcomes, providing competitive context on a larger scale.
• Georgia Institute of Technology: Leading public STEM university with extensive research output in energy storage, materials, and AI. Comparable in research breadth and industry partnership model, though at substantially larger scale.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/sdsmt
• Facebookfacebook.com/sdsmt
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/south-dakota-school-of-mines-and-technology

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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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 South Dakota School of Mines and Technology