What Mind Shift does

Mind Shift is a nonprofit staffing and placement agency that connects autistic professionals with employer partners seeking neurodiverse talent. Founded in 2010 as Specialisterne Midwest by Tim Hanson, the organization rebranded to Mind Shift and is headquartered in New Hope, Minnesota, serving employers and job seekers across Minnesota, North Dakota, and Wisconsin. Its mission is to harness the unique talents of autistic professionals — including strengths in problem-solving, attention to detail, pattern recognition, and loyalty — to help businesses build inclusive, productive workforces, while creating sustainable careers for adults on the autism spectrum. The organization operates with 51-100 employees and a board that includes leadership connections to enterprise consulting (Korn Ferry) and corporate ecosystems.

Mind Shift's core product is Mind Shift Academy, a self-paced online training program paired with 1:1 human coaching sessions. The Academy produces a Specialist Success Profile — a personalized document detailing each candidate's strengths, areas for improvement, and workplace prerequisites for productivity. This profile underpins a "fit-first" matching process in which specialists are aligned with defined roles supplied by employer partners. Adjacent service modules include inclusive workplace training for supervisors and coworkers, guided on-site onboarding support during the first week of placement, and a direct-hire option for employers seeking long-term integration with annual reviews. The underlying technology is human-coaching-driven rather than automated.

Mind Shift operates as a mission-driven nonprofit with no fees charged to candidates or families. Revenue is supported through donations and likely grant funding, with services delivered through direct employer outreach, a website (mindshift.works), social media presence across LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube, and a monthly email newsletter. The go-to-market motion is sales-led and relationship-driven, with placement roles currently concentrated in manufacturing-adjacent fields such as Assembly Technician and Medical Device Assembler. The organization holds the Candid Gold Seal of Transparency, reflecting nonprofit accountability standards.

Name

Mind Shift

Legal name

Mind Shift

Website

https://mindshift.works

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Mind Shift is a nonprofit staffing agency that connects autistic professionals with employer partners across the Upper Midwest. Founded in 2010 in Minnesota, it runs Mind Shift Academy, a coaching-based training program that produces personalized Success Profiles for candidate-to-role matching.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Neurodiversity Employment Services

NAICS

Vocational Rehabilitation Services (6243), Temporary Help Services (561320)

SIC

Services-Employment Agencies (7361)

akta.pro primary industry

Disability Employment & Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) Programs (EDAAAOAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Work-Based Learning Programs (Internships, Apprenticeships, Community-Based Instruction) (EDAKANAF), Autism Transition Planning & Postsecondary Readiness (Educational) (EDAKAKAK)

Keywords

• Autism employment services
• Neurodiversity staffing
• Nonprofit staffing agency
• Inclusive workplace training
• Disability talent placement

Headquarters

HQ city

Fargo

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, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Donations and Nonprofit Funding: Mind Shift is a nonprofit organization that operates through donations and likely grant funding. Services to both candidates and employers are provided at no direct cost, supported by donations and partnerships with mission-aligned employers.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Mind Shift is a specialized non-profit staffing agency that recruits autistic adults through its Mind Shift Academy training program and matches them with employer partners seeking neurodiverse talent. The organization provides inclusive workplace training, guided onboarding, and ongoing support to both placed specialists and the businesses that hire them. Services are delivered at no cost to candidates and families, supported by donations, grants, and mission-aligned employer partnerships.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Mind Shift Academy

Quantifiable outcome

• Partner businesses report increased productivity, are more likely to meet or exceed financial targets, decreased turnover, and improved morale

Named customers2 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Sherwood Forest, Inc.minorOthersRelated party connection through Tim Hanson, who is both Board Chair of Mind Shift and Founder/CEO of Sherwood Forest, Inc. Tim started Specialisterne Midwest (now Mind Shift) in 2010 with the goal of tapping into unique talents of people with ASD.
• Korn FerryminorOthersConnected through Craig Sneljtes, Managing Partner for Korn Ferry Minneapolis, who serves on Mind Shift's Board of Directors. Korn Ferry is a global organizational consulting firm with over 7,500 employees in over 50 countries.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Specialisterne: Global nonprofit pioneering employment of autistic professionals; Mind Shift originated as Specialisterne Midwest. Directly comparable in mission, model (training + matching + employer support), and target population.
• Ultranauts: Quality assurance and data services firm that employs autistic professionals as testers and analysts. Directly comparable target population and employer-supported model, with a more commercial service-delivery orientation.
• The Precisionists: Disability employment services firm placing neurodiverse and disabled professionals in enterprise roles, with similar Academy-style training, matching, and workplace support.
• Aspiritech: Nonprofit employing autistic adults in software testing and related services. Closely comparable in mission (autism employment), service model, and employer-supported delivery.
• Hire Autism: Autism-focused job board and employment resource operated by the Organization for Autism Research; comparable target population and mission, though primarily a job board rather than a full-service staffing agency.
• Workforce Opportunity Services: Nonprofit providing workforce development, training, and placement for underrepresented candidates including individuals with disabilities. Comparable in training-plus-placement model and employer partnerships.

Regional players

• National Autistic Society (NAS) Employment Programs: UK-based organization running employment support programs for autistic adults. Closely comparable in mission and structured employment support, though operating in a different geography.
• Melillo Center for Developing Minds: Center providing assessments and developmental support for individuals with autism and related conditions. Thematically related autism-services provider serving overlapping populations, though not a staffing agency.

Others

• Job Accommodation Network (JAN): Free consulting service on workplace accommodations and disability employment. Adjacent/enabling resource that overlaps with Mind Shift's inclusive workplace training mission and serves the same employer and candidate ecosystem.

Broad incumbents

• SAP Autism at Work: SAP's enterprise program to hire and support autistic professionals globally. Larger incumbent program in the same space; not a direct staffing competitor but represents enterprise demand Mind Shift serves.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@MindShiftWorks
• Facebookfacebook.com/mindshift.works
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mind-shift-works
• Instagraminstagram.com/mindshiftworks
• Xx.com/m_shift

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 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 Mind Shift