North South Foundation

What North South Foundation does

North South Foundation (NSF) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1989 by Dr. Ratnam Chitturi and headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. It operates a dual-mission model: nurturing academic excellence among K-12 students in the U.S. (primarily Indian-American families) through educational contests and coaching programs, while funding scholarships for underprivileged undergraduate students in India. Its product portfolio centers on annual regional contests and National Finals across Spelling Bee, Vocabulary Bee, Math, Science, Geography, Public Speaking, and Essay Writing (Junior and Senior levels); the Learning Journey supplemental education program offering both coach-led synchronous sessions and asynchronous self-paced classes (including SAT prep, AP courses, Science Olympiad, and AMC Math prep); the Young Changemakers social-entrepreneurship program developed with the Ashoka Foundation; and the India Scholarship Program that has disbursed 30,000+ scholarships since founding. Delivery is mediated through 75+ U.S. chapters, 5,000+ volunteers, and an online portal.

NSF's technology stack includes a custom web portal for contest registration, course enrollment, donations, and volunteer signup; the modern NorthSouth Spelling and Vocabulary Bee cloud and mobile applications (2024); and AI Tutor Classes (2024) that use Google Gemini to generate structured learning modules and slide content for asynchronous Spelling Bee coaching, validated by subject-matter experts. Programs are delivered via Google Meet and Zoom for live sessions and a custom portal for asynchronous content. Revenue mechanics combine donations (primary), program registration and course fees ($40–$470 per unit), and minor corporate sponsorships; roughly two-thirds of workshop fees are tax-deductible and directed to India scholarships. The organization is led by CEO Srivital Choppara (appointed November 2024), Chairman Dr. Arun Maheshwari, and Founder & Mentor Dr. Ratnam Chitturi, supported by a board of directors drawn from technology, finance, and education sectors. NSF has no parent company, no subsidiaries, and no institutional investment ownership.

Name

North South Foundation

Legal name

North South Foundation

Website

https://northsouth.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1989

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

North South Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that runs educational contests (Spelling Bee, Math, Science, etc.) and the Learning Journey coaching program for K-12 students in the U.S., while funding scholarships for underprivileged students in India.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

K-12 Supplemental Education and Academic Contests

NAICS

Exam Preparation and Tutoring (611691)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

K–12 Core Curriculum Small-Group Tutoring Centers (Math/ELA/Science/Social Studies) (EDANAHAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Literacy & Numeracy Intervention (Reading/Math Support) (EDAJALAD), Test & Admissions Writing (SSAT/ISEE/SAT/ACT Essays, Personal Statements) (EDAMAJAM), Study Habits & Homework Systems Workshops (EDAMAIAL)

Keywords

• Educational contests
• K-12 supplemental education
• Nonprofit scholarships
• Academic enrichment programs
• Youth leadership development

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, NorthSouth Foundation relies on donations from individuals, families, and corporate sponsors to fund operations, scholarships, and programs. Donations are collected via the NorthSouth portal (portal.northsouth.org). Two-thirds of workshop fees are tax-deductible and directed toward scholarships for underprivileged students in India.
2. Program Registration and Course Fees: Revenue generated from contest registration fees (Regional: $40, National Finals: $60) and Learning Journey course fees ($160–$470 per course depending on program length and deadline). Additional fees include $15 late registration surcharge.
3. Corporate Sponsorships and Partnerships: Corporate partners (AcceptU, SpeechPundit, My Spelling App, Habitat for Humanity) contribute financial or in-kind support. Sponsors are acknowledged at National Finals events and in program materials.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

North South Foundation delivers volunteer-driven academic contests (Spelling Bee, Vocabulary Bee, Math, Science, Geography, Public Speaking, Essay Writing) and Learning Journey coaching programs (SAT prep, AP courses, AI, etc.) for K-12 students in the U.S., paired with a scholarship program funding undergraduate education for underprivileged students in India. Operations are supported by 5,000+ volunteers across 75+ U.S. chapters and an online portal for registration, donations, and asynchronous AI-powered tutoring.

Product overview

North South Foundation is a nonprofit educational organization offering a multi-faceted portfolio of programs centered on academic excellence and youth development. The core offerings include the Learning Journey Program (coach-led and asynchronous classes for K-12 in subjects like Math, Spelling Bee, Vocabulary Bee, Science, Geography, Essay Writing, Public Speaking, Python Programming, and SAT prep) and regional/national Contests (Spelling Bee, Vocabulary Bee, Math, Science, Geography, Public Speaking, Essay Writing). Supporting programs include Contest Prep Workshops (Meet the Pros, Quick Prep, PrepClubs), the Young Changemakers social entrepreneurship initiative developed with Ashoka, the India Scholarship Program for underprivileged students, Webinars & Workshops (free webinars, College Admissions Planning, Science Olympiad/AMC prep), AI Tutor Classes (Gemini AI-powered asynchronous coaching), and an Annual National Finals event. The organization also offers a Fellowship Program for alumni. The portfolio is delivered through NorthSouth's website portal and cloud/mobile applications.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Learning Journey Program A holistic supplemental education program for K-12 students offering coach-led live sessions and asynchronous self-paced classes across Math, Spelling Bee, Vocabulary Bee, Science, Geography, Essay Writing, Public Speaking, Python Programming, and SAT preparation.
• Educational Contests (Regional & National) Educational contests for K-12 students including Spelling Bee, Vocabulary Bee, Math, Science, Geography, Public Speaking, and Essay Writing at Junior and Senior levels. Regional winners advance to National Finals to compete for scholarships.
• Contest Prep Workshops Three workshop formats—Meet the Pros (learn from winners), Quick Prep (1–3 hour intensive sessions), and PrepClubs (8-week weekly programs)—preparing students for NorthSouth contests and beyond.
• Young Changemakers Program A social entrepreneurship initiative for middle and high school students developed with Ashoka Foundation, providing structured curriculum, design thinking sessions, and mentorship to guide youth through identifying community issues and implementing passion projects.
• India Scholarship Program Merit and need-based scholarships for undergraduate students in India pursuing polytechnic (diploma in engineering), degree in engineering, MBBS, BDS, B.Pharma, diploma in agriculture, BSc (Nursing), and BA.BEd/B.Sc.BEd at Regional Institutes of Education of NCERT.
• Webinars & Workshops Free webinars for parents and youth on parenting, social issues, and humanitarianism; Meet the Pros sessions with contest winners; College Admissions Planning (paid); and online workshops covering Science Olympiad and AMC Math preparation.
• AI Tutor Classes Self-paced, asynchronous Spelling Bee coaching powered by Gemini AI to generate structured learning modules, presentation slides, and class content, with subject matter expert validation of AI outputs.
• National Finals Annual culminating event where top-ranked regional contestants compete for scholarships ($1,000 for 1st place, $500 for 2nd, $250 for 3rd) across all contest categories, held at venues such as Meredith College in Raleigh, North Carolina.
• NorthSouth Spelling and Vocabulary Bee Cloud and Mobile Application Modern cloud and mobile applications for Spelling and Vocabulary Bee contest preparation, providing online practice, quizzes, and content access for registered students.
• Fellowship Program Leadership development program for NorthSouth alumni offering real-world experience opportunities in areas such as AI in education, creative coaching elements, and curriculum development.

Quantifiable outcome

• 21 of 25 Scripps Spelling Bee winners since 1999 have been NorthSouth alumni, with a 12-year streak from 2008–2019
• +5 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

AI capability4 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Habitat for HumanityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHabitat for Humanity is listed as a Social Entrepreneurial Partner of NorthSouth Foundation on the Partners page. Both organizations focus on social impact and community development, suggesting collaboration on shared mission-driven initiatives.

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Strengths1 record

Weaknesses1 record

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/nsfbee
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@northsouthfoundation.
• Facebookfacebook.com/northsouthfoundation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/northsouthfoundation
• Instagraminstagram.com/northsouthfoundation

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles17 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 North South Foundation