What Innovate+Educate does

Innovate+Educate (I+E) is a U.S. nonprofit workforce development organization founded in 2007 and headquartered in Santa Fe, New Mexico, focused on advancing skills-based hiring and building employment pathways for low-income and high-risk workers, including individuals reentering the workforce after incarceration. Its core service portfolio consists of the Pro Skills Training program—a 6-week curriculum combining assessments, work-based learning, and skills-based resume development that reports a 98% completion rate and 85% placement rate since launching in 2019—alongside Workforce Intermediary consulting services delivered to government agencies, community colleges, and employers, and a Second-Chance Hiring program that provides preferential job placement through partner employers in New Mexico. The organization complements these programs with research publications, including the 2023 book "Status" by founder Jamai Blivin, the "A Nation Upside Down" series, and the "Shift Happens" whitepaper series, positioning I+E as a category-defining voice in skills-based hiring research and policy.

I+E's revenue model is a hybrid of government contracts and grants (e.g., Santa Fe County funding for Pro Skills Training), professional services consulting (notably a multi-year engagement with the Colorado Department of Workforce Solutions now in its seventh year), and event revenue from the annual Close It Summit, now in its 13th year. The summit functions simultaneously as thought-leadership platform, networking venue, and modest revenue generator, with prior surveys indicating that over 60% of attendees find at least three business development opportunities. Since inception, I+E has invested more than $13 million cumulatively into advancing skills-based hiring, funded through what appears to be grants, foundation support, and earned services revenue rather than equity financing.

The organization's customer base is heavily concentrated in the public sector: state and county workforce agencies, community colleges, and a network of second-chance-friendly employers that participate in placement. Operationally, I+E maintains a small staff of 11–50 employees and has narrowed its post-COVID geographic focus to New Mexico, Colorado, and direct employer engagements, after a longer historical footprint that included work in Nigeria and other regions. Its go-to-market combines community-led convening through the Close It Summit, enterprise field sales to workforce boards and educational institutions, and grassroots regional partnerships—all anchored by founder Jamai Blivin's external presence as the primary brand representative.

Name

Innovate+Educate

Legal name

Innovate+Educate

Website

https://innovate-educate.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Innovate+Educate is a Santa Fe-based nonprofit that advances skills-based hiring through the Pro Skills Training program, workforce intermediary consulting to state agencies, and the annual Close It Summit, serving low-income workers, government workforce boards, community colleges, and second-chance employers primarily in New Mexico and Colorado.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Workforce Development Services

NAICS

Technical and Trade Schools (6115), Professional and Management Development Training (611430), Technical and Trade Schools (61151), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Workforce Development, Employment Readiness & Job Placement (BPADAKAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Incumbent Worker Training & Upskilling (EDAAAOAE), Community College / Training Provider Workforce Pathways Programs (EDAAAOAO), Apprenticeships, Internships & Work-Based Learning Programs (BPACANAK)

Keywords

• Workforce development services
• Skills-based hiring research
• Job training programs
• Workforce intermediary consulting
• Employment pathway programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Santa Fe

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Government Contracts and Grants: The organization receives funding from government sources including Santa Fe County supporting the Pro Skills Training program and consulting engagements with state workforce departments like Colorado Department of Workforce Solutions.
2. Workforce Intermediary Consulting: Consulting services provided to workforce boards, community colleges, and employers on workforce strategies. In 7th year of consulting with Colorado Department of Workforce building out sector pathway strategy.
3. Event Revenue (Close It Summit): Registration fees from the annual Close It Summit, which brings together thought leaders from across the globe. The summit generates business development opportunities with over 60% of attendees finding at least 3 business development opportunities.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Innovate+Educate delivers workforce development services focused on skills-based hiring, including a 6-week Pro Skills Training program that combines assessments, training, and work-based learning to place high-risk populations into jobs; workforce intermediary consulting for state workforce boards and community colleges (notably the Colorado Department of Workforce Solutions in its 7th year); second-chance hiring programs connecting formerly incarcerated individuals with employer partners; and the Close It Summit, an annual national convening of workforce thought leaders.

Product overview

Innovate+Educate operates as a workforce development organization offering a suite of interconnected services focused on skills-based hiring. The core portfolio includes Pro Skills Training (a 6-week training program with 98% completion and 85% placement rates), Workforce Intermediary Services (consulting for workforce boards and employers), and Second-Chance Hiring Programs. The Close It Summit serves as the organization's national convening platform for workforce thought leaders. Supporting the programs are published research works including the book Status (2023), the upcoming A Nation Upside Down: Revisited, Shift Happens, Shift Happens 2, and The New World of Work.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Pro Skills Training: 6-week skills-based training program with assessments, training, and work-based learning focused on job placement and skills-based resume development.
• Close It Summit

Products and services

• Pro Skills Training A 6-week skills-based training program combining assessments, training, and work-based learning designed to provide learners with foundational skills for job placement, including a skills-based resume. Targets high-risk populations including individuals formerly incarcerated and reports a 98% completion rate and 85% placement rate since inception in 2019.
• Workforce Intermediary Services Consulting services provided to workforce boards, community colleges, and employers around workforce strategies, including long-term sector pathway strategy development. The team includes workforce consultants with multi-year engagements, including a 7-year consulting relationship with the Colorado Department of Workforce Solutions.
• Second-Chance Hiring Program Program providing second-chance hiring opportunities to individuals previously incarcerated. Upon release, participants receive the Pro Skills program and are placed with second-chance employer partners in New Mexico.
• Close It Summit Annual national convening bringing together workforce thought leaders from across the country to discuss the future of learning and work. Now in its 13th year, the summit features an un-conference style agenda designed for new connections and tackling workforce issues including unemployment and underemployment. Over 60% of attendees report finding at least 3 business development opportunities.

Quantifiable outcome

• 98% completion rate for Pro Skills Training program
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• American Institutes for Research (AIR)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 March 2026Strategic collaboration to co-produce the 2026 Close It Workforce Summit. AIR is a leading behavioral and social science research organization. The summit will bring together state and national leaders to address skills gaps, workforce innovation, and economic mobility.
• New Mexico Department of Workforce SolutionscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 March 2026Strategic collaboration to co-produce the 2026 Close It Workforce Summit. This partnership combines the Close It Summit and New Mexico Workforce Conference into a single event for the first time, focused on implementation strategies and measurable progress.
• Santa Fe CountycoreGTM or Marketing PartnerProvides funding support for the Pro Skills Training program. The training program combines assessments, training, and work-based learning to provide learners with foundational skills for job placement.
• Colorado Department of Workforce SolutionscoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerIn 7th year of consulting engagement to build out sector pathway strategy. I+E serves as workforce intermediary around workforce strategies for the Colorado workforce system.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Generation: Global non-profit delivering employer-aligned workforce training programs with strong placement outcomes; comparable to Pro Skills Training in program structure and job placement orientation.
• Apprenti: Non-profit apprenticeship intermediary connecting underrepresented populations to tech and trade apprenticeships; comparable in work-based learning approach and employer intermediation.
• Year Up: Workforce development non-profit providing training and corporate placement for young adults from low-income backgrounds; directly comparable in target population and employer intermediation model.
• Opportunity@Work: Non-profit focused on skills-based hiring and STARs (Skilled Through Alternative Routes) talent; highly comparable given I+E's category leadership in skills-based hiring research and advocacy.
• Achieving the Dream: Non-profit working with community colleges on student success and workforce-aligned pathways; comparable in community college engagement and sector pathway strategy consulting.
• Jobs for the Future (JFF): National non-profit driving workforce development and skills-based pathways through research, policy, and program implementation; overlaps with I+E's workforce intermediary consulting and sector pathway work.
• Burning Glass Institute: Research-driven organization advancing skills-based labor market transformation; overlaps with I+E's 20-year research practice and skills-based hiring framework development.
• Per Scholas: Non-profit workforce training provider focused on technology skills and job placement for underemployed adults; comparable to I+E's Pro Skills Training mission of equipping low-income workers with skills for sustainable employment.

Broad incumbents

• National Skills Coalition: Broad advocacy organization focused on skills policy and equitable workforce development at the federal and state level; comparable to I+E in policy advocacy and skills-based hiring thought leadership.
• Markle Foundation: Foundation advancing skills-based hiring, credential transparency, and economic mobility through policy and program funding; adjacent to I+E's mission and policy advocacy work.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/IENM

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 Innovate+Educate