What TeenSHARP does

TeenSHARP is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2009 and headquartered in Wilmington, Delaware, that prepares high-achieving Black, Latino, low-income, and first-generation students (grades 8-12) for admission to selective colleges with minimal debt. The organization delivers its portfolio of programs entirely virtually since 2020, including the year-long Striver Program, the week-long Conquering College Admissions Boot Camp, the Delaware Goes to College Academy (DGCA, co-founded with the Delaware Department of Education), the Cyber SPARK summer program, and G2C Academies. Supporting sub-brands include the TeenSHARP Vault (online resource platform), the Black History Challenge (free self-paced online course launched in 2024 and iterated in 2025), and the bi-monthly College Prep Blueprint newsletter for educators.

The business model is a hybrid nonprofit model anchored on foundation and corporate grants (notably from WSFS Bank/WSFS CARES Foundation, with multi-year commitments totaling $570,000 across 2017-2024) and government grants (including a $245,000 CARES Act innovation grant from New Castle County in 2020), supplemented by tiered program fees: $1,000 per student for individual boot camp enrollment, and institutional group rates of $45,000 (45-75 students) or $65,000 (76-150 students). The flagship Striver Program is free for students but requires participation in the Harambee Fundraising Leadership Challenge (minimums of $350-$750 depending on family income). Reach has expanded from a 10-student church basement pilot to approximately 150 currently enrolled scholars and 500+ students in G2C academies, with applicants from 29+ states. Disclosed outcomes include 100% college enrollment, 95% admission to selective institutions, and majority of alumni graduating with under $15,000 in debt. The team is small (1-10 employees) and lean, anchored by co-founders Atnre Alleyne (CEO) and Tatiana Poladko (Chief Program Officer), with a Chief of Staff, Director of Pre-College Success, and program coordinators.

Name

TeenSHARP

Legal name

TeenSHARP

Website

https://teensharp.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

TeenSHARP is a Wilmington, Delaware-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers virtual college access and leadership development programming for high-achieving Black, Latino, low-income, and first-generation students in grades 8-12 across 29+ U.S. states.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

College Access and Leadership Development Programs

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), Child and Youth Services (62411), Exam Preparation and Tutoring (611691)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Youth Mentoring & Positive Youth Development Nonprofits (BPAGADAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Youth-to-Adult Transition & Life Skills (Independent Living, Soft Skills) (EDAAAFAN), Dropout Prevention, Alternative Education & Re-Engagement Nonprofits (BPAGADAL)

Keywords

• College access programs
• College readiness
• Leadership development
• Youth mentorship
• College admissions

Headquarters

HQ city

Wilmington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Foundation and Corporate Grants: Primary revenue from grants from foundations (WSFS Cares Foundation $300,000 over 3 years) and corporate partners. TeenSHARP is a nonprofit organization relying heavily on external funding to support operations.
2. Program Fees - Individual: Conquering College Admissions Boot Camp charges $1,000 per student for individual enrollment, which includes the week-long boot camp, session recordings, resources, and year-round virtual workshops.
3. Program Fees - Institutional Partners: Group rates for education and nonprofit sector partners: $65,000 for 76-150 students, $45,000 for 45-75 students, or $1,000 per student for fewer than 45 students.
4. Government Grants: Funding from government sources including $245,000 CARES Act innovation grant from New Castle County for the New Castle County Goes to College initiative.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels11 records

Core offering

TeenSHARP is a nonprofit college access and leadership development organization that prepares high-achieving Black, Latino, low-income, and first-generation students for admission to and success at top colleges with minimal or no debt. It delivers year-long virtual programs (Striver), week-long intensive boot camps, summer academic programs, parent workshops, and self-paced online courses to expand educational opportunity nationwide.

Product overview

TeenSHARP is a college access and leadership development organization offering a portfolio of interconnected programs. The core offerings include the Striver Program (year-long weekly virtual sessions for high school juniors and seniors), the Conquering College Admissions Boot Camp (week-long intensive), and the Delaware Goes to College Academy (statewide partnership bootcamp). Supporting products include Cyber SPARK (summer program), G2C Academies, the TeenSHARP Vault (online resource platform), Black History Challenge (self-paced online course), College Prep Blueprint Newsletter, Parent Workshops, and the College Readiness Assessment. All programs work together to prepare Black, Latino, low-income, and first-generation students for admission to and success at top colleges with minimal debt.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Striver Program A year-long program for ambitious Black, Latino, and low-income high school students (11th-12th grade) featuring weekly virtual sessions focused on college prep, leadership development, strategic academic planning, and personalized guidance on coursework and admissions. Students complete online courses, leadership assignments, and participate in parent workshops (available in English and Spanish). Free for students, with a Harambee Fundraising Leadership Challenge participation requirement.
• Conquering College Admissions Boot Camp
• Delaware Goes to College Academy (DGCA) A free statewide virtual bootcamp partnership between TeenSHARP and the Delaware Department of Education, serving high school freshmen, sophomores, and juniors. The week-long intensive combines college preparation with leadership development, teaching students to navigate admissions, maximize financial aid, and build pathways to their future. More than 350 students and nearly 200 parents participated in the most recent DGCA Bootcamp.
• Cyber SPARK A six-week summer program running all week with full-day sessions offering college-level courses, math training, and lessons on independent study skills, time management, and community leadership. Supported by WSFS Cares Foundation funding.
• G2C (Going to College) Academies Perennial college admissions bootcamps offered in partnership with state and local education agencies, including working sessions throughout the year for students preparing for or undertaking the college application process. Grown from 100 to more than 500 students with WSFS Bank support.
• TeenSHARP Vault An online resource platform providing short, practical lessons and student stories that help families navigate school, college admissions, leadership, scholarships, and long-term success. Includes video content and exclusive resources accessible via a waitlist.
• Black History Challenge A free, self-paced online course open to students, parents, educators, and communities. The course covers 12 topics including foundations in Black history, healthcare, business, politics, activism, arts & culture, sports, writers, STEM, and Pan-Africanism, designed to deepen knowledge and inspire action for social justice.

Quantifiable outcome

• 100% of TeenSHARP scholars pursue a 4-year college education
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers21 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Delaware Department of Education (DDOE)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 31 March 2025Co-founder of the Delaware Goes to College Academy (DGCA) Bootcamp, a free statewide college prep program. The partnership brings together hundreds of Delaware students annually for intensive virtual college preparation and leadership development. Governor Matt Meyer addresses students during the program.
• Delaware Department of Education (DDOE)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 March 2024Co-founded DGCA to provide high-quality college advising to high-achieving students from low-income households across Delaware. DDOE co-sponsored DGCA along with WSFS Foundation and Laffey-McHugh Foundation.
• CelestronminorOthers · 17 March 2021Gave TeenSHARP student Josh a StarSense Explorer telescope upgrade and Celestron Inspiration Award after learning about his astrophotography achievements and Cornell acceptance. Recognition through company social media channels.
• Education UnitedminorOthersProvided tutoring support for TeenSHARP students, including Ms. Jen who worked with student Asquith Clarke II on math tutoring and advocated for academic support.

Scale indicators17 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• QuestBridge: National nonprofit connecting high-achieving, low-income students to top colleges through its Match and College Prep Scholars programs. Most directly comparable to TeenSHARP in mission, target population, and selective-college outcomes — multiple TeenSHARP alumni have matched through QuestBridge.
• Matriculate: Nonprofit providing virtual college-advising coaching to high-achieving, low-income high school students applying to selective colleges. Closely overlaps with TeenSHARP in virtual delivery model, target demographic, and selective-college placement focus.
• Schuler Scholar Program: College access nonprofit that supports high-achieving, low-income students from high school through college graduation. Comparable in multi-year scholar support model, selective-college focus, and emphasis on graduating with limited debt.
• Posse Foundation: Identifies and sends cohorts of high-achieving underrepresented students to top colleges as full-tuition scholarship recipients. Directly comparable mission of placing underrepresented students at selective institutions with strong financial aid.
• Bottom Line: Nonprofit providing college access and college success advising to first-generation students from low-income backgrounds in major U.S. cities. Comparable target demographic and dual access/success model mirroring TeenSHARP's college-completion focus.
• College Advising Corps: Places recent college graduates as full-time college advisers in underserved high schools to expand access to selective colleges. Directly comparable mission and target high-school population.
• I Have A Dream Foundation: Long-running nonprofit providing sustained college access and success support to cohorts of students from low-income communities from elementary school through college. Comparable long-term scholar support model.
• Prep for Prep: New York-based nonprofit that prepares high-achieving students of color for placement at and success through elite independent schools and top colleges. Comparable mission, demographic, and outcomes profile with a regional concentration.

Broad incumbents

• Jack Kent Cooke Foundation: Major national scholarship and education nonprofit funding high-achieving, low-income students from middle school through college. Larger, better-capitalized organization addressing the same demographic through scholarship dollars rather than direct program delivery.
• KIPP Foundation: National network of public charter schools serving predominantly low-income communities with a strong college-completion orientation. Operates at substantially larger scale than TeenSHARP in the same educational-equity space, but as schools rather than a college-access program.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/teensharp
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@teensharp9907
• Facebookfacebook.com/teensharpinc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/teensharpinc
• Instagraminstagram.com/teensharp
• TikToktiktok.com/@teensharp.org

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors2 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 TeenSHARP