Kinexus Group

What Kinexus Group does

Kinexus Group is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit economic development organization headquartered in Benton Harbor, Michigan, that operates as the parent entity of a family of six subsidiary organizations delivering integrated workforce, economic, community, and youth development services. The organization traces its lineage to the 1973 Comprehensive Employment and Training Act (CETA), evolved through the Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA) and the 1995 creation of the Michigan Works! system (the first unified state workforce development system in the United States), was rebranded as Kinexus in 2013, and adopted the Kinexus Group name in 2018.

The organization's subsidiaries each address a distinct segment: Michigan Works! Berrien, Cass, Van Buren delivers core adult workforce services, GED preparation, and job placement across three counties; Youth Solutions runs statewide youth career programs (Jobs for Michigan's Graduates and Youth Solutions Select) serving ages 11-24 with cumulative reach exceeding 35,300 youth; Market One handles economic and community development for Cass and Van Buren Counties; Manufacturing Growth Alliance provides membership-based services to Michigan manufacturers; HR Collaborative (acquired March 2024) offers HR consulting to small-to-midsized employers across Michigan and the Midwest; and Bridge Academy of Southwest Michigan is an alternative public-school academy high school (grades 9-12) co-located inside the Benton Harbor Michigan Works! facility.

Revenue is primarily derived from recurring federal and state government contracts and grants routed through the Michigan Works! system, supplemented by professional-services fees for HR consulting and program services. The organization employs 51-100 staff across its multi-county footprint and is led by President & CEO Todd Gustafson (in role since 2005). Distribution is direct through physical service centers, schools, and field-based employer engagement rather than through traditional sales channels or digital platforms. There are no proprietary technology platforms, APIs, or AI/ML systems documented in the available data.

Name

Kinexus Group

Legal name

Kinexus Group

Website

https://kinexus.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Kinexus Group is a Benton Harbor, Michigan-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit operating a family of six subsidiaries that deliver workforce, economic, community, and youth development services across Southwest Michigan and statewide, primarily funded through government contracts and grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Workforce Development Services

NAICS

Professional and Management Development Training (611430), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Employment Agencies (7361)

akta.pro primary industry

Workforce & Job-Seeker Services (Community-Based) (EDAAAFAM)

akta.pro secondary industry

Education Systems & Skills Technical Assistance (BPADAEAI)

Keywords

• Workforce development services
• Economic development programs
• Community development nonprofit
• HR consulting services
• Youth career education

Headquarters

HQ city

Benton Harbor

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, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Government Contracts and Grants: Funding from federal and state workforce development programs, including Michigan Works! system contracts and various government grants for workforce, economic, and community development initiatives.
2. Program Services Fees: Fees for workforce training, education services (Bridge Academy), and HR collaborative services provided to employers and individuals.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Kinexus Group is a nonprofit economic development organization that delivers an integrated portfolio of workforce, economic, and community development services through its family of subsidiary organizations. It connects employers with HR expertise, talent pipelines, and training resources while preparing job seekers, adult learners, and youth (ages 11-24) for employment through job placement, adult education, GED preparation, alternative high school education, and career-focused programs.

Product overview

Kinexus Group is a nonprofit economic development organization operating as a multi-subsidiary holding structure. The parent organization oversees a family of organizations delivering workforce, economic, and community development services across Michigan. The core subsidiaries include: Michigan Works! Berrien, Cass, Van Buren (workforce services and adult education); Youth Solutions (youth career education via Jobs for Michigan's Graduates); Market One (economic and community development for Cass and Van Buren Counties); Manufacturing Growth Alliance (manufacturing sector support); HR Collaborative (HR services for employers); and Bridge Academy of Southwest Michigan (alternative public high school). Services span job training, GED programs, employer partnerships, youth education, economic development, HR consulting, and secondary education.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Michigan Works! Berrien, Cass, Van Buren Workforce development service operating in Berrien, Cass, and Van Buren counties that connects individuals to education, training, and employment services, including adult education, GED preparation, and job placement services for job seekers and employer workforce needs.
• Youth Solutions Statewide nonprofit providing career-focused education for Michigan youth aged 11-24 through Jobs for Michigan's Graduates (JMG) and Youth Solutions (YS) Select programs; has impacted more than 35,300 youth across Michigan since inception.
• Market One Economic and community development organization serving Cass and Van Buren Counties that connects people, investments, and organizations with strategies for workforce, community, and business development to improve regional quality of life.
• Manufacturing Growth Alliance (MGA) Membership-based organization providing services to help Michigan manufacturers build smart, lead strong, and establish pathways for future growth, supporting the competitiveness and prosperity of Michigan manufacturing.
• HR Collaborative HR services firm supporting businesses across Michigan and the Midwest with HR expertise and consulting to address labor and skill shortages, helping organizations build sustainable people practices and unlock positive employee engagement and culture.
• Bridge Academy of Southwest Michigan Public-school academy high school (grades 9-12) offering graduation attainment, wrap-around support services, and meaningful career exploration opportunities for at-risk and non-traditional learners in Southwest Michigan.

Quantifiable outcome

• 35,300+ youth impacted across Michigan
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• HR Collaborative (Acquisition)coreOthers · 1 March 2024Kinexus Group acquired the for-profit HR firm HR Collaborative, based in Grand Rapids, to address labor and skill shortages by expanding access to HR expertise for employers, especially small-to-midsized companies.
• Market OnecoreOthersFormally known as Market Van Buren, Market One is a subsidiary organization within Kinexus Group with principal responsibilities for economic and community development throughout Cass and Van Buren Counties. It connects people, investments, and organizations with strategies and services that improve quality of life and economic conditions in the region.
• Youth SolutionscoreOthersStatewide nonprofit organization committed to providing Michigan's youth the support and experiences that prepare them for their futures. Established as a 501(c)(3) organization in 2017, operating programs focusing on youth ages 11-24 since 2008. Operates Jobs for Michigan's Graduates (JMG) and Youth Solutions (YS) Select programs.
• Manufacturing Growth Alliance (MGA)coreOthersA membership-based organization within the Kinexus Group family that provides services to help manufacturers build smart, lead strong, and establish a pathway for future growth. Services drive solutions to make manufacturing in Michigan competitive and prosperous.
• HR CollaborativecoreOthersAcquired in March 2024, HR Collaborative is a Top 50 Michigan Company to Watch Awardee with a vision to make work better by filling in HR gaps organizations have today and helping them build sustainable people practices for tomorrow. Supports businesses across Michigan and the Midwest with HR expertise.
• Michigan Works! Berrien, Cass, Van BurencoreOthersWorkforce development system operating in Berrien, Cass, and Van Buren counties. Part of the Michigan Works system, which was the first unified workforce development system in the United States. Provides services connecting individuals to education, training, and employment.
• Bridge Academy of Southwest MichigancoreOthersPublic-school academy high school (9-12) managed by Kinexus Group. Offers a no-nonsense approach to graduation attainment, wrap-around support services, and meaningful career exploration opportunities. Located inside Michigan Works! Berrien, Cass, Van Buren facility in Benton Harbor.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves12 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• West Michigan Works!: Michigan Works! agency serving the West Michigan region with workforce development, employer services, and adult education. Direct peer to Kinexus Group's Michigan Works! Berrien, Cass, Van Buren operation under the same statewide Michigan Works! system.
• Michigan Works! Southwest: Workforce development agency serving southwest Michigan counties outside Kinexus's Berrien/Cass/Van Buren footprint. Direct peer operating the same Michigan Works! service delivery model with comparable employer and job-seeker programming.
• Great Lakes Bay Michigan Works!: Michigan Works! agency covering the Great Lakes Bay region. Operates the same workforce development system as Kinexus Group with employer services, job seeker training, and youth programming.
• Capital Area Michigan Works!: Michigan Works! agency serving the Lansing region. Comparable service mix of workforce training, employer engagement, and youth programs operating under the same statewide system as Kinexus Group.
• Detroit at Work (Michigan Works! Detroit/Detroit Employment Solutions Corp.): Workforce development agency serving the City of Detroit. Same Michigan Works! system as Kinexus Group, delivering employer matching, job seeker training, and youth workforce programs at a larger urban scale.
• EmployIndy: Workforce development intermediary in Indianapolis that convenes employer, training provider, and community partners to address regional skill gaps. Highly comparable operating model to Kinexus's integrated workforce and economic development approach.
• Macomb-St. Clair Michigan Works! Agency: Michigan Works! agency serving Macomb and St. Clair counties. Operates the same statewide workforce development system as Kinexus Group with employer engagement, job seeker services, and youth programming.

Broad incumbents

• Goodwill Industries International: National nonprofit federation providing workforce development, job training, and employment services to individuals facing barriers to employment. Broad incumbent in the same mission space as Kinexus Group, but operating at national scale with a different revenue and footprint model.

Emerging players

• Year Up: National nonprofit providing workforce training and career placement for young adults from underserved communities. Comparable to Kinexus's Youth Solutions/JMG programming, but focused on a narrower technology and business career-track curriculum.
• Per Scholas: National nonprofit providing tuition-free IT and tech workforce training to individuals from underrepresented backgrounds. Comparable to Kinexus's adult education and Bridge Academy-to-career pathways, but specialized in technology occupations.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/kinexusgroup
• Facebookfacebook.com/KinexusGroup
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kinexus-economy-workforce-community

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Subsidiaries6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A1 record

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Kinexus Group