STEMbassadors
STEMbassadors is a Ventura, California-based 501c3 nonprofit, founded in 2017 and led by 15+ student members, that builds and donates SPARK Cart technology packages (CNC routers, 3D printers, curriculum) to K-12 educators and trains teachers, while operating the IDEA Center community hub for marginalized youth.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2017
- HeadquartersVentura, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What STEMbassadors does
STEMbassadors Inc. is a Ventura, California-based 501c3 nonprofit founded in 2017 by a group of middle and high school students. Its mission is to expand access to maker technology and STEM education for under-resourced K-12 schools and marginalized youth in Ventura County. The organization has grown to more than 15 student members drawn from across the county.
The core offering is the SPARK Cart, a mobile technology package bundling a CNC router (X-Carve in Generation 1, 2017; Work Bee in Generation 3, 2021), a 3D printer, an Acer laptop, dust collection, materials, and integrated curriculum with technical support. The platform has been iterated through three documented generations — with the Generation 2 (2019) enclosure co-developed with Sessa Manufacturing to reduce noise, dust, and operator hazard — and has been deployed into classrooms across Ventura, Oxnard, Santa Barbara, and Simi Valley school districts. Supporting services include annual multi-day professional development trainings for teachers on STEM curriculum integration, and the IDEA Center, launched in 2022 at El Portal on Ventura Avenue as a permanent community hub for Innovation, Design, Entrepreneurship and Art.
STEMbassadors is funded by tax-deductible donations, grants, and corporate sponsorships rather than commercial sales. Documented major sponsors include Rotary International, QAD, Sensata Technologies, MJP Technologies, and College of the Canyons. The organization operates on a community-led, go-to-market model in which SPARK Carts are donated to educators and an annual 3-day PD event trains teachers directly. Impact since founding is documented at 4,200+ K-12 students reached and 30 teachers trained across 5 districts. During COVID-19, the organization extended its reach by producing PRUSA-Research-designed 3D-printed face shields for healthcare workers in nine countries across four continents.
STEMbassadors firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- STEMbassadors
- Legal name
- STEMbassadors Inc.
- Website
- https://stembassadors.net
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2017
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- STEMbassadors is a Ventura, California-based 501c3 nonprofit, founded in 2017 and led by 15+ student members, that builds and donates SPARK Cart technology packages (CNC routers, 3D printers, curriculum) to K-12 educators and trains teachers, while operating the IDEA Center community hub for marginalized youth.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
STEMbassadors industry classification
Industry- Product category
- K-12 STEM Education
- NAICS
- Educational Support Services (611710)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- STEM & Maker Education (Makerspaces, Coding Clubs, Robotics) (EDAAAFAL)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- STEM, Digital Literacy & Maker Education Nonprofits (BPAGADAG), STEM Teacher Tools, Curriculum & Lesson Planning Platforms (EDAFANAK), 3D Printing, CAD & Digital Fabrication Programs (EDAMADAH)
Keywords
Where STEMbassadors is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Ventura
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
STEMbassadors business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Personnel, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Donations and Grants: As a 501c3 nonprofit organization, STEMbassadors relies on tax-deductible donations from individuals, corporations, and grants to fund operations, technology development, and community programs.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels4 records
STEMbassadors product offering
Product offeringCore offering
STEMbassadors is a student-led 501c3 nonprofit that designs, builds, and donates SPARK Cart technology packages — mobile kits containing CNC routers, 3D printers, laptops, dust collection, and integrated curriculum — to K-12 schools and educators. It supplements the hardware with annual multi-day professional development trainings for teachers and operates the IDEA Center as a permanent community hub for Innovation, Design, Entrepreneurship and Art serving marginalized youth.
Product overview
STEMbassadors is a student-led nonprofit organization offering a portfolio of educational technology products and services. The core product is the SPARK Cart, a mobile technology package containing CNC routers, 3D printers, laptops, dust collection, and curriculum that has been deployed in three generations (2017, 2019, 2021) to over 20 educators across Ventura, Oxnard, and Santa Barbara counties. Supporting services include annual Professional Development Training for educators to integrate STEM curriculum and operate maker technologies, the IDEA Center (launched 2022) as a permanent community hub for innovation and entrepreneurship, and COVID-19 response through 3D-printed face shield production and distribution. The organization has impacted over 4,200 K-12 students and trained 30 teachers from 5 school districts since 2017.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- IDEA Center: A dedicated community center for Innovation, Design, Entrepreneurship and Art located at El Portal on Ventura Avenue, providing opportunities for marginalized youth to bridge education with innovation.
Products and services
- SPARK Cart Technology Package A mobile maker-technology package containing a CNC router, 3D printer, laptop, dust collection system, tools, materials, and integrated curriculum, designed to be donated to K-12 schools and classrooms. Three hardware generations have been developed (2017, 2019, 2021), each improving safety, power, and accessibility.
- Annual Professional Development Training Annual multi-day training sessions that help K-12 educators integrate STEM-based curriculum and learn to operate maker technologies including SPARK Cart systems, with hands-on training for classroom implementation ranging from print making to geological topography studies.
- IDEA Center Community Hub A dedicated community center for Innovation, Design, Entrepreneurship and Art that offers marginalized K-12 youth opportunities to bridge education with innovation through career pathways and partnerships with local businesses and community members.
Quantifiable outcome
- 4,200+ K-12 students impacted since 2017
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use STEMbassadors
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
STEMbassadors technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
STEMbassadors partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered supporting and core.
- College of the CanyonssupportingEducational institution partner supporting STEMbassadors' mission and programs.
- PRUSA ResearchcoreProvided open source face shield design that STEMbassadors used to produce COVID-19 PPE for distribution globally. STEMbassadors credited Josef Prusa for world contribution.
- Sessa ManufacturingcoreCollaborated with STEMbassadors to develop the Generation 2 SPARK Cart enclosure made of 1/8 inch thick aluminum panels, making the machine more safe and approachable.
- Ventura Unified School DistrictcoreCommunity partner in COVID-19 response efforts and recipient of SPARK Cart technology implementation.
- American PlasticssupportingCommunity supporter for COVID-19 face shield production efforts.
- Matter HackerssupportingCommunity supporter providing materials for COVID-19 face shield production.
- Fastsigns of VenturasupportingCommunity supporter for COVID-19 response efforts.
- FRC Team 4414 HighTidesupportingCommunity robotics team participant in COVID-19 face shield production efforts.
- Rock Tree SkysupportingCommunity supporters (Casey Murphy, Jim Bailey) who participated in 3D printing face shields.
- SB HackerspacesupportingNick Winters from SB Hackerspace participated in 3D printing face shields for COVID-19 response.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
STEMbassadors competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Code.org: Large-scale nonprofit increasing access to computer science education in K-12 schools. Comparable as a corporate-sponsored STEM education nonprofit driving curriculum integration, though focused on CS rather than maker hardware.
- Project Lead The Way (PLTW): National nonprofit providing STEM curriculum, teacher training, and classroom technology packages to K-12 schools across the U.S. Larger-scale analog of STEMbassadors' curriculum + hardware + PD integrated offering.
- SparkFun Electronics: Commercial retailer/manufacturer of DIY electronics kits and maker education materials for hobbyists and classrooms. Adjacent in product category (DIY kits and maker bundles) but operates a for-profit model rather than nonprofit community programs.
Direct peers
- Maker Ed: National nonprofit (formerly Maker Education Initiative) that supports maker education in schools and communities, including programs for under-resourced youth. Directly comparable mission: integrating making and STEM into K-12 environments and training educators.
- Fab Foundation: Nonprofit that supports the global Fab Lab network of community digital fabrication labs. Comparable in offering makerspace infrastructure and curriculum to underserved communities, with a substantially larger international footprint.
- Digital Harbor Foundation: Baltimore-based nonprofit operating youth-focused makerspaces and STEM programs for under-resourced communities — directly comparable as a community-anchored youth maker nonprofit with physical facility and curriculum integration.
- FIRST: Youth-serving nonprofit running robotics competitions (FIRST Lego League, FIRST Robotics Competition) with K-12 school integration, teacher/mentor networks, and major corporate sponsors (a comparable operational model and donor ecosystem).
- Citizen Schools: Nonprofit partnering with under-resourced middle schools to expand learning through career-connected programming and mentor networks — a comparable model for serving marginalized K-12 youth through community and industry partnerships.
Others
- STEMfinity: Commercial distributor of STEM classroom products and curriculum to schools. Indirect peer as a STEM products/services vendor targeting the same K-12 district buyers, though operating on a paid-product model.
Regional players
- TechShop / ReMakery: Community-based makerspace nonprofits operating physical fabrication facilities with member access to CNC, 3D printing, and other maker tools — comparable as community-anchored maker facilities, though typically membership-based.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
STEMbassadors social profiles
Digital presenceSTEMbassadors financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
STEMbassadors leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
STEMbassadors funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
STEMbassadors 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 STEMbassadors
What does STEMbassadors do?
STEMbassadors is a student-led 501c3 nonprofit that designs, builds, and donates SPARK Cart technology packages — mobile kits containing CNC routers, 3D printers, laptops, dust collection, and integrated curriculum — to K-12 schools and educators. It supplements the hardware with annual multi-day professional development trainings for teachers and operates the IDEA Center as a permanent community hub for Innovation, Design, Entrepreneurship and Art serving marginalized youth.
Is STEMbassadors a public or private company?
STEMbassadors is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was STEMbassadors founded?
STEMbassadors was founded in 2017. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is STEMbassadors based?
STEMbassadors is headquartered in Ventura, United States, in the North America region.
How does STEMbassadors make money?
One revenue line is on record: donations and Grants.
Who are STEMbassadors's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Code.org, Project Lead The Way (PLTW) and SparkFun Electronics. Direct peers are Maker Ed, Fab Foundation, Digital Harbor Foundation, FIRST and Citizen Schools. STEMfinity is listed as an others. TechShop / ReMakery is listed as a regional player.
Does STEMbassadors have an API?
No public API is recorded for STEMbassadors.
What industry is STEMbassadors in?
STEMbassadors's product category is K-12 STEM Education. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAAAFAL, STEM & Maker Education (Makerspaces, Coding Clubs, Robotics), with a secondary code of BPAGADAG, STEM, Digital Literacy & Maker Education Nonprofits. Its NAICS code is 611710 and its SIC code is 8200.