Project SYNCERE
Project SYNCERE is a Chicago-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2008 that delivers STEM education to underrepresented K-12 students through in-school, out-of-school, and mobile-laboratory programs, serving 2,549 students annually across 100+ partner schools.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2008
- HeadquartersChicago, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Project SYNCERE does
Project SYNCERE is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2008 and headquartered at 9012 S. Stony Island Avenue, Chicago, Illinois. The organization delivers STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) education to underrepresented K-12 students, with a primary focus on Chicago's South and West Side communities. Its program portfolio comprises four distinct formats: ENpowered (in-school curriculum delivery), E-CADEMY (intensive out-of-school learning with a documented 100% college-enrollment rate for high school seniors pursuing STEM majors), STEM in Motion (a mobile laboratory that extends geographic reach), and the ENpowered Games (an annual student competition, with the 8th Annual event in April 2025 drawing 320+ participants). The organization reports cumulative reach of 35,000+ students since founding and 2,549 students served in 2023-24, through 100+ partner schools spanning Chicago to Los Angeles. Its 11–50 employee base is anchored by co-founders Jason Coleman, Seun Phillips, and George Wilson.
The organization's revenue model is grant-funded philanthropy. Documented funding sources include a U.S. Department of Education Education Innovation and Research (EIR) grant of approximately $1.25 million (2020), Motorola Solutions Foundation ($85K, 2024), CBRE ($50K, 2024), Comcast NBCUniversal ($15K, 2024), Boeing (multi-year, $50K+ in 2023), and other foundation/corporate partners. Programs are delivered free of charge to participating students and schools. Programs are delivered to K-12 students through direct school partnerships and via the mobile STEM in Motion lab. The organization expanded its mobile laboratory into Chicago south suburbs in late 2024 with Comcast funding, and added Dyson, Discover, and Michaels Energy as new 2025 ENpowered Games sponsors. Programs are delivered to K-12 students at no cost; the funder base, rather than student fees, is the revenue source. Founder/CEO Jason Coleman's 2024-25 Obama Foundation Scholar selection and the Tufts University/LEGO Foundation PEBL partnership (2021) reflect leadership development and academic integration respectively.
Project SYNCERE firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Project SYNCERE
- Legal name
- Project SYNCERE
- Website
- https://projectsyncere.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2008
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Project SYNCERE is a Chicago-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2008 that delivers STEM education to underrepresented K-12 students through in-school, out-of-school, and mobile-laboratory programs, serving 2,549 students annually across 100+ partner schools.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Project SYNCERE industry classification
Industry- Product category
- K-12 STEM Education Services
- NAICS
- Educational Services (611), Educational Support Services (611710)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Engineering Design & Project-Based Learning Programs (EDAMADAB)
Keywords
Where Project SYNCERE is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Chicago
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Project SYNCERE business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Foundation and Corporate Grants: Primary revenue stream from grants from corporations (Boeing, Motorola Solutions Foundation, CBRE, Comcast NBCUniversal) and foundations. Grants are purpose-directed for scholarships, program expansion, and specific initiatives like STEM in Motion.
- Federal Government Grants: U.S. Department of Education Education Innovation and Research (EIR) Grant ($1,249,935) supporting STEM education programming
- Individual and Corporate Donations: Donations from individuals and businesses supporting STEM education access and career pathways
- Fundraising Events: Special events like 'Swinging for STEM' fundraiser generating revenue through ticket sales and sponsorships
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Annual | Free programs for K-12 students |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels8 records
Project SYNCERE product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Project SYNCERE is a nonprofit that designs and delivers K-12 engineering education programs to underrepresented minority, female, and underserved students. Its core offerings include the ENpowered school-based engineering program, the E-CADEMY 32-week out-of-school intensive, the STEM in Motion mobile engineering lab, and the ENpowered Games annual competition. Curriculum combines robotics, coding, digital electronics, and exposure to engineering careers, delivered through partner schools, community organizations, and direct family enrollment.
Product overview
Project SYNCERE is a STEM education nonprofit organization that operates two primary programs: ENpowered (school-based turnkey STEM curriculum and workshops for organizations) and E-CADEMY (intensive out-of-school engineering pathways for individuals and families). These core programs are complemented by STEM in Motion (a mobile Tinker Lab bringing workshops to community sites) and the annual ENpowered Games competition. Together, these programs form a comprehensive pipeline from early K-12 STEM exposure through high school completion and college/career readiness in engineering fields.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- ENpowered: School-based STEM education program integrating engineering, robotics, and design experiences into schools and afterschool programs. Includes ENpowered Games annual competition.
- E-CADEMY
- STEM in Motion
Products and services
- ENpowered A turnkey K-12 engineering curriculum delivered through partner schools and community organizations, integrating robotics, coding, digital electronics, and engineering exposure. Target users are schools, districts, and community organizations seeking a ready-to-implement engineering program for underrepresented students.
- E-CADEMY A 32-week intensive out-of-school engineering program for K-12 students, providing sustained, mastery-oriented instruction beyond the school day. Targeted at students and families seeking deeper engineering engagement outside of regular school hours.
- STEM in Motion A mobile engineering lab that travels to schools, community sites, and events to deliver hands-on STEM experiences. Designed to extend reach to students and communities that lack access to in-house engineering programming.
- ENpowered Games An annual engineering competition that brings together students from partner schools and program sites to apply their engineering skills in a competitive showcase. Functions as a culminating experience and engagement driver for Project SYNCERE's K-12 engineering pipeline.
Quantifiable outcome
- 100% of E-CADEMY high school seniors enrolled in college pursuing STEM majors
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Project SYNCERE
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Project SYNCERE technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Project SYNCERE partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered major, core and strategic.
- UIC ChancemajorHosted 8th Annual ENpowered Games at UIC Forum; provides venue and support for annual engineering competition.
- Chicago Public Schools (CPS)coreCollaborative partner providing access to students through ENpowered Games and school-based programs.
- Tufts University Center for Engineering Education and OutreachstrategicCollaboration under $2.8M LEGO Foundation PEBL Grant. Tufts works with local organizations including Project SYNCERE to build capacity for playful engineering-based learning, co-creating locally responsive resources and training.
- Project SYNCERE FounderscoreFounded in 2008 by three African American men (Jason Coleman, Seun Phillips, George Wilson) who recognized the lack of diversity in engineering and financial management fields. Jason Coleman is Executive Director, a former mechanical engineer at BAE Systems and Motorola Mobility.
Scale indicators9 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Project SYNCERE competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Citizen Schools: National nonprofit providing expanded learning time, STEM exposure, and career exploration to underserved middle-school students through in-school and afterschool programming — directly overlapping Project SYNCERE's ENpowered school-integration model and target population.
- MESA (Mathematics, Engineering, Science Achievement): Long-running statewide STEM college-prep program serving underrepresented K-12 students with hands-on engineering projects, competitions, and college pathways — highly comparable in target population, STEM-college-outcome focus, and project-based competition model.
- Iridescent (Curiosity Machine): STEM equity nonprofit serving underrepresented K-12 students and families through family engagement, project-based learning, and engineering design challenges — closely aligned with Project SYNCERE's family-focused E-CADEMY and project-based ENpowered Games.
- Black Girls CODE: Nonprofit delivering technology and STEM education to girls of color through workshops and hackathons — closely comparable underrepresented-in-tech mission and hands-on workshop delivery, though narrower on the engineering/robotics niche that distinguishes Project SYNCERE.
- STEM NOLA: Community-based STEM education nonprofit delivering hands-on STEM programming and competitions to underrepresented youth in New Orleans — directly comparable in mission, hands-on project-based delivery, and event-driven (STEM Fest) engagement model.
Broad incumbents
- Girls Who Code: National nonprofit working to close the gender gap in technology through K-12 club programs and summer immersion; shares the underrepresented-in-STEM mission and corporate sponsorship model, but operates at substantially greater scale than Project SYNCERE.
- FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology): Global youth robotics nonprofit (FIRST LEGO League, FIRST Robotics Competition) serving K-12 students through team-based engineering challenges — directly comparable robotics/engineering-competition model (similar to ENpowered Games) but at national scale with different target demographics.
- Code.org: Largest K-12 computer science education nonprofit, providing free curriculum and teacher training — adjacent peer on STEM equity and underserved-school focus, but broader computer-science generalist compared to Project SYNCERE's engineering-specific niche.
- National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE): Largest student-governed organization dedicated to increasing Black engineering professionals; comparable diversity-in-engineering mission and corporate sponsorship model, though NSBE operates primarily at the collegiate level while Project SYNCERE serves K-12.
Emerging players
- buildOn: Nonprofit serving underserved urban youth through in-school service-learning and STEM engagement; comparable K-12 underserved-student mission and school-partnership GTM, though buildOn's primary emphasis is global service rather than engineering career pathways.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Project SYNCERE social profiles
Digital presenceProject SYNCERE financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Project SYNCERE leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
Project SYNCERE funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
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Project SYNCERE 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 Project SYNCERE
What does Project SYNCERE do?
Project SYNCERE is a nonprofit that designs and delivers K-12 engineering education programs to underrepresented minority, female, and underserved students. Its core offerings include the ENpowered school-based engineering program, the E-CADEMY 32-week out-of-school intensive, the STEM in Motion mobile engineering lab, and the ENpowered Games annual competition. Curriculum combines robotics, coding, digital electronics, and exposure to engineering careers, delivered through partner schools, community organizations, and direct family enrollment.
Is Project SYNCERE a public or private company?
Project SYNCERE is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Project SYNCERE founded?
Project SYNCERE was founded in 2008. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Project SYNCERE based?
Project SYNCERE is headquartered in Chicago, United States, in the North America region.
How does Project SYNCERE make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Foundation and Corporate Grants are the primary driver. The others are federal Government Grants, individual and Corporate Donations and fundraising Events.
Who are Project SYNCERE's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Citizen Schools, MESA (Mathematics, Engineering, Science Achievement), Iridescent (Curiosity Machine), Black Girls CODE and STEM NOLA. Broad incumbents are Girls Who Code, FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology), Code.org and National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE). buildOn is listed as an emerging player.
Does Project SYNCERE have an API?
No public API is recorded for Project SYNCERE.
What industry is Project SYNCERE in?
Project SYNCERE's product category is K-12 STEM Education Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAMADAB, Engineering Design & Project-Based Learning Programs. Its NAICS code is 611 and its SIC code is 8200.