ATLAS Fellows

What ATLAS Fellows does

ATLAS Fellows, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization headquartered in Chicago (444 W. Lake Street, 50th Floor) with a regional office in New York City, founded in 2020 by Dmitry Balyasny, co-founder of Balyasny Asset Management. The organization runs a four-year scholarship, paid internship, mentorship, and lifetime community program for under-resourced high school seniors in the Chicago and NYC metropolitan areas who aspire to careers in finance. Its core "products" are a last-dollar scholarship of up to $20,000 per year for up to four years (distributed through individual 529 plans, giving Fellows direct ownership and investment control over funds), up to four summers of paid full-time internships at partner financial firms (the first summer universally hosted at Balyasny Asset Management), individually-matched professional mentors, and lifetime alumni membership. The organization has admitted six cohorts since 2021 — 15 students in 2021, growing to a record 46 in 2025 and 62 in 2026 — for a cumulative enrollment exceeding 130 Fellows, with demographic mix at roughly 59% first-generation college students, 55–59% women or female/non-binary, 41% AAPI, 26% Black, and 18% Hispanic/Latine.

Programmatic technology is modest: scholarship administration runs on 529 Plan infrastructure; career development includes a Codecademy data science and Python course that all 2025 Fellows completed before their first internship, plus HireVue interview-prep content. The organization does not disclose financials publicly (a FY 2026 990 Form is linked from the website but not parsed in available inputs) and reports an internal team of six with prior educator backgrounds, while a separate firmographic data point lists 52 staff (likely including broader network, contractors, or seasonal personnel).

The business model rests on three revenue streams: individual donations (check or wire to the Chicago address), corporate and foundation grants, and employer partner contributions — the last largely in-kind via paid internships at firms including Balyasny Asset Management, Citi, J.P. Morgan, UBS, Morgan Stanley, Jefferies, Loop Capital, Baird, CME Group, BMO, Fidelity Investments, Primary Venture Partners, Trillium Trading, Long Ridge Partners, Oaktree, Sculptor Capital, and others. Outcomes data is the primary value proposition to both donors and employer partners: 100% of eligible Fellows received full-time return offers heading into senior year, 11 of the 15 inaugural graduates secured full-time finance roles, and partner testimonials (e.g., Amy Ellis of Morgan Stanley; Charlie Dan of Balyasny) frame ATLAS as a credible and effective diverse-talent pipeline. Customer segments are bifurcated: under-resourced high school seniors (and current college Fellows) as program beneficiaries, and financial services firms plus high school educators as partner-channel stakeholders.

Name

ATLAS Fellows

Legal name

ATLAS Fellows, Inc.

Website

https://atlasfellows.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

ATLAS Fellows is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit providing up to $20,000/year scholarships, paid summer internships at financial firms, mentorship, and lifetime community membership to under-resourced high school seniors in Chicago and NYC pursuing finance careers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonprofit Education & Workforce Development

NAICS

Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813), Civic and Social Organizations (813410), Other Grantmaking and Giving Services (813219)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Alumni, Peer & Community Networking Programs (EDAMAKAM)

Keywords

• Scholarship programs
• Paid internship placement
• Professional mentorship services
• Nonprofit education programs
• College access programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: ATLAS receives donations from individual supporters. Donations can be made via check (sent to 444 W. Lake Street, 50th Floor, Chicago IL 60606) or wire transfer.
2. Corporate/Foundation Grants and Partnerships: Financial institutions (partner firms) provide funding support, internship opportunities, and mentorship placements. The program is described as a talent pipeline for financial services firms.
3. Employer Internship Contributions: Partner financial firms provide paid summer internships for ATLAS Fellows. While not direct revenue to ATLAS, this represents in-kind support through internship wages and training.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

ATLAS Fellows is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides under-resourced high school seniors in the Chicago and NYC metro areas with a four-year integrated program combining last-dollar college scholarships of up to $20,000 per year (distributed through individual 529 plans), paid summer internships at partner financial institutions, individually matched professional mentors, and lifetime community membership. The program targets first-generation, Pell-eligible, and underrepresented students interested in finance careers and operates an annual direct-application admissions process.

Product overview

ATLAS Fellows is a nonprofit scholarship and professional development program that provides under-resourced high school seniors in Chicago and New York City with an integrated four-year program combining last-dollar college scholarships (up to $20,000/year), paid summer internships at top financial firms (starting with Balyasny Asset Management), one-on-one professional mentorship, and lifetime community membership. The program includes pre-internship technical training via Codecademy and interview preparation support. Fellows receive funds through 529 plans and access exclusive networking opportunities throughout their college years and beyond.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• ATLAS Fellows Scholarship Program A last-dollar scholarship program providing up to $20,000 per Fellow per year, renewable for up to four years, to cover remaining college costs after other financial aid is applied. Scholarship funds are distributed through individual 529 plans, giving Fellows direct access and control over their funds and investment decisions for IRS-approved qualified expenses including laptops, books, supplies, food, and housing.
• Paid Summer Internship Program A four-year paid summer internship placement program providing Fellows with full-time, intensive summer roles at prestigious financial institutions. The first summer internship is at Balyasny Asset Management; subsequent summers place Fellows at partner firms including Baird, Loop Capital, Jefferies, Citi, UBS, J.P. Morgan, Morgan Stanley, CME, and others.
• Professional Mentorship Program An individually matched mentorship program pairing each ATLAS Fellow with an experienced finance professional who provides career guidance, skill development, networking opportunities, and ongoing support throughout the four-year fellowship.
• Lifetime ATLAS Community Membership A lifelong membership to the ATLAS alumni network providing ongoing access to professional connections, job postings, referral opportunities, and social events with peers and industry leaders. Engagement is reinforced through the annual Graduation Gala and ongoing alumni programming.
• Pre-Internship Career Development and Training Pre-internship and ongoing technical and professional training for Fellows, including a Codecademy data science and Python curriculum, Excel and Finance 101, Professional Development 101, and virtual interview preparation covering platforms such as HireVue that are used as first-round screening tools by partner firms.

Quantifiable outcome

• 100% of eligible Fellows received full-time return offers heading into their senior year
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers13 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

18 partnerships are on record, tiered core/flagship, core and supporting.

• Balyasny Asset Managementcore/flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2021ATLAS was incubated at Balyasny Asset Management L.P. (BAM), a Chicago-based global investment manager. BAM hosted the inaugural cohort of ATLAS Fellows for their first paid summer internship in Summer 2021. Dmitry Balyasny, co-founder of BAM, serves as Board Chair of ATLAS. All 2025 Fellows complete their first summer internship at Balyasny Asset Management. Charlie Dan, Associate Portfolio Manager at BAM, describes ATLAS as creating 'opportunity equity for talented young professionals.'
• Loop CapitalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLoop Capital is an investment banking and financial services firm that serves as an employer partner, hosting ATLAS Fellows for summer internships. Fellows have interned in various roles including IT Intern, Equity Analyst Intern, and Summer Analyst (Investment Banking).
• BairdcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBaird is a global financial services firm listed as a partner on the For Partners page. Fellows have interned at Baird in roles including Corporate Strategy Intern and Equity Research Summer Analyst (Internet & Digital Services).
• Primary Venture PartnerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary Venture Partners is a venture capital firm listed as a partner. The firm hosted ATLAS Fellows for Venture Capital Summer Analyst positions.
• Trillium TradingsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerTrillium Trading is a financial services firm listed as an employer partner for the 2025 cohort summer internships.
• Long Ridge PartnerssupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong Ridge Partners is an executive search and research firm listed as an employer partner for the 2025 cohort summer internships.
• Morgan StanleycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAmy Ellis, Managing Director at Morgan Stanley, has provided testimonials about ATLAS: 'The search for talent has never been more intense. The ATLAS model has done an incredible job of finding and training the future leaders of financial services.' Morgan Stanley has hosted Fellows for various internship roles.
• JefferiescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJefferies is a global investment bank and financial services firm. ATLAS Fellows have completed rotational internships at Jefferies through the J-NOBLE program. Michael Long from Jefferies serves on the ATLAS Board.
• UBScoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUBS is a global financial services firm. Brian Zhagui (2021 Fellow) was hired as Investment Banking Analyst at UBS after interning at Baird and completing the ATLAS program. Fellows have interned in Equity Research and Global Markets roles.
• CiticoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCiti is a global investment bank and financial services corporation. Kaylee Yin (2021 Fellow) interned at Citi's Global Family Office Group and will return full-time as Wealth Management Analyst. Liza Ampong (2021 Fellow) interned at Citi as Markets Quantitative Summer Analyst and received a full-time offer.
• GrosvenorsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerGrosvenor is listed as a partner firm on the For Partners page, featuring their logo alongside other employer partners.
• LakeviewsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerLakeview (likely Lakeview Investment Group) is listed as a partner firm on the For Partners page.
• Kiski GroupsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerKiski Group is listed as a partner firm on the For Partners page. Fellows have interned at Kiski Group in Platform Solutions roles.
• Chicago Mercantile ExchangesupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerKrystle Black from Chicago Mercantile Exchange serves as Board Treasurer of ATLAS Fellows. CME Group has hosted Fellows for internships in Corporate Finance and Accounting Tech roles.
• BMOsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerBMO (Bank of Montreal) is a financial services partner. Kaylee Yin interned at BMO Capital Markets as a Rotational Summer Intern. Elaine Esnes interned at BMO as a Summer LAUNCH Intern.
• Fidelity InvestmentssupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerSuzie Mendez (2021 Fellow) interned at Fidelity Investments as an Investor Center Intern during her ATLAS fellowship.
• CodecademysupportingTechnology or IntegrationFor the 2025 cohort, ATLAS implemented a Codecademy data science and Python course that all Fellows complete before their first summer internship, providing foundational coding skills.
• J.P. MorgancoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJ.P. Morgan is a global financial services firm. Sandra Martinez (2021 Fellow) will join J.P. Morgan's Investment Bank as an analyst after graduating from Brown. Brian Zhagui interned at J.P. Morgan as part of the fellowship.

Scale indicators15 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Regional players

• KIPP (Knowledge Is Power Program): KIPP operates a large network of public charter schools serving low-income communities with a college-prep mission. Related mission (college access for under-resourced students) and shares ATLAS's NYC/Chicago footprint, but is primarily a K-12 school operator rather than a college/career scholarship program.

Direct peers

• Bottom Line: Bottom Line provides college access and persistence coaching to low-income and first-generation students from high school through college graduation. Comparable on multi-year student support model and first-generation/under-resourced target population.
• Questbridge: Questbridge provides full scholarships and support connecting high-achieving low-income students to top colleges, with a growing career-network component post-graduation. Comparable scholarship-distribution and under-resourced-student model, though broader than finance.
• INROADS: INROADS operates internship and career-development pathways that place high-achieving diverse college students into corporate roles, historically with strong finance and consulting employer participation. Comparable mission and operating model of cultivating an employer-funded talent pipeline for under-represented talent.
• The Posse Foundation: Posse identifies and supports diverse cohorts of students through college with leadership programming and corporate career access. Comparable cohort-based, multi-year, scholar-community design with finance/consulting employer partners.
• Braven: Braven runs post-secondary career-acceleration programs that place underserved college students into competitive first jobs, with strong finance and tech employer partnerships. Comparable career-readiness and employer-pipeline focus, though Braven centers on college students rather than high-school seniors.
• SEO Scholars (Sponsors for Educational Opportunity): SEO Scholars is a college-access and career-readiness program for underserved high school students, with dedicated pathways into finance and other competitive industries. Direct comparable — it pioneered the under-resourced-student-to-finance-pipeline model that ATLAS has explicitly emulated (Emil Kim, ATLAS MD of Programs, was previously Director of Programs at SEO Scholars).
• Management Leadership for Tomorrow (MLT): MLT runs career-acceleration and MBA-pipeline programs for high-achieving underrepresented talent, with deep employer partnerships across consulting, finance, and tech. Comparable on multi-year programming, employer-driven placement model, and diversity-pipeline positioning.

Broad incumbents

• College Possible: College Possible is a larger, established college-access nonprofit with similar target population (low-income, first-generation students) and multi-year coaching model, though without ATLAS's sector-specific finance focus and employer-direct pipeline.
• Year Up: Year Up is a larger workforce-development nonprofit providing training and corporate internships to young adults from under-resourced backgrounds. Comparable career-readiness and employer-funded internship model, though broader in scope than finance.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/atlasfellows
• Instagraminstagram.com/atlasfellows

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about ATLAS Fellows