What Syntiro does

Syntiro is a Maine-based nonprofit organization founded in 1986 (originally as the Maine Support Network) that improves education and employment outcomes through access and opportunity programs targeting rural and underserved communities. Its flagship initiative is GEAR UP Maine RISE, a statewide college access and readiness program administered since 1998 under a federal GEAR UP grant from the U.S. Department of Education, serving students in grades 7-12 through their first year of college. The organization has supported over 29,000 students since program inception, delivering campus visits, financial literacy education, family engagement services, and educator professional development. Syntiro's operations are delivered through direct partnerships with Maine school districts, the Maine Department of Education, and institutions of higher education across the state.

Syntiro's product portfolio centers on the GEAR UP Maine RISE core program and is supplemented by Educator Micro-credentials (delivered through the Digital Promise platform), Financial Micro-credentials (hosted on the University of Maine System's Maine.edu platform), and the Shelley Reed Memorial Scholarship for foster-experienced and homeless Maine high school seniors. The organization has no proprietary technology stack; its technical footprint consists of a Wix-hosted marketing website and integrations with third-party credentialing and higher-education platforms. Underlying technology is administrative rather than product-defining, with no disclosed AI, data, or software platform capabilities.

The business model is grant-funded: primary revenue derives from the federal GEAR UP award, supplemented by minor scholarship and micro-credential activity. Services are provided to eligible students, families, and schools at no cost. The go-to-market is community-led, relying on direct field engagement with Maine school districts and state-level education stakeholders rather than traditional sales motion. The organization employs 11-50 staff led by Executive Director Jess Berry, who assumed the role in 2024, and is governed by a Board of Directors that includes senior officials from the Maine Department of Education and the University of New England.

Name

Syntiro

Legal name

Syntiro

Website

https://syntiro.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1986

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Syntiro is a Maine-based nonprofit founded in 1986 that runs the GEAR UP Maine RISE program, providing college access and readiness services to rural middle and high school students, their families, and educators through federal grant funding and statewide school district partnerships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Educational Support Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (61171)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Youth-to-Adult Bridge & College Readiness (Noncredit) (EDAAAEAK)

akta.pro secondary industry

Dropout Prevention, Alternative Education & Re-Engagement Nonprofits (BPAGADAL)

Keywords

• College readiness programs
• Educational equity services
• GEAR UP grants
• Educator micro-credentials
• Student support services

Headquarters

HQ city

Readfield

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Federal Grants: Primary revenue derived from federal GEAR UP (Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs) grants administered by the U.S. Department of Education. The GEAR UP Maine RISE program provides college access and readiness services to students in grades 7-12.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Syntiro delivers college access and readiness programs to students in grades 7-12 in rural and underserved Maine communities through its core GEAR UP Maine RISE program, complemented by educator micro-credentials in college access coaching, financial literacy micro-credentials for students and families, and the Shelley Reed Memorial Scholarship for foster and homeless youth. Programs are provided at no cost to participants through federal GEAR UP grant funding from the U.S. Department of Education.

Product overview

Syntiro offers a unified portfolio of education access and readiness programs centered on the GEAR UP Maine RISE core program, supplemented by micro-credential offerings for educators (college access coaching) and students/families (financial literacy), plus a memorial scholarship for foster/homeless students. The organization was originally founded as Maine Support Network in 1986 and has expanded from professional development and technical assistance to broader college/career access, system improvement, and community engagement initiatives across Maine.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• GEAR UP Maine RISE A statewide college access and readiness program serving students in grades 7-12 from rural and underserved Maine communities, supporting them through high school and into their first year of college; provides services to students, families, and educators including campus visits, self-service resources, and virtual/in-person events.
• Educator Micro-credentials Professional development micro-credentials that provide recognition for educators to sharpen skills in college access coaching, offered through the Digital Promise microcredentials platform.
• Financial Micro-credentials Financial literacy micro-credentials for students and families that help sharpen skills necessary to plan and pay for college; hosted on the Maine.edu platform.
• Shelley Reed Memorial Scholarship Scholarship honoring Shelley Reed's legacy, supporting Maine high school seniors who have experienced foster care or homelessness during their final year of high school and have been accepted to a Maine institution of higher education.

Quantifiable outcome

• Supported over 29,000 students since 1998
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 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

Integration2 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• U.S. Department of EducationcoreOthers · 1 January 1998Federal grant funder for GEAR UP (Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs) providing college access and readiness services to students across Maine since 1998.
• Maine Department of EducationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSyntiro partners with the Maine Department of Education on educational initiatives. Beth Lambert, Chief Teaching and Learning Officer at the Maine Department of Education, serves on Syntiro's Board of Directors.
• University of Maine at FarmingtonminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMultiple staff connections to UMF. Executive Director Jess Berry earned her undergraduate degree and taught at UMF. Holly Pond graduated from UMF and works there advising teachers. Stacey Rice is a first-generation college graduate from UMF.
• Maine Institutions of Higher EducationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGEAR UP Maine RISE collaborates with colleges and universities across Maine to provide campus visits, immersion experiences, and transition support for students through their first year of college.
• University of MaineminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for financial literacy micro-credentials program, directing students to University of Maine's micro-credentials page.
• Digital PromiseminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for educator micro-credentials in college access coaching. Syntiro offers micro-credentials through Digital Promise's platform.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• uAspire: Nonprofit focused on financial aid advising and college affordability for low-income students. Comparable to Syntiro's financial literacy micro-credentials and college cost navigation support.
• Say Yes to Education: National nonprofit providing scholarships, college access, and student support services to underserved communities. Comparable scholarship-plus-support model to Syntiro's combination of GEAR UP services and the Shelley Reed Memorial Scholarship.
• Bottom Line: National nonprofit providing college access and success coaching for first-generation and low-income students from high school through college. Directly comparable mission and case-management-style service model to Syntiro's GEAR UP Maine RISE.
• College Forward: Nonprofit supporting low-income and first-generation students through college access, persistence, and completion programs. Comparable target population and wraparound coaching approach.
• I Have A Dream Foundation: Long-running nonprofit providing college access programming, mentoring, and scholarships to underserved youth from middle school onward. Directly comparable cohort-based, longitudinal college readiness model.

Broad incumbents

• National College Access Network (NCAN): National membership and advocacy organization supporting the college access and success field. Comparable mission but operates as an umbrella/network rather than a direct service provider like Syntiro.
• American Student Assistance (ASA): Established nonprofit offering college and career planning resources to students nationwide. Comparable audience of college-bound students but operates at significantly larger national scale than Syntiro.
• College Board (BigFuture): Large-scale college planning platform associated with the SAT/College Board. Comparable college access mission but backed by substantially greater resources, brand recognition, and national reach than Syntiro.

Emerging players

• Jobs for the Future (JFF): National nonprofit driving education and workforce transformation, including pathways for underserved youth. Comparable equity-focused mission and overlap on the workforce/college access intersection relevant to Syntiro's expanded scope.
• TRIO Programs (Federal): Federally funded TRIO programs (including Upward Bound, which several Syntiro staff have worked with) serve similar first-generation and low-income student populations through college access services. Comparable programmatic overlap and target demographic.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 records

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 Syntiro