Starkloff Disability Institute

Name

Starkloff Disability Institute

Legal name

Starkloff Disability Institute

Website

https://starkloff.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Disability Employment and Inclusion Services

NAICS

Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (62412), Vocational Rehabilitation Services (624310), Vocational Rehabilitation Services (62431), Educational Support Services (611710), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Disability Services & Independent Living Support (BPAGAEAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Disability Services & Independent Living Support (BPAGACAG), Disability Services & Assistive Solutions (Accessibility, Assistive Tech) (BPAGALAM), Special Education, Disability Support & Inclusive Education Nonprofits (BPAGADAH)

Keywords

• Disability employment services
• Workplace inclusion consulting
• Career development programs
• Universal design advisory
• Disability nonprofit

Headquarters

HQ city

Saint Louis

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations and Philanthropy: Individual donors contribute to SDI through annual gifts, with the Max Starkloff Society requiring $1,000+ annual household membership. Donations come via stock gifts, donor-advised funds, qualified charitable distributions from IRAs, and cryptocurrency.
2. Foundation Grants: Foundation partners including Orthwein Foundation, Tilles Foundation, Trio Foundation of St. Louis, Dana Brown Charitable Trust, Mary Rankin Jordan and Ettie A. Jordan Charitable Foundation, and others provide grant funding.
3. Corporate Sponsorships and Partnerships: Corporate partners including Boeing, Ameren, Bayer, Centene, Nestlé Purina, Microsoft, and 50+ others provide financial support, in-kind hosting (Dream Big company visits), and event sponsorship.
4. Employer Consulting Services: Fee-for-service consulting engagements with businesses and organizations for disability education, inclusion training, and accessibility evaluations. Companies pay for workshops, accessibility assessments, and technical assistance.
5. Event Revenue: Registration fees for the annual Disability Employment Summit and biennial Universal Design Summit, with tiered pricing including nonprofit discounts and early bird rates.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Starkloff Disability Institute is a disability-led 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers free career development programs for people with disabilities and sells disability inclusion consulting to employers. It also runs major conferences (Disability Employment Summit, Universal Design Summit) and community education programs.

Product overview

Starkloff Disability Institute is a disability-led nonprofit organization offering a comprehensive portfolio of employment and inclusion programs. The core offerings include three career development programs (Starkloff Career Academy for adults, Access U for college students, and Dream Big for middle/high school students), employer consulting services, Universal Design advisory, and community education. Major annual events include the Disability Employment Summit and Universal Design Summit. The organization also operates The Starkloff Network for young professionals, an Inclusion Toolkit of digital resources, and the Workplace Challenge design competition. All programs are delivered free of charge to participants thanks to donor funding.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Starkloff Career Academy: Free disability employment services program for professionals with disabilities, offering career development skills, mock interviews, and peer community building.
• Access U
• Dream Big
• Deaf and Hard of Hearing Program

Products and services

• Starkloff Career Academy A free disability employment services program for adults with disabilities offering three tracks: Foundations (entry-level career launch), Transitions (career advancement/industry change), and Advancements (leadership development). Features live virtual classroom sessions, mock interviews with employer partners, peer networking, and coaching.
• Access U A career development program for college students with disabilities that closes the gap between college and career through professional workshops, an Internship Intensive, peer hangouts, life skills workshops, and faculty/staff training.
• Dream Big A summer career exploration camp for middle and high school students with disabilities featuring company visits, hands-on projects with employers, disability history/pride curriculum, and life skills training ('Adulting with a Disability').
• Employer Education and Inclusion Consulting Consulting services helping businesses transform their approach to hiring and managing people with disabilities through workshops on unconscious bias, inclusive interview practices, accommodations, and accessibility evaluations.
• Universal Design Program Expert advisory services and programming on Universal Design principles for built environments and products, including biennial conferences and year-round educational events for architects and designers.
• Community Education Community outreach and educational programs that break down stigma around disability through workshops, speaking engagements, media appearances, and public interest campaigns.
• Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services Specialized outreach and support services for Deaf, Hard of Hearing, and Deafblind individuals, with ASL-preferred coordination across all SDI programs.
• Inclusion Toolkit Digital resources including the 'Talking about Disability with Dignity' guide and 'Starkloff Disability Institute Guide for Allies' for workplaces and communities.
• The Starkloff Network A community of young leaders under 40 in the St. Louis area passionate about advancing disability inclusion, offering professional networking, leadership experience, social opportunities, and community impact activities.
• Starkloff Disability Employment Summit (SDES) The Midwest's leading annual workplace disability inclusion summit (now in its 12th year, expanded to two full days) for HR professionals, ERG leaders, corporate executives, and disability advocates.
• Universal Design Summit North America's premier biennial conference on Universal Design, bringing together architects, engineers, builders, developers, designers, and disability advocates from across the world.
• Workplace Challenge Project A design competition co-hosted with MO Better Foundation where disabled professionals submit real workplace barriers and solution teams co-develop Universal Design solutions.
• Disability Pride Merch Branded merchandise featuring disability pride designs available through Bonfire store, including apparel and accessories.

Quantifiable outcome

• 80% of Career Academy graduates advance in their careers
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers15 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

23 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Centene CorporationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRole Model Company for Disability Equality founding partner. Over 50 Corporate Partners benefit from SDI's expertise. Major corporate partner for disability inclusion programs.
• Nestlé Purina PetCarecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRole Model Company for Disability Equality founding partner. Host of Dream Big Summer Camp visits. Corporate partner providing mock interview practice for Starkloff Career Academy.
• World Wide TechnologycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner2026 Disability Employment Summit Host Partner. Provides Global HQ venue. Dream Big Summer Camp host. Major technology corporate partner.
• Edward JonescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate partner. Dream Big Summer Camp host. Mock interview practice provider for Starkloff Career Academy.
• Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSDI is a SHRM-recognized Professional Development Credits provider for SHRM-CP or SHRM-SCP recertification activities at the Disability Employment Summit.
• Enterprise HoldingscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRole Model Company for Disability Equality founding partner. Major corporate partner.
• SSM HealthcarecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRole Model Company for Disability Equality founding partner. Major healthcare employer partner.
• MilliporeSigmacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate partner. Dream Big Summer Camp host. North American Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Relationship Manager Eric Reyes on SDI Board.
• BayercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate partner. Dream Big Summer Camp host. Major life sciences employer.
• Washington University in St. LouisminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner. Kerri Morgan, Ph.D., OTR/L, ATP from WashU School of Medicine on SDI Board.
• St. Louis Community CollegeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner. Amy Bird, Retired Director of Access and Student Success, on SDI Board. Dream Big camp location host.
• Federal Reserve Bank of St. LouisminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate partner supporting disability inclusion initiatives.
• Riot GamescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDream Big Summer Camp host. Technology/gaming company partner for career exploration.
• Missouri Botanical GardenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner. Previous Dream Big camp location. Inclusive tours program for disability community.
• HOKminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerArchitecture firm partner. Dream Big Summer Camp host. Universal Design Summit presenter.
• CannonDesignminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerArchitecture firm partner. Dream Big Summer Camp host. Elizabeth Johnson on SDI Universal Design Summit Advisory Committee.
• McCarthyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConstruction firm partner. Dream Big Summer Camp host.
• ClaycominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConstruction firm partner. Dream Big Summer Camp host.
• Fleishman HillardminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPR/marketing firm partner. Dream Big Summer Camp host. Communications support.
• Bi-State Development (Metro)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTransit authority partner. Metro services for disability community. Co-sponsor of Roll Through St. Louis event.
• Great Rivers GreenwayminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for Roll Through St. Louis accessibility events. Brickline Greenway accessibility improvements.
• Great Rivers GreenwayminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for Roll Through St. Louis community events showcasing accessible transit.
• MO Better FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-host of Workplace Barrier Design Challenge competition with Regions Foundation funding.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Disability:IN: National nonprofit driving disability inclusion in business through the Disability Equality Index and corporate consulting; directly comparable to SDI's employer-facing work but at substantially greater scale and national reach.
• National Organization on Disability (NOD): National nonprofit advancing disability employment through employer engagement, leadership awards, and workforce policy; directly comparable to SDI's Disability Employment Summit and corporate consulting work.
• SourceAmerica: National AbilityOne-connected nonprofit providing employment and training services for people with disabilities; overlaps with SDI's vocational rehabilitation and employer partnership mission at a national scale.
• American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD): National disability rights and cross-disability advocacy organization; comparable mission of advancing economic opportunity and inclusion for disabled professionals, with broader policy focus.
• The Arc of the United States: National community-based organization advocating for and serving people with intellectual and developmental disabilities; overlaps with SDI's candidate programs and community education work.

Emerging players

• RespectAbility: National nonprofit advancing opportunities for people with disabilities through policy advocacy, employer engagement, and entertainment inclusion; comparable in employer-facing and advocacy focus, with stronger national media reach.
• National Disability Institute: National nonprofit focused on the financial wellness and employment of Americans with disabilities; comparable economic empowerment mission, with stronger financial literacy specialization than SDI.
• Job Accommodation Network (JAN): Free consulting service funded by the U.S. Department of Labor that provides individualized workplace accommodations guidance to employers and people with disabilities; adjacent/overlapping employer consulting capability.

Direct peers

• Best Buddies International: Nonprofit operating one-to-one friendship and integrated employment programs for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities; comparable mission around disability employment and community inclusion, though structured differently.
• Paraquad (now RISE): St. Louis disability services nonprofit originally co-founded by the Starkloffs before SDI was spun out; the most direct regional peer in terms of history, geography, and disability employment services.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/Starklofforg
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@StarkloffDisabilityInstitute

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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 Starkloff Disability Institute