NASDAQ Entrepreneurial Center

What NASDAQ Entrepreneurial Center does

The Nasdaq Entrepreneurial Center is a US-based nonprofit organization headquartered in San Francisco that delivers entrepreneurship education, mentorship, talent matching, and policy research to a global base of founders. Its core offering is the Milestone Framework, a structured methodology operationalized through flagship programs including Milestone Makers, Milestone Circles, Mentor Makers, Startup Intern Match, and expert-designed workbooks, toolkits, and virtual classes covering business strategy, fundraising, and market analysis. The Center has reportedly empowered over 125,000 entrepreneurs worldwide, with supported founders collectively raising hundreds of millions in external capital.

The Center is funded through corporate and foundation partnerships rather than user fees; all programs and resources are provided free of charge. Core financial partners include Wells Fargo Foundation, JPMorganChase, and Walmart.org, supported by professional services firms (KPMG, Wilson Sonsini, BPM), technology providers (Google Cloud, HubSpot), and academic and ecosystem partners (Lehigh University, Asia Innovation Hub, Nareit). Beyond program delivery, the Center operates research and policy initiatives, including the Advancing Regional Innovation Economies (ARIE) program, the Venture Equity Project, and Lived Experiences Research, which leverage what the organization describes as the largest real-time intelligence on entrepreneurship worldwide to produce metro-level data and founder-informed policy recommendations.

Name

NASDAQ Entrepreneurial Center

Legal name

Nasdaq Entrepreneurial Center

Website

https://thecenter.nasdaq.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Nasdaq Entrepreneurial Center is a US nonprofit that provides free entrepreneurship education, mentorship, talent matching, and policy research to a global base of founders through its Milestone Framework programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Entrepreneurship Education and Nonprofit Founder Support

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), Professional and Management Development Training (61143), Educational Support Services (61171)

akta.pro primary industry

Entrepreneurship, Innovation & Venture Creation Centers (EDAHAHAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Entrepreneurship Foundations & Startup Basics (EDAMAHAA), Small Business & Entrepreneurship Community Education (EDAAAFAK), Youth Business Incubators & Accelerators (EDAMAHAC), Leadership, Management & Teamwork for Business (EDAMAHAI), Corporate Accelerators & Startup Programs (FSANAHAD)

Keywords

• Entrepreneurship education
• Startup mentorship programs
• Nonprofit founder support
• Venture equity research
• Entrepreneurship resource platform

Headquarters

HQ city

San Francisco

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, Others

Revenue model

1. Foundation and Corporate Partnerships: The center receives funding and support from corporate partners including Wells Fargo Foundation, JPMorganChase, Walmart.org, KPMG, Google Cloud, and HubSpot. These partnerships provide financial support and resources to sustain the nonprofit's operations and program delivery.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The Nasdaq Entrepreneurial Center is a nonprofit that provides free entrepreneurship education, mentorship, and research to global founders through structured programs including Milestone Makers, Milestone Circles, Mentor Makers, Startup Intern Match, Workbooks and Toolkits, and virtual Classes. It also conducts policy and research initiatives such as Advancing Regional Innovation Economies (ARIE), the Venture Equity Project, and Lived Experiences Research to inform equitable access to entrepreneurship. Services are delivered digitally and supported by corporate partners and foundation funding.

Product overview

The Nasdaq Entrepreneurial Center operates as a nonprofit organization offering a unified portfolio of education, mentorship, and research programs for entrepreneurs. The core Milestone Framework methodology underpins flagship programs including Milestone Makers, Milestone Circles, Mentor Makers, Startup Intern Match, Workbooks and Toolkits, and Classes. Additional offerings include research initiatives such as the Venture Equity Project, Lived Experiences Research, and the Advancing Regional Innovation Economies (ARIE) initiative. The Center has empowered over 125,000 global entrepreneurs with free resources, expert guidance, and access to global networks, helping impact-driven founders collectively raise hundreds of millions in external capital.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Milestone Framework: A unique program designed to help founders set strategic goals and achieve measurable outcomes through a structured approach providing a roadmap for growth.
• Advancing Regional Innovation Economies (ARIE)
• Venture Equity Project
• Lived Experiences Research

Products and services

• Milestone Makers A flagship program under the Milestone Framework designed to fuel growth and enhance strategic options for founders by providing personalized guidance on defining business objectives and achieving measurable outcomes.
• Milestone Circles A program within the Milestone Framework offering structured group support for entrepreneurs to navigate their growth journey effectively.
• Startup Intern Match A program connecting startups with intern talent to address founder hiring needs and support early-stage growth.
• Mentor Makers A mentorship program connecting founders with experienced industry experts for guidance and support throughout their entrepreneurial journey.
• Workbooks and Toolkits Expert-designed educational resources covering essential topics such as business strategy, fundraising, and market analysis, provided free to entrepreneurs.
• Classes Virtual classes designed by experts offering the knowledge and skills necessary for navigating the complexities of entrepreneurship, delivered free to participants.
• Venture Equity Project A policy and research initiative providing insights on venture equity and the startup funding landscape.
• Lived Experiences Research A research initiative that honors the lived experiences of founders and entrepreneurs to drive insights into equitable entrepreneurship.
• Advancing Regional Innovation Economies (ARIE) An initiative that maps the structural conditions shaping equitable access to entrepreneurship through metro-level data, actionable insights, and founder-informed policy recommendations.

Quantifiable outcome

• 125,000+ entrepreneurs empowered with free resources, expert guidance, top-tier talent, and mentorship
• +1 more outcomes

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

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 and minor.

• NasdaqcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNasdaq is the founding partner of the Entrepreneurial Center. The center is directly affiliated with Nasdaq and benefits from its brand association, infrastructure, and potentially executive leadership support. The partnership forms the foundation of the center's identity and operations.
• Lehigh UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLehigh University partners with the center on entrepreneurship education and research initiatives, potentially providing academic resources and student engagement opportunities.
• KPMGminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerKPMG provides expertise and potentially pro-bono professional services to support the center's programs, leveraging their accounting and advisory capabilities.
• Asia Innovation HubminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership focused on innovation and entrepreneurship in Asian markets, potentially helping the center expand its reach and programs to the Asia-Pacific region.
• Wilson SonsiniminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, a prominent technology and life sciences law firm, provides legal expertise and guidance to support the center's entrepreneurs.
• BPMminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBPM (Berry, Petrin & Melka LLP or similar accounting firm) provides professional services support to the center's operations.
• NareitminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNareit (National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts) partners with the center, potentially contributing expertise in real estate and investment sectors.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Founder Institute: Global pre-seed accelerator and entrepreneur training program that combines structured curriculum with mentorship. Closely comparable to the Milestone Framework in delivering stage-based founder education.
• Techstars: Global accelerator network offering mentorship-driven programs to founders. Comparable as a competitor for founder attention and partnership dollars from the same corporate sponsor pool (e.g., JPMorganChase has run Techstars programs).
• MassChallenge: Nonprofit global accelerator supporting early-stage founders with mentorship, programming, and partner network access. Directly comparable as a fee-free, equity-free founder support organization.
• Y Combinator: The leading global startup accelerator, providing mentorship, networks, and education to early-stage founders. Directly comparable to the Center's founder-support mission, though YC takes equity and offers direct investor introductions where the Center is free.
• 500 Global: Global venture firm and accelerator running founder education programs (e.g., 500 Startups). Comparable in providing structured curriculum and global mentor networks to early-stage entrepreneurs.

Broad incumbents

• SCORE: U.S.-focused nonprofit network providing free mentorship and education to small business owners. Comparable as a free, partner-funded founder support organization, though focused more on Main Street small business than venture-scale startups.
• SBA Small Business Development Centers (SBDC): U.S. federally funded nonprofit network providing free business advising, education, and mentorship to entrepreneurs. Comparable as a free, public-mission founder support network — a more institutional counterpart.
• Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation: Major nonprofit foundation focused on entrepreneurship education and research, including FastTrac programs. Comparable as a larger, well-funded nonprofit in the same mission space with deeper research capacity.

Emerging players

• Village Capital: Impact-focused startup support organization that runs entrepreneur development programs and venture funds. Comparable as a mission-driven, equity-free peer serving impact-driven founders.

Others

• World Business Angels Investment Forum (WBAF): Global nonprofit organization affiliated with the G20 that supports early-stage investment ecosystems and founder development. Comparable as an adjacent, ecosystem-building nonprofit operating in the same founder/policy space.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/TheCenter
• Facebookfacebook.com/thecentersanfran
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/6634548

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 NASDAQ Entrepreneurial Center