STEM Academy

What STEM Academy does

STEM Academy, operating commercially as STEM 101, is a U.S.-focused non-profit organization incorporated as The STEM Academy, Inc., founded in 2008 by Alan Gomez. The company designs and distributes hands-on STEM education products for students in grades 3-12, combining physical project kits with a Learning Management System that delivers step-by-step video instruction, 1-year course access per kit, and micro-credential certification upon mission completion. Curriculum authorship is attributed to a NASA-credentialed founder with 15+ years of program development experience, and content is positioned as NGSS-aligned with documented learning outcomes. The product portfolio spans 18 individual kits covering science, technology, engineering, mathematics, health, music, and business/trades categories, plus three sequenced school curriculum programs (Compass for middle school; Introduction to Engineering and Principles of Engineering for high school) totaling 139-236 hours per middle school program.

Revenue is generated through three primary streams: (i) recurring monthly subscriptions in two age-tiered plans (Mini Missions for ages 8-10; Missions for ages 11+) priced at $29.99-$34.99/month with 3-, 6-, and 12-month billing options; (ii) one-time individual kit purchases priced $25-$650; and (iii) multi-year school curriculum licenses priced $750-$995 per program. Distribution is conducted primarily through a direct-to-consumer Shopify-based e-commerce storefront at stem101.org, supplemented by dedicated school outreach with curriculum consultation and grant-funding guidance. The company accepts Education Savings Account payments in five U.S. states (Arizona, Arkansas, New Hampshire, New York, South Carolina). A bundled free Measurement Kit lead magnet and free shipping over $50 support consumer acquisition.

The customer base encompasses three primary segments: families and homeschool consumers (subscription and individual kit buyers), K-12 schools and CTE departments (curriculum license buyers with grant-funding pathways), and homeschool co-ops and networks (ESA-eligible curriculum users). Notable named relationships include Harley-Davidson Motor Company as an industry-sponsor partner under the Connections Program, Ashley Furniture as a school grant-funder, and a 10,000+-students-and-families cumulative reach with a 4.9-star average parent rating. Operations are supported by a 11-50 employee headcount, and the organization also operates a non-profit donation channel for additional funding.

Name

STEM Academy

Legal name

The STEM Academy, Inc.

Website

https://stem101.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

STEM Academy (operating as STEM 101) is a U.S.-based non-profit founded in 2008 that sells hands-on STEM project kits, monthly subscriptions, and standards-aligned school curriculum programs for students ages 8-18. Founded by a NASA-credentialed leader, it serves families, homeschoolers, and K-12 institutions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

K-12 STEM Education

NAICS

Educational Services (611), Educational Support Services (611710), All Other Schools and Instruction (61169)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Games, Toys & Children's Vehicles (No Dolls & Bicycles) (3944)

akta.pro primary industry

STEM Teacher Tools, Curriculum & Lesson Planning Platforms (EDAFANAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Math & Science Interactive Learning Platforms (STEM Core) (EDAFANAH), Hands-on Science Exploration & Experiments (Lab Kits, Science Clubs) (EDAMABAA), DIY Kits, STEM Electronics & Maker Bundles Retail (CRACAKAN)

Keywords

• STEM education kits
• K-12 STEM curriculum
• Hands-on learning kits
• Monthly STEM subscription
• Teacher STEM resources

Headquarters

HQ city

Singapore

HQ country

Singapore

HQ region

Asia

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Monthly Subscriptions: Recurring monthly subscription delivering a new hands-on STEM kit each month. Two tiers: Mini Missions (ages 8-10) and Missions (ages 11+). Includes all materials, step-by-step video guidance, and 1-year online course access per kit. Billing options include 3-month, 6-month, and 12-month plans with discount incentives for longer commitments.
2. Individual Kit Sales: One-time purchase of individual project kits ranging from $25 to $650. Each kit includes all components, 1-year course access, and micro-credential on completion. Kits span science, technology, engineering, mathematics, health, music, and business/trades categories for grades 3-12.
3. School Curriculum Programs: Full-year curriculum licenses for schools and CTE departments. Three programs available: Compass (middle school), Introduction to Engineering, and Principles of Engineering. Pricing at $750 and $995 per program with 1- or 3-year access options. Grant-ready and standards-aligned.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

STEM Academy (operating as STEM 101) sells hands-on STEM project kits for grades 3–12, monthly subscription boxes (Mini Missions for ages 8–10 and Missions for ages 11+), and full-year standards-aligned school curriculum programs (Compass middle school, Introduction to Engineering, and Principles of Engineering). Each kit ships with real tools and components and unlocks a 1-year online course with step-by-step video instruction and a micro-credential upon completion, sold through its own website to families/homeschoolers and to schools and CTE programs.

Product overview

STEM Academy offers hands-on STEM project kits for grades 3-12 and full school curriculum programs. The product portfolio includes 18 individual project kits (such as Build Your Own Ukulele, Hydroponic System, Autonomous Vehicle, and Circuitry Game) ranging from $25-$650, plus three curriculum programs (Compass for middle school, Introduction to Engineering and Principles of Engineering for high school). The company also offers two subscription tiers (Mini Missions for ages 8-10 and Missions for ages 11+) priced from $29.99/month, providing monthly hands-on STEM missions with step-by-step video guidance, 1-year course access, and micro-credentials. All kits include all necessary materials, components, and online course access.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• STEM 101: Primary brand name for hands-on STEM project kits and curriculum programs for students ages 8-18 and schools.

Products and services

• Mini Missions Subscription (Ages 8–10) Monthly STEM subscription for ages 8–10 featuring hands-on missions designed for foundational skills and confidence-building; includes step-by-step video guidance, 1-year online course access, micro-credentials, and free shipping on plans from $29.99/month.
• Missions Subscription (Ages 11+) Monthly STEM subscription for ages 11+ with more complex challenges and deeper exploration across STEM fields; includes professional tools, real components, verifiable micro-credentials, and real-world context on plans from $29.99/month.
• Compass Curriculum (Middle School) Middle school STEM curriculum with eleven units spanning flight, electronics, environmental science, and medical tech, delivering 139–236 total hours of learning with three levels per unit rising in rigor; teachers choose units and levels that fit their students.
• Introduction to Engineering (High School) High school foundational engineering course where learners turn their own ideas into solutions through hands-on projects including heart-rate data, product testing, destructive testing, and 3D modeling, connecting math, science, and history to real engineering problems.
• Principles of Engineering (High School) Advanced high school engineering course with team-based problem solving that connects and applies STEM content across subjects to real problems; designed for most students with emphasis on aspiring engineers.
• Build Your Own Ukulele Kit Hands-on STEM project where students assemble a ukulele to explore the science of sound and music, learning about the physics of vibration while building a playable instrument.
• Learn How to Wire Electrical Circuits Kit Hands-on electrical engineering project where students assemble parallel and series circuits and experiment with electrical concepts including current, voltage, and circuit design.
• Build Your Own Speaker Kit Hands-on project where students build a working speaker to learn how electrical energy creates sound, demonstrating the transformation of electrical energy into audible audio.
• Blanks: Financial Literacy & Entrepreneurship (Sneaker Design) Kit Project-based kit where students create their own shoe brand, learning about design, branding, and production to introduce entrepreneurship and financial literacy concepts.
• Build Your Own Hydroponic System Kit Hands-on agricultural technology project where students assemble a hydroponic unit and grow butter lettuce over six weeks, exploring sustainable agriculture and plant science concepts.
• Build Your Own Catapult Kit Engineering and physics project where students build and launch a catapult, exploring motion, force, energy transfer, and mechanical advantage concepts.
• Build, Program, and Code Electronics Kit Technology project where students build a marble maze and learn Arduino programming, introducing electronics, motors, joysticks, and coding fundamentals.
• Build Your Own Circuitry Game Kit Interactive electrical engineering project where students build circuits and wire buzzers, taking a game-based approach to mastering electrical concepts.
• Build & Program an Autonomous Vehicle Kit Robotics project where students build and program an autonomous vehicle, introducing engineering, robotics, and programming skills for future engineers.
• Design and Monitor a Building System Kit Engineering project where students construct a building model and learn to control temperature and humidity, introducing HVAC concepts and climate control engineering.
• Monitor Your Vital Signs Kit Health science project introducing students to blood pressure monitoring and vital signs assessment, exploring real-world healthcare applications.
• Practice Pulse Oximetry Kit Health science project where students learn to use a pulse oximeter to measure blood oxygen levels and heart rate, introducing medical device operation.
• Practice First Aid Kit Health science project teaching essential first aid skills using real medical supplies, helping students learn life-saving techniques and emergency response.
• Build and Test Air Rockets Kit Hands-on scientific experimentation and engineering design project where students construct, launch, and optimize air rockets, exploring principles of aerodynamics and scientific methodology.
• Soap Foundry: Learn About Casting & Manufacturing Kit Manufacturing project where students explore how products get their shape through casting processes, introducing industrial manufacturing and production concepts.
• Measurement Kit Foundational skills kit providing hands-on experience with measurement tools including rulers, tape measures, digital calipers, and multimeters; bonus kit included with first subscription.
• Soap Startup: Practice Financial Literacy & Entrepreneurship Kit Entrepreneurship kit where students experience the startup process, designing, funding, and selling liquid soap products, introducing core pillars of entrepreneurship through business simulation.
• Create Ideas with a Digital Gamepad Kit Invention and creativity project where students transform everyday objects into interactive tools, covering switches, circuits, conductivity, and interactive displays.

Quantifiable outcome

• 4.9-star average parent rating from verified buyers
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Harley-Davidson Motor CompanyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHarley-Davidson served as an industry sponsor for a STEM 101 Connections project, supporting K-12 STEM outreach efforts. The partnership provided sponsorship for student projects and helped connect students to real-world engineering applications.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• KiwiCo: Leading subscription STEM/STEAM kit company serving kids and families with monthly crates and a school/educator program. Closest direct competitor to STEM Academy's Mini Missions/Missions subscription model and age-banded tier structure.
• MEL Science: Subscription-based science and STEM kit provider with hands-on experiments and accompanying digital lessons for children. Comparable product overlap in hands-on kits with video/LMS-style guidance and age-tiered subscriptions.
• littleBits (now part of Sphero): Snap-together electronics kit platform serving both consumer and education markets with STEAM learning products. Comparable in electronics, circuits, and maker-kits offerings aimed at the same family and school buyers.

Emerging players

• Tinkering Monkey: Hands-on STEM project kit and subscription provider targeting kids and families, similar in age range and kit format. Competes in the same DIY maker/electronics kit category as STEM 101's individual kit line.
• Science Buddies: Nonprofit STEM education resource for K–12 students and educators with project guides and teacher materials. Overlaps with STEM Academy's homeschool and family DIY project offerings, particularly in science experimentation.

Broad incumbents

• LEGO Education: Incumbent K–12 STEM/STEAM curriculum and kit provider owned by the LEGO Group, with school-delivered programs, teacher training, and standards alignment. Competes with STEM Academy directly in the school curriculum channel at much larger scale.
• Sphero (littleBits): STEM/robotics education company offering programmable robots and maker kits for K–12 and consumers. Overlaps with STEM Academy's electronics, coding, and autonomous-vehicle kits and school programs.
• Project Lead the Way (PLTW): Major U.S. nonprofit provider of K–12 STEM curriculum, including engineering and computer science pathways sold to schools. Competes head-to-head with STEM Academy's Compass, Intro to Engineering, and Principles of Engineering curriculum offerings.
• STEMscopes (Accelerate Learning): Large-scale K–12 STEM curriculum provider used widely in U.S. school districts with hands-on kits and digital lessons. Comparable to STEM Academy's school curriculum programs on NGSS alignment and hands-on delivery.
• Discovery Education: Broad K–12 digital curriculum and content provider with STEM resources and school-delivered programs. Comparable as a school-channel competitor offering standards-aligned STEM content with supplemental kits/activities.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/stem101

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 STEM Academy