Clara Brown Entrepreneurial Academy

What Clara Brown Entrepreneurial Academy does

Clara Brown Entrepreneurial Academy (CBEA) is a public K-8 magnet school operated by Aurora Public Schools (APS) in Aurora, Colorado. Founded in 2022, the school currently serves grades K-6 (with 6th grade as its inaugural middle-school cohort) and is expanding to a full K-8 by the 2027-28 school year. CBEA is the first and only entrepreneurial-themed magnet school within the APS district and is named after Clara Brown — a freed slave who became one of Colorado's first African-American women entrepreneurs. The school uses district-vetted core curricula (Wonders for literacy, Bridges for math) as its academic foundation, layered with entrepreneurship-focused programming including EntreEd, Inhub by The Henry Ford, Junior Achievement, Venture Lab, and Young Americans Center's YouthBiz, plus the 7 Mindsets SEL curriculum. Additional programs include monthly student pop-up shops, 6th-grade athletics in partnership with Aurora Hills Middle School, before/after school care through Innovation Learning, and preschool programming.

The school's go-to-market is district-led: enrollment is free and operated via the APS magnet school lottery, with Round 1 applicants prioritized and Round 2 applicants placed on a first-come, first-served waitlist. CBEA markets through APS district channels, its website, community events, local media coverage, podcast features (GaryVee, Better Learning), and word-of-mouth through the parent community and PTA. As a public school, all funding flows from Aurora Public Schools district and state education sources — no tuition is charged to families. The school has assembled an extensive network of 20+ community partners spanning curriculum providers, local entrepreneurs, nonprofits, cultural institutions, and businesses, all providing real-world learning experiences and mentorship. External validation includes a featured appearance on the GaryVee podcast in 2023 and Principal Laura Burke's featured speaking role at the 2024 Magnet Schools of America Policy Conference in Washington, D.C., where she addressed 100+ attendees including Congressional staff.

The current principal, Shelli Deaguero, succeeded founding principal Laura Burke. The faculty roster spans K-6 grade-level teachers, dedicated labs teachers (PE, Art, Music, Technology), special education, reading intervention, CLDE (Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Education), speech pathology, social work, occupational therapy, and gifted & talented facilitators. While the school was founded in 2022 and is still in its early operational years, the K-8 expansion roadmap, partnership depth, and national thought-leadership positioning indicate an institution in active build-out mode.

Name

Clara Brown Entrepreneurial Academy

Legal name

Clara Brown Entrepreneurial Academy

Website

https://cbea.aurorak12.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2022

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Clara Brown Entrepreneurial Academy is a public K-8 magnet school in Aurora, Colorado (currently K-6, expanding to K-8 by 2027-28) operated by Aurora Public Schools, infusing district core curricula with entrepreneurial programming for district students.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

K-8 Public Magnet School Education

NAICS

Educational Services (611)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Entrepreneurship Foundations & Startup Basics (EDAMAHAA)

Keywords

• Magnet school education
• K-8 public education
• Entrepreneurial curriculum
• Financial literacy programs
• Project-based learning

Headquarters

HQ city

Aurora

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Public School Funding: As a public magnet school within Aurora Public Schools, CBEA is funded through district and state education funding. No tuition is charged to students. The school operates as a district-wide destination school.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Clara Brown Entrepreneurial Academy is a tuition-free public K-8 magnet school within Aurora Public Schools that delivers core academic instruction infused with an entrepreneurial mindset, financial literacy, and real-world business experiences. Students participate in project-based learning, monthly student-run pop-up shops, and partnerships with organizations such as Junior Achievement, EntreEd, InHub, Venture Lab, and Young Americans, alongside standard social-emotional, literacy, and math curricula.

Product overview

Clara Brown Entrepreneurial Academy is a district-wide K-8 magnet school that offers a unified educational program combining rigorous academics with an entrepreneurial mindset framework. The school uses district-vetted core curricula (Wonders for literacy, Bridges for math) as its academic foundation, which is infused with entrepreneurship-specific programs including EntreEd, InHub by The Henry Ford, Junior Achievement, Venture Lab, and Young Americans Center's YouthBiz. Additional specialized programs include the 7 Mindsets SEL curriculum, monthly student pop-up shops, 6th grade athletics in partnership with Aurora Hills, before/after school care through Innovation Learning, and preschool programming. The school is expanding to full K-8 by 2027-28 school year, currently serving grades K-6 with 6th grade being the highest grade.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Entrepreneurial Magnet School Program (K-6, expanding to K-8) Tuition-free K-6 (expanding to K-8) public magnet school enrollment that delivers core academics infused with an entrepreneurial mindset, project-based learning, and monthly student-run pop-up shops; admission is through the Aurora Public Schools magnet lottery for families within the district.
• Preschool Program (Aves 3-4 Year Olds) Early childhood preschool offering for 3-4 year olds, operated in connection with Aurora Public Schools early childhood programming to extend the school's reach into pre-K age groups.
• Before & After School Care Fee-based before- and after-school care service provided to enrolled Clara Brown Entrepreneurial Academy families, supporting working-parent schedules around the standard school day.

Quantifiable outcome

• Students develop entrepreneurial mindset skills: self-confidence, goal-setting, resilience, curiosity, creativity, critical thinking, reliability, and humanistic outlook

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

33 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Junior AchievementcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEntrepreneurial education partner providing programs that forge entrepreneurial capabilities in students, integrated throughout the year into foundational curriculum.
• Young Americans Center for Financial LiteracycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStudents learn critical thinking, collaboration, communication, information literacy, initiative, creativity, and accountability through Youth Biz programs.
• EntreEd AcademycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCurates educational practices and programs that forge entrepreneurial capabilities in all students through lesson kickstarters.
• Inhub - The Henry FordcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBuilds invention skills, inspires entrepreneurial thinking, and connects core disciplinary understanding to the real-world through curriculum resources.
• Venture LabcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNonprofit organization helping create the next generation of innovators and changemakers through entrepreneurial learning.
• Magnet Schools of AmericacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational organization supporting magnet schools. Principal Laura Burke served as featured speaker at the MSA Policy Conference in Washington D.C.
• Amanda SlavinminorOthersBest-selling Author of 'The Seventh Level', Founder of CatalystCreativ, TedX & Keynote Speaker and Forbes 30 under 30 nominee providing expertise and inspiration.
• Margot MacholminorOthersBest-selling Author of 'Raising an Entrepreneur' providing family-focused entrepreneurial education resources.
• Frederick SheggogminorOthersNational Keynote Speaker and Entrepreneur providing real-world entrepreneurial perspectives and mentorship.
• Matthew BirkedahlminorOthersLocal Entrepreneur from C & M Soul Food providing hands-on entrepreneurial experience and mentorship.
• Marci LundyminorOthersFounder and CEO of 303 Face & Body, local entrepreneur providing real-world business perspectives.
• Frank DeAngelisminorOthersRetired Principal of Columbine High School, provides leadership education and mentorship.
• Shana ShawminorOthersFounder & CEO of Compound of Compassion, provides community service and entrepreneurial philanthropy perspectives.
• Rocky Mountain KidsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-Founded by Brennan Fontaine & Russ Cleveland, provides youth-focused entrepreneurial programs.
• PBL WorksminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProject Based Learning partner supporting hands-on, real-world learning experiences.
• Mizel InstituteminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCultural and educational organization providing enrichment programs.
• Scientific and Cultural Facilities District (SCFD)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Collaborative of SCFD provides access to cultural institutions and enrichment opportunities.
• Denver Nuggets OrganizationminorOthersProfessional sports organization providing community engagement and mentorship opportunities.
• Aurora Police DepartmentminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides community safety education and career pathway information.
• Aurora Fire RescueminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides community safety education and career pathway information.
• Colorado Women's Hall of FameminorOthersProvides inspiration through the legacy of Clara Brown and other Colorado women entrepreneurs.
• Naranjo ConstructionminorOthersLocal construction company providing real-world business perspectives and community support.
• Brandi Walls-MabryminorOthersBusiness Development Manager at The District Credit Union, provides financial literacy and business perspectives.
• The Henry Ford Archive of American InnovationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides curriculum resources through Inhub partnership, connecting students to American innovation history and entrepreneurial thinking.
• The Denver Museum of Nature & ScienceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner that donated Fallgiving Baskets, provides enrichment and field trip opportunities.
• Grand Canyon UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHigher education partner that donated to community basket drive, provides college awareness.
• Central City OperaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCultural partner that donated to community basket drive, provides arts enrichment.
• TeaLee'sminorOthersLocal business that donated to community basket drive.
• Black Butterfly CandlesminorOthersLocal business that donated to community basket drive.
• The Avenue ChurchminorOthersCommunity partner that donated baskets to families in need.
• The Iron Sharp Community FoundationminorOthersNonprofit community partner that donated to Fallgiving Basket drive.
• Innovation LearningcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBefore and After School Care provider partnering with CBEA to provide extended day programs for students.
• Aurora Hills Middle SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAthletics partnership providing sports programs for CBEA 6th grade students including track, wrestling, soccer, volleyball, basketball, swimming, and flag football.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• DECA: National student organization preparing emerging leaders for careers in business, including entrepreneurship pathways. Comparable as a complementary youth entrepreneurship and business skills development program targeting similar K-12 student populations.

Direct peers

• Charles Burrell Visual & Performing Arts Campus: An APS magnet and choice school focused on visual and performing arts — another APS themed magnet. Comparable as a peer K-8 magnet school competing for the same district-wide lottery applicants through a different thematic specialization.
• Vista PEAK Exploratory P-8: A P-8 magnet/choice school within Aurora Public Schools district, also a destination school serving students across the district. Directly comparable as a sibling APS magnet program serving the same families and competing in the same district lottery.
• Aurora Quest K-8: A K-8 magnet and choice school within Aurora Public Schools, serving as a district-wide destination school. Direct structural peer operating the same K-8 magnet model in the same district lottery.
• Tollgate Elementary School of Expeditionary Learning: An APS elementary school offering an Expeditionary Learning thematic focus similar to CBEA's entrepreneurial thematic focus. Comparable as a themed magnet-style elementary within the same district competing for magnet applicants.

Broad incumbents

• PBL Works: Project Based Learning organization providing curriculum and training to schools nationwide, and a CBEA partner. Comparable as a broader incubation provider of hands-on, project-based learning methodologies that CBEA's model overlaps with.
• Junior Achievement (JA): The world's largest nonprofit dedicated to preparing youth for career success, financial literacy, and entrepreneurship — and a core curriculum partner of CBEA. Comparable as the broader incumbent in K-12 entrepreneurship education that CBEA both uses and competes against in attention/district mindshare.
• Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE): A national nonprofit that brings entrepreneurship education to schools, particularly in underserved communities. Comparable as a broader entrepreneurship-curriculum provider operating in the K-12 space that CBEA's target families may encounter in other districts.
• Young Americans Center for Financial Literacy: A Denver-based nonprofit providing youth financial literacy and entrepreneurship programs, including YouthBiz used at CBEA. Comparable as a regional incumbent in youth entrepreneurship education that CBEA both partners with and competes against for student attention.

Regional players

• Edna & John W. Mosley P-8: Another APS P-8 school with a themed educational approach, serving the same Aurora district but not focused on entrepreneurship. Comparable as a district peer for enrollment and resource competition.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/cbeapta
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/clara-brown-entrepreneurial-academy

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Clara Brown Entrepreneurial Academy