LITTLE PROFESSORS STEM ACADEMY

What LITTLE PROFESSORS STEM ACADEMY does

Little Professors STEM Academy is a private, founder-owned STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Mathematics) education business founded in 2016 by Jade Du Toit, with Sheron Du Toit as co-founder. Headquartered in Cape Town, South Africa, the company delivers hands-on, experiment-based STEAM classes for children aged 2 to 8, segmented into three age-tiered curricula: Little Discovery (2-4), Little Explorers (4-6), and Little Scientists (6-8). Its underlying asset is a content library of more than 500 lesson plans and activity sheets that can be redeployed across in-person classes, school partnerships, holiday camps, birthday parties, online lessons, and downloadable lesson plans.

The company monetizes through a diversified, low-ticket revenue mix priced in South African Rand: weekly in-person classes at schools, venues, or homes; themed birthday party packages (R280 per child); online lesson packages with shipped STEAM kits and live Zoom instruction (R600 plus R100 delivery); standalone STEAM kits (R400); downloadable lesson plan bundles (R60); franchise fees for operators taking exclusive territorial rights; and a STEAM Science Club Membership that teaches aspiring entrepreneurs how to launch a children's STEAM club. The go-to-market is hybrid: direct-to-consumer via the website and social channels (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter), B2B via school partnership programs in Cape Town's Southern and Northern Suburbs, and capital-light geographic expansion through a global franchise model with operational footprint in South Africa, London (UK), and Taiwan.

Operationally, Little Professors is small (5 employees) and bootstrapped, with no external funding rounds disclosed. Distribution depends on a network of trained teachers delivering standardized lessons and on franchise operators to extend reach. The business combines physical, digital, and intellectual property revenue lines, but remains constrained by a limited headcount and reliance on the founder and co-founder.

Name

LITTLE PROFESSORS STEM ACADEMY

Legal name

Little Professors

Website

https://littleprofessors.co.za

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Little Professors STEM Academy is a Cape Town-based STEAM education provider offering hands-on experiment classes, birthday parties, holiday camps, online lessons with shipped kits, and a global franchise program for children aged 2-8, serving parents, schools, and aspiring franchisees.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Children's STEAM Education Services

NAICS

All Other Schools and Instruction (61169), Educational Services (61)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Hands-on Science Exploration & Experiments (Lab Kits, Science Clubs) (EDAMABAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Science & STEM Instruction (School-Delivered) (EDAJAFAH), Science Camps & Field Programs (Nature, Space, Marine, Geology) (EDAMABAB)

Keywords

• STEAM education classes
• Children's science workshops
• After-school enrichment programs
• Early childhood STEM
• Hands-on science activities

Headquarters

HQ city

Cape Town

HQ country

South Africa

HQ region

Africa

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. In-Person STEAM Classes: Weekly afterschool and in-school STEAM classes for children ages 2-8. Classes run at schools, venues, or client homes with trained Little Professors teachers leading sessions.
2. Birthday Party Packages: Themed birthday party entertainment including 45 mins to 1 hour of STEAM activities, 2-3 experiments, 1 craft to take home, run by a Little Professors teacher. Priced at R280 per child with extras package at R120.
3. Online Class Packages: Online science class packages with STEAM kits delivered to customers' homes, including 3 kits, 3 themes, and 3 live Zoom lessons. Priced at R600 plus R100 delivery fee.
4. STEAM Kits Sales: Standalone STEAM science kits with 3 experiments for children ages 2-8, available for R400 per kit plus R100 delivery fee, with option to collect.
5. Lesson Plan Downloads: Digital lesson plans, activity sheets, and information sheets available for download. Example: Little Discovery Natural Disasters Lesson Plan at R60.
6. Franchise Fees: Franchise opportunities offered worldwide for entrepreneurs to open their own Little Professors branch, allowing them to run classes, parties, holiday camps and events in exclusive areas.
7. STEAM Science Club Membership: Membership program teaching aspiring entrepreneurs how to start and grow their own Steam Science Club for Kids, with step-by-step resources to set up a club from scratch.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Little Professors STEM Academy delivers hands-on STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Mathematics) classes for children ages 2-8 through an age-tiered curriculum: Little Discovery (2-4), Little Explorers (4-6), and Little Scientists (6-8). Classes are delivered in-person at schools, venues, and homes, as well as online via Zoom with shipped science kits, and are supported by a 500+ lesson plan library, themed birthday parties, holiday camps, downloadable lesson plans, school partnership programs, and a global franchise model.

Product overview

Little Professors STEM Academy offers a portfolio of hands-on STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Mathematics) educational programs for children aged 2-12. The core offering consists of age-differentiated in-person classes: Little Discovery (ages 2-4), Little Explorers (ages 4-6), and Little Scientists (ages 6-8), available at schools, venues, or homes. Complementary products include Online Lesson Packages with live Zoom instruction and delivered science kits, standalone STEAM Kits for home experiments, and downloadable Lesson Plans. Additional revenue streams include Birthday Party Packages with themed STEAM activities and Holiday Club camps. The company also offers a Franchise program for entrepreneurs to launch their own Little Professors branches, and a STEAM Science Club Membership teaching how to start a kids' STEAM club. The business operates from Cape Town, South Africa and London, UK.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• STEAM Science Club: A membership program that teaches aspiring entrepreneurs how to start and grow their own Steam Club for Kids

Products and services

• Little Discovery Classes (Ages 2-4) Experimental sessions for toddlers aged 2-4 that introduce them to the world around them through sensory play, fine motor skill development, numbers, shapes, animals, plants, and bugs. Designed for young children as the entry tier of the Little Professors STEAM curriculum.
• Little Explorers Classes (Ages 4-6) Weekly STEAM classes for children aged 4-6 focused on numbers, science, building, art, and technology through hands-on creative activities, experiments, and crafts.
• Little Scientists Classes (Ages 6-8) Weekly project-based STEAM classes for children aged 6-8 that encourage thinking outside the box, problem-solving, and creative expression through STEAM-based crafts and experiments.
• Birthday Party Packages STEAM-themed birthday party services including themes such as Mad Science, Slime Party, Harry Potter, and Dinosaurs. Includes 45 minutes to 1 hour of activities with 2-3 experiments, a craft to take home, all equipment and materials, a digital invitation, and an optional extras package with a home experiment and themed goody bag. Priced at R280 per child plus a R120 extras option.
• Online Lesson Package Online class package delivered to homes including 3 science kits, 3 themes (Mad Scientist, Chemistry, Inventors), and 3 live 35-minute Zoom lessons with a Little Professors teacher. Priced at R600 per package plus R100 delivery fee with optional collection in Cape Town.
• STEAM Kits Standalone science experiment kits for home use containing 3 experiments each, available for purchase with optional delivery or collection. Priced at R400 per kit plus R100 delivery fee.
• Lesson Plans Printable lesson plans and activity sheets following different themes about the world around us, including experiments, craft activities, definition pages, and activity sheets. Over 500 lesson plans available. Individual lesson plan bundles priced at R60.
• School STEAM Classes Weekly afterschool and in-school STEAM classes for children aged 2-8 offered at schools and preschools. Little Professors provides trained teachers, all materials, and promotional materials, while the school supplies classroom space and time slots. A free demo class is offered as an entry point.
• Holiday Club Educational holiday camps with unique themes where children create magical crafts, conduct experiments, and participate in fun activities. Designed to keep children engaged during school holidays.
• Little Professors Franchise Franchise opportunity allowing entrepreneurs to own and operate their own Little Professors branch, running classes, parties, holiday camps, and events in their exclusive territorial area. Includes the established brand, lesson plans, training, and ongoing support.
• STEAM Science Club Membership Membership program that teaches aspiring entrepreneurs how to start and grow their own Steam Science Club for Kids, providing step-by-step resources from scratch to full operation. Operates as a monthly subscription with a waitlist currently available.

Quantifiable outcome

• Children perform 3-4 activities/experiments themselves during each 45-minute class
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 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

Integration1 record

Feature3 records

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Mad Science: Global franchise offering hands-on science programs, birthday parties, and after-school enrichment for children ages 3-12. Closest comparable to Little Professors in business model (in-person classes + parties + franchise) and target age range.
• KiwiCo: Subscription-based STEAM crate service shipping hands-on science, art, and engineering projects to children. Directly comparable to Little Professors' STEAM kit and online class package offerings, though at much larger scale.
• Be Amazing Toys: Manufacturer and retailer of science kits and educational toys for children. Comparable to Little Professors' STEAM kit product line and classroom science activity offerings.
• Snapology: Franchise model delivering STEAM enrichment (science, engineering, robotics) to children through in-school programs, camps, and parties. Closely comparable franchise + school partnership model targeting similar age groups.
• Club SciKidz: Science and technology summer camps and after-school programs for elementary-age children. Comparable to Little Professors in targeting the same age range with hands-on STEAM activities and themed camps.
• Steve Spangler Science: Provider of hands-on science experiment kits, classroom curriculum, and teacher resources. Comparable to Little Professors' STEAM kits, lesson plans, and in-school STEAM class offerings for young children.
• Young Scientists Club: Subscription-based science kit company for children ages 3-12. Comparable to Little Professors' STEAM kit e-commerce business and themed experiment approach.

Emerging players

• Fun Science: UK-based provider of hands-on science assemblies, workshops, and birthday parties for primary schools. Comparable to Little Professors in school partnership and party model, focused on UK primary market.
• HOMER (Early Learning): Early childhood learning platform covering reading, math, and thinking skills for ages 2-8. Comparable to Little Professors' target age range and parent-buyer persona, though digital-first rather than hands-on.
• science4us: Online K-2 science curriculum aligned to standards. Comparable in delivering science instruction to early-elementary children, though digital-first rather than hands-on.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/LProfessors
• Facebookfacebook.com/littleprofessorssteamacademy
• Instagraminstagram.com/littleprofessors.co.za
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/little-professors-stem-academy

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 LITTLE PROFESSORS STEM ACADEMY