Carpe Mundi

What Carpe Mundi does

Carpe Mundi is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2008 and headquartered in Portland, Oregon, that provides year-long mentorship programs combined with scholarships for experiential study abroad semesters to low-income college students from the Portland area. Each year, participating students receive two months of international experiential education in Southeast Asia, Africa, or Latin America, supplemented by 55 hours of one-on-one mentorship and 106-170 hours of group mentorship delivered before and after travel, along with writing and editing support. The organization delivers programming through strategic partnerships with Carpe Diem Education and Where There Be Dragons and recruits students via institutional partnerships (including Portland Community College's Future Connect program) and direct application through its website.

The organization operates with a lean team of six employees and is currently working fully remote while seeking a new physical office. Its core technology footprint is minimal — no proprietary software, mobile applications, or AI systems are identified — reflecting a service model that is fundamentally human-centric and relationship-driven rather than technology-platform-driven. The product surface consists of a single unified program (the year-long mentorship + study abroad scholarship) plus supplementary fundraising products.

Carpe Mundi's revenue model is donation-based with no disclosed pricing for its program services. Funding streams include one-time individual donations, the recurring monthly "Frequent Flyer Club" giving program, passive donations through the Fred Meyer Community Rewards affiliation program, and proceeds from a limited-edition Stoller x Carpe Mundi Pinot Noir collaboration where student alumni design the bottle labels. The customer base is a narrow, well-defined persona: low-income college students from Portland, OR; the donor base is similarly geographically concentrated and individually sourced.

Name

Carpe Mundi

Legal name

Carpe Mundi

Website

https://carpemundi.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Carpe Mundi is a Portland, Oregon-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides year-long mentorship programs and scholarships for two-month experiential study abroad semesters to low-income college students from Portland, funded through individual donations and partnerships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Educational study abroad and mentorship services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (6117), Educational Services (61)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Experiential & Field-Based Study Abroad (Research, Field Schools, Practicums) (EDAIAAAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Short-Term & Summer/Winter Multi-Country Study Abroad Programs (EDAIAAAF), Leadership, Service Learning & Volunteer-to-Career Pathways (EDAMAKAJ), Alumni, Peer & Community Networking Programs (EDAMAKAM)

Keywords

• Study abroad scholarships
• Mentorship programs
• Experiential education
• Nonprofit scholarships
• International learning

Headquarters

HQ city

Portland, Oregon (OR)

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Carpe Mundi relies on charitable donations from individuals to fund student scholarships, program operations, and mentorship services. The organization operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit.
2. Monthly Giving Program (Frequent Flyer Club): Recurring monthly donations from supporters who join the Frequent Flyer Club gifting level program.
3. Fred Meyer Community Rewards: Portion of Fred Meyer purchases donated to Carpe Mundi when shoppers link their Rewards Card to the organization (Organization number YW460).
4. Wine Sales Partnership: Limited edition Stoller x Carpe Mundi Pinot Noir sales where proceeds support student journeys. Students who traveled with the program design labels for bottles.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Carpe Mundi delivers a year-long mentorship program for low-income college students from Portland, OR that combines 55 hours of one-on-one mentorship and 106-170 hours of group mentorship with a fully scholarship-funded, two-month experiential study abroad semester in Southeast Asia, Africa, or Latin America. The program covers homestays, cultural immersion, service learning, pre- and post-travel writing and editing support, and ongoing alumni community engagement. Students apply directly through the organization's website and are recruited via partnerships with local high schools and colleges.

Product overview

Carpe Mundi is a non-profit organization offering a single, unified program—a year-long mentorship program with an experiential education study abroad scholarship for low-income college students from Portland, OR. The core offering includes approximately 2 months of international travel (to SE Asia, Africa, or Latin America), 55 hours of one-on-one mentorship, 106-170 hours of group mentorship, and comprehensive support before, during, and after travel. The organization also operates supplementary fundraising products including a monthly giving program (Frequent Flyer Club) and a limited edition Stoller x Carpe Mundi Pinot Noir collaboration.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Year-Long Mentorship Program with Study Abroad Scholarship A comprehensive year-long mentorship program designed for low-income college students from Portland, OR. Includes a scholarship for an experiential education study abroad semester. Provides two months of international experiential programming, 55 hours of one-on-one mentorship, and 106-170 hours of group mentorship before and after travel.
• Experiential Study Abroad Programming Two-month experiential education study abroad program with travel to SE Asia, Africa, or Latin America. Includes homestays, cultural immersion, and service learning components for selected low-income Portland college students.
• One-on-One Mentorship 55 hours of individual one-on-one mentorship per student per year, delivered before and after international travel. Includes writing and editing assistance while students complete coursework.
• Group Mentorship Group mentorship sessions providing 106 to 170 hours of cohort-based meetings and support per student per year, before and after international travel.
• Stoller x Carpe Mundi Pinot Noir Limited edition wine collaboration with Stoller Family Estate. A Pinot Noir bottle with a student-designed label by alumna Valeria Vollmer-Rendon featuring student journey stories. Proceeds fund student scholarships.
• Frequent Flyer Club (Monthly Giving Program) Recurring monthly donation program for supporters who join the Frequent Flyer Club gifting level to provide ongoing funding for Carpe Mundi student scholarships and programs.

Quantifiable outcome

• 100% of students who complete the program report increased independence and expanded worldview
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Carpe Diem EducationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing partnership with Carpe Diem Education for study abroad programming. Carpe Mundi students participate in Carpe Diem's experiential education programs including semesters in SE Asia, Africa, Latin America, and other regions. Instructors and program structures appear integrated across both organizations.
• Where There Be DragonscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partner for international programming. The Where There Be Dragons Yak Board is referenced as the platform for student journey updates and documentation during programs.
• US Department of StateminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration through Young Leaders of the Americas Initiative (YLAI) program, connecting with State Department programming.
• World OregonminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPortland-based international exchange organization supporting global education initiatives in the local community.
• Portland Community College (Future Connect)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with PCC's Future Connect program supporting college access and completion for Portland community college students, including pathways to international education opportunities.
• Stoller Family EstateminorGTM or Marketing PartnerWine partnership producing limited edition Stoller x Carpe Mundi Pinot Noir. Student alumni Valeria Vollmer-Rendon designed the bottle label featuring stories of student journeys. Proceeds support more student experiences.
• Fred MeyerminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFred Meyer Community Rewards program allows shoppers to link their Rewards Card to Carpe Mundi (Organization YW460). A portion of qualifying purchases is donated to support Portland students through global education.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• IES Abroad: Major study abroad provider with multi-country, multi-discipline semester and summer programs. Comparable program architecture but serves a broader, more affluent student base than Carpe Mundi's low-income Portland focus.
• The Experiment in International Living (CIEE): Large, established international educational exchange organization offering summer study abroad and high school programs globally. Overlaps with Carpe Mundi on experiential programming but at much greater scale and broader audience.

Direct peers

• Where There Be Dragons: Core strategic partner running experiential, field-based study abroad programs that Carpe Mundi students attend. Operates the same niche of multi-country experiential programs with homestays and cultural immersion.
• Thinking Beyond Borders: Nonprofit running gap-year style experiential study abroad programs for high school and college students. Comparable mission, cohort-based delivery model, and emphasis on personal transformation through international immersion.
• Carpe Diem Education: Core long-standing partner and experiential study abroad provider whose semester programs in SE Asia, Africa, and Latin America Carpe Mundi students join. Operates in the same experiential education category and shares cohorts.
• Rustic Pathways: Community service-focused study abroad provider with programs across Latin America, Africa, and Asia. Comparable product offering (multi-country experiential programs with service learning components) targeting high school and college students.
• Global Citizen Year: Nonprofit fellowship that sends cohorts of young Americans on immersive service-learning year abroad. Highly comparable as a nonprofit scholarship-and-mentorship model targeting underserved youth with international programming.

Regional players

• World Oregon: Portland-based international exchange organization already collaborating with Carpe Mundi. Operates in the same metro and mission space (global education for the Portland community), making it a regional ecosystem peer rather than direct program competitor.

Others

• The Fund for Education Abroad: Nonprofit scholarship provider specifically funding study abroad for underrepresented US students. Adjacent peer because it removes financial barriers to study abroad, though it does not run programs or mentorship itself.

Emerging players

• ProWorld Service Learning: Service-learning study abroad provider operating volunteer and internship programs in Latin America, Africa, and Asia. Comparable in international destinations and service-learning emphasis, though more commercial in orientation.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/carpemundipdx
• Instagraminstagram.com/carpemundipdx
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/carpe-mundi

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

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 Carpe Mundi