What College Autism Network does

College Autism Network (CAN) is a US national nonprofit organization founded in 2016 (with the 2026 10th-anniversary Summit referenced across its 2026 programming) and headquartered at 19 Ocean View Avenue, Mystic, Connecticut. The organization operates as a membership-based professional association linking the full stakeholder ecosystem for autistic college students, including higher education faculty and disability services staff, researchers, autistic students and recent graduates, families of college-bound students, and employers pursuing neurodiversity hiring. CAN describes itself as the only national nonprofit specifically connecting this stakeholder set around evidence-guided practice.

CAN's core platform is a web-based membership portal (powered by Novi AMS) that gates access to resources, training enrollment, event registration, and member directories. Its product portfolio spans four interlocking lines: research (the PEACES longitudinal study with 425+ autistic undergraduate respondents and Wave 2/Fall 2025 data collection; CANVAS, a scholar and practitioner community running on Google Groups with monthly virtual meetings and a YouTube archive; and a softr.app-hosted autism-in-higher-education research database); professional development (the annual College Autism Summit, the Square One curriculum for institutions launching autism support programs, and the Complex Conversations webinar series); resources and recognition (Fast Facts newsletters, case studies, Faculty ASD Training, Summit Collections recordings, the Consultants' Collective, and the Autism-Inclusive Campus Designation); and student-facing tools (SkillFlix AYA video library via partnership, curated neurodiverse employer job boards, and student-organization/summer-program databases).

Revenue is generated through a mix of recurring annual memberships (around $100), tiered Summit registration ($295 student to $825 non-member), paid training ($350-$550 for Square One, $40 per Complex Conversations session for non-members), one-time Summit Collections purchases ($25-$200), consultant engagement fees ($500-$10,000 per project), and affiliate-style referral economics on SkillFlix subscriptions. Operating with 1-10 employees, CAN is sustained by both earned revenue and grant funding, with research grants exceeding $1.1M flowing primarily to principal investigators at partner universities (Michigan State, University of Pittsburgh), while institutional support comes from Vanderbilt's Frist Center for Autism and Innovation, the Spencer Foundation, and The FAR Fund.

Name

College Autism Network

Legal name

College Autism Network

Website

https://collegeautismnetwork.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

College Autism Network is a US national nonprofit membership association linking higher education professionals, researchers, autistic students, families, and employers to improve college access and outcomes for autistic students through research, professional development, and an annual Summit.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Autism Higher Education Support Services

NAICS

Educational Services (611), Educational Support Services (611710), Professional Organizations (81392)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Autism Transition Planning & Postsecondary Readiness (Educational) (EDAKAKAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Autism Teacher Training & Professional Development (EDAKAKAL), Autism Parent/Caregiver Education & Training (School-Linked) (EDAKAKAJ)

Keywords

• Autism higher education
• Professional development training
• Membership association services
• Neurodiversity workplace programs
• Disability support consulting

Headquarters

HQ city

Tallahassee

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership fees provide access to network of professionals, resources, professional development, and reduced rates on events and training programs
2. Summit Collections Sales: Sale of recorded conference session collections from the 2021 College Autism Summit - both individual collections and full access packages
3. Training Program Fees: Fees for Square One curriculum and professional development programs like Complex Conversations series - both member and non-member pricing
4. Conference Registration: Annual College Autism Summit registration fees with member, non-member, student, and preconference session pricing tiers
5. SkillFlix Subscription Referrals: CAN member exclusive access to curated SkillFlix content; SkillFlix offers subscription at $9.99/month or $99/year for full library access

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

College Autism Network (CAN) is a national nonprofit membership association that links stakeholders—researchers, higher education professionals, students, families, and employers—in evidence-guided efforts to improve access, experiences, and outcomes for autistic college students. CAN delivers this through membership dues, an annual College Autism Summit, the Square One and Complex Conversations training programs, the CANVAS scholar community, the PEACES longitudinal research project, the Consultants' Collective, and curated resources such as case studies, faculty training, and the SkillFlix AYA video library.

Product overview

The College Autism Network (CAN) operates as a membership-based national nonprofit organization, not a single unified software product. The organization provides a portfolio of interconnected programs and services for professionals supporting autistic college students: a core Membership Portal and Member Compass providing access to resources and member-exclusive content; research initiatives including CANVAS (scholars' community with Google Groups listserv and YouTube video library) and PEACES (national longitudinal study on autistic student success); professional development offerings including the annual College Autism Summit, Square One instructional series, Complex Conversations webinar series, and Summit Collections; training resources including Case Studies, Faculty ASD Training, and SkillFlix AYA video library (partnered with external SkillFlix platform); databases for research, programs, summer programs, student organizations, and consultants; and advocacy tools including Autism-Inclusive Campus Designation and curated Neurodiverse Candidate Job Boards. The organization uses Novi AMS association management software for its web platform and operates softr.app databases for various research and program directories.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• CANVAS: College Autism Network Virtual Association of Scholars - a community of scholars, practitioners, researchers, and students who gather and discuss the latest news, research, and issues in the world of autistic and neurodivergent degree-seeking college students.
• PEACES

Products and services

• Membership Portal A membership-based online portal providing access to resources, events, training materials, newsletters, and member-exclusive content for autism support professionals in higher education.
• College Autism Summit An annual in-person conference bringing together professionals, researchers, employers, and students to share research, best practices, and networking opportunities in autism and higher education.
• Square One A two-day online instructional series for higher education professionals launching or improving campus autism support programs, covering needs assessment, goal-setting, budgeting, staffing, and program evaluation.
• Complex Conversations Series A professional development webinar series for higher education professionals addressing nuanced topics in digital connection and relationships for autistic and neurodivergent students.
• CANVAS (College Autism Network Virtual Association of Scholars) A virtual community of scholars, practitioners, researchers, and students discussing news, research, and issues related to autistic and neurodivergent degree-seeking college students, featuring working groups, a Google Group listserv, monthly virtual meetings, and a video library.
• PEACES (Postsecondary Education: Autistic Collegians' Experiences of Success) A national longitudinal research project studying autistic college student success using the I.P.A.C.E. framework, encompassing data collection, a public data gallery, and published papers and presentations.
• CAN Consultants' Collective A directory of CAN member consultants available to assist institutions seeking to create or improve programs and services for autistic and neurodivergent students, with project fees ranging from $500 to $10,000 per engagement.
• Case Studies Fictionalized case studies derived from research and practice scenarios, designed as professional development tools for staff encountering college students with autism.
• Training on ASD for Faculty Webinars and training resources for faculty on supporting neurodivergent students, covering pedagogical approaches, classroom management, alternative grading, and workplace preparation.
• SkillFlix AYA (As Young Adults) Playlist A curated video library of Microskills videos for autistic young adults covering communication, relationship-building, and self-advocacy skills, available exclusively to CAN members.
• Autism-Inclusive Campus Designation A designation program recognizing colleges and universities that have demonstrated commitment to creating inclusive environments for autistic students.
• Summit Collections Recorded sessions from past College Autism Summits organized into topic-based collections covering program development, career planning, mental health, autism culture, and partnering with business experts.

Quantifiable outcome

• 425+ autistic undergraduate students surveyed in PEACES Wave 1 with ongoing data collection through multiple waves
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• SkillFlixcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe College Autism Network partnered with SkillFlix to bring CAN members a curated resource library designed specifically for autistic young adults and the staff who support them. CAN members receive exclusive access to a curated SkillFlix AYA Playlist of 10 videos at no cost. SkillFlix provides 150+ Microskills videos supporting autistic young adults in developing communication and relationship-focused skills.
• Frist Center for Autism and Innovation at Vanderbilt UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Frist Center for Autism and Innovation at Vanderbilt University is a key supporter of the College Autism Network. The Frist Center collaborated with CAN on developing the Autism Career Empowerment (ACE) training program for faculty and staff. The Frist Center also sponsors the PEACES research project.
• Michigan State UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMichigan State University, home of PEACES Principal Investigator Dr. Brad Cox, is a core institutional partner providing research infrastructure, faculty expertise, and financial support for the PEACES project.
• University of PittsburghcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity of Pittsburgh, home of PEACES Co-Principal Investigator Dr. Brett Ranon Nachman, is a core institutional partner providing faculty expertise and research support for the PEACES project.
• DO-IT Center at University of WashingtonminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCAN acknowledges the DO-IT Center at the University of Washington for providing resources and frameworks used in developing training materials for faculty on supporting neurodivergent students.
• AccessComputingminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAccessComputing collaboration supported the panel presentation on Supporting Neurodivergent Students in Classrooms and into the Workplace featured on CAN's Training on ASD for Faculty page.
• Neurodiversity@Work Employer RoundtableminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCAN curates the Neurodiversity Career Connector job board created by employers who are members of the Neurodiversity@Work Roundtable, facilitating connections between neurodivergent talent and inclusive employers.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Autism Society of America: One of the oldest and largest autism nonprofits in the U.S., providing resources, advocacy, and a national conference. Comparable as an autism-focused membership and convening organization, though it spans the full lifespan rather than concentrating on the college experience.
• Autism Speaks: Large, well-funded autism advocacy and research nonprofit with national reach and major employment initiatives. Comparable in advocacy and research translation, though its scope is far broader than CAN's higher-education focus and its scale dwarfs CAN.
• Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD): National network of university-based Centers for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities serving individuals with disabilities across the lifespan. Comparable as a higher-ed-anchored convening and research organization in the disability space, with broader scope than CAN but overlapping on workforce and postsecondary topics.
• NASPA (Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education): Large national association for student affairs professionals, with initiatives on inclusion and mental health. Comparable as a membership and convening body serving the same higher-education professional audience, though autism-specific content is a smaller slice of its portfolio.

Emerging players

• Specialisterne: Global organization focused on employment of autistic and neurodivergent people, partnering with employers and universities. Comparable on the neurodiversity@work intersection that CAN pursues through its Summit Employment Series and curated job boards.
• Hire Autism: Employment-focused initiative connecting autistic job seekers with inclusive employers and offering a national job board. Comparable as an autism-focused employment resource that overlaps with CAN's Neurodiverse Candidate Job Boards and employer pipeline work.

Direct peers

• Organization for Autism Research (OAR): Nonprofit that funds autism research and translates findings into practical resources for autistic individuals and their families. Comparable in mission blend of research, resources, and community engagement, though OAR is broader in age range and not focused exclusively on higher education.
• AHEAD (Association on Higher Education And Disability): National professional membership association serving disability resource professionals and faculty in higher education. Directly comparable as a membership-based body that delivers training, conferences, and resources on disability supports in postsecondary settings, addressing overlapping audiences with CAN.
• DO-IT Center at University of Washington: University-based center promoting inclusion of people with disabilities in higher education and STEM careers through resources, training, and online communities. Comparable in higher-ed disability focus and already acknowledged by CAN as a resource contributor; it overlaps significantly on faculty training and transition support.
• Think College at UMass Boston: National organization dedicated to improving postsecondary education for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities, including autism. Comparable as a research- and resource-driven initiative focused on college access and success for neurodivergent students, overlapping with PEACES and CAN's program database work.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@collegeautismnetwork2095/playlists
• Xx.com/CollegeAutism
• Facebookfacebook.com/CollegeAutism
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/college-autism-network

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about College Autism Network