What Code Your Dreams does

Code Your Dreams is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2018 and headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, that delivers free, project-based technology education to K-12 students and adult learners from underrepresented backgrounds. Its core curriculum comprises three main tracks — Data Science (built on Python and Jupyter Notebooks with statistical modeling, regression, and Natural Language Processing), Web Development (Python, Flask, SQL/MongoDB for full-stack applications), and App Development (MIT App Inventor for mobile applications) — supplemented by Intro to Coding (block-based), UX/UI Design (HTML/CSS), Art + Coding, Robotics + Dance, and Activism + Design. Programs follow a four-stage framework (Ideate, Design, Code, Pitch) in which students develop and launch functional technology products addressing community-level issues, such as student-built apps for child safety and police-citizen transparency.

The organization operates a hybrid delivery model combining direct in-person instruction at its 111 N Canal Street headquarters and partner venues (Southside STEM Station, New Life Centers), a university-anchored summer immersion (Summer Coding at UChicago in partnership with UChicago's Department of Computer Science and Hillel), a one-week Cybersecurity Summer Camp, signature events (NASA Space Apps, Hack for Accessibility with Deaf Kids Code, AI Equity & Us, Code Together Day), and a CYD Club channel model that licenses curriculum and operational playbooks to schools and community organizations. Its business model is donation- and grant-funded; all programs are provided free of charge to students, with revenue derived from individual donations, corporate sponsorships (AWS, Relativity, IMC, United Way, AriseHealth), and foundation grants. The organization reports 6,431 alumnae, 1,274+ classes taught, and 63 communities served, and operates with a small team (1-10 employees) plus a volunteer instructor base.

Distribution has expanded internationally through the Women Building Change scholarship and mentorship initiative, which in 2023 launched its inaugural cohort in Burundi in partnership with local organizations, graduating 30 women trained in data science or web development with mentorship from professional data scientists.

Name

Code Your Dreams

Legal name

Code Your Dreams

Website

https://codeyourdreams.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Code Your Dreams is a Chicago-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit, founded in 2018, that delivers free project-based coding and technology education (Data Science, Web Development, App Development) to K-12 students and adults from underrepresented communities, including international programming in Burundi via Women Building Change.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonprofit Technology Education

NAICS

Computer Training (61142), All Other Schools and Instruction (61169), Professional and Management Development Training (611430)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Coding & Programming Learning Platforms (EDAFANAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Text-Based Programming (Python, Java, C/C++) (EDAMACAB), Introductory Coding (Block-Based & Beginner) (EDAMACAA), Coding, Game Design & Computer Science Camps (EDAMALAD), Robotics, Engineering & Makers Camps (EDAMALAE), Robotics & Engineering Summer Camps / Bootcamps (EDAMADAF)

Keywords

• Coding education
• Youth technology programs
• Nonprofit tech education
• App development training
• Data science education

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donations and Grants: As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, Code Your Dreams operates primarily through charitable donations from individuals, corporations, and foundation grants. The organization has various sponsor logos displayed on their website indicating corporate support.
2. Program Fees (Free for Students): All educational programs are provided free of charge to students. Revenue is not generated from student tuition; rather, the organization subsidizes costs through donations and grants to ensure equitable access to technology education.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Code Your Dreams is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers free, project-based technology education programs to K-12 and adult students. Its core offerings are coding curricula spanning App Development (MIT App Inventor), Web Development (Python/Flask/SQL/MongoDB), Data Science (Python/Jupyter Notebooks), Intro to Coding (block-based), and UX/UI Design (HTML/CSS), augmented by specialized programs like Women Building Change, Cybersecurity Summer Camp, Summer Coding at UChicago, Art + Coding, Robotics + Dance, and Activism + Design. Programs follow a four-stage framework (Ideate, Design, Code, Pitch) that culminates in student-built technology products addressing community issues.

Product overview

Code Your Dreams is an educational nonprofit organization offering a comprehensive suite of technology education programs for K-12 and adult students. The core offerings include three main programs—Data Science (Python/Jupyter Notebooks), Web Development (Python/Flask/SQL/MongoDB), and App Development (MIT App Inventor)—alongside supplementary programs such as Intro to Coding (block-based), UX/UI Design (HTML/CSS), Art + Coding (Python/JavaScript), Robotics + Dance, and Activism + Design (Canva). The organization also operates specialized programs including Women Building Change (scholarship/mentorship initiative), Summer Coding at UChicago (6-week Python bootcamp), and Cybersecurity Summer Camp. Programs follow a project-based curriculum that progresses students through ideation, design, coding, and pitch stages, culminating in real-world technology products built for community impact.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Data Science A program in which students conduct real-world data research projects using Python and Jupyter Notebooks, analyzing datasets connected to social impact issues. Students learn statistical modeling, regression analysis, and Natural Language Processing while exploring ethical data practices. Targeted at intermediate-to-advanced teen and adult learners from underrepresented backgrounds.
• Web Development A program where students design and launch full-stack web applications using Python, Flask, and SQL/MongoDB databases. Through collaborative project-based learning, students experience the full product lifecycle from ideation to deployment.
• App Development A program where students design and launch mobile applications using MIT App Inventor, transforming community-driven ideas into real-world technology solutions while developing fluency in product design, user experience, and digital innovation.
• Intro to Coding A beginner program for K-5 students that builds computational thinking and digital citizenship skills through screen-free creative experiences, advancing to block-based coding that develops logic, user-centered design, and algorithmic reasoning.
• Women Building Change A scholarship and mentorship initiative for women from historically underrepresented communities, providing training in data science or web development, personalized mentorship from professional data scientists, and community-based support to build sustainable technology careers.
• Cybersecurity Summer Camp A free week-long intensive camp where high school students explore cybersecurity fundamentals through hands-on labs, technical challenges, interactive sessions with industry experts, and capture-the-flag style competitions.
• Summer Coding at UChicago (SCU:BA) A 6-week immersive summer program hosted with the University of Chicago Department of Computer Science where high school students learn Python programming, design thinking, and creative problem-solving while working on hands-on projects with mentors.
• UX/UI Design A program where students explore user experience and interface design through foundational HTML and CSS, learning to build intuitive, accessible, and engaging community-centered websites.
• Art + Coding A program where students use Python or JavaScript to create digital art and animations, reframing code as a creative medium and technology as a canvas for innovation through hands-on project-based learning.
• Robotics + Dance An interdisciplinary program where students choreograph routines alongside robots they program through block-based coding scaffolded to Python, blending artistic expression with computational fluency.
• Activism + Design A program where students transform community passions into digital impact by designing websites for social causes using Canva, blending storytelling, user-centered design, and foundational web development skills.

Quantifiable outcome

• 6,431+ alumnae graduated from programs
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• UChicago Department of Computer SciencecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with the University of Chicago Department of Computer Science for the Summer Coding at UChicago (SCU:BA) program, hosted on the university campus. University mentors and computer science faculty support student learning and provide exposure to academic pathways in technology.
• UChicago HillelcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-host of the Summer Coding at UChicago (SCU:BA) program, contributing to the 6-week immersive summer experience for high school students.
• Deaf Kids CodecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for the Hack for Accessibility event, designing technology solutions that support disability communities. The partnership includes ASL interpreters and accessible tools to ensure inclusive participation.
• TechNexus (TeamWorking)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost venue for events including AI, Equity, & Us, providing collaborative workspace for hackathons and workshops at 111 N Canal Street, Chicago.
• CS4IL (Computer Science for Illinois)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerCo-sponsor of the Art + Coding workshop event for Southside CPS students, supporting accessibility to technology education.
• Southside STEM StationcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCommunity partner hosting Spring Break Coding & Art and other programs, providing physical location and local community connections for underserved Southside Chicago students.
• New Life Centers - SoutheastcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHost venue for Code Night events at their Southeast Chicago location (1021 East 78th Street), providing community space for K-8 technology education programs.
• AWS (Amazon Web Services)minorOthersCorporate sponsor providing technology infrastructure and cloud services support for Code Your Dreams programs and operations.
• Women Building Change Community Partners (Burundi)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal nonprofit partner in Burundi supporting the inaugural Women Building Change cohort, including capstone project partnerships with organizations supporting people with albinism.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Code.org: Code.org is the largest nonprofit promoting computer science education in K-12 schools, offering free coding curricula, teacher training, and the Hour of Code campaign. It is a broad incumbent serving a similar underrepresented-student mission but at national/international scale, competing with Code Your Dreams for foundation funding and school district partnerships.
• Girls Who Code: Girls Who Code is a national nonprofit closing the gender gap in tech through after-school clubs, summer programs, and college-loops for high school girls. It is a broader incumbent serving a partially overlapping demographic (girls/women in tech) with significantly greater scale and brand recognition.

Direct peers

• Black Girls CODE: Black Girls CODE is a nonprofit providing technology education to girls of color from underrepresented communities, with a similar project-based curriculum, hackathon model, and focus on equitable access. It is a direct peer competing for the same demographic, donor base, and corporate sponsors.
• Kode With Klossy: Kode With Klossy is a nonprofit offering free two-week coding camps for young women ages 13-18, with similar summer-camp-plus-mentorship structure. It directly competes with Code Your Dreams' Summer Coding at UChicago and Women Building Change programs for donor dollars and student participants.
• Technovation: Technovation is a global nonprofit that runs app development and AI curricula for girls and underrepresented youth, with international programming in over 100 countries. It is a direct peer to Code Your Dreams in app-development curriculum (MIT App Inventor overlap) and international expansion strategy.
• Code Nation: Code Nation is a nonprofit providing free coding instruction and work-based learning programs to high school students from underserved communities. It is a direct peer in the project-based coding education space targeting underrepresented K-12 students with career-readiness outcomes.

Emerging players

• Major League Hacking (MLH): MLH is the official student hackathon league, running hackathon events and providing developer education resources to university and high school students. It overlaps with Code Your Dreams' hackathon-driven GTM motion (NASA Space Apps, Hack for Accessibility) and student-coders target audience.
• AI4ALL: AI4ALL is a nonprofit focused on increasing diversity and inclusion in AI education, running summer programs for underrepresented high school students. It is an emerging player with a more AI-specialized curriculum but similar demographic targeting and summer-camp delivery model.
• TEALS (Technology Education and Literacy in Schools): TEALS is a Microsoft-sponsored nonprofit that pairs industry volunteers with high school teachers to build sustainable CS programs. It is an emerging peer in the volunteer-driven K-12 CS education model and competes for the same corporate volunteer and grant dollars.

Regional players

• South Side STEM Station (Southside STEM): South Side STEM Station is a Chicago-based community STEM resource center on the South Side, partnering with Code Your Dreams for venue and program delivery. It is a regional peer/partner offering overlapping K-12 STEM programming in the same geographic catchment.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/wecodedreams
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@codeyourdreams-nfp
• Facebookfacebook.com/CodeYourDreams
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/codeyourdreams
• Instagraminstagram.com/codeyourdreams

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 Code Your Dreams