What Grant Imahara STEAM Foundation does

The Grant Imahara STEAM Foundation is a California 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in October 2020 in honor of robotics engineer and MythBusters host Grant Imahara (1970–2020), operating from Westlake Village, California. Its mission is to inspire emerging talent and empower historically marginalized youth in science, technology, engineering, arts, and math (STEAM) education. The foundation delivers five core programs: RoboBattles, a free LEGO robotics and storytelling platform for ages 7–14 with curriculum co-developed with Tufts University and the International Institute for Restorative Practices; STEAM Star, a short-form premium video series distributed through Explr.com in which industry professionals demonstrate real-world STEAM careers; Droidbuilders STEAM Academy, hands-on activities for ages 5–18 produced at Star Wars Celebration events with Lucasfilm and Pinewood Studios partners; FAST (Future Advancers of Science and Technology), a Stanford University mentorship program pairing graduate students with students at high minority-enrollment high schools; and the Grant Imahara Coding Challenge, an electronics and coding program using miniature R2-D2 domes across six southern Ohio school districts, administered by Southern State Community College.

The foundation makes all program content freely available to participants and finances operations through donations, fundraising events, and partner in-kind contributions such as the 2021 Propstore MythBusters auction, with 100% of proceeds directed to the organization. Distribution is hybrid: free online platforms (RoboBattles, Explr.com) for self-serve global reach, supplemented by direct school partnerships (Stanford FAST, USC Viterbi, Ohio Coders Project) and large-scale in-person activations (Star Wars Celebration Europe 2023, Mini Maker Faires). The customer base is K-12 students aged 5–18, with a deliberate emphasis on underserved and historically marginalized youth, served alongside educators and a volunteer community of more than 50 industry professionals.

The organization holds no subsidiaries, has no parent company, and has not raised external venture or institutional capital; it is governed by a volunteer board and operates on donations only. Geographic reach spans all 50 U.S. states via RoboBattles partners, southern Ohio through the Coding Challenge, California through FAST, and the United Kingdom via Star Wars Celebration Europe. Notable credentials include the Candid Seal 2026 for nonprofit transparency.

Name

Grant Imahara STEAM Foundation

Legal name

Grant Imahara STEAM Foundation Inc

Website

https://grantimaharafoundation.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Grant Imahara STEAM Foundation is a California 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2020 to deliver free STEAM education to underserved K-12 youth through five programs: RoboBattles, STEAM Star, Droidbuilders STEAM Academy, the Stanford FAST mentorship, and an Ohio-based Coding Challenge.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonprofit STEAM Education Services

NAICS

Educational Services (611), Educational Support Services (611710), Other Grantmaking and Giving Services (813219)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Robotics & Engineering Summer Camps / Bootcamps (EDAMADAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Coding, Game Design & Computer Science Camps (EDAMALAD), Advanced Project-Based Learning & Portfolio Mentoring (STEM/arts portfolios, maker projects) (EDANAKAI), College & Career Exploration Camps (Pre-College Samplers, Pathways) (EDAMALAN), Education Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAK)

Keywords

• STEAM education
• Youth robotics programs
• Nonprofit education services
• Hands-on STEM learning
• K-12 mentoring programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Westlake Village

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, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: The foundation operates as a California 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Revenue is generated through donations from individuals and organizations. All donations are tax-deductible to the full extent allowable under IRS regulations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

The Grant Imahara STEAM Foundation is a California 501(c)(3) nonprofit that creates and delivers free hands-on STEAM education programs to K-12 students, especially historically marginalized youth. Its portfolio includes a LEGO robotics experience (RoboBattles), a short-form premium content series (STEAM Star), convention-based hands-on academies (Droidbuilders STEAM Academy), a Stanford graduate-student mentorship program (FAST), and an electronics/coding challenge using 3D-printed R2-D2 domes.

Product overview

The Grant Imahara STEAM Foundation is a nonprofit organization offering five distinct educational programs. The core portfolio includes: (1) RoboBattles - a free LEGO robotics and storytelling program for ages 7-14; (2) STEAM Star - a short-form content series featuring industry professionals as influencers; (3) Droidbuilders STEAM Academy - hands-on STEAM activities for ages 5-18 with Star Wars-themed experiences; (4) FAST - Stanford graduate student mentorship program for high minority enrollment high schools; and (5) Grant Imahara Coding Challenge - electronics and coding education using miniature R2-D2 domes. The foundation makes premium content available for free to democratize STEAM education and inspire emerging talent.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Droidbuilders STEAM Academy: Hands-on learning activities in science, technology, engineering, arts, and math for students ages 5-18, including the Droidbuilders Galactic STEAM Academy at Star Wars Celebration events.
• RoboBattles
• STEAM Star
• FAST (Future Advancers of Science and Technology)
• Grant Imahara Coding Challenge

Products and services

• RoboBattles A free LEGO robotics experience and storytelling adventure for students ages 7-14. Participants build, battle, and tell stories with LEGO robots while learning engineering, design, coding, mental health, conflict resolution, and teamwork. The curriculum is developed in collaboration with Tufts University and aligned to NGSS and UN SDGs.
• STEAM Star A short-form premium content series that transforms industry professionals into influencers showing students how STEAM concepts are used in extraordinary careers. Available for free through the foundation to democratize STEAM education for K-12 students.
• Droidbuilders STEAM Academy Hands-on learning activities in science, technology, engineering, arts, and math for students ages 5-18. Produced at Star Wars Celebration Europe with Pinewood Studios creature effects professionals teaching animatronics, art, and model-making careers.
• FAST (Future Advancers of Science and Technology) Pairs Stanford graduate student mentors with high minority enrollment high schools (Andrew P Hill High School and James Lick High School). Students answer open questions in science and engineer solutions to problems in their society, presenting work at local and state science fairs and a Stanford symposium.
• Grant Imahara Coding Challenge A STEM activity developed by Dr. Joshua Montgomery at Southern State Community College that uses miniature R2-D2 domes to teach electronics and coding skills. Students code remote controls for 3D printed domes enabling movement, sounds, and lighting. Supported across six school districts in southern Ohio.

Quantifiable outcome

• 50% of FAST students report stronger growth-mindset after 12 sessions
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• Lucasfilm LimitedflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerLucasfilm Limited provided supplies for the Droidbuilders Galactic STEAM Academy at Star Wars Celebration Europe 2023. The partnership leverages Star Wars intellectual property to inspire youth in STEAM education.
• ReedPopcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerReedPop co-sponsored the Droidbuilders Galactic STEAM Academy at Star Wars Celebration Europe 2023, providing supplies and enabling free access to the program for attendees.
• Ricoh Europe PICcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRicoh Europe PIC provided supplies for the Droidbuilders Galactic STEAM Academy at Star Wars Celebration Europe 2023.
• Ohio Coders ProjectcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Ohio Coders Project supports the Grant Imahara Coding Challenge, a STEM activity utilizing miniature R2-D2 domes to teach electronics and coding skills to middle and high school students in southern Ohio.
• Southern State Community CollegecoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerSouthern State Community College administers the Grant Imahara Coding Challenge program. Dr. Joshua Montgomery, a computer science professor there, developed the curriculum and trains educators.
• FAST (Future Advancers of Science and Technology)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerFAST is a Stanford University program that pairs graduate student mentors with high minority enrollment high schools. The Grant Imahara STEAM Foundation funds and partners with FAST to support student research and engineering projects.
• USC Viterbi K-12 STEM CenterflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe foundation partnered with Grant Imahara's alma mater USC Viterbi to foster opportunities for engineering students. Donations support the Computer Science Equity Initiative and the Grant Imahara Study Lounge in the Electrical Engineering Building.
• PropstoreminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPropstore auctioned screen-used props and items from MythBusters in August-September 2021, with 100% of proceeds benefiting the Grant Imahara STEAM Foundation.
• UC Santa CruzcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUC Santa Cruz is a partner organization supporting the RoboBattles LEGO robotics program, helping expand reach to all 50 states.
• MESAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMESA (Mathematics Engineering Science Achievement) partners with the foundation on RoboBattles, supporting expansion across all 50 states.
• Fleet Science CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFleet Science Center collaborates with the foundation on RoboBattles, helping bring hands-on robotics education to students.
• National STEM FestivalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational STEM Festival partners with the foundation on RoboBattles, supporting national expansion to all 50 states.
• Cleveland Metro SchoolscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCleveland Metro Schools is a key educational partner supporting RoboBattles implementation as part of the national expansion.
• Tufts UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTufts University collaborated on developing the RoboBattles STEAM curriculum, ensuring educational rigor and alignment with standards.
• International Institute for Restorative PracticescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe International Institute for Restorative Practices collaborated on developing the RoboBattles life skills curriculum, incorporating restorative practices for mental health, teamwork, and conflict resolution.
• Explr.comcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorExplr.com is the distribution platform for STEAM Star premium content series, making the foundation's educational content freely available to K-12 students.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Code.org: Code.org is a 501(c)(3) that provides free K-12 computer-science curriculum and content (Hour of Code). Like the Grant Imahara STEAM Foundation, it is a donation-funded nonprofit democratizing STEAM/CS access, with similar distribution through online platforms and school partnerships.
• FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology): FIRST runs K-12 robotics competitions (FIRST LEGO League, FIRST Robotics Competition) and is the most prominent nonprofit robotics-education provider for the same age range (ages 7-18) that the Grant Imahara STEAM Foundation targets through RoboBattles. Both compete for the same donor and volunteer pools in youth robotics.
• Black Girls CODE: Black Girls CODE provides STEAM education to girls of color, the same historically marginalized demographic that the Grant Imahara STEAM Foundation explicitly targets through FAST and RoboBattles. Both rely on donor funding, volunteer mentors, and free programming.
• MESA (Mathematics Engineering Science Achievement): MESA is a statewide STEM-equity program serving underrepresented K-12 students through hands-on engineering, coding, and robotics competitions. Note: MESA is also listed as a partner on RoboBattles, illustrating how peers can also be collaborators in adjacent STEAM ecosystems.
• AI4ALL: AI4ALL is a nonprofit that delivers AI education programs to underrepresented high school students. It mirrors the foundation's FAST program by pairing industry/graduate-student mentors with underserved high schoolers to drive STEM career interest and outcomes.
• Iridescent (Curiosity Machine): Iridescent runs the Curiosity Machine family STEM engagement platform and serves underserved youth globally. Like the Grant Imahara STEAM Foundation, it is a 501(c)(3) focused on hands-on STEAM for historically marginalized communities, with similar mentor-driven and content-driven delivery models.
• Technovation: Technovation runs global technology entrepreneurship programs for girls, including AI and app development curricula. It shares the foundation's focus on STEAM/coding access for underrepresented youth, free participation, and mentor-driven delivery.

Broad incumbents

• Project Lead The Way (PLTW): PLTW is the largest provider of STEM curriculum for K-12 schools in the U.S., serving a much broader footprint than the Grant Imahara STEAM Foundation. Both compete for school-district adoption and teacher-training dollars but PLTW operates at a national, scaled, fee-based model.
• STEM Next Opportunity Fund: STEM Next funds and convenes STEM learning ecosystems nationwide, including afterschool and summer programs targeting underrepresented youth. It shares the foundation's equity-focused STEAM mission and donor-supported nonprofit model.
• National Math and Science Initiative (NMSI): NMSI is a large national nonprofit that partners with school districts to improve STEM outcomes, including college-readiness and teacher-training programs. It is comparable to the foundation's FAST and Coding Challenge school-district partnerships but operates at materially larger scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/grantimaharafoundation
• Instagraminstagram.com/grantimaharafoundation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/grantimaharafoundation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Grant Imahara STEAM Foundation