Paper Airplanes
Paper Airplanes is a US-based nonprofit founded in 2014 that provides free online English and technical skills instruction to refugees and conflict-affected adults across 46+ nationalities through volunteer tutors, individual donations, and grants.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2014
- HeadquartersSarasota, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Paper Airplanes does
Paper Airplanes is a US-registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2014 that delivers free, online English language and technical-skills instruction to refugees and conflict-affected adults across 46+ nationalities. The organization operates three active programs: the English Program (one-on-one tutoring and small-group speaking classes over 18-week semesters, reaching 4,151 cumulative learners by 2025), Women in Tech (Python, web development, business analytics, UX design, and AI training for female students, with 918 women positively impacted since 2017), and Professional Skills Development (CV/resume writing, interview prep, and job application coaching). Three legacy programs (Turkish, Youth Exchange, Student Advising) were discontinued or merged in 2021, reflecting an explicit portfolio rationalization.
The platform architecture is intentionally lightweight: live instruction is delivered over consumer video-conferencing tools (Zoom, Google Meet), supported by a proprietary four-level English curriculum developed in collaboration with Stanford students and a matching system that pairs learners and tutors by language ability, age, gender, and interests. Programs run on a semester-based enrollment calendar (Spring: January–May; Fall: August–December). Back-office tools include Google Workspace, Mailchimp, PayPal, and a Strikingly-hosted public website. The model is community-led on both sides: volunteer tutors and instructors are recruited through partnerships (FIU, MIT ReACT, Jusoor, Na'amal, Gazzo Sky Geeks, AMIDEAST, Duolingo English Test) and social channels (LinkedIn, Facebook), while students apply directly via online intake.
The business model relies entirely on donations and grants; all programs are free to students. Individual donation tiers range from $10 (one-hour lesson) to $10,000, with recurring donors including Mike and Angela Sobaski. The organization operates with ~40 paid staff members against a 6,000+ volunteer base (1,192 active tutors in 2025), and the implied economic value of volunteer labor in 2023 was approximately $613,090. Paper Airplanes has stated 2025 ambitions to reach 1,000 beneficiaries and increase alumni representation in staff to at least 75%, but discloses no revenue, headcount growth rate, or capital efficiency metrics.
Paper Airplanes firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Paper Airplanes
- Legal name
- Paper Airplanes Inc.
- Website
- https://paper-airplanes.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2014
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Paper Airplanes is a US-based nonprofit founded in 2014 that provides free online English and technical skills instruction to refugees and conflict-affected adults across 46+ nationalities through volunteer tutors, individual donations, and grants.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Paper Airplanes industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Nonprofit Refugee Education
- NAICS
- Exam Preparation and Tutoring (611691)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Live Online Language Tutoring & Small-Group Classes (EDAMAFAD)
Keywords
Where Paper Airplanes is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Sarasota
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Paper Airplanes business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Individual Donations: The organization relies on individual donors who make one-time or recurring donations. Notable recurring donors include Mike and Angela Sobaski. Donation tiers range from $10 to $10,000 supporting various programs and initiatives.
- Institutional Funding: Support from organizations and institutions including academic partnerships and programmatic donors.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Others | Free educational programs for all students |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels5 records
Paper Airplanes product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Paper Airplanes provides free virtual education programs to conflict-affected adults through one-on-one and small-group instruction delivered by volunteer tutors via video conferencing on Zoom and Google Meet. Active programs comprise the English Program (four-level structured curriculum), Women in Tech (coding and digital expertise including Python, business analytics, web development, UX design, and AI), and Professional Skills Development (career mentorship, resume/interview preparation). Students apply online and are matched with tutors based on language ability, age, gender, and interests for semester-based cohorts (Spring: January-May; Fall: August-December).
Product overview
Paper Airplanes is a nonprofit organization offering a multi-program educational platform that provides free online language and professional skills instruction to individuals affected by conflict. The core portfolio consists of three active programs: the English Program (delivering personalized one-on-one tutoring and speaking classes), the Women in Tech (WiT) program (teaching coding, business analytics, web development, UX design, and AI), and the Professional Skills Development (PSD) program (providing career mentorship, interview preparation, and job application support). All programs operate fully online through virtual sessions. The organization also maintains a Legacy section documenting discontinued programs including the Turkish Program, Student Advising Program, and Youth Exchange Program.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- English Program Provides free online English language instruction to individuals affected by conflict through one-on-one tutoring sessions and small group speaking classes over 18-week semesters, with a custom four-level curriculum co-developed with Stanford students.
- Women in Tech (WiT) Provides technical skills training to female students in coding and digital expertise, teaching Python, business analytics, web development, UX design, and AI courses through virtual delivery.
- Professional Skills Development (PSD) Equips Paper Airplanes program graduates with professional skills including CV/resume building, cover letter writing, job application preparation, interview practice, and career mentorship to transition into employment or further education.
Companies that use Paper Airplanes
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Paper Airplanes technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration1 record
Feature2 records
Paper Airplanes partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
19 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Florida International University - Global Medallion ProgramcoreAcademic partnership providing educational opportunities and credential recognition for Paper Airplanes students.
- MIT ReACT HubcoreMIT program supporting refugees through accessible education and workforce development initiatives.
- Syrian Youth EmpowermentcoreOrganization empowering Syrian youth through education and skill development programs.
- Jusoor SyriacoreSupport organization for Syrian refugees focused on education and community development.
- Na'amalcoreOrganization connecting displaced talent with remote work opportunities and professional development.
- Work AroundminorWorkforce solutions provider supporting refugees with employment opportunities.
- NaTakallamminorLanguage exchange platform connecting learners with native speakers.
- Save Youth Future SocietyminorYouth-focused nonprofit providing educational support in refugee communities.
- Reclaim ChildhoodminorOrganization providing recreational and educational programs for refugee children and youth.
- HireChanceminorEmployment platform connecting displaced professionals with job opportunities.
- Talent Beyond BoundariescoreOrganization leveraging refugee talent to address global skills shortages through employment pathways.
- Nexford UniversitycoreGlobalnext-generation university offering affordable education to learners worldwide.
- International TEFL AcademyminorTeacher training organization providing certification for English language instructors.
- Monash University (TESOL Program)minorAcademic institution with TESOL program supporting teacher training initiatives.
- Jesuit Refugee ServicecoreInternational Jesuit organization providing refugee services including education and accompaniment.
- Gaza Sky GeekscoreGaza-based tech hub providing coding education and startup support in conflict-affected region.
- University of GeorgiaminorAcademic institution supporting educational initiatives for refugee populations.
- AMIDEAST - JordancoreAmerican educational organization operating in the Middle East providing education and training programs.
- World TESOL AcademyminorTeacher training organization specializing in TESOL certification for English instructors.
Scale indicators14 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Paper Airplanes competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- NaTakallam: NaTakallam connects displaced people (primarily Syrian and Venezuelan refugees) with language learners for paid conversation sessions. Paper Airplanes is an active partner of NaTakallam and operates an overlapping language-tutoring model for conflict-affected populations.
- Jusoor: Jusoor provides educational programming and scholarships for Syrian refugees, including university access and entrepreneurship support. Paper Airplanes lists Jusoor as a core partner; both serve the same Syrian refugee learner base with complementary education-to-employment programming.
- Kiron: Kiron offers free online higher-education programs to refugees and conflict-affected learners via partner universities. It directly competes with Paper Airplanes in the refugee-targeted online learning category, with a comparable volunteer/donor-supported model.
- Na'amal: Na'amal connects displaced talent with remote work opportunities and professional development. Listed as a core Paper Airplanes partner, it serves an overlapping learner segment (refugees in MENA) and operates complementary workforce-readiness programming.
- Gaza Sky Geeks: Gaza-based tech hub providing coding education and startup support in a conflict-affected region. Paper Airplanes lists Gaza Sky Geeks as a core partner; both deliver tech-skills training to conflict-affected populations.
- Talent Beyond Boundaries: Organization that connects refugees with skilled-work visas and global employers. Listed as a core partner, it shares the conflict-affected learner base and is a natural placement pathway for Paper Airplanes PSD graduates.
- Jesuit Refugee Service: International Jesuit organization providing refugee services including education. Listed as a core Paper Airplanes partner, it serves the same learner population with educational accompaniment and pastoral support.
Broad incumbents
- Preply: Global online language tutoring marketplace with paid tutors serving mass-market learners. Operates in the same live-online language tutoring category as Paper Airplanes' English Program but serves paying consumers rather than conflict-affected learners.
- italki: Major online language-learning marketplace connecting students with community and professional tutors. Comparable to Paper Airplanes' English Program in delivery model (live online sessions), though it is paid and consumer-facing.
- Coursera: Large-scale online learning platform offering courses, certificates, and degrees. Overlaps with Paper Airplanes' WiT program (Python, AI, business analytics) and PSD program on curriculum content, though it serves global paying learners.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Paper Airplanes social profiles
Digital presencePaper Airplanes financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Paper Airplanes leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles9 records
Paper Airplanes funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Paper Airplanes 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 Paper Airplanes
What does Paper Airplanes do?
Paper Airplanes provides free virtual education programs to conflict-affected adults through one-on-one and small-group instruction delivered by volunteer tutors via video conferencing on Zoom and Google Meet. Active programs comprise the English Program (four-level structured curriculum), Women in Tech (coding and digital expertise including Python, business analytics, web development, UX design, and AI), and Professional Skills Development (career mentorship, resume/interview preparation). Students apply online and are matched with tutors based on language ability, age, gender, and interests for semester-based cohorts (Spring: January-May; Fall: August-December).
Is Paper Airplanes a public or private company?
Paper Airplanes is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Paper Airplanes founded?
Paper Airplanes was founded in 2014. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Paper Airplanes based?
Paper Airplanes is headquartered in Sarasota, United States, in the North America region.
How does Paper Airplanes make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Individual Donations are the primary driver. The others are institutional Funding.
Who are Paper Airplanes's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are NaTakallam, Jusoor, Kiron, Na'amal, Gaza Sky Geeks, Talent Beyond Boundaries and Jesuit Refugee Service. Broad incumbents are Preply, italki and Coursera.
Does Paper Airplanes have an API?
No public API is recorded for Paper Airplanes.
What industry is Paper Airplanes in?
Paper Airplanes's product category is Nonprofit Refugee Education. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAMAFAD, Live Online Language Tutoring & Small-Group Classes. Its NAICS code is 611691 and its SIC code is 8200.