Awesome Inc
Awesome Inc is a Lexington, Kentucky-based private company running a 16-week Web Developer Bootcamp, youth and adult coding courses, a startup accelerator, coworking workspace, the 5 Across pitch competition, and the affiliated Awesome Fund, serving career changers, youth learners, entrepreneurs, and regional employers in Kentucky.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2009
- HeadquartersLexington, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Awesome Inc does
Awesome Inc (legal entity: Awesome Ventures, LLC) is a Lexington, Kentucky-based private company founded in 2009 with 11–50 employees that exists to create and grow high-tech startups. It operates an integrated portfolio spanning technology education, startup acceleration, coworking, events, venture capital, and custom software, all anchored in a single regional market. The core product is a 16-week Web Developer Bootcamp delivering 500+ hours of hands-on training in HTML, CSS, JavaScript, React, Django, Python, Git, and Agile methodologies, with a job guarantee (tuition refund if graduates do not secure employment within 6 months). Complementary education offerings include youth coding courses (ages 9–16), an adult Intro to Web Development course, and a Salesforce Career Accelerator. The startup ecosystem stack comprises a mentor-driven Startup Fellowship accelerator, the 5 Across pitch competition, the Kentucky Entrepreneur Hall of Fame, the affiliated Awesome Fund venture vehicle, and a coworking workspace at 348 E Main St, Lexington, plus an event venue at 201 E Main St, 15th Floor.
The business model blends five distinct revenue mechanics: (1) Bootcamp tuition at $15,500, paid either upfront or via Income Share Agreement through Meratas (no payment until graduate earns $45,000+/year); (2) recurring coworking/workspace memberships; (3) one-time fees for youth and adult courses; (4) event-driven revenue from 5 Across and the Hall of Fame; and (5) professional services revenue from the Fellowship accelerator and from Apax Software, the company's custom web/app development arm. Go-to-market is hybrid: sales-led through a four-step competitive bootcamp application process and 50+ employer hiring partnerships; community-led via 50+ alumni events, 5 Across, and the Hall of Fame; event-driven; and product-led for self-serve youth and adult courses. Customer segments include career changers transitioning into software development, youth (ages 9–16) learners, adult beginners, Kentucky-based entrepreneurs, and regional employers seeking junior developer talent. Reported outcomes include 175+ bootcamp alumni, 86% job placement within 180 days, 90% graduation rate (2016–2023), $18,000 average salary lift (2023), 3-month average time to employment, and a 4.8/5 rating across 100+ reviews.
The company is founder-controlled (Brian Raney as Founder & CEO, alongside co-founders Luke Murray and Nathan Fort), privately held with no disclosed funding rounds, parent company, or external institutional investors, and operates exclusively in the Kentucky market. It has no disclosed AI/ML capabilities, no API platform, no patents, and no public regulatory actions.
Awesome Inc firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Awesome Inc
- Legal name
- Awesome Ventures, LLC
- Website
- https://awesomeinc.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2009
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Awesome Inc is a Lexington, Kentucky-based private company running a 16-week Web Developer Bootcamp, youth and adult coding courses, a startup accelerator, coworking workspace, the 5 Across pitch competition, and the affiliated Awesome Fund, serving career changers, youth learners, entrepreneurs, and regional employers in Kentucky.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Awesome Inc industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Technology Education and Startup Ecosystem
- NAICS
- Computer Training (61142), Educational Services (611), Educational Support Services (61171)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Computer Programming, Data Processing, Etc. (7370)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Youth Business Incubators & Accelerators (EDAMAHAC)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Entrepreneurship Foundations & Startup Basics (EDAMAHAA), Corporate Accelerators & Startup Programs (FSANAHAD), Makerspaces & Fab Labs (Open Build Studios) (EDAMADAC)
Keywords
Where Awesome Inc is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Lexington
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Awesome Inc business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Bootcamp Tuition: 16-week intensive full stack developer bootcamp with tuition of $15,500 paid upfront, or Income Share Agreement through Meratas where students pay only after securing employment making $45,000+/year.
- Coworking/Workspace Rentals: Flexible workspace membership options for desk rental and meeting space bookings for entrepreneurs and startups.
- Educational Courses: Revenue from coding courses including youth coding club (Ages 9-16), adult intro to web development, and Week of Code camps.
- Events: Revenue from events including 5 Across pitch competition and other entrepreneurship community events.
- Startup Accelerator Program: Mentor-driven accelerator program for high-tech startups with fellowship model.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Full bootcamp tuition with upfront payment |
| Outcome Based/ Performance | Pay-as-you-go | Income Share Agreement (ISA) financing |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Bootcamp deposit |
| Subscription | Monthly | Workspace membership options |
Go-to-market motion4 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels8 records
Awesome Inc product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Awesome Inc operates a technology education and startup ecosystem business delivering a 16-week full-stack Web Developer Bootcamp, youth and adult coding courses, a Salesforce Career Accelerator, a mentor-driven Startup Fellowship, coworking/workspace, and custom software development through its Apax Software arm. The company exists to create and grow high-tech startups by combining education, community events, workspace, and venture funding (Awesome Fund) in Lexington, Kentucky.
Product overview
Awesome Inc is a technology education and startup ecosystem company offering a multi-product portfolio centered on technology education and startup development. The core offerings include a Web Developer Bootcamp (16-week intensive coding program with job guarantee), Youth Coding Courses (ages 9-16), Intro to Web Development for adults, and a Salesforce Career Accelerator. The startup ecosystem includes a Fellowship Program (mentor-driven accelerator), 5 Across pitch competitions, and the affiliated Awesome Fund venture capital. Physical offerings include Workspace/coworking facilities, and custom software development through Apax Software. The products serve different segments—career changers seeking tech jobs, youth learning to code, and entrepreneurs building startups—connected by the shared mission of creating and growing high-tech startups.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Awesome Fund: Venture fund supporting startups in the ecosystem.
- 5 Across
- Bootcamp
- Apax Software
Products and services
- Web Developer Bootcamp A 16-week intensive training program with over 500 hours of hands-on training covering HTML, CSS, JavaScript, React, Django, Git, and Agile methodologies, designed to launch careers in software development for career changers. Includes a job guarantee with tuition refund if graduates do not secure employment within 6 months, and is offered with $15,500 upfront tuition or Income Share Agreement financing through Meratas.
- Youth Coding Courses Coding courses and a four-day camp for ages 9-16 introducing coding fundamentals where students build websites, mobile apps, and video games taught by professional software developers.
- Intro to Web Development (Adult) Beginner coding course for adults providing core skills and knowledge for professional web development in a part-time, evening format, often used as bootcamp prework or career exploration.
- Salesforce Career Accelerator Career-focused program providing Salesforce training and certification preparation for adults pursuing Salesforce-administration or Salesforce-developer careers.
- Startup Fellowship Program Mentor-driven accelerator program designed to grow high-tech startups through structured mentorship, resources, and connections to the Awesome Inc ecosystem.
- 5 Across A pitch competition for Kentucky entrepreneurs providing opportunities to present startup ideas to investors and community members.
- Workspace / Coworking Shared workspace environment with flexible membership options for desks and meeting spaces at 348 E Main St, Lexington, supporting business operations for startups, entrepreneurs, and professionals.
- Apax Software — Web & App Development Custom software development services including mobile apps, websites, software consulting, and UI/UX design delivered by an expert development team, serving businesses needing bespoke software.
Companies that use Awesome Inc
Customer profileNamed customers12 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Awesome Inc technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Awesome Inc partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- APAX SoftwarecoreCorporate partner providing partial scholarships for bootcamp students. Also a hiring employer of bootcamp graduates and web/app development services provider.
- Windstream (Kinetic Business)minorSponsor of Awesome Inc programs and events.
- KY InnovationminorState-level innovation agency sponsor supporting startup ecosystem development in Kentucky.
- Kentucky Entrepreneur Hall of FamecorePartnership to showcase and recognize Kentucky entrepreneurs who have made significant impact, with annual induction celebration dinner events.
Scale indicators10 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Awesome Inc competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- LaunchCode: Non-profit coding apprenticeship program with similar tuition-free/ISA-style model and employer placement focus, operating in Midwest cities. Directly comparable as a regional, mission-driven tech talent pipeline.
- App Academy: Full stack coding bootcamp using an ISA-only model where students pay nothing until hired. Direct comparator on curriculum stack and ISA payment mechanics.
- Galvanize: Operator of coding bootcamps paired with coworking/event spaces - the closest analog to Awesome Inc's bundled education-plus-workspace-plus-community model.
- gener8tor: Midwest-anchored startup accelerator and investor with mentor-driven cohorts. Closely comparable to the Awesome Inc Fellowship in mission, geography tilt, and accelerator-plus-fund structure.
- Coding Dojo: Multi-stack coding bootcamp with full-time and part-time programs plus career services. Closely comparable to Awesome Inc's 16-week full stack bootcamp in curriculum scope, tuition model, and career-changer target persona.
- Flatiron School: Full stack and software engineering bootcamp offering immersive programs with career coaching and job placement support. Comparable curriculum (web dev fundamentals, JavaScript frameworks) and career-changer focus.
- Turing School of Software & Design: Regional, mission-driven full stack bootcamp with ISA financing and employer-aligned curriculum. Comparable in regional focus, ISA model, and outcomes-driven approach.
Broad incumbents
- General Assembly: Large-scale provider of bootcamps, short courses, and corporate training across many disciplines (data, UX, software engineering). Broader portfolio than Awesome Inc but overlapping full stack bootcamp and career-services product.
- Techstars: Global startup accelerator with mentor-driven programs and affiliated venture capital. Comparable to Awesome Inc's Fellowship accelerator and Awesome Fund ecosystem, but at much larger scale.
Regional players
- Make Nashville / Code Nashville: Regional non-profit coding school in a mid-size Southern tech hub with community-driven GTM. Comparable as a non-coastal, community-rooted coding bootcamp serving career changers.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Awesome Inc social profiles
Digital presenceAwesome Inc financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Awesome Inc leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Awesome Inc funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Awesome Inc M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments6 records
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Awesome Inc
What does Awesome Inc do?
Awesome Inc operates a technology education and startup ecosystem business delivering a 16-week full-stack Web Developer Bootcamp, youth and adult coding courses, a Salesforce Career Accelerator, a mentor-driven Startup Fellowship, coworking/workspace, and custom software development through its Apax Software arm. The company exists to create and grow high-tech startups by combining education, community events, workspace, and venture funding (Awesome Fund) in Lexington, Kentucky.
Is Awesome Inc a public or private company?
Awesome Inc is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Awesome Inc founded?
Awesome Inc was founded in 2009. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Awesome Inc based?
Awesome Inc is headquartered in Lexington, United States, in the North America region.
How does Awesome Inc make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Bootcamp Tuition is the primary driver. The others are coworking/Workspace Rentals, educational Courses, events and startup Accelerator Program.
Who are Awesome Inc's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are LaunchCode, App Academy, Galvanize, gener8tor, Coding Dojo, Flatiron School and Turing School of Software & Design. Broad incumbents are General Assembly and Techstars. Make Nashville / Code Nashville is listed as a regional player.
Does Awesome Inc have an API?
No public API is recorded for Awesome Inc.
What industry is Awesome Inc in?
Awesome Inc's product category is Technology Education and Startup Ecosystem. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAMAHAC, Youth Business Incubators & Accelerators, with a secondary code of EDAMAHAA, Entrepreneurship Foundations & Startup Basics. Its NAICS code is 61142 and its SIC code is 8200.