National Upcycled Computing Collective
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2017
- HeadquartersFullerton, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
National Upcycled Computing Collective firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- National Upcycled Computing Collective
- Legal name
- National Upcycled Computing Collective, Inc.
- Website
- https://nuccinc.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2017
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where National Upcycled Computing Collective is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Fullerton
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
National Upcycled Computing Collective business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Individual Donations: Individual donors contribute via Venmo (@StengoS) and other channels to support nonprofit operations including storage units, travel expenses, and project supplies.
- Grants: Grant funding to support operations, administrative costs, and expansion of programs for cybersecurity education.
- Sponsorships: Corporate and organizational sponsorships, with a specific outreach to flagship donors and sponsors to support work with cyber clubs.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | One time/ perpetual license | Free/Low-Cost Equipment Access |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels4 records
National Upcycled Computing Collective product offering
Product offeringCore offering
NUCC is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that upcycles discarded computing equipment and distributes it at little to no cost to students, professionals, and hobbyists for hands-on cybersecurity research and education. It runs programs (Hardware Charter, Hardware Loan Program, NUCC NET, Infrastructure Support, SoCal Cyber Clubs, Cyber Club Advising) and research projects (Upcycled Cyber Ranges, Distributed Computing, Fuzzing, Cluster Computing, Virtualization Labs) while facilitating monthly meetups and partnerships with hacker communities.
Product overview
The National Upcycled Computing Collective (NUCC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that provides upcycled computing equipment and cybersecurity education services rather than commercial software products. The organization operates a portfolio of programs and projects including the Hardware Charter, Hardware Loan Program, NUCC NET, and Infrastructure Support, which collectively enable students and cybersecurity professionals to access equipment at little to no cost. NUCC's project portfolio spans Distributed Computing, Mobile Technologies, Fuzzing & Alternative ISA Fuzzing, Wireless Technologies, Cluster Computing, Cyber Analytics & Intelligence, Hardware Configuration Labs, Virtualization Labs, and Impact Studies—all utilizing sustainably repurposed electronic devices. The organization also runs community programs including SoCal Cyber Clubs, Cyber Club Advising, and maintains connections with hacker communities through partnerships with Illuminati Party (DEF CON), Irvine Underground, and OC 2600.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Hardware Charter A program that provides upcycled computing equipment to students, professionals, and hobbyists at little to no cost for cybersecurity research and education.
- Hardware Loan Program Equipment loan service that enables students in cybersecurity to pursue community-driven educational, outreach, and research opportunities.
- NUCC NET Network infrastructure support service for cyber ranges and security education environments.
- Infrastructure Support Technical support for building and maintaining cyber ranges composed primarily of upcycled parts.
- SoCal Cyber Clubs Regional program connecting and supporting Southern California's cybersecurity student clubs.
- Cyber Club Advising Mentoring and advisory services for student-run cybersecurity clubs at universities.
- Upcycled Cyber Ranges Cyber range environments built from upcycled computing parts for hands-on security training and research.
- Distributed Computing Research and development project focused on utilizing upcycled hardware for distributed computing applications.
- Fuzzing & Alternative ISA Fuzzing Security research project utilizing upcycled equipment for fuzzing testing across different instruction set architectures.
- Cluster Computing Building computing clusters from upcycled hardware for security research and education.
- Virtualization Labs Virtualization environments built on upcycled hardware for cybersecurity education and research.
Quantifiable outcome
- Hundreds of thousands of dollars saved through upcycled cyber ranges
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use National Upcycled Computing Collective
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
National Upcycled Computing Collective technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
National Upcycled Computing Collective partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and strategic.
- University Cybersecurity ClubscoreCollaborates with student-run cybersecurity clubs at top universities. Provides equipment, mentoring, and support for community-driven educational, outreach, and research opportunities.
- University Researchers and ProfessorsstrategicCollaborates with university researchers and professors to drive development of alternative modalities of cybersecurity education and innovative uses for upcycled equipment.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
National Upcycled Computing Collective competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- World Computer Exchange: Nonprofit that refurbishes donated computers and ships them to schools and community organizations, primarily in developing countries. Directly comparable to NUCC on the hardware redistribution side, though its geography skews international.
- Per Scholas: National nonprofit providing tuition-free IT training and pathways to tech careers for adults from underserved communities. Most directly comparable to NUCC as both nonprofits combine hardware provision, hands-on technical training, and a mission of removing financial barriers to tech education.
- CyberPatriot: Air Force Association's national youth cyber defense competition and education program serving K-12 and college students. Highly comparable to NUCC on the student-cybersecurity-education mission, with comparable focus on competitions, mentoring, and workforce pipeline development.
- National Cyber League: Cybersecurity skills competitions and practice environment for high school and college students. Directly comparable to NUCC's focus on practical cybersecurity skill development for students.
- Human-I-T: Nonprofit that refurbishes donated technology and distributes it to low-income families, students, and nonprofits alongside digital literacy training. Closely comparable to NUCC's upcycle-and-educate model and its focus on underserved student beneficiaries.
- Cyber.org: Nonprofit providing free cybersecurity curriculum, resources, and teacher training to K-12 educators and students nationwide. Comparable educational mission in cybersecurity, with broader curricular scope but less emphasis on hardware access.
- NPower: Nonprofit providing tuition-free technology training, career support, and equipment access to underserved adults. Comparable to NUCC in combining tech education with hardware provision to remove financial barriers.
Regional players
- Close the Gap: International nonprofit bridging the digital divide by redistributing used IT equipment to educational and community organizations. Comparable hardware redistribution model, but geographically focused outside the U.S.
Emerging players
- BlackGirlsHack: Nonprofit providing cybersecurity training, resources, and community to underrepresented groups. Comparable community-driven, education-focused mission with overlapping student and professional segments.
Broad incumbents
- SANS Institute: The largest commercial cybersecurity training and certification organization. Broader incumbent in the same cybersecurity-education space as NUCC, but operating as a paid commercial enterprise rather than a free community-driven model.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
National Upcycled Computing Collective financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
National Upcycled Computing Collective leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
National Upcycled Computing Collective funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
National Upcycled Computing Collective 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 National Upcycled Computing Collective
What does National Upcycled Computing Collective do?
NUCC is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that upcycles discarded computing equipment and distributes it at little to no cost to students, professionals, and hobbyists for hands-on cybersecurity research and education. It runs programs (Hardware Charter, Hardware Loan Program, NUCC NET, Infrastructure Support, SoCal Cyber Clubs, Cyber Club Advising) and research projects (Upcycled Cyber Ranges, Distributed Computing, Fuzzing, Cluster Computing, Virtualization Labs) while facilitating monthly meetups and partnerships with hacker communities.
Is National Upcycled Computing Collective a public or private company?
National Upcycled Computing Collective is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was National Upcycled Computing Collective founded?
National Upcycled Computing Collective was founded in 2017. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is National Upcycled Computing Collective based?
National Upcycled Computing Collective is headquartered in Fullerton, United States, in the North America region.
How does National Upcycled Computing Collective make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Individual Donations are the primary driver. The others are grants and sponsorships.
Who are National Upcycled Computing Collective's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are World Computer Exchange, Per Scholas, CyberPatriot, National Cyber League, Human-I-T, Cyber.org and NPower. Close the Gap is listed as a regional player. BlackGirlsHack is listed as an emerging player. SANS Institute is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does National Upcycled Computing Collective have an API?
No public API is recorded for National Upcycled Computing Collective.