INSPIRE
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2022
- HeadquartersVictoria, Canada
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
INSPIRE firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- INSPIRE
- Legal name
- INSPIRE (University of Victoria STEM for Social Impact Program)
- Website
- https://inspireuvic.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2022
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
INSPIRE industry classification
Industry- Product category
- STEM Education / Experiential Learning Programs
- NAICS
- Professional and Management Development Training (611430), All Other Schools and Instruction (61169), Computer Training (61142)
- SIC
- Services-Computer Programming Services (7371)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Innovation & Design Thinking Programs (EDAMAHAD)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Engineering Design & Project-Based Learning Programs (EDAMADAB), Youth Business Incubators & Accelerators (EDAMAHAC), Business Planning, Pitching & Competitions (Pitch Decks, Demo Days) (EDAMAHAB), Advanced Project-Based Learning & Portfolio Mentoring (STEM/arts portfolios, maker projects) (EDANAKAI)
Keywords
Where INSPIRE is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Victoria
- HQ country
- Canada
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
INSPIRE business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Institutional Grants and Funding: INSPIRE operates as a cross-sectoral partnership led by University of Victoria with support from program sponsors, educational institution partners, and potentially government funding for international development projects
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Free student program |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels9 records
INSPIRE product offering
Product offeringCore offering
INSPIRE operates the Apprentice Garage (AG) Program, an experiential-learning initiative where teams of STEM students apply design thinking and engineering techniques to develop software solutions for community partners across Canada, Nepal, and Singapore. Student teams build pro-bono technology products (health, education, disaster response, Indigenous language, and non-profit tools) under industry mentor supervision, with delivery through university partnerships and student exchanges.
Product overview
INSPIRE is a cross-sectoral partnership at the University of Victoria that operates primarily through its Apprentice Garage (AG) Program — an experiential-learning initiative where student teams tackle real-world social impact problems. The portfolio includes multiple products: Mathiné (educational tools integrated with Brightspace LMS), ActionHub/fundrAIse (AI-powered tools for non-profits), Bridging Roots (Indigenous language revitalization tool), Herluma (shelter management system), BloodSync (blood donation management for Nepal), Disaster Preparedness Dashboard, Patient Navigator system, FireForce (wildfire management software), Livelihood Tracking Software, SanghSangai (impact visualization dashboard), EDI Helpline, and Neurovation (neurodiverse learning tools). These projects span education, healthcare, homelessness, Indigenous reconciliation, disaster response, and environmental sustainability sectors.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Apprentice Garage Program: Experiential-learning program engaging teams of students in real-world, society-impactful projects guided by industry mentors, similar to approaches from IBM, Google and Microsoft.
Products and services
- Apprentice Garage (AG) Program Core experiential-learning program that engages teams of STEM students in real-world, society-impactful projects under industry mentor supervision. Students apply state-of-the-practice techniques in software, electrical, mechanical, or civil engineering through phases of problem and stakeholder analysis, design thinking, solution prototyping, and MVP presentation.
- Mathiné Web-based educational platform for university students that helps learners organize coursework and stay on top of academic responsibilities. Integrated into Brightspace, UVic's learning management system.
- ActionHub AI-powered tool for non-profits that uses AI to capture context from meetings and messages, organize tasks, and suggest follow-ups while keeping humans in control.
- fundrAIse AI-powered tool for non-profits to create impactful campaigns faster, send personalized reports, and amplify their message to reach more people using AI-assisted text generation.
- Bridging Roots Gamified learning tool to support teachers of Indigenous languages, featuring matching games, crosswords, Choose Your Own Adventure interactive stories, and a community dictionary with audio pronunciations. Supports Inuvialuktun and SENĆOŦEN languages.
- Herluma Unified online system that helps shelters manage waitlists and logbooks, connecting women+ to shelters and services for the Greater Victoria Coalition to End Homelessness.
- BloodSync Blood donation management system for Nepal that bridges the divide between blood donors and patients, enabling Chaurjahari Hospital Rukum to efficiently address blood-related issues in rural areas.
- Disaster Preparedness and Response Dashboard Dashboard to facilitate relief response from Nepal Christian Relief Services and help analyze the most vulnerable areas for disaster preparedness.
- Patient Navigator and Privacy Health information system that streamlines patient management while prioritizing privacy, tracking patients throughout their healthcare journey from entry to treatment and referrals, for Sundar Dhoka Sathi Sewa.
- FireForce Wildfire management software for British Columbia and the Victoria Capital Region that optimizes fire and trespassing detection across various monitoring hardware.
- Livelihood Tracking Software Software for analyzing the impact of community development work and monitoring the transformation of individuals through Self-Help Groups across 20+ districts in Nepal.
- SanghSangai Impact measurement dashboard for TearFund and partner NGOs across Nepal, providing Business Intelligence insights and visualization of community transformation scores.
- EDI Helpline Online reporting system for disclosing incidents of discrimination, sexualized violence, harassment, or bullying, attached to a centralized EDI resource webpage.
- Neurovation (Educational Tools for Neurodiverse Learners) Tool developed on Brightspace to enhance the user experience for neurodiverse learners, empowering everyone to reach their full potential.
Companies that use INSPIRE
Customer profileNamed customers10 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
INSPIRE technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration1 record
AI capability4 records
Feature3 records
INSPIRE partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
16 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.
- Singapore Management University (SMU)coreStudent exchange partnership established 2025; five SMU students travel to UVic each Fall term; five UVic CS students take courses at SMU while paying UVic tuition
- University of VictoriacoreLead institution for INSPIRE program; hosts headquarters in Faculty of Engineering and Computer Science; Professor Daniela Damian serves as Director and ECS-CAPI Chair
- TearFund NepalcoreScottish Government-funded project working in disaster risk reduction, gender-based violence, health, community transformation and livelihood in Nepal
- Micah NepalmajorRegistered NGO in Nepal working in education, family care, water cleanliness, food supplies and disaster support; partner for SanghSangai impact measurement project
- Human Development and Community Services (HDCS)majorNGO engaged in health, education, community development, and disaster management; operates Chaurjahari Hospital Rukum for BloodSync project
- Sundar Dhoka Sathi SewamajorOrganization dedicated to addressing needs of individuals with disabilities and marginalized communities in Nepal; partner for Patient Navigator project
- Nepal Christian Relief Services (NCRS)majorHumanitarian aid non-profit serving for over 30 years in relief, rehabilitation, disaster preparedness and mitigation in Nepal; partner for disaster preparedness dashboard
- Alliance to End Homelessness in the Capital Region (AEHCR)coreRegional backbone organization working to ensure adequate housing, shelters, and services for those facing homelessness in Greater Victoria; partner for Herluma project
- Capital Regional District (CRD)coreRegional government for 13 municipalities on southern Vancouver Island; partner for FireForce wildfire management software project
- Salt Spring Island Farmland Trust (SSIFLT)majorCharitable organization dedicated to reducing Salt Spring Island's dependence on imported food; partner for RainWise rainwater harvesting project at The Root community farm
- MeaningfulWorkcoreVancouver-based company connecting non-profits with volunteers and donors; partner for fundrAIse AI-powered campaign tools project
- Mangilaluk SchoolcoreK-12 school in Tuktoyaktuk, Northwest Territories with approximately 240 students; partner for BridgingRoots Indigenous language revitalization application
- Bayside Middle SchoolcoreGrades 6-8 school in Brentwood Bay teaching W̱SÁNEĆ language SENĆOŦEN; partner for Bridging Roots W̱SÁNEĆ language learning tool
- Multipurpose Community Development Service (MCDS)majorNGO established 1994, registered under Government of Nepal; works with self-help groups across 20+ districts in health, education, livelihood, and disaster response
- CIFAL VictoriamajorInternational Training Centre for Authorities and Leaders; delivers training aligned with UN SDGs and UNDRIP; partner for CIFAL X Claremont educational projects
- Indigenous Perspectives SocietyminorPartner for BridgingRoots project supporting Indigenous knowledge and culture preservation
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights5 records
INSPIRE competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- NetHope: NetHope is a consortium of NGOs that collaborates with technology partners to build digital solutions for humanitarian and development organizations. It parallels INSPIRE's model of university-supervised teams delivering software to NGO partners across health, disaster response, and community development in the Global South.
- MIT D-Lab: MIT D-Lab runs university-based experiential learning programs where students collaborate with underserved communities on technology solutions for social impact. It is the closest North American analogue to INSPIRE's Apprentice Garage model in terms of academic anchoring, social-impact focus, and multi-country project delivery.
- Code for America: Code for America pairs technologists with government and non-profit partners to deliver civic technology solutions, comparable to INSPIRE's pro-bono software builds for community partners like the Capital Regional District and AEHCR. Both organizations sit at the intersection of student/civic technologists and under-resourced public-serving organizations.
- Design for America: Design for America is a network of university studios where students apply human-centered design to local social challenges, mirroring INSPIRE's design thinking methodology and cross-disciplinary student team structure. It operates as a multi-university non-profit with strong parallels to INSPIRE's expansion model.
- Major League Hacking (MLH): MLH is the official student hackathon league running hackathon-style events at universities worldwide. INSPIRE's hackathon series (Ideathon, Development, Project Showcase) and conference-driven engagement model share MLH's community-led student engagement approach.
Regional players
- Acumen Academy: Acumen Academy delivers leadership and innovation training for social entrepreneurs globally, including in Asia. It is comparable in its blend of experiential learning, cross-cultural cohorts, and explicit social-impact framing, though it operates primarily as a paid online learning platform rather than a free university-anchored program.
Emerging players
- Year Up: Year Up is a workforce development non-profit providing technical training and professional experience to young adults from underrepresented backgrounds. It overlaps with INSPIRE's mission of diversifying STEM pathways and providing real-world project experience, though focused more on entry-level IT careers.
- NPower: NPower delivers tech training and career launch programs to veterans and underrepresented young adults, sharing INSPIRE's emphasis on inclusive STEM education and skills-to-employment pathways. Both organizations partner with employers and community organizations to drive social outcomes through technology training.
Others
- Microsoft Garage: Microsoft Garage is a corporate innovation program that gives employees cross-disciplinary project experiences and rapid prototyping opportunities. INSPIRE's Apprentice Garage methodology explicitly cites IBM, Google, and Microsoft garage approaches as inspiration, making it a thematic ecosystem participant rather than a competitor.
Broad incumbents
- Stanford Hasso Plattner Institute of Design (d.school): The Stanford d.school pioneered university-anchored design thinking education and trains educators globally to teach its methods. INSPIRE's AG Program design-thinking methodology is a derivative of the broader d.school ecosystem, making it a thematic incumbent rather than a direct service competitor.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
INSPIRE social profiles
Digital presenceINSPIRE financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
INSPIRE leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles11 records
INSPIRE subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
INSPIRE funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
INSPIRE M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about INSPIRE
What does INSPIRE do?
INSPIRE operates the Apprentice Garage (AG) Program, an experiential-learning initiative where teams of STEM students apply design thinking and engineering techniques to develop software solutions for community partners across Canada, Nepal, and Singapore. Student teams build pro-bono technology products (health, education, disaster response, Indigenous language, and non-profit tools) under industry mentor supervision, with delivery through university partnerships and student exchanges.
Is INSPIRE a public or private company?
INSPIRE is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was INSPIRE founded?
INSPIRE was founded in 2022. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is INSPIRE based?
INSPIRE is headquartered in Victoria, Canada, in the North America region.
How does INSPIRE make money?
One revenue line is on record: institutional Grants and Funding.
Who are INSPIRE's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are NetHope, MIT D-Lab, Code for America, Design for America and Major League Hacking (MLH). Acumen Academy is listed as a regional player. Emerging players are Year Up and NPower. Microsoft Garage is listed as an others. Stanford Hasso Plattner Institute of Design (d.school) is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does INSPIRE have an API?
No public API is recorded for INSPIRE.
What industry is INSPIRE in?
INSPIRE's product category is STEM Education / Experiential Learning Programs. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAMAHAD, Innovation & Design Thinking Programs, with a secondary code of EDAMADAB, Engineering Design & Project-Based Learning Programs. Its NAICS code is 611430 and its SIC code is 7371.