Lime Connect
Lime Connect is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit operating the largest network of high-achieving students and professionals with visible and non-visible disabilities, connecting them with leading corporate partners across the U.S. and Canada through scholarships, leadership programs, and career networking.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2006
- HeadquartersNew York, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Lime Connect does
Lime Connect, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2006 by Susan Lang and headquartered in New York, with a regional presence in Canada. The organization operates what it describes as the largest network of high-achieving students and professionals with visible and non-visible disabilities in the United States and Canada, serving more than 35,000 Lime Network members. Its primary function is to connect these members to career and educational opportunities through a structured set of corporate and university partnerships across financial services, professional services, technology, healthcare, telecommunications, and other sectors.
The core product is The Lime Network, a private online community platform powered by Hivebrite that supports member onboarding, event registration, scholarship applications, and peer networking. Around this platform, Lime Connect layers a portfolio of structured programs: the Fellowship Program (a flagship 3.5-day leadership symposium in New York for university sophomores), the recently launched Discovery: A First-Year Experience (2024), multiple named scholarships (Pathways, BMO Capital Markets Equity Through Education, Canada Life DevOps & Technology, Johnson & Johnson Access-Ability Lime), the Tom Wilson Leadership in Disability Award, the In the Limelight Video Contest, one-on-one career coaching, in-person and virtual networking receptions, the Voices of Lime webinar series, and the Lime Challenge fundraising initiative.
The business model is a nonprofit funding stack with three principal streams: tax-deductible individual donations, recurring corporate partnership fees (corporate partners pay for access to the talent pipeline and inclusion support services), and foundation grants. Membership for individuals, corporate employees, university staff, and allies is free, which positions the offering as a freemium community platform monetized on the corporate side rather than the member side. The organization is governed by a Global Board of Directors and a Canada Board of Directors and is supported operationally by pro bono legal counsel from Weil, Gotshal & Manges (U.S.) and Stikeman Elliott (Canada).
Lime Connect firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Lime Connect
- Legal name
- Lime Connect, Inc.
- Website
- https://limeconnect.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2006
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Lime Connect is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit operating the largest network of high-achieving students and professionals with visible and non-visible disabilities, connecting them with leading corporate partners across the U.S. and Canada through scholarships, leadership programs, and career networking.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Lime Connect industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Disability Employment Services
- NAICS
- Civic and Social Organizations (81341), Professional Organizations (81392)
- SIC
- Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Social Services (8300)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Student & Alumni Communities (BPAMABAK)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Alumni Career Networking & Mentorship Programs (EDALAOAL)
Keywords
Where Lime Connect is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- New York
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Lime Connect business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Individual Donations: Tax-deductible donations from individuals supporting Lime Connect's mission to provide scholarships, leadership programs, and career resources for people with disabilities.
- Corporate Partnerships: Lime Connect partners with leading corporations who pay for access to talent pipelines and disability inclusion support services for their recruitment, onboarding, development, promotion, and retention programs.
- Foundation Grants: Major gifts and grants from foundations and philanthropic organizations supporting Lime Connect's educational scholarship programs and operational activities.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Free | Free membership for people with disabilities (Lime Network Members) |
| Freemium | Free | Free membership for corporate partners |
| Freemium | Free | Free membership for university partners |
| Freemium | Free | Free membership for friends/allies |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels8 records
Lime Connect product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Lime Connect is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that operates The Lime Network, a private online community platform connecting 35,000+ high-achieving university students and professionals with visible and non-visible disabilities to world-leading corporate partners for internships, full-time careers, scholarships, and leadership development. The organization complements the network with leadership programs (Fellowship, Discovery), merit-based scholarships, one-on-one career coaching, networking receptions, and the Voices of Lime webinar series across the U.S. and Canada.
Product overview
Lime Connect operates The Lime Network as its core platform—a private online community connecting high-achieving university students and professionals with visible and non-visible disabilities to career opportunities, powered by a Hivebrite-based community platform. The organization complements this platform with multiple supporting programs including: the Fellowship Program (flagship leadership program for U.S. university sophomores), Discovery: A First-Year Experience (for incoming first-year students), and various scholarships (Pathways for high school seniors, BMO Capital Markets, Canada Life Technology, Johnson & Johnson Access-Ability). Additional offerings include the In the Limelight Video Contest, Tom Wilson Leadership in Disability Award, Career Coaching services, Networking Receptions across U.S. and Canada, Voices of Lime webinar series, and the annual Lime Challenge fundraising initiative. The organization does not provide job placement services but focuses on connecting members to opportunities and providing professional development resources.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- The Lime Network The Lime Network is a private online community platform connecting high-achieving university students and professionals with disabilities to corporate partners for career opportunities, scholarships, leadership programs, and peer networking. Operated via Hivebrite-powered community platform. Free to join for eligible members.
- Fellowship Program Flagship U.S. leadership and professional development program for highly accomplished rising juniors (current sophomores) with disabilities. Prepares Fellows to navigate the summer internship process and provides introductions to corporate partners through a 3.5-day in-person leadership symposium in New York.
- Discovery: A First-Year Experience First-year experience program designed for students with disabilities transitioning to university settings, providing community of peers with shared experiences, professional development connections, and career tools. Available to incoming first-year students in the U.S. and Canada.
- Pathways Scholarship for High School Seniors Merit-based scholarship for current high school seniors with disabilities pursuing a degree at a four-year university or college in the U.S. or Canada. Multiple students selected annually, funded through annual Lime Connect Challenge proceeds. Has impacted 45 promising students since 2019.
- BMO Capital Markets Equity Through Education Scholarship Scholarship partnership with BMO Capital Markets for undergraduate and graduate students with disabilities interested in Financial Services careers with focus on Capital Markets. Awards of $10,000 USD (U.S.) or $5,000 USD (Canada). Part of the broader Equity Through Education initiative that has raised over C$26 million and supported over 5,000 students.
- Canada Life + Lime Connect DevOps & Technology Internship & Scholarship Award Technology internship and scholarship partnership with Canada Life for undergraduate students with disabilities in Canada pursuing Computer Science or Computer Engineering degrees. Includes summer internship in Winnipeg, Toronto, or London plus $5,000 CAD scholarship.
- Johnson & Johnson Access-Ability Lime Scholarship Scholarship collaboration with Johnson & Johnson for current college students with disabilities pursuing Health Care or STEM degrees at four-year universities in the U.S.
- Career Coaching One-on-one virtual career coaching services for Lime Network members, supporting resume review, disability disclosure, job offer/raise negotiations, performance reviews, and other career-related topics. 600+ coaching calls were provided to Lime Network members in 2022.
- Networking Receptions Exclusive hiring events hosted across the U.S. and Canada designed for individuals with visible and non-visible disabilities. Stigma-free, accessible spaces connecting Lime Network Members with corporate partner representatives for internship, co-op, and full-time career opportunities.
Quantifiable outcome
- 35,000+ Network Members supported
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Lime Connect
Customer profileNamed customers21 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Lime Connect technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Lime Connect partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
23 partnerships are on record, tiered core and support.
- TIAAcoreTIAA joined as a corporate partner in the United States, expanding career and networking opportunities available to Lime Network Members. TIAA's Limitless BRG (Business Resource Group) is dedicated to employees with apparent and non-apparent disabilities, and their Our Corps BRG supports veterans and military community.
- Johnson & JohnsoncoreCorporate partner in US and Canada offering the Johnson & Johnson Access-Ability Lime Scholarship for students with disabilities pursuing Healthcare or STEM degrees.
- PwCcoreCorporate partner in both US and Canada. PwC provides career and networking opportunities for Lime Network members and has shared best practices for establishing communities for employees with disabilities.
- SalesforcecoreCorporate partner in US and Canada with the Workforce Navigators component of partnership providing career exploration with hands-on mentorship and skill-building.
- Goldman SachscoreCorporate partner in US. Network members helped secure $250,000 from Goldman Sachs Analyst Impact Fund. Goldman Sachs managing director Suzanne Gauron serves on Lime Connect board as Special Advisor.
- GooglecoreCorporate partner in US. Special Advisor Vint Cerf is Google's Chief Internet Evangelist. Employees can make payroll donations with company matching.
- BloombergcoreCorporate partner in US providing career and networking opportunities. Bloomberg's Richard Ram shared insights on optimizing user experience for people with disabilities.
- CiticoreCorporate partner in US providing career and networking opportunities for Lime Network members.
- EYcoreCorporate partner in US providing career and networking opportunities. Suria Nordin, a leader at EY, shares career wisdom with the Lime community.
- TDcoreCorporate partner and sponsor in Canada. Hosts Partner Perspectives sessions with TD representatives for Lime Network members in Canada.
- IBM CanadacoreCorporate partner in Canada. Niroshan Subramaniam, a Lime Connect Ambassador, is employed as a software sales leader at IBM Canada.
- CIBCcoreCorporate partner in Canada and supporter of Access to Success report on MBA disability inclusion along with Graduate Management Admission Council.
- BMO Capital MarketscoreCorporate partner providing the BMO Capital Markets Equity Through Education Scholarship ($10,000 USD for US students, $5,000 CAD for Canada students). Raksha Kannan, a NextGen board member, works at BMO.
- Canada LifecoreCorporate partner in Canada providing the Canada Life + Lime Connect DevOps & Technology Internship & Scholarship Award ($5,000 CAD plus summer internship in Winnipeg, Toronto, or London ON).
- OMERScoreCorporate partner in Canada along with Oxford Properties. OMERS is one of Canada's largest defined-benefit pension plans providing career opportunities.
- BellcoreCorporate partner in Canada providing career and networking opportunities for Lime Network members.
- RogerscoreCorporate partner in Canada providing career and networking opportunities for Lime Network members.
- DeloittecoreCorporate partner in Canada providing career and networking opportunities for Lime Network members.
- NFLcoreCorporate partner in US providing career and networking opportunities for Lime Network members.
- Sony Corporation of AmericacoreCorporate partner in US providing career and networking opportunities. Home to Sony Pictures, Sony Electronics, Sony Interactive Entertainment, Sony Music, and Sony/ATV Music Publishing.
- Weil, Gotshal & MangessupportLead pro bono legal counsel providing legal services to support Lime Connect operations.
- Stikeman ElliottsupportPro bono counsel in Canada providing legal services to support Lime Connect Canadian operations.
- University of Pennsylvania (Wharton School)coreUniversity partner since Lime Connect's inception in 2006. Career Services provides workshops on disability disclosure, Fellows & Foundations leadership programs, employer networking receptions, and personalized career advising.
Scale indicators10 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Lime Connect competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Disability:IN: Leading U.S. disability inclusion business association that connects corporations to disability talent and inclusion resources. Directly comparable mission and corporate-partner GTM to Lime Connect, with broader policy advocacy scope.
- National Organization on Disability (NOD): U.S. nonprofit focused on disability employment and corporate inclusion programs. Overlaps with Lime Connect on employer engagement and disability-talent pipeline development.
- AAPD (American Association of People with Disabilities): U.S. cross-disability civil rights and advocacy organization with a strong disability employment and student fellowship program (Summer Internship Program). Comparable member/community model.
- Getting Hired: Disability-focused talent network and job-board connecting job seekers with disabilities to inclusive employers. Closest direct competitor on the talent-matching side of Lime Connect's offering.
- Bender Consulting Services: Disability-focused recruiting and consulting firm placing candidates with disabilities into corporate roles. Comparable career-services and employer-engagement value proposition.
Emerging players
- Inclusively: Tech-enabled platform powering disability inclusion for employers, including a talent marketplace and accommodation tools. Competes for corporate partner spend with a more product-led approach than Lime Connect's community-led model.
- Mentra: AI-driven hiring platform focused on neurodivergent talent, matching candidates with inclusive employers. Emerging alternative for disability-talent pipeline partnerships.
Broad incumbents
- Understood.org: Large nonprofit resource and advocacy platform for people with learning and attention issues. Broader mission scope but overlapping audience and employer-education content.
- Talent Rewire (U.S. Business Leadership Network successor): Network of U.S. business disability-resource groups and corporate partners driving disability inclusion. Directly competes for the same employer partnerships as Lime Connect.
- Coqual (Center for Talent Innovation): Research and advisory organization producing the disability-inclusion research Lime Connect has historically sponsored. Overlapping corporate audience and thought-leadership positioning.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Lime Connect social profiles
Digital presenceLime Connect financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Lime Connect leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
Lime Connect funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Lime Connect 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 Lime Connect
What does Lime Connect do?
Lime Connect is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that operates The Lime Network, a private online community platform connecting 35,000+ high-achieving university students and professionals with visible and non-visible disabilities to world-leading corporate partners for internships, full-time careers, scholarships, and leadership development. The organization complements the network with leadership programs (Fellowship, Discovery), merit-based scholarships, one-on-one career coaching, networking receptions, and the Voices of Lime webinar series across the U.S. and Canada.
Is Lime Connect a public or private company?
Lime Connect is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Lime Connect founded?
Lime Connect was founded in 2006. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Lime Connect based?
Lime Connect is headquartered in New York, United States, in the North America region.
How does Lime Connect make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Individual Donations are the primary driver. The others are corporate Partnerships and foundation Grants.
Who are Lime Connect's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Disability:IN, National Organization on Disability (NOD), AAPD (American Association of People with Disabilities), Getting Hired and Bender Consulting Services. Emerging players are Inclusively and Mentra. Broad incumbents are Understood.org, Talent Rewire (U.S. Business Leadership Network successor) and Coqual (Center for Talent Innovation).
Does Lime Connect have an API?
No public API is recorded for Lime Connect.
What industry is Lime Connect in?
Lime Connect's product category is Disability Employment Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAMABAK, Student & Alumni Communities, with a secondary code of EDALAOAL, Alumni Career Networking & Mentorship Programs. Its NAICS code is 81341 and its SIC code is 8600.