What UBC Geering Up Engineering Outreach does

UBC Geering Up Engineering Outreach is a non-profit STEM education organization operating under the University of British Columbia's Faculty of Applied Science, founded in 1995 by UBC Mechanical Engineering student Christine Yeung as a capstone project. Headquartered in Vancouver with regional operations in Kelowna, the organization delivers hands-on science, technology, engineering, and math programming to K-12 youth across British Columbia, reaching over 22,000 students and training 4,255 teachers in 2022 alone. Its service portfolio includes week-long in-person summer camps at UBC campuses and offsite locations (Richmond, South Surrey, North Vancouver, Port Coquitlam), year-round Saturday clubs, in-classroom STEAM workshops, a Professional Development Program for educators, the Indigenous STEM (InSTEM) outreach initiative for rural and Indigenous communities, the All Girls* camps for gender-minority youth, and a Quantum Computing Outreach program using the Quantenkoffer lab-in-a-box device.

The organization is governed and funded through UBC's institutional structure, with revenue derived from a diversified mix of sources: corporate sponsorships (Scotiabank, Fortis BC, Synopsys, Electronic Arts, Fluor, TC Energy, among others), government grants (BC Ministry of Education and Childcare), individual donations, and program registration fees (workshops priced at $155-$195 per session with volume discounts). A bursary program ($60,627 awarded in 2022) and 33% of overall reach invested in barrier-facing satellite programming reflect a deliberate equity-oriented operating posture. Delivery is powered by a pipeline of over 100 UBC-affiliated instructors, staff, and volunteers, including dedicated high school volunteer programs (STEM Leadership Program and Junior Instructor Program) that develop future STEM ambassadors.

Geering Up operates as a member of the Actua national network of 43 university and college STEM outreach organizations, which collectively engages over 500,000 Canadian youth annually. The organization has received the Actua Award for Excellence twice (2012, 2022) and the IEEE Educational Activities Board Vice President's Recognition Award in 2023, establishing third-party validated credibility in STEM outreach. All curriculum is aligned with BC's ADST and Science Curriculum, and programs are delivered through direct in-person channels rather than digital product.

Name

UBC Geering Up Engineering Outreach

Legal name

UBC Geering Up Engineering Outreach

Website

https://geeringup.apsc.ubc.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

UBC Geering Up Engineering Outreach is a non-profit STEM education organization under UBC's Faculty of Applied Science, delivering hands-on camps, clubs, classroom workshops, and teacher training to K-12 youth across British Columbia.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

STEM Education Outreach Services

NAICS

All Other Schools and Instruction (61169), Computer Training (611420)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

STEM & Science Camps (Biology, Chemistry, Space, Lab Science) (EDAMALAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Robotics, Engineering & Makers Camps (EDAMALAE), Coding, Game Design & Computer Science Camps (EDAMALAD), STEM, Digital Literacy & Maker Education Nonprofits (BPAGADAG)

Keywords

• STEM education outreach
• Youth engineering programs
• Teacher professional development
• Indigenous STEM initiatives
• Hands-on science camps

Headquarters

HQ city

Vancouver

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: As a non-profit organization under UBC Faculty of Applied Science, Geering Up relies primarily on donations from individuals, corporate sponsors, and government agencies to fund operations and bursaries for underserved youth.
2. Program Registration Fees: Revenue from summer camps and workshop registrations. Fee structure varies by program type and volume, with bursary options available for financial barriers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

UBC Geering Up Engineering Outreach delivers hands-on STEM and STEAM programming for K-12 youth across British Columbia through in-person summer camps at UBC Vancouver, Kelowna, and multiple offsite locations, year-round Saturday Clubs, in-classroom STEAM workshops, a Professional Development Program for teachers, and the Indigenous STEM (InSTEM) outreach initiative. The organization also operates specialized All Girls* camps, a Quantum Computing Outreach program using the Quantenkoffer lab-in-a-box device, the STEM Leadership Program for high school ambassadors, and the Junior Instructor volunteer program. As a non-profit under UBC Faculty of Applied Science, it is funded through donations, corporate sponsorships, government grants, and program registration fees, with bursaries available to remove financial barriers.

Product overview

UBC Geering Up Engineering Outreach is a non-profit educational outreach organization operating under the UBC Faculty of Applied Science. It is not a software product company but rather a portfolio of hands-on STEM and STEAM programs for youth across British Columbia. The core offerings include in-person summer camps at UBC Vancouver and multiple offsite locations (Richmond, South Surrey, North Vancouver, Port Coquitlam, Kelowna), year-round Saturday Clubs, classroom workshops delivered directly in schools, a Professional Development Program for teachers, and the Indigenous STEM (InSTEM) outreach initiative for rural and Indigenous communities. Youth volunteer programs include the STEM Leadership Program (a year-long pathway for grades 10-12 involving technical skills training and a Social Development Project) and the Junior Instructor Program (for high school/university students supporting camps and clubs). Additional offerings include a Guest Speakers and Mentorship program, a specialized Quantum Computing Outreach program using the Quantenkoffer device, and All Girls* Camps dedicated to underrepresented gender youth. The organization also publishes a STEM Resources Hub with curated external resources and a YouTube channel. The organization is a proud member of Actua, the national network of 43 university-based STEM outreach organizations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• In-Person Summer Camps Week-long hands-on STEM summer camps for youth held at UBC Vancouver and multiple offsite locations (Richmond, South Surrey, North Vancouver, Port Coquitlam, Kelowna), serving elementary school (grades 4-7) and high school students (grades 8-12).
• Saturday Clubs Year-round weekend STEM club programs for K-12 youth held at UBC Vancouver, Richmond, and Kelowna locations, running during fall and winter sessions with Saturday sessions.
• Classroom Workshops In-person STEAM workshops delivered directly in K-12 classrooms across the Lower Mainland and Kelowna, consisting of hands-on and software-based activities aligned with BC's ADST and Science Curriculum. Includes workshops such as Qubits and Bytes for grades 6-7.
• Professional Development Program (STEAM-Ed) Teacher training program (STEAM-Ed) focused on integrating STEAM activities into classrooms, including summer Pro-D sessions, online courses, a STEM-Ed Resource Hub, and on-demand workshop requests.
• Indigenous STEM (InSTEM) Outreach Indigenous STEM outreach initiative that travels across BC to deliver programming in collaboration with Indigenous community partners, focusing on rural areas and at-risk and Indigenous youth.
• All Girls* Camps Dedicated week-long summer camp programming designed to promote STEM pathways for girls, trans, genderqueer, non-binary, and other gender minority youth, held during a specific All Girls* camp week (July 20-24, 2026) in Greater Vancouver and Kelowna.
• Quantum Computing Outreach Quantum science outreach using the Quantenkoffer (a quantum photonics lab-in-a-box device), offering week-long quantum computing camps for grades 10-12, in-classroom Qubits and Bytes workshops, quantum-themed events, an online learning hub, and guest lectures for schools.
• STEM Leadership Program Year-long volunteer initiative for high school students (grades 10-12) focused on professional development and establishing STEM Ambassador values, involving technical skills training (Python, JavaScript, HTML, C++, Arduinos, CAD), a summer-long Social Development Project, and volunteer work in Geering Up summer camps.
• Junior Instructor Program Volunteer program for high school and university students to support camps and clubs, involving curriculum delivery, lesson assistance, materials preparation, and teaching opportunities at UBC Vancouver, Richmond, South Surrey, North Vancouver, and Coquitlam locations.
• Guest Speakers and Mentorship Opportunities Mentorship and guest speaker program connecting UBC faculty, staff, alumni, engineering design teams, and industry professionals with campers through lab tours, in-camp engagements, the STEM Leadership Program, All Girls* engagements, and Science Show demonstrations.
• Year-Round Programming and Events Ongoing special events, workshops, and single-day STEM activities conducted throughout the year for youth across British Columbia.

Quantifiable outcome

• 22,000+ students reached in 2022
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• ActuacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGeering Up is a proud member of Actua, a leading Canadian STEM youth outreach organization. Each year, the Actua network engages over 500,000 youth in 600 communities across Canada. Actua provides advocacy, funding, training opportunities, professional development, and network support.
• Indigenous Community PartnerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partnerships with Indigenous communities across BC to develop and deliver culturally relevant InSTEM programming for Indigenous youth.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• FIRST Robotics Canada: Canadian affiliate of FIRST that delivers K-12 robotics competitions and STEM engagement programs. Overlapping audience and complementary content to Geering Up's robotics and engineering offerings.
• Engineers Without Borders Canada: Non-profit organization focused on engineering for social impact, with youth-facing outreach programming in Canadian schools. Comparable in equity-driven mission and youth STEM activation.

Direct peers

• Let's Talk Science: Canadian national charitable organization delivering STEM outreach to K-12 youth through hands-on activities, educator resources, and community programs — closely aligned mission and target audience.
• Science World British Columbia: Vancouver-based non-profit science center delivering hands-on STEM programming, camps, and school workshops to BC youth. Directly comparable regional peer in mission, audience, and delivery model.
• Actua: National network of 43 university-based STEM outreach organizations that engages 500,000+ youth annually. Geering Up is a member; Actua provides the closest peer framework, funding, and content benchmarks.
• University of Toronto Engineering Outreach: University-affiliated STEM outreach program offering camps and workshops for K-12 youth in Ontario. Comparable in institutional model, instructor pipeline (university students), and program portfolio.

Regional players

• Discovery Centre (Halifax): Atlantic Canada's hands-on science center offering camps, school programs, and public engagement. Comparable programming model but operates in a different geography than Geering Up's BC focus.

Broad incumbents

• Ontario Science Centre: Larger, established science education institution delivering exhibits, camps, and school programs across Ontario. Comparable broad youth STEM education mandate with broader geographic scale and brand recognition.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/GEERingUp
• Facebookfacebook.com/GEERingUp
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/geering-up-ubc-engineering-&-science-for-kids
• Instagraminstagram.com/geeringup/?hl=en

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Subsidiaries1 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 UBC Geering Up Engineering Outreach