Micro Nano Technology Education Center (MNT-EC)

What Micro Nano Technology Education Center (MNT-EC) does

Micro Nano Technology Education Center (MNT-EC) is a non-profit national education center established in 2020 and hosted at Pasadena City College in Pasadena, California. The organization operates as a federally-funded hub for building the U.S. micro and nanotechnology (MNT) technician workforce, connecting community colleges, universities, research institutions, and industry partners through an integrated ecosystem of programs. Its core mission addresses a predicted 100,000-worker shortage in semiconductor manufacturing tied to the CHIPS and Science Act, with a focus on students from underrepresented groups (90%+ of URE program participants).

Name

Micro Nano Technology Education Center (MNT-EC)

Legal name

Micro Nano Technology Education Center

Website

https://micronanoeducation.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

MNT-EC is a non-profit national education center, funded by NSF, that builds the U.S. micro and nanotechnology technician workforce by connecting community colleges with 15+ semiconductor industry partners through free mentoring, podcasts, journals, and internship pipelines.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Workforce Development Education

NAICS

Technical and Trade Schools (6115), Educational Support Services (61171), Educational Services (611)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Infrastructure, Networking & Systems Administration Training (BPAEANAJ)

akta.pro secondary industry

Institutes of Technology (IoT / Technical Universities) (EDAHAEAC)

Keywords

• Nanotechnology education
• Technician workforce development
• Semiconductor training programs
• Community college STEM
• Advanced technology education

Headquarters

HQ city

Pasadena

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. NSF ATE Grant Funding: Primary funding from National Science Foundation Advanced Technological Education (ATE) program under grants DUE ATE #2000281 and #2454155. Additional support from NSF TA-ESW initiative in partnership with the Micron Foundation.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

MNT-EC is a national education center that builds the U.S. micro and nanotechnology technician workforce by connecting community colleges, universities, research institutions, and industry partners. It provides free programs including faculty mentoring for NSF ATE proposals, student internships and scholarships, a peer-reviewed journal, a podcast on technician careers, hands-on workshops, and an interactive industry map. The center is funded by NSF ATE grants (DUE ATE #2000281 and #2454155) and is hosted at Pasadena City College.

Product overview

MNT-EC operates as a national education center focused on building the micro and nanotechnology technician workforce through a platform of interconnected educational products and services. The core offerings include the Talking Technicians Podcast for career awareness, the Journal of Advanced Technological Education for academic research support, AT3 Student Skills Program and MNT-CURN for student development, MNT-EC Mentoring for faculty support, and the Internship Connector for workforce placement. Supporting these are the Micro Monday Newsletter for community engagement, the MNT Nano Program & Industry Map for networking, Think Small news blog, technician career path KSA resources, and educational workshops. These products function as an integrated ecosystem designed to connect students, educators, and industry partners across the microelectronics and nanotechnology workforce pipeline.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Journal of Advanced Technological Education: Peer-reviewed journal focused on micro and nanotechnology education research for two-year institution faculty
• Talking Technicians Podcast
• AT3 Student Skills Program
• MNT-CURN
• MNT Nano Program & Industry Map
• Think Small
• Micro Monday

Products and services

• Talking Technicians Podcast A podcast series produced by MNT-EC featuring conversations with technicians across manufacturing, energy, electronics, automation, and emerging technologies, providing insights into technician careers and workforce perspectives. Currently spans six seasons and is available on Apple Podcasts and Google Podcasts.
• Journal of Advanced Technological Education A peer-reviewed journal supporting faculty at two-year institutions in research and journal article publication for advancement in micro and nanotechnology education.
• AT3 Student Skills Program A program designed to develop student skills in micro and nanotechnology fields, providing structured skills development for community college students.
• MNT-EC Mentoring No-cost mentoring for community college faculty interested in preparing NSF ATE project proposals related to technician education and program improvement.
• MNT-CURN (Micro-Nano Technology Collaborative Undergraduate Research Network) A collaborative network connecting undergraduate students with research opportunities in micro and nanotechnology.
• Internship Connector A platform connecting students with internship opportunities in the semiconductor and nanotechnology industries, including positions at TSMC, Micron, Corning, GlobalFoundries, and Thermo Fisher Scientific.
• Micro Monday Newsletter A Community of Practice newsletter providing opportunities, resources, and news for the micro and nano technology education community at community colleges. Features student opportunities first, followed by career roles, grants, events, and resources.
• MNT Nano Program & Industry Map An interactive map connecting colleges, universities, and industry partners in the micro and nanotechnology sector, allowing filtering by geographic area to identify programs and partners.
• Think Small (News & Blog) The organization's news and blog section featuring updates on micro and nanotechnology education, workforce development, and industry trends.
• Educational Workshops Hands-on workshops on topics including Raspberry Pi, Arduino microcontrollers, photonics, vacuum technology, biomimicry, and nanotechnology applications, including VR simulations for teaching nanotechnology instrumentation.
• Technician Career Path Resources (KSA Downloads) Downloadable resources including Chip Design Technician KSA, Microsystems Process Technician KSA, and Maintenance Technician KSA knowledge, skills, and abilities documents that define career pathways.

Quantifiable outcome

• 3,738 users and 15,937 page views in first year
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• National Institute for Innovation and Technology (NIIT)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership focused on workforce development for semiconductor sector and nanotechnology-related industries. MNT-EC colleges gain access to NIIT's National Talent Hub connecting employers, education providers, and job seekers. Students eligible for GAINS Registered Apprenticeship Program for earn-while-you-learn opportunities.
• Pasadena City CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost institution for MNT-EC. Located in Pasadena, California. Dr. Jared Ashcroft serves as PI and Center Director while being faculty at Pasadena City College.
• National Nanotechnology Coordinated Infrastructure (NNCI)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAdvanced Technological Education (ATE) Partner. Established 2015 with 16 individual cooperative agreements from NSF. Connects MNT-EC with national nanotechnology research infrastructure.
• American Association of Community Colleges (AACC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership through Community College Innovation Challenge (CCIC). AACC hosts the annual competition in partnership with NSF, with MNT-EC Director Dr. Jared Ashcroft serving as mentor to student teams.
• National Nanotechnology Coordination Office (NNCO)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for classroom outreach. NNCO coordinates the 'Invite a Scientist to Class' program connecting female nanoscientists and nanoengineers with classrooms for virtual visits.
• Portland Community CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner institution with Co-PI Peter Kazarinoff. Collaborates on microscopy training programs with Lam Research, including graduate cohort programs for hands-on tech training.
• Northwest Vista CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner institution with Co-PI Neda Habibi. Participates in journal working group and faculty development initiatives.
• Indian Hills Community CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner institution hosting multiple workshops and events. Faculty member Greg Kepner serves as Co-PI on MNT-EC initiatives. Venue for Journal of Micro Nano Technology Education launch events.
• Marine Advanced Technology Education (MATE) CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNSF-funded resource center at Monterey Peninsula College. Partnership for robotics and underwater technology competitions, including reimagined 2022 MATE ROV Competition with virtual world component.
• Greentown LabsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNation's leading incubator/accelerator for climate tech startups in Massachusetts. MNT-EC shares Greentown Labs newsletter and content with community as resource for nanotechnology and climate technology intersection.
• Kavli Nanoscience InstituteminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner at California Institute of Technology. Quarterly newsletter with nano-packed content. Collaborates on sharing nanotechnology news and resources with MNT-EC community.
• NCI SouthwestminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSouthwest hub of NNCI at Arizona State University. Encompasses six collaborative research facilities including ASU NanoFab, Eyring Materials Center, and Advanced Electronics and Photonics Core Facility.
• National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNIST's Vision and Strategy for regional National Semiconductor Technology Centers framework informs MNT-EC's approach to technician education and workforce development alignment.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Nano-Link: Former NSF ATE National Center for Nanotechnology Education hosted at Dakota County Technical College; the most direct predecessor to MNT-EC in scope and funding model. MNT-EC consultant Deb Newberry founded Nano-Link, and both centers target community-college nanotechnology technician workforce development.
• National Institute for Innovation and Technology (NIIT): Workforce development organization explicitly partnered with MNT-EC since 2021 to provide semiconductor-sector apprenticeship pathways via the National Talent Hub and GAINS Registered Apprenticeship Program. Operates the same industry-education-apprenticeship bridge model.
• Marine Advanced Technology Education (MATE) Center: NSF-funded resource center at Monterey Peninsula College explicitly listed as an MNT-EC partner. Same NSF ATE funding model, similar role in coordinating community-college technical education across multiple states and industry partners.
• Bio-Link: NSF ATE National Center for the Biotechnology Workforce, operated under the same NSF ATE program structure as MNT-EC. Comparable operating model: community-college faculty development, industry partnerships, and technician pipeline building in a specialized technical domain.
• National Center for Autonomous Technologies (NCAT): NSF ATE National Center focused on autonomous-technology technician workforce development at the College of Lake County. Same funding mechanism and organizational model as MNT-EC, serving as a peer ATE national center.

Others

• ATE Central: NSF-funded national resource hub serving the entire ATE community, including MNT-EC. Provides evaluation, curricular, and dissemination support that overlaps with MNT-EC's mentoring and journal functions, though serving all ATE disciplines rather than micro/nano specifically.
• National Nanotechnology Coordinated Infrastructure (NNCI): NSF-funded network of 16 user-facility sites for nanotechnology research, education, and outreach, listed as an MNT-EC partner. Provides research infrastructure access that complements MNT-EC's technician-education mission in adjacent (rather than directly competing) territory.

Regional players

• Maricopa County Community College District (Semiconductor Programs): Arizona-based community college system expanding rapid-credential semiconductor technician programs to address the state's 40+ fab expansions. Competes with MNT-EC for the same Arizona CHIPS-driven technician pipeline and federal/state workforce funding.

Broad incumbents

• SEMI Foundation: Industry-funded nonprofit arm of SEMI focused on building the semiconductor workforce pipeline through education partnerships, scholarships, and training programs. Operates at broader industry scale than MNT-EC and serves overlapping semiconductor technician audiences.

Emerging players

• National Network for Microelectronics Education (NNME): NIST-aligned national framework coordinating regional nodes for semiconductor technician education—referenced in MNT-EC's own Journal of Advanced Technology Education. Directly addresses the same audience (community-college faculty and students) and is partially federally coordinated, making it an emerging structural peer.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCP-tzQ-DhrVASZmaS9-iKAQ
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/micro-nano-technology-education-center

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Micro Nano Technology Education Center (MNT-EC)