The National Consortium for Entrepreneurship Education

What The National Consortium for Entrepreneurship Education does

The National Consortium for Entrepreneurship Education (EntreEd) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1980 and headquartered in Oakland, Maryland, with a current staff of approximately 5 employees. The organization is the first and only national nonprofit dedicated exclusively to K-16 entrepreneurship education, offering a portfolio of programs including the EntreEd Educator Network membership (three tiers: Starter, Pro, Leader), the NC|EEd Consortium Leadership program for policy influence, Startup Thursdays for university students, the residential Appalachian Entrepreneurship Academy at Appalachian State University, the ESTEAM Pitch Competition, the America's Entrepreneurial Schools (AES) certification, and the Learn2Launch online course. EntreEd's core technology is its curriculum library and ESTEAM (Entrepreneurship, Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) framework rather than a software product, with content delivered through toolkits, workshops, and certified educators.

The organization generates revenue primarily through institutional grants and donations rather than commercial sales. Major funding sources include two Appalachian Regional Commission POWER grants (the second exceeding $1.4 million), the Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation, the Greater Kanawha Valley Foundation, and the EQT Foundation, supplemented by tiered educator membership subscriptions and website donations. Distribution is anchored by eight community college partners across Kentucky, Ohio, North Carolina, Tennessee, West Virginia, and Virginia, plus regional educational service agencies such as Intermediate Unit 1 in Pennsylvania. The organization reaches K-12 schools, educators, and students primarily in the rural Appalachian region, with cumulative reach exceeding 75,000 students and an active network of 120+ educator members.

EntreEd is currently in a leadership transition following the May 2025 departure of CEO Dr. Toi Hershman; IGNITE! is serving as Fiscal and Administrative Manager while the Board — newly anchored by Dr. Reima Shakeir as President and Ralph Mattone as Director — provides strategic direction alongside Strategic Advisor Captain Neferteri Strickland. The organization co-led the 2006 Congressional designation of National Entrepreneurship Week with the Kauffman Foundation and continues to serve as K-12 partner for the annual observance. As a small, grant-dependent nonprofit, EntreEd carries concentrated funding risk on a small number of foundation and federal partners, offset by a broad educator and student network and a 45-year content and brand moat in K-16 entrepreneurship education.

Name

The National Consortium for Entrepreneurship Education

Legal name

The National Consortium for Entrepreneurship Education

Website

https://entre-ed.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1980

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

EntreEd is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1980 that delivers K-16 entrepreneurship education through curriculum toolkits, educator memberships, and grant-funded programs such as the ESTEAM initiative, Appalachian Entrepreneurship Academy, and America's Entrepreneurial Schools certification, serving educators and students primarily across the rural Appalachian region.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Entrepreneurship Education Services

NAICS

All Other Schools and Instruction (61169), Professional and Management Development Training (611430), Educational Services (611)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Entrepreneurship Foundations & Startup Basics (EDAMAHAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Career Exploration & Industry Exposure (Guest Speakers, Company Visits) (EDAMAHAJ), Entrepreneurship, Business & Innovation Camps (EDAMALAL), Entrepreneurship & Small Business Workforce Programs (EDAAAOAM)

Keywords

• Entrepreneurship education
• K-16 curriculum development
• Educator professional development
• STEAM education programs
• Nonprofit education services

Headquarters

HQ city

Oakland, Maryland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Educator Memberships: Subscription-based educator memberships providing access to toolkits, certifications, exclusive webinars, strategy calls, and national showcase opportunities. Three tiers: Starter Educator, Pro Educator, and Leader Educator.
2. Grant Funding: Significant funding from Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) POWER grants for ESTEAM projects, Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation, Greater Kanawha Valley Foundation, and EQT Foundations. The second ARC grant exceeded $1.4 million.
3. Donations: The organization accepts donations through its website to support programs and mission advancement

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels11 records

Core offering

EntreEd (The National Consortium for Entrepreneurship Education) provides K-16 entrepreneurship education through tiered educator memberships, ready-to-deploy curriculum and toolkits, professional development workshops, student programs (summer academies, pitch competitions), and national advocacy. The organization delivers the EntreEd Educator Network membership, America's Entrepreneurial Schools certification, the Appalachian Entrepreneurship Academy, the ESTEAM Pitch Competition, and the ΣTEAM Jumpstart Educator Innovation Grant Lab. Programs are funded primarily through grants, donations, and educator subscriptions.

Product overview

EntreEd (The National Consortium for Entrepreneurship Education) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization operating as a unified platform for entrepreneurship education spanning K-16 learning. The organization offers a portfolio of interconnected programs including the EntreEd Educator Network (membership tiers: Starter, Pro, Leader), NC|EEd Consortium Leadership, Startup Thursdays for university students, Appalachian Entrepreneurship Academy (AEA), ESTEAM Pitch Competition, America's Entrepreneurial Schools (AES) certification, EntreEd Academy with Learn2Launch online courses, and National Entrepreneurship Week. Programs are funded through Appalachian Regional Commission POWER grants and partnerships with organizations like The EdVenture Group, NACCE, and NCRD. The organization provides educator memberships, student programming, grants (ΣTEAM Jumpstart, IU1 Innovation Grants, ESTEAM Mini-Grants), professional development certificates, and the EntreEd Talk Podcast. The portfolio serves educators, students, schools, and consortium members with tools, training, curriculum toolkits, and networking opportunities to champion entrepreneurship education across the United States.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• EntreEd Educator Network Membership A membership program for K-16 educators providing ready-to-use entrepreneurial curriculum, toolkits, and training with classroom lessons, monthly workshops, and three membership tiers (Starter, Pro, Leader).
• NC|EEd Consortium Leadership A consortium membership program providing access to strategic roundtables, whitepapers, and partnerships for shaping the national conversation on entrepreneurship education with policy influence and innovation best practices.
• Startup Thursdays A summer entrepreneurship series for university students featuring action-packed sessions with real founders, business refinement, and startup funding pitch opportunities.
• Appalachian Entrepreneurship Academy (AEA) An immersive two-week summer program for high school students held at Appalachian State University, offering experiential entrepreneurship activities, business plan development, and a live pitch competition, in partnership with Appalachian State University and STEM West, funded by ARC.
• ESTEAM Pitch Competition A pitch competition for middle and high school students across Appalachia, part of the Fostering Self ESTEAM in Appalachia's Emerging Workforce project, where students submit elevator pitches and business canvases with live virtual pitches for cash prizes.
• America's Entrepreneurial Schools (AES) Initiative A certification program recognizing K-12 schools that provide entrepreneurship education to every student every year, including designation for schools demonstrating sustained entrepreneurial culture.
• EntreEd Academy / Learn2Launch An online experiential learning platform for educators and students, with the Learn2Launch course helping students learn to launch their ideas and innovations through interactive online lessons.
• ΣTEAM Jumpstart: Educator Innovation Grant Lab A pilot initiative in partnership with Intermediate Unit 1 (IU1) providing a four-part virtual workshop series for educators on grant writing, AI applications, storytelling, and budgeting to increase funding success for classroom innovation.
• Fostering Self ESTEAM in Appalachia's Emerging Workforce A multi-state initiative funded by Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) POWER grants, helping middle and high school programs in a seven-state region infuse entrepreneurship into STEAM with teacher training and student programming.
• National Entrepreneurship Week An annual designated week (third week of February) celebrating entrepreneurship across the United States, established in 2006 through partnership with Kauffman Foundation and Congress, with EntreEd serving as the K-12 partner.
• EntreEd Talk Podcast A podcast featuring entrepreneurship education discussions, student success stories, and educator interviews, available on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Quantifiable outcome

• 75,000+ students reached through entrepreneurship education programs
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• NICE (National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 September 2025EntreEd Strategic Advisor Neferteri Strickland appointed to NICE Conference Planning Committee for 2026 conference focused on cybersecurity workforce development and education-to-career pathways.
• Intermediate Unit 1 (IU1)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 September 2025Regional educational service agency partnership for ΣTEAM Jumpstart: Educator Innovation Grant Lab, targeting educators in southwestern Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Ohio with focus on Fayette, Greene, and Washington Counties.
• IGNITE!coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 May 2025Serving as EntreEd's Fiscal and Administrative Manager during leadership transition, providing operational excellence and partner support. Founded by Torin Darling Brazzle.
• EduscapeminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 6 May 2025Event organizer for Emerging EdTech Symposium where EntreEd participated and delivered keynote on AI-transformed workforce preparation.
• SHARP Business SystemsminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 6 May 2025Co-host of Emerging EdTech Symposium bringing together district and school leaders for education technology innovation.
• Appalachian State UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 July 2022Host partner for the Appalachian Entrepreneurship Academy (AEA), providing campus facilities at Boone, NC location. Collaborated with EntreEd on curriculum and pitch planning.
• STEM WestcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 July 2022Facilitating partner for Appalachian Entrepreneurship Academy, providing program leadership and curriculum support alongside EntreEd and App State.
• NatlEshipWeekminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 February 2022EntreEd serves as K-12 partner for National Entrepreneurship Week's Entrepreneurship Education Day, celebrating and uplifting diverse entrepreneurship voices.
• The EdVenture GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 October 2019Key implementation partner in the ESTEAM project, working with EntreEd on multi-state initiatives to infuse entrepreneurship into Appalachian schools.
• National Association for Community College Entrepreneurship (NACCE)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 October 2019Partner in ESTEAM project, connecting EntreEd with community college resources and entrepreneurship programming across Appalachia.
• National Center for Resource Development (NCRD)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 October 2019Collaborative partner in ESTEAM project contributing to resource development and regional outreach efforts.
• Community College Partners (8 institutions)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 8 October 2019Eight community colleges across KY, OH, TN, NC, WV, VA serve as local liaisons: Big Sandy CTC, Hazard CTC, Southeast KY CTC, Hocking College, Roane State CC, Southwestern CC, BridgeValley CTC, Southern WV CTC, Mountain Empire CC. These colleges assist with building entrepreneurship pipelines, serve as local school liaisons, and host programming.
• Kauffman FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2006Partnered with EntreEd in 2006 to designate National Entrepreneurship Week through Congress. Historical partner in entrepreneurship education advocacy.

Scale indicators15 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• DECA: Student organization preparing emerging leaders and entrepreneurs for careers in marketing, finance, hospitality, and management. Comparable in K-12 and post-secondary entrepreneurship/marketing education, with parallel competition and chapter-based delivery model.
• The EdVenture Group: Implementation partner with EntreEd on the ESTEAM project, focused on K-12 entrepreneurship and innovation programming. Directly comparable in mission and rural school focus, and operates as both collaborator and overlapping peer in the same service category.
• Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE): National nonprofit focused on teaching entrepreneurship to young people from low-income communities, primarily high school students. Closest direct comparable to EntreEd's K-12 entrepreneurship education mission, with similar curriculum, educator training, and student pitch competition models.
• Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA): Career and technical student organization providing business and entrepreneurship education from middle school through college. Directly comparable to EntreEd in target audience (K-16 students and educators) and supplementary business/entrepreneurship curriculum offerings.
• National Association for Community College Entrepreneurship (NACCE): Organization focused on integrating entrepreneurship into community college programming. EntreEd is an active partner with NACCE on the ESTEAM project, and the two share overlapping audiences (community colleges, entrepreneurship curriculum, workforce development).

Broad incumbents

• Ashoka: Global nonprofit focused on social entrepreneurship and changemaker education, including K-12 youth programs. Comparable in entrepreneurship and leadership education for students, but with a broader international footprint and social-impact orientation rather than rural workforce focus.
• Junior Achievement USA: Large, established nonprofit delivering entrepreneurship, financial literacy, and work-readiness education to K-12 students nationwide. Comparable in target audience (K-12 educators and students) and curriculum delivery, but operates at significantly larger scale with broader scope beyond entrepreneurship.
• Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation: Major national foundation supporting entrepreneurship education and research. Historic partner with EntreEd on the 2006 National Entrepreneurship Week designation, with overlapping mission on K-12 and youth entrepreneurship education but operating as a funder/convener rather than a curriculum provider.

Emerging players

• EVERFI: Education technology company delivering digital courses in financial literacy, entrepreneurship, and career readiness to K-12 and higher education. Comparable in entrepreneurship education delivery to educators and students, but uses a SaaS/tech platform model versus EntreEd's nonprofit membership and curriculum model.
• Venture For America: Nonprofit fellowship program placing recent graduates in startups to develop entrepreneurial skills in underserved U.S. cities. Comparable mission of building entrepreneurial capacity in underserved communities, but focused on post-college talent rather than K-12 students.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCbEtcHfmcuOlDXyVzj_AfgA
• Facebookfacebook.com/entrepreneurship.ed
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-national-consortium-for-entrepreneurship-education

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

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 The National Consortium for Entrepreneurship Education