New Explorations Into Science, Technology + Math (NEST+m)

What New Explorations Into Science, Technology + Math (NEST+m) does

New Explorations Into Science, Technology + Math (NEST+m) is a New York City Department of Education citywide public school serving intellectually gifted students in grades K-12, founded in 2001 and located at 111 Columbia Street on Manhattan's Lower East Side (school code 01M539). The school operates as a single administrative unit spanning three divisions — Lower Grades K-5 (Gifted & Talented), Middle Grades 6-8 (screened), and Upper Grades 9-12 (screened+) — and is the only standalone citywide K-12 Gifted & Talented school in the NYC DOE system. Admission is managed through the NYC MySchools platform with no geographic priority, drawing applicants from all five boroughs; K-5 eligibility is determined via pre-K teacher assessment, Middle Grades admission uses academic grades, and Upper Grades admission combines 7th-grade grades (50%) with a NEST+m essay (50%). A Diversity in Admissions policy reserves 66% of non-continuing Upper Grades offers for students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch.

The school's core academic product is an accelerated K-12 curriculum featuring 16+ Advanced Placement courses (including AP Calculus BC, AP Biology, AP Chemistry, AP Physics C, and AP Computer Science Principles), a computer science program that follows the Harvard CS50 curriculum (Scratch, C, HTML/CSS, JavaScript, and Python), and a College Now partnership with Hunter College enabling college-level coursework for credit. A mandatory 60-hour community service graduation requirement, 50+ student-led clubs in Upper Grades, PSAL athletics, and PTA-funded teaching assistants and enrichment programs round out the offering. The technology stack relies on standard educational platforms — Google Classroom, JupiterEd, NYC Schools Account, School Dismissal Manager, and an Edlio-powered website — rather than proprietary infrastructure.

NEST+m operates on a non-commercial revenue model as a public school. Funding flows primarily from the NYC DOE through standard per-pupil allocations, supplemented by the NEST+m PTA (a 501(c)(3) non-profit, EIN 41-2225124), which raises money through a General Fund campaign, classroom supply contributions, event ticket sales (auction & gala, talent show, carnival), and corporate matching grants. The school is tuition-free, and supplemental PTA contributions fund teaching assistants and enrichment given what the school characterizes as a "lean budget" that does not fully reflect the scale of operating three divisions. Since opening in 2001, 100% of graduating seniors have matriculated to institutions of higher education.

Name

New Explorations Into Science, Technology + Math (NEST+m)

Legal name

New Explorations into Science, Technology & Math

Website

https://nestmk12.net

Company type

Public

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

NEST+m is a NYC Department of Education citywide public Gifted & Talented school serving grades K-12 from Manhattan's Lower East Side. It offers an accelerated curriculum with 16+ AP courses, the Harvard CS50 computer science sequence, and Hunter College dual-enrollment, funded by DOE allocations and PTA fundraising.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

K-12 Public Education (Gifted & Talented)

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Accelerated Learning & Grade Advancement Programs (EDAJAGAE)

Keywords

• K-12 public education
• Gifted and Talented programs
• Advanced placement courses
• College preparatory services
• Afterschool enrichment programs

Headquarters

HQ city

New York, NY

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, Supply Chain, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. NYC Department of Education Public Funding: NEST+m operates as a NYC Department of Education public school and receives standard DOE per-pupil funding. The school states it is 'funded like one school, not the three schools that we are,' indicating that its K-12 structure spanning three divisions (Lower, Middle, Upper) results in funding that may not fully reflect the scale of operations. The school operates on a 'lean budget' and relies on supplemental support.
2. PTA Donations and Fundraising: The NEST+m PTA (501(c)(3), EIN 41-2225124) raises funds through a General Fund campaign, classroom supply contributions, event ticket sales (auction & gala, talent show, carnival), and corporate matching grants from employers. Donations support teacher assistants, classroom supplies, and enrichment programs. The school explicitly states donations are needed to continue offering programs given the lean budget.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

NEST+m is a NYC Department of Education citywide K-12 public school for intellectually Gifted & Talented students, delivering an accelerated academic curriculum across Lower (K-5), Middle (6-8), and Upper (9-12) grade divisions. The school offers an extensive AP course catalog (16+ courses), a Harvard CS50-based computer science curriculum, college-level coursework through a Hunter College College Now partnership, and over 50 student-led clubs. The school operates on a free public education model funded by NYC DOE and supplemented by PTA donations.

Product overview

NEST+m is a NYC Department of Education citywide K-12 public school for Gifted & Talented students offering a unified accelerated academic program. The core product is the K-12 gifted education curriculum enhanced by AP courses, Harvard CS50 computer science curriculum, and a College Now partnership with Hunter College. Additional offerings include Lower Grades afterschool programs, SONYC Middle Grades after school, over 50 Upper Grades student-led clubs, PSAL athletics, and a school newspaper (The Eagle). The school website is powered by Edlio, and families access academic information through JupiterEd, NYC Schools Account, and School Dismissal Manager platforms.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• K-12 Gifted & Talented Academic Program
• Lower Grades Afterschool Programs
• SONYC Middle Grades After School Program
• Upper Grades Clubs & PSAL Athletics

Quantifiable outcome

• 100% of graduating seniors have gone on to an institute of higher learning since the school opened in 2001
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration13 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core, supporting and minor.

• Hunter College - College Now ProgramcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNEST+m Upper Grades students engage in college-level courses through a partnership with the College Now program at Hunter College, part of the City University of New York (CUNY) system. This partnership enables students to earn college credit while still in high school, supporting the school's accelerated curriculum mission.
• Harvard CS50 (Computer Science Curriculum)coreTechnology or IntegrationNEST+m Upper Grades computer science courses follow the Harvard CS50 curriculum, covering fundamental topics in computer science including binary numbers, hardware, algorithms, and programming in Scratch, C, HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and Python. The AP Computer Science Principles course continues from the standard CS50 course.
• Public Schools Athletic League (PSAL)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerNEST+m participates in the PSAL, the New York City Public Schools Athletic League, which governs competitive athletics for NYC public high schools. This partnership provides students access to organized sports teams and interscholastic competition.
• Math for AmericasupportingTechnology or IntegrationMath for America partnership supports mathematics education at NEST+m, providing resources and professional development connections for math teachers. Listed as a key partnership on the Upper Grades academics page.
• Super Happy Healthy Kids (SHHK)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorA third-party afterschool program provider offering onsite programming at NEST+m including homework assistance, gymnastics, tennis, soccer, basketball, fencing, table tennis, STEM, karate, edible arts, and creative writing. Bussing available for additional fee. Available K-8, Mon-Fri.
• Grand Street Settlement - SONYC ProgramminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSONYC (School's Out New York City) program at NEST+m offers free on-site afterschool programs for grades 6-8, overseen by Grand Street Settlement, a non-profit youth and community development organization founded in 1916. One of 20+ SONYC programs in NYC. Program Director: Shamell Santana.
• Impact Coaching Network (ICN Chess)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorICN Chess provides chess club and team programming onsite at NEST+m on Wednesdays and Thursdays, open to students K-12. Contact: Jenny at Impact Coaching Network. The chess program serves as both an afterschool activity and competitive team.
• Beacon Community Center (Grand Street Settlement)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBeacon Community Center afterschool program at Grand Street Settlement (145 Stanton St.) with programming for NEST+m students, offering homework help and various activities on all school days. Drop-off at 145 Stanton Street.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Achievement First: NYC- and Connecticut-based charter network operating K-12 college-prep schools with a focus on rigorous instruction and college persistence for low-income students. Comparable to NEST+m on NYC K-12 college-prep orientation and diversity-in-admissions ethos, though not formally a screened-gifted program.
• Success Academy Charter Schools: Large NYC charter school network known for high test scores and a rigorous college-prep culture serving grades K-12. Comparable to NEST+m on gifted-oriented instruction in NYC and competition for high-achieving families, though charters operate outside the DOE screened admissions framework.
• KIPP NYC Public Schools: NYC charter network serving grades K-12 with a college-prep focus and a stated commitment to college outcomes for underserved students. Comparable to NEST+m in NYC K-12 scale and college-going emphasis, though not a screened-gifted program.

Direct peers

• Bard High School Early College: NYC public early college high school network where students earn college credit while in high school, with a similar college-prep ethos and Hunter/CUNY-style higher-education partnerships. Comparable to NEST+m's College Now pathway and 100% college-going outcome positioning.
• Hunter College High School: Public gifted middle/high school affiliated with Hunter College, with its own entrance exam and a long-standing reputation for academic rigor. Closely comparable to NEST+m on advanced curriculum, college outcomes, and citywide gifted focus, and shares the College Now / Hunter College ecosystem.
• Stuyvesant High School: NYC DOE specialized public high school admitting via the SHSAT, serving academically advanced students from all five boroughs. Directly comparable to NEST+m's Upper Grades as a citywide destination for high-achieving students, though admissions is exam-based rather than screened-plus-essay.
• The Bronx High School of Science: NYC DOE specialized public high school with SHSAT admissions, long-standing reputation for STEM rigor, and a borough-spanning applicant pool. Comparable to NEST+m as a citywide STEM-focused public school competing for the same gifted applicant base.
• The Anderson School (NYC G&T): NYC DOE citywide Gifted & Talented elementary school (K-5) on the Upper West Side, one of the few K-8 G&T options in the system. Comparable to NEST+m's Lower Grades division as a citywide G&T public school feeding into screened middle and high school programs.
• Brooklyn Technical High School: NYC DOE specialized public high school with SHSAT admissions and a STEM-leaning curriculum. Comparable to NEST+m as a citywide destination for gifted students, especially those pursuing STEM, though it sits at much larger scale.

Broad incumbents

• BASIS Charter Schools: Charter and independent school network known for advanced curriculum (AP-heavy, accelerated pacing) and top-tier college outcomes. Comparable to NEST+m on accelerated, AP-intensive curriculum and 100%-style college placement positioning, though BASIS operates outside NYC's public school system.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/NESTMPTA
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/school/nestm
• Instagraminstagram.com/nestmsoars

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 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 New Explorations Into Science, Technology + Math (NEST+m)