Founders Mark
Founders Mark is a Richmond, Virginia-based education company that delivers project-based entrepreneurial mindset programs for learners ages 5-24 through partner organizations, including K-12 schools, after-school programs, colleges, and non-profits.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2016
- HeadquartersRichmond, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Founders Mark does
Founders Mark, LLC is a Richmond, Virginia-based women-owned education company that delivers project-based entrepreneurial mindset programs for learners ages 5-24 through partner organizations rather than direct-to-consumer. Its core product is a modular curriculum suite (Spark It, Build It, Launch It, Create Impact, Team Ignite, Grow It) delivered via an Online Learning Lab platform and culminating in Founders Market showcase events, with adjacent offerings including the Biz Explorers free resource, the #OwnIt card game, and the Train the Trainer delivery model. Programs are aligned with CTE (Career & Technical Education) and WBL (Work-Based Learning) graduation requirements and the Portrait of a Graduate framework, positioning the company inside state and institutional procurement for career readiness.
The business operates as a B2B partner-channel model: schools, after-school organizations (YMCA, Boys & Girls Clubs), colleges and universities (Cal Poly Humboldt, Vanguard University), and non-profits (Richmond YES) pay program fees scaled to learner count, while Founders Mark supplies curriculum, training, platform access, materials, and a Learning Coordinator. Revenue is generated from recurring program fees (subscription-style, scaled per learner), professional services (training and ongoing program management), and one-time product sales of the #OwnIt card game. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed; contracts range from pilot programs to multi-program annual or multi-year partnerships, with disclosed capacity for up to 25-30 concurrent programs per partner.
The company's go-to-market is content-driven and direct-sales-led, supported by thought-leadership content, organic social media, demo booking via Calendly, and partnership testimonials. Named customers include Cal Poly Humboldt (111 Fellows, 23 Community Partner sites in 2023-24), Vanguard University, the Virginia Department for the Blind and Vision Impaired, YMCA of South Hampton Roads, Richmond Youth Engagement Services, and the Mayors Youth Academy. The company is privately held with 1-10 employees, no disclosed funding, and is led by founder and CEO Kendall Morris.
Founders Mark firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Founders Mark
- Legal name
- Founders Mark, LLC
- Website
- https://www.founders-mark.com/
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2016
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Founders Mark is a Richmond, Virginia-based education company that delivers project-based entrepreneurial mindset programs for learners ages 5-24 through partner organizations, including K-12 schools, after-school programs, colleges, and non-profits.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Founders Mark industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Youth Entrepreneurship & Career Readiness Education
- NAICS
- Educational Support Services (611710), Professional and Management Development Training (611430)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Entrepreneurship Foundations & Startup Basics (EDAMAHAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Youth Business Incubators & Accelerators (EDAMAHAC), Social Entrepreneurship & Impact Business (EDAMAHAK), Business Planning, Pitching & Competitions (Pitch Decks, Demo Days) (EDAMAHAB), Innovation & Design Thinking Programs (EDAMAHAD)
Keywords
Where Founders Mark is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Richmond
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Founders Mark business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Program Fees: Revenue is generated through program fees based on the number of learners served. Partners pay an investment amount scaled to learner count. Programs include curriculum, training, platform access, supplies, and support.
- Product Sales (#OwnIt Game): Sale of the #OwnIt card game for use in classrooms, after-school programs, and families
- Professional Services: Training for partner organization teams, ongoing support from Learning Coordinator and Program Manager, and professional development
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Pilot Program |
| Usage-based | Annual | Standard Program Partnership |
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels5 records
Founders Mark product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Founders Mark delivers project-based youth entrepreneurship and career readiness programs for learners ages 5-24 through partnerships with schools, after-school organizations, colleges, and non-profits. The portfolio includes age-tiered programs (Spark It, Build It, Launch It, Create Impact, Team Ignite, Grow It) plus workshops, the #OwnIt Card Game, and the free Biz Explorer resource, supported by an Online Learning Lab platform with guided curriculum and built-in assessments.
Product overview
Founders Mark offers project-based learning programs for youth (ages 5-24) focused on developing entrepreneurial mindset skills through real-world experiences. The portfolio includes multiple age-differentiated programs: Spark It (ages 8-12), Build It (ages 11-24), Launch It (ages 14-24), Create Impact (ages 8-24), Team Ignite (ages 8-24), and Grow It (ages 12-24). Additional offerings include Biz Explorers Workshop (ages 8-14), Build Your Biz Workshop, and Innovative Families Workshop (ages 5+). The #OwnIt Card Game provides game-based skill building, while Biz Explorer provides free online workshops. Programs align with CTE and WBL graduation requirements and culminate in Founders Market events where learners showcase their ventures.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Spark It
- Build It
- Launch It
- Create Impact
- Team Ignite
- Grow It
- Biz Explorers Workshop
- Build Your Biz Workshop
- Innovative Families Workshop
- #OwnIt Card Game
- Biz Explorer
Quantifiable outcome
- 111 Fellows and 23 Community Partner sites in one program year (Cal Poly Humboldt)
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Founders Mark
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Founders Mark technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Founders Mark partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and standard.
- Cal Poly Humboldt College CorpscoreCo-created Service Leadership curriculum in support of Californians for All College Corps program goals. Partnership achieved 111 Fellows and 23 Community Partner sites in 2023-24, with 7 projects securing funding through Pitch Fest. Includes annual Pitch Fest event showcasing student-driven community impact projects.
- Vanguard UniversitycoreNew partnership established in 2024 as part of expansion of College Corps program through Cal Poly Humboldt model.
- Virginia Department for the Blind and Vision Impaired (DBVI)coreTwo-year partnership to deliver programming building durable, future-ready skills. Programs were tested, reviewed, and approved by DBVI for accessibility, ensuring learners who are blind or vision-impaired can fully participate. Focus on problem solving, grit, economic thinking, collaboration, leadership, and creativity.
- Richmond Youth Engagement Services (YES)core5+ year partnership through Richmond Office of Community Wealth Building. Delivers Launch It and Create Impact programs where students launch ventures like Swave Delights and Find Focus, and develop social impact projects. Culminates in Founders Market Celebration.
- YMCA of South Hampton RoadscoreYouth development partnership teaching kids how to provide for themselves, break cycle of dependence, and create their own future. Includes Field Notes program with youth leaders sharing experiences with Founders Mark curriculum.
- Boys & Girls ClubsstandardAfter-school organization partnerships for delivering entrepreneurship education programs to youth ages 8-24.
- Mayors Youth Academy, Office of Community Wealth BuildingstandardGovernment partnership empowering youth with skills and practice from building their own business, with direct impact on preparation for future success.
- AmeriCorpsstandardPresented 'Everyone Wins!' workshop at AmeriCorps National Symposium 2024 in Washington, DC, exploring program creation for college students and community partners using Cal Poly Humboldt College Corps as case study.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Founders Mark competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Junior Achievement USA: Junior Achievement is the largest and most established U.S. provider of K-12 entrepreneurship, work readiness, and financial literacy education, delivering programs through schools, after-school organizations, and volunteers — directly overlapping Founders Mark's target customers (K-12 schools, after-school orgs) and curriculum (entrepreneurship, career readiness). It is a far larger incumbent that Founders Mark competes against for district adoption.
- DECA: DECA is a long-established career and technical student organization with strong penetration in CTE-aligned high school programs (marketing, entrepreneurship, business management). It overlaps with Founders Mark in CTE/WBL use cases and school-channel GTM, and is a default option for districts seeking entrepreneurship pathways.
- EVERFI: EVERFI (now part of Kforce) provides K-12 digital curricula in financial literacy, entrepreneurship, career readiness, and life skills, sold via district-wide B2B partnerships. It competes for the same school district buyer with digital, scalable entrepreneurship and career-readiness content.
Direct peers
- Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE): NFTE is a direct competitor providing youth entrepreneurship curricula and programs for K-12 and college-age learners, including pitch competitions and entrepreneurship camps. It serves similar B2B partners (schools, community colleges, nonprofits) with comparable age-appropriate curriculum and outcomes-focused programming.
- VentureLab: VentureLab develops K-12 entrepreneurship education programs and teacher training resources, with age-appropriate curriculum and pitch-competition formats. It is a focused direct peer for Foundations Mark's age-banded entrepreneurship curriculum and partner-based delivery model.
- BizWorld Foundation: BizWorld Foundation delivers project-based K-8 entrepreneurship programs (notably the BizWorld and BizMovie curricula) where students create real businesses. It is a direct peer in the younger-age (K-8) project-based entrepreneurship curriculum category Founders Mark serves with Spark It and Biz Explorers.
- Young Entrepreneur Institute (at University Heights): Young Entrepreneur Institute operates K-12 youth entrepreneurship programming, teacher training, pitch events (LaunchWox), and age-banded curricula delivered through schools and community partners — a close parallel to Founders Mark's educator-training, pitch-fest, and age-tiered program model.
Regional players
- Youth Business International: YBI is a global network supporting underserved young entrepreneurs (ages 18-35) through local programs, mentorship, and capital. While oriented to older youth and global (not U.S. K-12), it shares the youth entrepreneurship focus and nonprofit/funder partner model relevant to Founders Mark's impact positioning.
Emerging players
- iCouldBe: iCouldBe provides online mentoring and college/career readiness programming for middle and high school students in underserved communities. It overlaps with Founders Mark on youth career readiness and durable skills development through a school-distribution model.
Others
- Boys & Girls Clubs of America (Youth Development Programs): Boys & Girls Clubs of America is a primary distribution partner and customer for Founders Mark (delivering Spark It/Build It through Club sites), but also a peer in that its own youth development programming (e.g., Money Matters, career launch) competes for the same after-school enrichment dollar.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks2 records
Key highlights5 records
Customer concentration
Founders Mark social profiles
Digital presenceFounders Mark financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Founders Mark leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
Founders Mark funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Founders Mark 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 Founders Mark
What does Founders Mark do?
Founders Mark delivers project-based youth entrepreneurship and career readiness programs for learners ages 5-24 through partnerships with schools, after-school organizations, colleges, and non-profits. The portfolio includes age-tiered programs (Spark It, Build It, Launch It, Create Impact, Team Ignite, Grow It) plus workshops, the #OwnIt Card Game, and the free Biz Explorer resource, supported by an Online Learning Lab platform with guided curriculum and built-in assessments.
Is Founders Mark a public or private company?
Founders Mark is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Founders Mark founded?
Founders Mark was founded in 2016. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Founders Mark based?
Founders Mark is headquartered in Richmond, United States, in the North America region.
How does Founders Mark make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Program Fees are the primary driver. The others are product Sales (#OwnIt Game) and professional Services.
Who are Founders Mark's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Junior Achievement USA, DECA and EVERFI. Direct peers are Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE), VentureLab, BizWorld Foundation and Young Entrepreneur Institute (at University Heights). Youth Business International is listed as a regional player. iCouldBe is listed as an emerging player. Boys & Girls Clubs of America (Youth Development Programs) is listed as an others.
Does Founders Mark have an API?
No public API is recorded for Founders Mark.
What industry is Founders Mark in?
Founders Mark's product category is Youth Entrepreneurship & Career Readiness Education. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAMAHAA, Entrepreneurship Foundations & Startup Basics, with a secondary code of EDAMAHAC, Youth Business Incubators & Accelerators. Its NAICS code is 611710 and its SIC code is 8200.