STEM Forward

What STEM Forward does

STEM Forward is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, dedicated to inspiring a future-ready STEM workforce across southeastern Wisconsin. Founded in 1905 as the Engineering Society of Milwaukee and rebranded to STEM Forward in 2011, the organization serves K-12 students, educators, employers, and community members through a portfolio of programs including the Future City Competition, Engineering Machine Design Contest (EMDC), Contrapt Wisconsin, Day of STEM classroom visits, the annual sySTEMnow Conference, and the Excellence in STEM Awards (Stemmys). It also administers a scholarship program that awards $33,000 annually to 11 students ($3,000 each) pursuing STEM degrees, funded in part by the annual Scholarship Fundraiser Golf Outing.

The organization's "technology" is essentially programmatic and community-driven rather than software-based: it operates as a convener and resource hub rather than a technology builder, publishing a curated directory of 30+ STEM summer camps and maintaining a resource hub that links schools to external programs such as Project Lead The Way, FIRST Robotics, and Girls Who Code. Day of STEM is delivered either in-person or virtually into K-8 and high school classrooms through partnerships with employers (e.g., MATC, Wisconsin DNR, SEWRPC), and competition teams advance to national-level events (Future City in Washington, D.C.; EMDC at Minnesota State University). The organization is staffed by approximately five part-time personnel and is actively hiring for two program/marketing roles and a bookkeeper.

STEM Forward's revenue model is donations-and-sponsorships-based, supplemented by event fees: individual donations (with a suggested $120 or $12 monthly recurring gift for the 120th anniversary campaign), corporate sponsorships of programs and events, registration fees for the sySTEMnow Conference, and participation fees for the Scholarship Fundraiser Golf Outing. Some program-specific fees have been waived in recent years (e.g., Future City Competition registration). The geographic scope is regional, focused on southeastern Wisconsin and the greater Milwaukee area, with the Wisconsin Regional Future City Competition serving as the primary feeder to the national program.

Name

STEM Forward

Legal name

STEM Forward

Website

https://stemforward.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1905

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

STEM Forward is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1905 and headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, that delivers K-12 STEM education programs — competitions, classroom visits, scholarships, and an annual conference — to students, educators, and employers across southeastern Wisconsin.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

STEM Education Services

NAICS

Educational Services (611)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

STEM, Digital Literacy & Maker Education Nonprofits (BPAGADAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

STEM Competitions & Olympiads (Science Bowls, STEM Challenges) (EDAMABAL), STEM Project-Based Learning (PBL) & Challenge Platforms (EDAFANAI), Science & STEM Instruction (School-Delivered) (EDAJAFAH)

Keywords

• STEM education programs
• K-12 workforce development
• Student STEM competitions
• Nonprofit education services
• STEM scholarship programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Milwaukee

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: STEM Forward is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that relies on individual donations to fund STEM awareness and outreach programs. Donations support programs including Future City Competition, Engineering Machine Design Contest, Contrapt Wisconsin, Day of STEM, scholarships, and general operations. The organization encourages $120 or $12 monthly recurring donations as part of its 120th anniversary campaign.
2. Corporate Sponsorships: Organizations and companies can sponsor specific STEM programs or events, providing financial support in exchange for visibility and alignment with STEM education initiatives. Sponsorship opportunities include program-level and event-level sponsorship tiers.
3. Scholarship Fundraiser Golf Outing: Annual golf outing and auction event where participants pay to attend (golf scramble and/or social event), with proceeds supporting the scholarship program. The 21st Annual event in 2026 features an 18-hole scramble, contests, silent auction, and raffles.
4. Conference and Event Registrations: Registration fees for the annual sySTEMnow Conference where attendees pay to participate. The 23rd annual conference in 2026 features keynote speakers, Generation STEM student showcases, and networking across education, industry, and community sectors.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

STEM Forward operates K-12 STEM education programs, competitions, classroom visits, an annual conference, and scholarships in southeastern Wisconsin, acting as a convener that connects STEM professionals with schools, students, and employers. Core offerings include the Future City Competition, Engineering Machine Design Contest (EMDC), Contrapt Wisconsin, Day of STEM classroom program, the sySTEMnow Conference, the Excellence in STEM Awards (Stemmys), and a $33,000 annual scholarship program.

Product overview

STEM Forward is a nonprofit organization offering a portfolio of interconnected STEM education programs for K-12 students in southeastern Wisconsin. The core offerings include competitive programs (Future City Competition, Engineering Machine Design Contest, Contrapt Wisconsin), experiential learning (Day of STEM), annual signature events (sySTEMnow Conference, Scholarship Fundraiser Golf Outing), and financial support (Scholarship Program). The organization also operates complementary programs including the Excellence in STEM Awards (Stemmys) and maintains a resource hub connecting students and educators to external STEM programs, summer camps, and partner organizations. Together, these programs serve to inspire youth toward STEM careers while connecting businesses with future talent.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• sySTEMnow Conference An annual conference for educators, employers, students, and community members featuring keynote speakers, STEMMY awards, and a Generation STEM student showcase. The 23rd annual event is scheduled for October 28, 2026, at the Italian Community Center in Milwaukee.
• Future City Competition A project-based middle school competition in which students in grades 6-8 imagine, research, design, and build cities of the future using the engineering design process. The Wisconsin Regional Competition is held annually with the winning team advancing to the National Competition in Washington, D.C.
• Engineering Machine Design Contest (EMDC) A high school competition in which teams of 3-12 students design and build complex machines using everyday objects to accomplish simple tasks. The Milwaukee Regional feeds into the Engineering Machine Design Championship held at Minnesota State University, Mankato.
• Contrapt Wisconsin A middle school contraption competition in which students build elaborate machines that accomplish simple tasks in complicated ways, developing skills in engineering, simple machines, physics, teamwork, and creativity.
• Day of STEM A program that connects local schools with area businesses to bring STEM professionals directly into classrooms for hands-on activities, career exposure, and mentorship, available in virtual or in-person formats for K-8 and high school students.
• Scholarship Program An annual scholarship program awarding $33,000 total to 11 students through $3,000 scholarships, supporting students from the Milwaukee area pursuing STEM-related degrees at universities, colleges, and technical schools.
• Excellence in STEM Awards (The Stemmys) Annual awards established in 2005 recognizing educational institutions, businesses, organizations, and individuals who promote STEM awareness and improve students' STEM competencies, with Education, Employer, Individual, and Partnership categories.
• Scholarship Fundraiser Golf Outing The 21st Annual Scholarship Fundraiser Golf Outing & Auction held at Morningstar Golfers Club, featuring an 18-hole scramble, contests, silent auction, and opportunities to meet scholarship recipients.

Quantifiable outcome

• Awards $33,000 in scholarships to 11 students annually
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Waukesha County Technical College (WCTC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWCTC serves as the host venue for the Wisconsin Regional Future City Competition. The Pewaukee Campus hosts the annual regional competition, providing facilities for hundreds of middle school students, educators, and volunteers participating in the engineering design competition.
• Minnesota State University / Minnesota State Engineering Center of ExcellencecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe EMDC program is delivered in collaboration with the Minnesota State Engineering Center of Excellence. Regional winners advance to the Engineering Machine Design Championship held at Minnesota State University in Mankato, MN.
• Future City (national program)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSTEM Forward serves as the Wisconsin Regional Coordinator for the national Future City Competition program. The regional winner advances to the National Competition held in Washington, D.C. STEM Forward provides round-trip transportation and hotel accommodations for winning team's presenters, educators, and mentors.
• Milwaukee Area Technical College (MATC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMATC partners with STEM Forward for Day of STEM programs, bringing the Mobile STEM Lab to schools. MATC's Dual Enrollment Academy provides college-level training for high school students pursuing STEM careers. MATC also offers free STEM summer camps for grades 6-12.
• Badger State Science and Engineering Fair (BSSEF)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBSSEF is hosted by four universities on a rotating basis: Milwaukee School of Engineering (MSOE), Marquette, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM), and Marian University. STEM Forward provides a platform on its website for this high school student research competition.
• Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDNR partners with STEM Forward for Day of STEM programs, bringing environmental science professionals into classrooms for hands-on STEM activities and career exposure.
• Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission (SEWRPC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSEWRPC partners with STEM Forward for Day of STEM classroom programs, providing professionals who share insights about regional planning, environmental science, and related STEM career pathways.
• FIRST WisconsincoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFIRST Wisconsin organizes FIRST LEGO League, FIRST Tech Challenge, and FIRST Robotics Competition programs in Wisconsin. STEM Forward provides information about these programs on its resources page for K-12 schools, serving as a distribution channel for FIRST programming.
• Morningstar Golfer's ClubminorOthersHost venue for the annual Scholarship Fundraiser Golf Outing event. Located at S77W26285 Prairieside Dr, Waukesha, WI 53189.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology): National operator of K-12 STEM competitions (FIRST LEGO League, FIRST Tech Challenge, FIRST Robotics). STEM Forward distributes FIRST Wisconsin programming on its K-12 resource page and the organizations compete for the same volunteer, sponsor, and student pipeline.
• Science Olympiad: National K-12 STEM competition nonprofit running invitational, regional, state, and national tournaments. Closely comparable to STEM Forward's Contrapt Wisconsin and EMDC competition formats in mission and audience.
• Destination Imagination: Nonprofit running project-based STEM/arts problem-solving competitions for K-12 students. Mirrors STEM Forward's competition-led model (Future City, Contrapt Wisconsin, EMDC) with overlapping student and educator audiences.
• MESA (Mathematics, Engineering, Science Achievement): Pre-college STEM program preparing K-12 students for STEM degrees and careers, especially underrepresented students. Comparable in targeting K-12 STEM talent-pipeline development and event-driven programming.
• Technology Student Association: National student organization offering STEM competitions, conferences, and leadership programs for K-12 students. Competes for the same school-based STEM engagement, sponsorship, and conference participation dollars.

Broad incumbents

• Project Lead The Way: National nonprofit providing STEM curricula and teacher training for K-12 schools. STEM Forward explicitly lists PLTW among its K-12 school resources, making it both a partner and a broader-scale incumbent offering overlapping STEM programming.
• Junior Achievement of Wisconsin: Wisconsin affiliate of Junior Achievement USA, a youth workforce/financial literacy and STEM education nonprofit. Operates in the same southeastern Wisconsin donor, school, and employer ecosystem and competes for CSR funding.
• Girl Scouts of Wisconsin Southeast: Regional Girl Scouts council operating STEM badges, camps, and programs for K-12 girls in the same southeastern Wisconsin footprint. Overlaps with STEM Forward's target audience and competes for similar sponsorships and family engagement.

Regional players

• Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee: Regional youth development nonprofit serving Milwaukee-area K-12 youth with STEM and education programming. Competes with STEM Forward for local donor dollars, employer volunteers, and school partnerships in the same southeastern Wisconsin geography.

Others

• Milwaukee School of Engineering (MSOE): Private STEM-focused technical university in Milwaukee that hosts STEM Forward's Future City regional competition and Badger State Science and Engineering Fair. Operates adjacent K-12 outreach programs and competes for regional STEM talent and employer partnerships.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/STEMForward
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCYpY2oEMx89mVmZavSMIgGg
• Facebookfacebook.com/stemforward
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/stem-forward
• Instagraminstagram.com/stemforward

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 STEM Forward