Next Level Collaboration

What Next Level Collaboration does

Next Level Collaboration is a Melbourne-based, neurodivergent-led social enterprise founded in 2020 by CEO Jess Rowlings and Dr. Matthew Harrison. The company delivers a research-informed social capacity building program that uses cooperative video games as therapeutic tools to develop collaborative teamwork, communication, and social skills in neurodivergent children and youth aged 8-15. The program originated from Dr. Harrison's PhD research at the University of Melbourne's Faculty of Education and emerged through the Melbourne Graduate School of Education and the Translating Research at Melbourne (TRaM) program. The organization is co-designed with the neurodivergent community, with over 50% of staff having lived experience of neurodivergence.

The company operates three interconnected product lines. The In-Person Program runs weekly 90-minute sessions over 8-week school term blocks at the Faculty of Education, University of Melbourne. SafePlay is an online multiplayer virtual playground hosted on private whitelisted Minecraft, Roblox, and LEGO Fortnite servers with Zoom-facilitated supervision, including dedicated Girls+ Groups. The Teacher Training Program equips schools to implement the methodology independently through in-person workshops and online modules, and has scaled to over 100 schools across Australia and internationally. Underlying methodology includes a three-stage gaming process combining cooperative video games with explicit teaching and a strength-based assessment framework adapted from Aspy & Grossman (2011). The technology stack relies on third-party gaming platforms, Zoom, and whitelisted server infrastructure rather than proprietary software.

Next Level Collaboration monetizes through NDIS-funded program fees aligned with the NDIS price guide for group therapy supports (accepting self-managed and plan-managed plans but not NDIA-managed), term-based online session subscriptions ($792 per 8-session term, $396 per 4-session holiday block), professional services fees for NDIS Capacity Building Reports ($149 each), and Teacher Training contracts to schools. Headcount is 11-50 and the company employs 11-50 staff based in Melbourne, with operations spanning Australia and New Zealand for direct-to-consumer programs and international reach via Teacher Training.

Name

Next Level Collaboration

Legal name

Next Level Collaboration

Website

https://nextlevelcollaboration.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Next Level Collaboration is a Melbourne-based, neurodivergent-led social enterprise delivering research-informed social capacity building programs using cooperative video games for neurodivergent children aged 8-15 via in-person sessions, online SafePlay programs, and a school Teacher Training Program.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Therapeutic Gaming & Social Skills Programs

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), Other Individual and Family Services (624190)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Autism Social Skills & Peer-Mediated Programs (EDAKAKAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Autism Spectrum (ASD) Academic & Social-Communication Support Tutoring (EDANAFAD), Study Habits & Homework Systems Workshops (EDAMAIAL), Neurodevelopmental & Behavioral Therapy Platforms (ADHD/Autism/Behavioral Coaching) (HLALAEAJ), Group Therapy and Peer-Mediated Communication Programs (School-Age) (EDAKAEAO)

Keywords

• Neurodivergent youth programs
• Social capacity building
• Therapeutic gaming sessions
• Inclusive education training
• Safe online gaming

Headquarters

HQ city

Melbourne

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. In-Person Program Fees: Weekly 90-minute in-person sessions at University of Melbourne over 8-week school term blocks. Program fees are priced in accordance with NDIS price guide for group therapy supports. Accepts self-managed and plan-managed NDIS funding.
2. SafePlay Online Program Fees: Online Minecraft, Roblox, and Lego Fortnite sessions running in 8-week blocks during school terms with additional holiday programs. Minecraft Everyone Group Term 3: $792 per term (8 sessions). Minecraft School Holidays: $396 per block (4 sessions).
3. NDIS Capacity Building Reports: End-of-term reports prepared by qualified allied health professionals for Capacity Building NDIS funding claims. Cost: $149 per report.
4. Teacher Training Program: Training package for schools featuring in-person workshops and online modules. Delivered by experienced facilitators. Pricing details available in downloadable information sheet.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Next Level Collaboration delivers a research-informed, neurodiversity-affirming social capacity building program that uses cooperative video games to help neurodivergent children develop social skills, collaborative teamwork, and a sense of belonging. Offerings include weekly in-person sessions at the University of Melbourne, the online SafePlay virtual playground (Minecraft, Roblox, LEGO Fortnite on private whitelisted servers with supervised Zoom), and a Teacher Training Program that enables schools to implement the methodology independently. Programs are priced in alignment with the NDIS price guide for group therapy supports.

Product overview

Next Level Collaboration operates as a neurodivergent-led social enterprise offering three interconnected programs: (1) the original In-Person Program at the University of Melbourne using cooperative video games for social skill development; (2) SafePlay, an online multiplayer virtual playground extending these services digitally through Minecraft, Roblox, and LEGO Fortnite on private whitelisted servers; and (3) a Teacher Training Program enabling schools to implement the methodology independently. The programs share a common framework of using gaming as a tool to build collaborative skills while being co-designed with the neurodivergent community.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• SafePlay: Facilitated online multiplayer virtual playground for neurodivergent young people to connect through online gaming. Includes Minecraft, Roblox, and Lego Fortnite sessions hosted on private whitelisted servers.

Products and services

• Next Level Collaboration In-Person Program A research-informed, neurodiversity-affirming social capacity building program that uses cooperative video games to help neurodivergent children develop social skills, collaborative teamwork capabilities, and a sense of belonging. Delivered as weekly 90-minute in-person sessions over 8-week school term blocks at the Faculty of Education, University of Melbourne. Priced in accordance with the NDIS price guide for group therapy supports and accepts self-managed and plan-managed NDIS funding.
• SafePlay Online Program A facilitated online multiplayer virtual playground providing safe, supervised, and inclusive gaming sessions for neurodivergent young people aged 8-15. Offers Minecraft, Roblox, and LEGO Fortnite programs on private whitelisted servers, hosted by trained facilitators with lived experience of neurodivergence. Runs in 8-week term blocks and holiday programs, with Everyone Groups and Girls+ Groups variants. Available to families across Australia and New Zealand.
• Teacher Training Program

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 100 schools have implemented the Teacher Training Program across Australia and internationally

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• University of Melbourne (Melbourne Graduate School of Education / TRaM Program)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2021A social enterprise proudly developed in partnership with the University of Melbourne. The organization is a product of the Melbourne Graduate School of Education and the Translating Research at Melbourne (TRaM) program. Co-founder Dr. Matthew Harrison is an Associate Professor at the University of Melbourne Faculty of Education. Jess Rowlings is an Honorary Enterprise Fellow and researcher at the University of Melbourne.
• Yellow LadybugsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerYellow Ladybugs is an organization supporting autistic girls and gender diverse individuals. SafePlay expands on the successful Yellow Craft program previously run in partnership with Yellow Ladybugs, designed especially for neurodivergent gamers who want to play and build social connections.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Connected Camps: US-based online gaming programs and camps for kids, including design and code experiences built around cooperative multiplayer. Highly comparable to Next Level Collaboration's SafePlay model in that both use facilitated online gaming to develop social and collaborative skills in school-age children.
• Autcraft: A moderated Minecraft community designed specifically for autistic children and their families, founded by Stuart Duncan. Directly comparable to NLC's SafePlay Minecraft offering in target audience, platform choice, and emphasis on a safe, supervised online multiplayer environment.
• Mightier: US-based program that uses biofeedback-enabled video games to help children with ADHD, autism, and anxiety build emotional regulation and social skills. Comparable in marrying clinically validated methodology with engaging games for neurodivergent school-age children.

Others

• Yellow Ladybugs: Australian non-profit supporting autistic girls and gender-diverse individuals. An active partner of Next Level Collaboration (the Yellow Craft program was co-developed and evolved into SafePlay Girls+ Groups), making it a close ecosystem participant rather than a direct competitor.
• Raising Children Network: Australian government-funded parenting and child-development information service. Not a competitor but a high-traffic resource that mediates parent discovery of programs like Next Level Collaboration, making it a relevant ecosystem participant for distribution and trust signals.

Emerging players

• PEERS (UCLA Semel Institute): Evidence-based social skills training programs developed at UCLA for adolescents and adults with autism. Comparable in outcome target (peer-mediated social skill development) but delivered via traditional group therapy rather than gaming — positioning it as a parallel, non-gaming methodology in the same therapeutic niche.
• Klikit: Emerging Australian provider using interactive, gamified digital experiences to deliver social-emotional and behavioral programs for children. Regionally adjacent to NLC and comparable in targeting Australian schools and families for SEL/behavioral outcomes through technology.

Broad incumbents

• AbleTo: US-based telehealth behavioral health platform acquired by Optum, serving broader populations including those with neurodevelopmental conditions. Comparable as a large-scale telehealth delivery channel for behavioral therapy, but its offering is far broader than NLC's neurodiversity-focused gaming model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/NextLevelCollaboration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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 Next Level Collaboration