Trailhead
Trailhead is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit startup incubator in Boise, Idaho, founded in 2015, providing co-working workspace, mentorship, structured programs (Idaho Startup Lab, Tree City Trailblazers), pitch competitions, and Boise Entrepreneur Week to early-stage and growth-stage founders across the Treasure Valley.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2015
- HeadquartersBoise, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Trailhead does
Trailhead (legally Actuate Boise, Inc.) is a Boise, Idaho-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit startup incubator founded in 2015. The organization operates a single co-working space at 500 S. 8th Street in downtown Boise, offering Hot Desk ($115–$150/month), Dedicated Desk ($280–$300/month), and Private Office memberships, supplemented by a $25 Day Pass and a $20/month Extended Access add-on. Beyond workspace, Trailhead delivers a portfolio of structured programs covering the full founder lifecycle: Idaho Startup Lab for early-stage entrepreneurs, Tree City Trailblazers (a nine-month growth-stage cohort co-sponsored with Perkins Coie), Trail Guides free mentorship (3,356 hours facilitated), Boise Pitch Night (quarterly), and the flagship annual Boise Entrepreneur Week which incorporates the Trailmix food/beverage pitch competition and the Startup World Cup regional qualifier hosted with Pegasus Tech Ventures.
The organization has no proprietary technology platform; its "product" is a curated community and program infrastructure rather than a software offering. Its business model combines recurring membership subscription revenue, monthly donor giving through the Trailmaker program ($10/$20/$25/custom), program fees (often subsidized), and corporate sponsorship from KeyBank, Perkins Coie, Verizon, Zions Bank, and others. The organization is run by a lean team of 1–10 employees led by Executive Director Jacob Grinwis (appointed February 6, 2025, succeeding Tiam Rastegar). Trailhead claims cumulative member/alumni outcomes of $1.4B economic impact, $605M member-generated revenue, and $240M raised by member companies since inception — outcomes attributable to portfolio startups rather than Trailhead's own top line.
Trailhead firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Trailhead
- Legal name
- Actuate Boise, Inc.
- Website
- https://trailheadboise.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2015
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Trailhead is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit startup incubator in Boise, Idaho, founded in 2015, providing co-working workspace, mentorship, structured programs (Idaho Startup Lab, Tree City Trailblazers), pitch competitions, and Boise Entrepreneur Week to early-stage and growth-stage founders across the Treasure Valley.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where Trailhead is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Boise
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Trailhead business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Co-Working Membership Fees: Trailhead operates a shared co-working space offering Hot Desk, Dedicated Desk, and Private Office memberships on monthly, 3-month, and 6-month terms. Revenue is generated through recurring membership fees billed monthly in advance. This is the primary revenue stream supporting the nonprofit's operations.
- Trailmaker Monthly Giving Program: The Trailmaker program is a monthly recurring donation initiative where supporters contribute $10, $20, $25, or custom amounts monthly. These contributions are described as providing steady, predictable budget support that enables Trailhead to commit to cohorts and coaches. Trailhead is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, making contributions tax-deductible.
- Program Fees: Trailhead operates fee-based programs including Idaho Startup Lab, Tree City Trailblazers, and Boise Entrepreneur Week. While some programs are subsidized, Boise Entrepreneur Week and the Trailmix pitch competition award cash prizes funded by sponsors and partners, suggesting a blended model of participant value and external prize funding.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | Flexible hot desk with shared workspace access, internet, meeting rooms, and program access — no long-term commitment required. |
| Subscription | Monthly | Permanent personal workstation with extended access and all amenities included — ideal for consistent daily use. |
| Subscription | Monthly | Fully enclosed private workspace for 2-6 people with extended access and all-inclusive costs (utilities, internet, furniture, community). |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Single-day access to hot desk workspace — no meeting room access included. |
| Subscription | Monthly | Evening and weekend access add-on for hot desk members who need flexibility beyond standard 8 AM-5 PM hours. |
| Other | Monthly | Monthly giving program for supporters who want to fuel Boise's founders — contributes to coaching, workshops, and programs. |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels8 records
Marketing channels7 records
Trailhead product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Trailhead (legal name Actuate Boise, Inc.) operates a co-working facility in downtown Boise combined with structured entrepreneurship education programs, one-on-one mentorship matching, and recurring pitch competitions. The nonprofit serves founders across every stage from high-school ideation through growth-stage scaling, while also running an annual multi-day entrepreneurship festival and a monthly community giving program.
Product overview
Trailhead is a nonprofit startup incubator founded in 2015, providing a comprehensive ecosystem for entrepreneurs in Boise, Idaho. The organization offers a unified service platform combining co-working space with flexible membership options (hot desks, dedicated desks, private offices), alongside structured programs including Idaho Startup Lab for early-stage ventures, Tree City Trailblazers nine-month cohort, and the Trail Guides free mentorship program. Event-based offerings include Boise Entrepreneur Week (the flagship annual gathering), Boise Pitch Night (quarterly), and the Startup World Cup Regional Qualifier-Boise (global competition pathway). Trailmix supports food/beverage startups, while You Lead Idaho serves rural high school students. The Trailmaker monthly giving program enables ongoing supporter contributions. These interconnected services address the full entrepreneurial lifecycle from ideation through expansion.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Co-Working Space Memberships Flexible workspace memberships in downtown Boise with tiered options including Hot Desk ($115-150/month), Dedicated Desk ($280-300/month), Private Office (custom pricing for small teams of 2-5), and Day Pass ($25); Extended Access add-on available for $20/month.
Quantifiable outcome
- $1.4 billion in total economic impact generated by members and alumni
- +7 more outcomes
Companies that use Trailhead
Customer profileNamed customers44 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Trailhead technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Trailhead partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Pegasus Tech VenturescorePegasus Tech Ventures partners with Trailhead and Boise Entrepreneur Week to host the Startup World Cup Regional Qualifier in Boise. The winner advances to the Grand Finale in San Francisco competing for a $1 million investment prize. This partnership provides Boise startups with a pathway to global investor visibility and potential funding through Pegasus's international network of over 91 regional competitions.
- Boise Entrepreneur Week (BEW)coreBoise Entrepreneur Week is produced by Trailhead and represents the organization's flagship annual event. BEW features pitch competitions, networking, and serves as the premier gathering of Idaho's entrepreneurial ecosystem. The event is a key demand-generation engine for Trailhead's membership and programs, connecting founders with investors, mentors, and community members.
- KeyBankcoreKeyBank is a founding partner of the You Lead Idaho (YLI) program alongside Trailhead, Verizon, and Idaho Digital Learning Alliance. YLI is dedicated to exposing rural Idaho high school students to entrepreneurship and technology. KeyBank's Idaho Market President, Scott Schlange, serves on Trailhead's Board of Directors, indicating a deep, multi-faceted partnership that extends beyond event sponsorship.
- VerizoncoreVerizon partners with Trailhead, KeyBank, and the Idaho Digital Learning Alliance on the You Lead Idaho (YLI) program, which targets rural high school students with entrepreneurship education. Verizon's involvement brings technology exposure and connectivity resources to the program's curriculum.
- Idaho Digital Learning AllianceminorThe Idaho Digital Learning Alliance partners with Trailhead on the You Lead Idaho (YLI) program, contributing digital learning infrastructure and expertise to deliver the interactive entrepreneurship curriculum to rural Idaho high school students.
- Perkins Coie LLPcorePerkins Coie LLP is a founding sponsor of the Tree City Trailblazers program and presents Boise Pitch Night alongside Trailhead. Managing Partner Kelsey Barclay serves on Trailhead's Board of Directors. Perkins Coie provides legal expertise and has historically contributed prizes such as $30,000 in legal services for Startup World Cup finalists.
- Zions BankminorZions Bank is featured as a sponsor and champion of small business growth in Boise, supporting Boise Entrepreneur Week and the broader startup ecosystem. Featured in Trailhead's blog as a community partner supporting local entrepreneurs.
- Greater Boise Area Chamber of CommerceminorThe Greater Boise Area Chamber of Commerce is listed among Trailhead's sponsor and partner logos, indicating a collaborative relationship supporting Boise's entrepreneurial and business community.
Scale indicators13 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Trailhead competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- 1871: Chicago-based nonprofit technology and entrepreneurship hub combining co-working space, accelerator programming, corporate partnerships, and mentorship. Closest analog in mission, nonprofit structure, and blended co-working + accelerator model.
- Capital Factory: Austin-based startup hub and accelerator offering co-working, mentorship, investor access, and pitch events in a single regional ecosystem. Comparable mix of curated cohorts, demo days, and corporate sponsor programming.
- Galvanize: Tech-focused co-working and education provider combining workspace, bootcamps, and events for entrepreneurs and developers. Similar pairing of physical workspace with structured programming and community events.
- CIC (Cambridge Innovation Center): Operator of large-scale innovation campuses combining co-working, lab, and event space with venture client programming. Comparable model of running multiple co-working venues under one operator alongside startup programming.
- Impact Hub: Global network of impact-focused co-working and incubation spaces with a mission-driven nonprofit ethos and entrepreneur support programming. Closest peer in combining nonprofit mission, co-working, and incubator activities under one brand.
- MassChallenge: Global nonprofit accelerator running equity-free cohort programs with mentor networks and demo-day pitch events. Highly comparable mission-driven accelerator model with cash and in-kind prizes.
- Venture For America: Nonprofit fellowship and ecosystem builder placing early-stage entrepreneurs in regional U.S. cities with mentorship and training programs. Comparable nonprofit, mission-driven approach to regional entrepreneur development.
Broad incumbents
- Techstars: Global startup accelerator running cohort programs with mentor networks and investor demo days. Overlaps with Trailhead on accelerator programming and pitch-event model, but operates globally rather than as a single-city hub.
- Y Combinator: The flagship Silicon Valley startup accelerator with biannual cohorts, demo days, and investor introductions. Trailhead's pitch competition and founder support programming parallel YC's core accelerator model at a much smaller, regional scale.
- WeWork: Global co-working incumbent offering flexible memberships, private offices, and event space. Trailhead's co-working subscription revenue model overlaps directly, though WeWork operates at vastly larger scale and without the nonprofit incubator layer.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Trailhead social profiles
Digital presenceTrailhead financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Trailhead leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles8 records
Trailhead funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Trailhead 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 Trailhead
What does Trailhead do?
Trailhead (legal name Actuate Boise, Inc.) operates a co-working facility in downtown Boise combined with structured entrepreneurship education programs, one-on-one mentorship matching, and recurring pitch competitions. The nonprofit serves founders across every stage from high-school ideation through growth-stage scaling, while also running an annual multi-day entrepreneurship festival and a monthly community giving program.
Is Trailhead a public or private company?
Trailhead is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Trailhead founded?
Trailhead was founded in 2015. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Trailhead based?
Trailhead is headquartered in Boise, United States, in the North America region.
How does Trailhead make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Co-Working Membership Fees are the primary driver. The others are trailmaker Monthly Giving Program and program Fees.
Who are Trailhead's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are 1871, Capital Factory, Galvanize, CIC (Cambridge Innovation Center), Impact Hub, MassChallenge and Venture For America. Broad incumbents are Techstars, Y Combinator and WeWork.
Does Trailhead have an API?
No public API is recorded for Trailhead.