What MakerUSA does

MakerUSA is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2021 and based in Cary, North Carolina, that addresses human capital gaps in maker education and entrepreneurship programs at underserved institutions. The organization's core service is a Program Manager Placement Model in which MakerUSA recruits, trains, and embeds full-time Program Managers (PMs) at partner Innovation Sites including community colleges, technical colleges, rural and minority-serving institutions, community-based makerspaces, and workforce development initiatives. PMs are MakerUSA employees on 12-18 month renewable contracts who support community-defined goals at the intersection of maker education, entrepreneurship, and innovation; MakerUSA targets communities outside major economic hubs that have been most marginalized by unequal access and opportunity.

The organization's product surface includes the Learning Network, a national community of practice comprising 38 institutions and organizations across 22 states that provides peer exchange, expert-led programming, and technical assistance at no cost to members; the Maker Ecosystem Building Toolkit, a free publicly available resource containing case studies, best practices, research, and fundraising tools; and the Spark Lab Pre-Accelerator, a 6-week youth entrepreneurship program implemented in rural communities through partner Homegrown Pathways. MakerUSA does not develop proprietary technology products; its technical infrastructure consists of web-based platforms supporting the Learning Network, webinars, and the Toolkit, with no disclosed AI or machine learning capabilities.

MakerUSA operates a nonprofit revenue model funded primarily through corporate foundation grants, with Arconic Foundation and Genentech as founding sponsors and additional support from Infosys Foundation USA and Siegel Family Endowment, supplemented by government grants and individual donations. Partner institutions pay a $6,000 cost-share per full-time Program Manager placement, representing approximately 10% of direct PM expenses, with sliding scale options available based on financial need. The organization reaches customers through a partner-based go-to-market model, participating in conferences such as the National Association for Community College Entrepreneurship (NACCE) annual conference and distributing resources via its website, webinars, newsletters, and case studies.

Name

MakerUSA

Legal name

MakerUSA Inc.

Website

https://makerusa.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2021

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

MakerUSA is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that recruits, trains, and embeds Program Managers at community colleges, technical colleges, and rural or minority-serving institutions to support maker education and entrepreneurship pathways for underserved students.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Cary

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, Others

Revenue model

1. Sponsorships and Grants: MakerUSA operates as a nonprofit organization funded primarily through sponsorships and grants from corporate foundations (Arconic Foundation, Genentech), government grants, and individual donations. The organization solicits sponsorship procurement to cover the direct expenses of Program Managers placed at Innovation Sites. Partner institutions pay a $6,000 cost-share per full-time Program Manager (approximately 10% of direct PM expenses).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

MakerUSA is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that trains and embeds Program Managers at partner Innovation Sites (community colleges, technical colleges, rural and minority-serving institutions, community-based makerspaces) to support maker education and entrepreneurship for underserved students. The organization also operates a national Learning Network of 38 institutions across 22 states and publishes a free Maker Ecosystem Building Toolkit.

Product overview

MakerUSA is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization focused on accelerating community-driven innovation and social mobility through maker education and entrepreneurship. The organization operates a Program Manager Placement Model as its core service, embedding trained Program Managers at partner Innovation Sites including community colleges, technical colleges, and rural/m minority-serving institutions. MakerUSA maintains a Learning Network of 38 member institutions across 22 states that provides peer learning and technical assistance. The organization also offers the Maker Ecosystem Building Toolkit as a free public resource containing case studies, best practices, and research. The Spark Lab Pre-Accelerator Program is a youth entrepreneurship initiative implemented by partner Homegrown Pathways.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Program Manager Placement Model MakerUSA trains and places Program Managers as full-time MakerUSA staff at partner Innovation Sites (community colleges, technical colleges, rural/minority-serving institutions, community-based makerspaces) to support maker education, entrepreneurship, and innovation ecosystem development.
• Innovation Sites Network A network of community colleges, technical colleges, rural and minority-serving institutions, community-based makerspaces, public housing authorities, and workforce development initiatives that partner with MakerUSA and host embedded Program Managers.
• Learning Network A national community of practice of 38 leading institutions and organizations across 22 states providing peer-to-peer mentoring, expert-led learning sessions, and technical assistance to support maker education and career pathways to maker industries.
• Maker Ecosystem Building Toolkit A free, publicly available online resource containing case studies, best practices, relevant research, and fundraising tools designed to help leaders grow maker programs, maker education, entrepreneurship, local manufacturing, and economic innovation.
• Spark Lab Pre-Accelerator Program A 6-week youth entrepreneurship pre-accelerator program empowering young entrepreneurs in rural communities with mentorship, hands-on activities, interactive discussions, networking opportunities, and a culminating pitch event with seed funding awards.

Named customers6 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and strategic.

• NACCE (National Association for Community College Entrepreneurship)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Incubation Partner from 2021-2023. NACCE manages the nation's leading ecosystem of entrepreneurial educators and leaders, including over 300 community colleges, HBCU and technical college members. NACCE provides both fiscal sponsorship and partnership support to the development of MakerUSA.
• Urban Manufacturing AlliancestrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic Partner - national coalition of manufacturing practitioners working together to grow equitable and prosperous economies. UMA advances place-based strategies and connects convenes 900+ members across 250+ cities.
• Nation of MakersstrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic Partner - national nonprofit supporting America's maker organizations through community building, resource sharing, and advocacy. Hosts NOMCON and the Capitol Hill Maker Faire.
• Forward CitiesstrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic Partner - national nonprofit equipping communities and regions to grow and sustain more equitable entrepreneurial ecosystems, working to close the racial wealth gap.
• Startup ColoradostrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in youth entrepreneurship programming, providing the initial program framework for the Spark Lab pre-accelerator program in rural Colorado.
• Homegrown PathwaysstrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization that developed and implemented the Spark Lab youth entrepreneurship pre-accelerator program in rural Colorado, in partnership with Startup Colorado.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Homegrown Pathways: Partner organization that developed and implemented the Spark Lab youth entrepreneurship pre-accelerator in rural Colorado. Small, rural-focused youth entrepreneurship nonprofit that mirrors MakerUSA's rural/underserved emphasis.
• Nation of Makers: National nonprofit supporting America's maker organizations through community building, resource sharing, and advocacy (hosts NOMCON and Capitol Hill Maker Faire). Directly comparable as a peer-organization in MakerUSA's own partner network.
• Maker Ed: National nonprofit dedicated to expanding maker education for youth; very directly comparable mission of embedding maker-centered learning into schools and communities, including underserved populations.
• Fab Foundation: Global nonprofit that supports the Fab Lab network and digital fabrication/maker education in communities worldwide. Comparable mission of expanding access to maker tools, training, and entrepreneurship pathways.
• STE(A)M Truck: Mobile innovation labs serving youth, educators, and community members with hands-on STEAM experiences, with explicit focus on underserved communities. Highly comparable programmatic model and target population.

Emerging players

• Forward Cities: National nonprofit equipping communities and regions to grow equitable entrepreneurial ecosystems with an explicit focus on closing the racial wealth gap. Comparable community-equity mission and MakerUSA strategic partner.
• Urban Manufacturing Alliance: National coalition of 900+ members across 250+ cities advancing equitable place-based manufacturing strategies. Comparable focus on inclusive maker/manufacturing ecosystems and listed MakerUSA strategic partner.
• Idaho STEM Action Center: State-level STEM/maker education effort reaching 80,000+ students and 11,000 educators annually. Comparable in population served and STEM/maker pathway mission, but operates as a state initiative rather than a national nonprofit.

Regional players

• Children's Museum of Pittsburgh: Operates MAKESHOP and MuseumLab maker programming serving ~300,000 children and adults annually in the Pittsburgh region. Comparable maker-education programming, but with a regional museum-based delivery model rather than MakerUSA's national nonprofit/partnership approach.

Broad incumbents

• NACCE (National Association for Community College Entrepreneurship): National nonprofit managing an ecosystem of 300+ community colleges, HBCUs, and technical colleges focused on entrepreneurship. Broader scope than MakerUSA but directly comparable in target institutions and MakerUSA's incubation partner.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

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 MakerUSA