Two Bit Circus Foundation
Two Bit Circus Foundation is a Los Angeles-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers free, hands-on STEAM education to K-12 students through school-installed MakerSpaces, a South LA Community STEAM Hub, and 134 LA Public Library partnerships.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2004
- HeadquartersGardena, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Two Bit Circus Foundation does
Two Bit Circus Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit educational organization headquartered in Los Angeles, California, founded in 2004, that delivers hands-on STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math) learning programs to children ages 4-18. Its core offerings include the STEAM Lab MakerSpace program installed in 500+ schools, the Little Makers STEAM Lab for younger children, professional development training for educators, STEAM Workshops, the Coding Crew coding curriculum, and STEAM Carnivals (large-scale community events). Programs emphasize play-based, project-driven learning using upcycled and sustainable materials — 900 tons of which have been diverted from landfills — combined with analog tools and digital fabrication equipment aligned to NGSS and Common Core standards. The foundation serves a beneficiary base that is 91% people of color and 50% female, with 50%+ of served schools being Title I.
The foundation operates on a donation-driven revenue model, funded by individual donations (tax-deductible under U.S. tax guidelines), corporate sponsorships, and foundation grants — notably a major grant from the W.M. Keck Foundation that funded the renovation of its flagship Community Makerspace. All educational programs are delivered free of charge to students and schools; the organization supplements contributions with paid corporate team-building and design challenge experiences. Distribution occurs through installed MakerSpaces in schools, a 13,000 sq ft Community STEAM Hub in South Los Angeles opened in 2024, and a partnership with 134 Los Angeles Public Libraries that has delivered over 17,000 workshops. Cumulative reach reported by the organization includes 460,000 students directly taught, 7,500 educators trained, and 2,000,000 children impacted.
Governance is led by CEO Dr. Leah Hanes and Chairman Brent Bushnell, supported by a director-level bench covering curriculum and innovation, programs and engagement, development, marketing, community learning, and accounts. Strategic positioning emphasizes equitable access to STEAM education in underserved South LA communities, with the 2024 Community STEAM Hub opening representing the most significant recent capital expansion. The organization holds a Candid Seal Gold (2024) for nonprofit transparency. No acquisitions, mergers, funding rounds, or equity capital raises are disclosed; the entity operates as a private nonprofit with a small (1-10) employee headcount.
Two Bit Circus Foundation firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Two Bit Circus Foundation
- Legal name
- Two Bit Circus Foundation
- Website
- https://twobitcircus.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2004
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Two Bit Circus Foundation is a Los Angeles-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers free, hands-on STEAM education to K-12 students through school-installed MakerSpaces, a South LA Community STEAM Hub, and 134 LA Public Library partnerships.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Two Bit Circus Foundation industry classification
Industry- Product category
- STEAM Education Services
- akta.pro primary industry
- STEM, Digital Literacy & Maker Education Nonprofits (BPAGADAG)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Makerspaces & Fab Labs (Open Build Studios) (EDAMADAC)
Keywords
Where Two Bit Circus Foundation is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Gardena
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Two Bit Circus Foundation business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Donations: Tax-deductible donations from individuals supporting STEAM education programs. Operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
- Corporate Sponsorships: Sponsorships from corporations that support hands-on STEAM education and enable expansion to underserved schools and communities.
- Foundation Grants: Grant funding from foundations such as W.M. Keck Foundation for specific facilities like the Community STEAM Hub.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Other | Free educational programs for students and schools |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels6 records
Two Bit Circus Foundation product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Two Bit Circus Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers hands-on STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math) learning experiences to K-12 students. It sells/installs STEAM Lab MakerSpaces in schools, runs free STEAM Workshops, Coding Crew, STEAM Carnivals, and Corporate Team Building experiences, and trains educators through Professional Development programs. Programs are delivered via school installations, the 13,000 sq ft W.M. Keck Foundation Community Makerspace in South Los Angeles, and partnerships with 134 LA Public Libraries.
Product overview
Two Bit Circus Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit educational organization that operates as a single unified offering of hands-on STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math) learning programs rather than a traditional product company. The core portfolio consists of STEAM Lab MakerSpaces (including the Little Makers STEAM Lab with Light Table and Magnet Wall components), Professional Development training for educators, STEAM Workshops, Coding Crew (coding education through game design), and STEAM Carnivals (community events). These programs are delivered through school partnerships, the W.M. Keck Foundation Community Makerspace (a 13,000 sq ft facility in South LA), and corporate team-building experiences. The organization uses sustainable, upcycled materials to deliver project-based learning that emphasizes creativity, problem-solving, and invention.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- STEAM Lab MakerSpace
Quantifiable outcome
- 75% increase in STEAM participation among students served
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Two Bit Circus Foundation
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Two Bit Circus Foundation technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Two Bit Circus Foundation partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- LA MakerspacecoreLocal Los Angeles makerspace organization collaborating on STEAM education initiatives and maker programming.
- Imagination.orgcoreOrganization dedicated to fostering creativity and imagination through maker education, partner in delivering STEAM programs.
- Griffin Education SolutionsminorEducation solutions provider partnering with Two Bit Circus Foundation on program delivery and educational initiatives.
- Trash for TeachersminorOrganization that provides upcycled materials for educational use, supporting Two Bit Circus Foundation's sustainability mission.
- Los Angeles Public LibrariescorePartnership with 134 LA Libraries delivering over 17,000 makerspace workshops to community members, with 60%+ of participants being low income.
Scale indicators9 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Two Bit Circus Foundation competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Science Buddies: Nonprofit providing free, standards-aligned STEM project resources and educator tools to K-12 students and teachers nationwide. Comparable standards-aligned content library and free-distribution model.
- LA Makerspace: Los Angeles-based nonprofit operating community makerspaces with hands-on STEAM programming for students and adults. Directly comparable to Two Bit Circus Foundation's Community STEAM Hub and STEAM Lab MakerSpace model, and is already a listed strategic partner.
- RAFT (Resource Area for Teaching): California-based nonprofit providing hands-on STEAM learning resources, low-cost teaching materials, and educator support to under-resourced schools. Comparable mission, audience (Title I educators), and reuse/upcycling of materials.
- Iridescent: Nonprofit delivering STEM and entrepreneurship education programs to underserved youth and families. Comparable target audience and equity-focused STEAM mission, with similar family engagement and educator training components.
- KID Museum: Nonprofit makerspace museum delivering immersive STEAM and invention programs to K-12 students. Comparable makerspace-as-program model and K-12 audience.
- Maker Ed: National nonprofit that supports maker education in K-12 schools through professional development, resources, and a network of maker educators. Closely mirrors Two Bit Circus Foundation's teacher-training and STEAM Lab MakerSpace model at a national scale.
- Children's Creativity Museum: San Francisco-based nonprofit museum offering hands-on STEAM, animation, and design experiences for children. Comparable hands-on, play-based STEAM programming and youth/family audience.
- STEM NOLA: New Orleans-based nonprofit offering hands-on STEM/STEAM programming to underserved youth through community events and workshops. Similar equity-focused mission and event-driven delivery model.
Emerging players
- Imagination.org: Nonfounded organization fostering creativity and imagination through maker education and global challenges. Comparable to Two Bit Circus Foundation's mission and already a listed strategic partner.
Broad incumbents
- The Exploratorium: San Francisco-based museum and nonprofit that pioneered inquiry-based, hands-on STEAM learning. A larger, more established institution in the same hands-on STEAM education category, with comparable educator professional development.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Two Bit Circus Foundation social profiles
Digital presenceTwo Bit Circus Foundation financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Two Bit Circus Foundation leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles8 records
Two Bit Circus Foundation funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Two Bit Circus Foundation M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Two Bit Circus Foundation
What does Two Bit Circus Foundation do?
Two Bit Circus Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers hands-on STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math) learning experiences to K-12 students. It sells/installs STEAM Lab MakerSpaces in schools, runs free STEAM Workshops, Coding Crew, STEAM Carnivals, and Corporate Team Building experiences, and trains educators through Professional Development programs. Programs are delivered via school installations, the 13,000 sq ft W.M. Keck Foundation Community Makerspace in South Los Angeles, and partnerships with 134 LA Public Libraries.
Is Two Bit Circus Foundation a public or private company?
Two Bit Circus Foundation is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Two Bit Circus Foundation founded?
Two Bit Circus Foundation was founded in 2004. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Two Bit Circus Foundation based?
Two Bit Circus Foundation is headquartered in Gardena, United States, in the North America region.
How does Two Bit Circus Foundation make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Donations are the primary driver. The others are corporate Sponsorships and foundation Grants.
Who are Two Bit Circus Foundation's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Science Buddies, LA Makerspace, RAFT (Resource Area for Teaching), Iridescent, KID Museum, Maker Ed, Children's Creativity Museum and STEM NOLA. Imagination.org is listed as an emerging player. The Exploratorium is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Two Bit Circus Foundation have an API?
No public API is recorded for Two Bit Circus Foundation.
What industry is Two Bit Circus Foundation in?
Two Bit Circus Foundation's product category is STEAM Education Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGADAG, STEM, Digital Literacy & Maker Education Nonprofits, with a secondary code of EDAMADAC, Makerspaces & Fab Labs (Open Build Studios).