Name

Mathematics, Engineering, Science Achievement (MESA) program

Legal name

Mathematics, Engineering, Science Achievement (MESA)

Website

https://mesa.ucop.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1970

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

STEM Education Services

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Educational Support Services (611710), Computer Training (61142)

akta.pro primary industry

Academic Enrichment Camps (General Studies) (EDAMALAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Enrichment Programs for Gifted Learners (STEM, Humanities, Arts) (EDAKALAE), Accelerated Learning & Grade Advancement Programs (EDAJAGAE)

Keywords

• STEM education
• College preparation programs
• Engineering competitions
• Workforce development
• Student mentorship

Headquarters

HQ city

Oakland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Corporate Sponsorships: Industry partners fund MESA programs and events, providing financial support for Student Leadership Conference, MESA Day competitions, and mentorship programs. Partners include Cisco, PG&E, Western Digital, Oracle, Google, and others who benefit from the STEM talent pipeline.
2. Government/Foundation Grants: MESA receives funding from foundations like S.D. Bechtel Jr. Foundation and government grants including NASA $1.4M for STEM course development at minority-serving institutions.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels11 records

Core offering

MESA is a free California STEM education program that delivers college and career preparation to educationally disadvantaged students from middle school through university. It operates through three segments (College Prep, Community College, University) anchored by hands-on competitions like the National Engineering Design Competition and MESA Day, supplemented by the Student Leadership Conference, MESA Idea Accelerator, and a corporate mentorship program.

Product overview

MESA (Mathematics, Engineering, Science, Achievement) is a California STEM education program that operates as a college and career prep engine serving students across the educational pathway through three complementary segments: College Prep (serving over 350 middle and high schools), Community College (40 institutions), and University (13 universities) programs. The program delivers hands-on STEM education through core offerings including the National Engineering Design Competition (NEDC), MESA Day competitions, Student Leadership Conference, MESA Idea Accelerator, and Mentorship Program. Technology-enabled platforms include MESASpace (alumni networking platform) and a Tableau-based MESA Centers Directory for finding local programs across California.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Student Leadership Conference (SLC): Annual conference connecting top engineering, computer science and STEM undergraduates with industry professionals to cultivate the next generation of diverse leaders.
• MESA National Engineering Design Competition (NEDC)
• MESA Idea Accelerator
• MESA Day

Products and services

• MESA College Prep Program
• MESA Community College Program
• MESA University Program
• MESA National Engineering Design Competition (NEDC)
• MESA Day Competitions
• Student Leadership Conference (SLC)
• MESA Idea Accelerator
• MESA Mentorship Program

Quantifiable outcome

• 92% college-going rate for MESA high school graduates vs 42% statewide average
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

20 partnerships are on record, tiered major, minor and core.

• QualcommmajorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2023Qualcomm is a 2023 sponsor of the Student Leadership Conference, supporting career expo and student development activities.
• Harris & AssociatesminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2023Harris & Associates sponsors workshops at the Student Leadership Conference, providing career skills development for students.
• UberminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2023Uber provides workshop rotation at Student Leadership Conference focusing on career development topics.
• SanDisk (Western Digital)coreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2016SanDisk joined forces with MESA to mentor students, providing industry connections and career pathways for STEM students.
• CiscocoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCisco is a key industry partner providing mentors and professional development for students through the MESA Mentorship Program. The company has been involved for multiple years and has hired MESA students as interns and full-time employees. Cisco served as founding company partner for the mentorship program.
• PG&EcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPacific Gas and Electric is a long-standing partner that participates in the MESA Mentorship Program, Student Leadership Conference sponsorship, and Lightning Round workshops. PG&E has hired MESA students as interns and employees.
• Western DigitalcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerWestern Digital partners with MESA through the Mentorship Program and has hired MESA alumni as interns and full-time employees. The company provides career guidance and employment opportunities for students.
• OraclecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerOracle Academy provides computer science education support including Java training for teachers, summer coding camps, Alice and Greenfoot coding competitions. Has awarded MESA more than $130,000 since 2013. Oracle also participates in Student Leadership Conference.
• GooglecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerGoogle hosts MESA Day Northern Regional STEM Championships and participates in Student Leadership Conference. Google Shadow Day provides students exposure to engineering careers.
• Keysight TechnologiesmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerKeysight Technologies is an industry partner sponsoring MESA events and supporting the STEM talent pipeline.
• APTIMmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerAPTIM is an industry partner supporting MESA programs and workforce development initiatives.
• Southern California EdisonmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerSouthern California Edison is a corporate sponsor of Student Leadership Conference and supports MESA's mission to develop diverse STEM workforce.
• NVIDIAmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerNVIDIA provided a $25,000 grant to fund teacher professional development in coding and hardware purchasing for students through SparkFun Arduino kits.
• Applied MaterialsmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerApplied Materials sponsors the Student Leadership Conference and supports MESA's workforce development mission.
• DisneyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerDisney participates as a corporate sponsor of Student Leadership Conference.
• Southern California Gas CompanymajorGTM or Marketing PartnerSouthern California Gas Company sponsors Student Leadership Conference supporting diverse STEM talent development.
• San Diego Gas and ElectricmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerSan Diego Gas and Electric sponsors Student Leadership Conference and supports STEM workforce pipeline.
• Edison InternationalmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerEdison International is lead sponsor of Student Leadership Conference and supports MESA's diversity mission.
• BournsmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerBourns Technology Center hosts Southern Regional MESA Day STEM Championships, providing venue and industry exposure for students.
• NASA Jet Propulsion LaboratorymajorGTM or Marketing PartnerNASA JPL participates in Student Leadership Conference and industry events, exposing students to aerospace engineering careers.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Code.org: Code.org is a non-profit dedicated to expanding access to computer science in K-12 schools. Overlaps directly with MESA's coding/CS curriculum delivered through MESA Day, NEDC, and Oracle Academy partnerships.
• National Action Council for Minorities in Engineering (NACME): NACME is a non-profit that provides scholarships and support to increase the representation of underrepresented minorities in engineering. Most directly comparable to MESA's mission of building a diverse STEM talent pipeline from K-12 through university.
• National GEM Consortium: GEM provides graduate fellowships and career opportunities in STEM for underrepresented minority students. Comparable to MESA's university-level program producing STEM bachelor's graduates and connecting them to corporate careers.
• INROADS: INROADS is a non-profit that prepares underrepresented students for corporate STEM careers through internship pathways with major employers. Highly comparable to MESA's corporate mentorship and internship placement model serving disadvantaged STEM students.
• Project Lead the Way: PLTW provides K-12 STEM curriculum and teacher training across thousands of U.S. schools. Comparable to MESA's K-12 College Prep program in delivering hands-on engineering design and computer science curriculum to middle and high school students.
• FIRST Robotics: FIRST runs K-12 robotics competitions nationwide, including FIRST Robotics Competition and FIRST LEGO League. Comparable to MESA's MESA Day competitions and National Engineering Design Competition in using hands-on engineering challenges to inspire STEM interest.

Broad incumbents

• National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE): NSBE is one of the largest student-governed STEM organizations in the U.S., focused on Black engineering students and professionals. Shares MESA's mission of increasing Black representation in STEM but operates as a national professional society rather than a regional school-based program.
• American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES): AISES supports Indigenous students in STEM through scholarships, conferences, and professional development. Shares MESA's underrepresented-minority STEM mission but is a national professional society rather than a regional school-based program.
• Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE): SHPE is a national organization serving Hispanic professionals and students in STEM. Comparable mission of increasing Hispanic/Latino representation in STEM fields, though operating as a broader membership/professional society rather than a school-based prep pipeline like MESA.

Emerging players

• Girls Who Code: Girls Who Code runs K-12 and college programs to close the gender gap in tech. Overlaps with MESA's CS/coding curriculum and target of underrepresented-in-STEM students, though focused specifically on gender rather than income/race.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/MESASTEM
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC4bl_JWpQVLMlaUb6BdGtWw?view_as=subscriber
• Facebookfacebook.com/mesa.statewide
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/school/mathematics-engineering-science-achievement-mesa-program
• Instagraminstagram.com/mesastem

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Mathematics, Engineering, Science Achievement (MESA) program