The Future Project

What The Future Project does

The Future Project is a New York-based nonprofit, founded in 2011, that provides purpose- and mindset-development coaching to young people, primarily U.S. high school students. Its original delivery model, the Dream Director program, placed full-time trained coaches ("Dream Directors") inside partner high schools to run personal coaching, small-group sessions, assemblies, and immersive experiences. All programming is built on a proprietary "Future Ready" methodology developed through internal research and evaluation. Across its first phase (2011–early 2020s), the organization partnered with 60+ schools across eight states and served more than 35,000 students, reporting outcomes including 94%+ growth in thriving-correlated mindsets, a 94.5% graduation rate, and 90% of schools reporting increased attendance.

The organization does not sell to customers on commercial terms; it operates on a philanthropic funding model, with program costs at partner schools subsidized by local and national funders and general operating support. It disclosed that this model became economically unsustainable—full-time personnel and programming costs were untenable for local funders and most schools, leaving it over-reliant on a small number of major national philanthropists. This drove a strategic pivot away from the labor-intensive in-person model.

The company is currently in a self-described "reinvention" phase centered on Future Coach, a hybrid human/AI mobile coaching product first built and tested as an MVP in 2021 with a Youth Leader Advisory Board. Future Coach combines a community of trained human coaches, AI-powered text support, a short-form video content library, and practical tools, aiming to package the Future Ready methodology into a lower-cost, more scalable digital format distributed directly to young people via mobile.

Name

The Future Project

Legal name

The Future Project

Website

https://thefutureproject.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

A New York nonprofit founded in 2011 that coaches U.S. high school students on purpose, motivation, and mindset—originally via in-school full-time "Dream Directors" and now pivoting to Future Coach, a hybrid human/AI mobile coaching app.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Development and Social-Emotional Coaching Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), All Other Schools and Instruction (61169)

SIC

Services-Prepackaged Software (7372)

akta.pro primary industry

Growth Mindset, Motivation & Goal-Setting Programs (EDAMAIAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Youth-to-Adult Transition & Life Skills (Independent Living, Soft Skills) (EDAAAFAN), Executive Function Coaching (Planning, Organization, Time Management) (EDAMAIAB)

Keywords

• Youth coaching services
• Purpose development programs
• School-based coaching
• Youth mentorship programs
• Student wellbeing programs

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Philanthropic Funding: The organization operates as a nonprofit, funded primarily through donations from major national philanthropists. The original full-time Dream Director program model proved unsustainable due to high costs of full-time personnel and programming, leading to a strategic pivot.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The Future Project delivers purpose and life-skill coaching to young people through two primary offerings: the in-person Dream Director program, in which trained coaches are placed in partner high schools to facilitate personal coaching, small-group sessions, assemblies, and immersive experiences; and Future Coach, a mobile-accessible hybrid human/AI digital coaching platform offering on-demand coaching, an inspiring short-form video content library, and practical tools. Both offerings are grounded in the organization's proprietary Future Ready methodology.

Product overview

The Future Project operates two main coaching programs: the in-person Dream Director program (full-time coaches placed in partner high schools since 2011) and the digital Future Coach app (a hybrid human/AI coaching experience launched in 2021). Both offerings are built on the Future Ready methodology, which focuses on developing purpose, leadership, and connection in young people. The Dream Director provides in-person support while Future Coach extends reach through mobile-accessible digital coaching.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Dream Director: A program featuring inspiring, world-class coaches and facilitators who empower students to discover their spark and pursue their purpose through personal coaching, small-group sessions, high-energy assemblies, and immersive experiences.
• Future Coach
• Future Readiness

Products and services

• Dream Director Program An in-person coaching program in which trained Dream Directors (world-class coaches and facilitators) work with students in partner high schools through personal coaching, small-group sessions, high-energy assemblies, and immersive experiences to help young people discover their spark, build purpose-driven projects, and pursue meaningful goals. Programs are delivered both customized virtually and in-person at schools nationwide.
• Future Coach A hybrid human/AI digital coaching experience designed to provide personalized guidance to young people as they navigate life, set goals, and pursue dreams. Accessible from mobile phones, it offers on-demand access to a community of trained Future Coaches combined with AI-powered support, an inspiring short-form video content library, and practical tools and resources.

Quantifiable outcome

• 94%+ of students grew in mindsets and skills correlated with thriving in life
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability3 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Youth Leader Advisory BoardcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAdvisory group of young people who collaborated in the development and testing of the Future Coach Minimum Viable Product, providing input on the hybrid human/AI coaching experience designed for youth.

Scale indicators8 records

Direct peers

• Big Thought: Big Thought is a Dallas-based nonprofit that partners with schools to deliver creative youth development, social-emotional learning, and out-of-school programming. Directly comparable to TFP: same school-partnership GTM, similar mission of building purpose and self-efficacy in young people, and a comparable mix of in-person and digital offerings.
• Character Lab: Character Lab is a research-backed nonprofit (founded with Angela Duckworth) that develops and disseminates practices to help young people develop character—purpose, grit, curiosity. Directly comparable to TFP's Future Ready methodology in its research-based, evidence-driven approach to youth mindset and purpose development.
• iMentor: iMentor pairs low-income high school students with adult mentors for long-term college and career readiness support. Comparable to TFP in targeting high school students, school-based GTM, and a coaching/mentoring model focused on purpose and post-secondary outcomes.
• Challenge Success: Stanford-based nonprofit working with schools, families, and students to improve student well-being, engagement, and purpose. Highly comparable to TFP's mission around student motivation, purpose, and school culture, with a similar school-partnership distribution model.
• Turnaround for Children: Turnaround translates neuroscientific research into school-based tools that build resilience, self-regulation, and engagement in students from high-poverty communities. Comparable to TFP in research-to-practice methodology, school partnerships, and SEL/purpose outcomes.

Broad incumbents

• KIPP Foundation: KIPP is one of the largest US charter school networks, with deep experience serving high-need high school students and a focus on college persistence and student well-being. Broader incumbent in the school-based youth development space—TFP partners with schools similar to KIPP's, and overlaps on student outcomes and SEL focus.
• Ashoka: Ashoka is a global nonprofit supporting social entrepreneurs and youth changemakers, with strong programming around purpose, empathy, and youth leadership. Comparable to TFP as a broader incumbent in the youth-purpose and changemaker-development space with international reach.

Emerging players

• ClassDojo: ClassDojo is an EdTech/SEL platform used by millions of K–8 teachers to build classroom community and social-emotional skills. Comparable to TFP's Future Coach as a digital SEL/character platform reaching young people through schools, though ClassDojo skews younger and is more teacher-mediated.
• Panorama Education: Panorama is a K–12 data and SEL platform helping schools measure and improve student engagement, well-being, and outcomes. Comparable to TFP in targeting school districts with SEL/purpose-related outcomes and operating at the intersection of research, technology, and student development.

Others

• New Profit: New Profit is a venture philanthropy fund that backs and builds innovative social impact organizations in education, youth development, and economic mobility. Comparable to TFP as a funder/ecosystem participant in the youth-purpose nonprofit space and a likely profile of TFP's future capital partners.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/dreamdirectors
• Facebookfacebook.com/tfpinspire
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-future-project

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors1 record

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 The Future Project