YOJO

What YOJO does

YOJO, LLC is a Raleigh, North Carolina-based software company that operates a web-based SaaS platform connecting learners, mentors, and program administrators within the U.S. pathway-program ecosystem — defined as research, internship, and enrichment programs that move participants from one academic or career stage to the next. The platform serves three distinct user roles through shared core infrastructure: learners and mentors access the product for free to discover programs, build a single profile via the Journey Quiz, and apply through a common-application system; program administrators use a paid dashboard to list programs, run application cycles, assign reviewers through a built-in blind-review workflow, and export rubric-scored data; institutional leaders and researchers are positioned as a future segment for cross-program analytics and access-gap identification. The matching engine is a proprietary recommendation algorithm that surfaces programs based on profile attributes, but no third-party model vendor, patents, or research artifacts are disclosed.

The business model is a freemium two-sided marketplace monetized on the supply side. Program administrators can list for free and convert to paid Program Plans at $89/month or $850/year, with an Institution Plan starting at $5,000/year for organizations managing 10 or more programs and requiring sales-assisted onboarding, SSO, and multi-cohort management. Revenue is not publicly disclosed; the company has raised $22,500 in total funding, operates with 1-10 employees, and was founded in 2024. Go-to-market combines product-led growth (free tier, self-serve signup), community-led referrals within university and research institution networks, and a direct enterprise sales motion for institution contracts. Marketing relies on the company website, video platform tours, and program-director testimonials that explicitly contrast YOJO against Qualtrics and REDCap.

YOJO has built a self-attested compliance posture spanning FERPA (with school-official designation), COPPA (with parental consent verification), CCPA, GDPR, UK GDPR, and SOC 2-style security controls, accompanied by Data Processing Agreements for institutional customers. The platform lists 420+ programs but conversion from listing to paid subscription is not disclosed, and the named institutional reference (North Carolina Central University's AI Emerging Practitioners Program) has not yet claimed its listing. Leadership includes Amber Richardson as Chief Operating Officer. No acquisitions, partnerships, patents, awards, or external investors are disclosed in the available source material.

Name

YOJO

Legal name

YOJO, LLC

Website

https://yojo.center

Company type

Private

Founded year

2024

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

YOJO operates a web-based SaaS platform that connects learners, mentors, and program administrators across U.S. research, internship, and enrichment pathway programs, monetizing program administrators via subscription tiers while keeping learners and mentors free.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Raleigh

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Software

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Program Plan - Monthly: Monthly subscription for individual program administrators at $89/month, providing all core features including application builder, rubrics, unlimited reviewers, and email notifications
2. Program Plan - Annual: Annual subscription at $850/year offering ~20% savings vs monthly, includes priority support and early access to new features
3. Institution Plan: Enterprise tier starting at $5,000/year for institutions managing 10+ programs, includes org-wide settings, multi-cohort management, SSO, advanced permissions, onboarding and training

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

YOJO operates a web-based SaaS platform connecting learners with pathway programs such as research, internship, and enrichment opportunities. It serves three audiences: learners and mentors (free access to discover and apply to programs through a single profile), program administrators at universities and research institutions (paid subscription for application management, reviewer workflow, and analytics), and institutional leaders and researchers (cross-program data and participation insights).

Product overview

YOJO is a single-platform SaaS product built as a unified web application at yojo.center. It is not a modular suite with separately priced add-ons; rather, the same platform serves three distinct user roles — Learners, Mentors, and Administrators — through role-specific interfaces built on top of shared core infrastructure. The product portfolio consists of: the YOJO Platform (core application), the Journey Quiz (profile intake and matching engine), the Program Administration Dashboard (application and reviewer management), the Common Application System (multi-program application submission), the Blind Review Workflow (anonymous evaluation), and Analytics & Reporting (outcome tracking and institutional insights). Pricing is available as Program Plans (Monthly at $89/month or Annual at $850/year) and an Institution Plan (starting at $5,000/year for 10+ programs). The platform is free for learners, mentors, and supporters.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• YOJO Platform A web-based SaaS platform connecting learners with pathway programs (research, internship, enrichment). Serves learners who discover and apply to programs, program administrators who manage applications and reviewers, and mentors who offer guidance. Replaces spreadsheets, email chains, and single-use survey software with a centralized application management system.

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability1 record

Feature5 records

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves2 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Submittable: Application and review management SaaS for grants, fellowships, contests, and academic programs. Comparable target buyer (program administrators) with overlapping application/review/rubric features.
• SurveyMonkey Apply: Enterprise application-management product (formerly SurveyMonkey Apply / Fluxx) used by nonprofits, foundations, and academic programs. Comparable workflow for receiving, reviewing, and scoring applications.
• SlideRoom: Application and portfolio submission platform widely used by academic programs, scholarships, and fellowships. Direct overlap with YOJO's Program Administration Dashboard, blind review, and rubric/scoring workflow.
• Common App: The dominant single-profile, multi-program application platform for U.S. college admissions. Highly comparable to YOJO's Common Application System and program-matching concept, though focused on undergraduate admissions rather than research/internship/enrichment pathways.

Emerging players

• Tallo: Talent marketplace that matches students with colleges, scholarships, internships, and career pathways. Closely comparable to YOJO's pathway-program discovery and matching concept for a similar student demographic.
• MentorCruise: Mentor-marketplace platform for learners seeking guided career and skill pathways. Overlaps with YOJO's mentor-facing value proposition and common-application flow.
• Idealist: Two-sided marketplace connecting individuals to nonprofit programs, volunteering, and internship/entry-level roles. Comparable learner-to-program discovery and matching model, though focused on the nonprofit sector.

Broad incumbents

• Qualtrics: Named by YOJO's own users as a benchmark incumbent. Qualtrics offers survey-driven application and program-evaluation tools with strong university penetration and the resources to add pathway-specific features.
• College Board BigFuture: Free college and career pathway discovery platform from the College Board. Comparable to YOJO's program-matching mission and learner-side experience, with significantly larger brand recognition among U.S. students.
• REDCap: Free academic research data-capture platform used widely in universities; explicitly cited as a competitor by YOJO customers. Comparable on review and data workflows, though lighter on commercial application management.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Compliance7 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors

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 YOJO