What Formation Ventures does

Formation Ventures is a San Antonio, Texas-based nonprofit organization founded in 2020 that supports emerging youth and young adult entrepreneurs through a three-phase program model: Explore, Connect, and Launch. Its core offerings include Run the Future, a self-paced online entrepreneurship course developed in partnership with Cambiar Education and based on Cambiar's CREATE Framework; Future Labs, a peer-group mentorship program linking learners with experienced entrepreneurs; and Incubator Experiences, an application-based program for ventures ready to advance beyond ideation. The organization distributes its programs globally through online self-serve channels and reaches learners primarily via LinkedIn, Instagram, and its website.

The business model is philanthropic rather than commercial: programs are offered at no cost to participants, and the website includes a 'Donate' option, suggesting that operations are sustained through donations and likely grants. No pricing model, revenue figures, funding rounds, or institutional investors are disclosed. The technology stack consists of an online learning platform with interactive content, social capital networking tools, and virtual mentorship sessions; no AI, API, or proprietary software components are disclosed. The headcount is reported at 1-10 employees, and the organization relies on a network of volunteer mentors and partners including Cambiar Education to deliver its pedagogy and programming.

Name

Formation Ventures

Legal name

Formation Ventures

Website

https://formation.ventures

Company type

Private

Founded year

2021

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Formation Ventures is a San Antonio-based nonprofit that supports emerging youth and young adult entrepreneurs through free online courses, peer mentorship groups, and incubator experiences. Programs are distributed globally via its website.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Entrepreneurship Education

NAICS

All Other Schools and Instruction (61169), Educational Support Services (61171), Professional and Management Development Training (611430)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Entrepreneurship Foundations & Startup Basics (EDAMAHAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Youth Business Incubators & Accelerators (EDAMAHAC), Entrepreneurship, Startup Incubation & Pitch Programs (EDAMAKAK), Entrepreneurship & Small Business Workforce Programs (EDAAAOAM)

Keywords

• Entrepreneurship education
• Startup mentorship
• Online learning programs
• Youth entrepreneurship
• Venture incubation

Headquarters

HQ city

San Antonio, TX

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Formation Ventures delivers a no-cost, online entrepreneurship education pathway for emerging youth and young adult entrepreneurs. Its core offering is Run the Future, a self-paced online course co-developed with Cambiar Education around the CREATE Framework, supplemented by Future Labs (peer-group mentorship cohorts) and Incubator Experiences for ventures ready to launch. Programs are distributed directly to learners through the organization's website and supported by community/mentor engagement.

Product overview

Formation Ventures offers a portfolio of programs designed to support emerging youth and young adult entrepreneurs at different stages of their journey. The core offerings include Run the Future, an online entrepreneurship course developed in partnership with Cambiar Education using the CREATE Framework; Future Labs, a peer mentorship program connecting learners with peers and mentors; and Incubator Experiences for entrepreneurs ready to advance their ventures. The programs follow a three-phase model: Explore (self-paced learning), Connect (peer feedback and mentorship), and Launch (incubation).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Run the Future Self-paced online entrepreneurship course for emerging youth and young adult entrepreneurs, featuring interactive content and activities rather than traditional video lectures. Learners develop skills, confidence, and a venture concept at roughly 3–4 hours per week.
• Future Labs Peer-group mentorship program that connects a cohort of learners with an experienced mentor to workshop venture ideas and navigate the entrepreneurial journey together.
• Incubator Experiences Application-based incubation program for entrepreneurs ready to advance their venture ideas, providing structured support to take ventures from concept toward launch.

Named customers6 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Cambiar EducationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFormation Ventures collaborated with Cambiar Education to create the Run the Future online learning experience. The program is based on Cambiar Education's CREATE Framework. Cambiar Education provides the pedagogical foundation while Formation Ventures delivers and scales the entrepreneurship education program to emerging youth and young adult entrepreneurs.

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• BUILD: BUILD is a nonprofit that ignites the entrepreneurial spirit of youth from under-resourced communities through real-world entrepreneurship experiences and mentorship. Directly comparable mission and target population to Formation Ventures.
• Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE): NFTE is a nonprofit delivering entrepreneurship education curricula to middle and high school students in low-income communities. It is the closest direct competitor to Formation Ventures, addressing the same youth/emerging entrepreneur segment with classroom-based and experiential learning programs.
• Startup Weekend (Techstars): Startup Weekend is a 54-hour experiential entrepreneurship event run globally by Techstars, where aspiring founders build ventures with mentorship. It targets a slightly older cohort than Formation Ventures but overlaps on the 'short-form, community-led venture launch' experience for early-stage entrepreneurs.
• Young Entrepreneurs Academy (YEA!): YEA! is a nonprofit that transforms middle and high school students into real business founders through a yearlong program combining classroom instruction, mentors, and a business plan competition. Comparable to Formation Ventures' incubator experiences targeting youth venture creation.

Broad incumbents

• Enactus: Enactus is a global nonprofit that mobilizes college students to apply entrepreneurship to social problems, with student-led ventures and competitions. Comparable social-impact entrepreneurship mission but serves a college-age audience rather than Formation Ventures' emerging youth segment.
• DECA: DECA is a major student organization preparing emerging leaders in marketing, finance, hospitality, and entrepreneurship across middle and high schools. It is comparable as a youth entrepreneurship pathway at scale, though its model (chapters, competitions) is more school-anchored than Formation Ventures' direct-to-learner delivery.
• Babson College (youth & pre-college programs): Babson College is widely regarded as the leading institution for entrepreneurship education and runs youth, summer, and pre-college programs through its Lewis Institute. Comparable as an entrepreneurship education provider with deeper resources and academic credibility than Formation Ventures.
• Junior Achievement USA: Junior Achievement is a large, established nonprofit delivering work-readiness, financial literacy, and entrepreneurship programs to K-12 students nationwide. It serves an overlapping youth market with broader scope and far deeper school-district distribution than Formation Ventures.

Regional players

• America's Small Business Development Center (SBDC): The SBDC network is a federally funded resource providing free entrepreneurship advising and education to small business owners across the U.S. It is comparable in mission (accessible entrepreneurship support) but serves adult founders and is geographically distributed rather than digital-first.

Others

• Cambiar Education: Cambiar Education is Formation Ventures' core strategic partner and the creator of the CREATE Framework that underpins Run the Future. It is a key ecosystem participant — adjacent as a curriculum/pedagogy provider rather than a competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/formation-ventures
• Instagraminstagram.com/formationventures

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 Formation Ventures