Utah STEM Action Center

What Utah STEM Action Center does

The Utah STEM Action Center is a state government division housed within the Utah Department of Cultural & Community Engagement, tasked with coordinating and expanding STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) education across Utah. The Center operates with a core team of 19 employees and serves K-12 students, educators, and communities statewide through a portfolio of programs including the mobile STEM Bus (launched 2017), the STEM Mentor Exchange App, the Girls Who Code Club Network (launched 2018), the "How'd You Think Of That?" podcast (launched 2022), and the annual Week of STEM event.

The Center's core products are programmatic and educational rather than commercial technology products. Its most capital-intensive asset is the STEM Bus, a mobile laboratory funded by a $1.5 million Andeavor grant in 2017 that travels to schools and communities. The STEM Mentor Exchange App is the Center's primary digital platform, connecting STEM professionals with K-12 classrooms. The Center also curates a network of 100+ partner organizations — including schools, libraries, museums, and corporate sponsors — designated as "STEM Spots" and makerspaces. Recent additions include AI training for educators via a Google for Education partnership and connectivity-enabled programming through Comcast Lift Zones.

The Center's business model is non-commercial and grant-funded. It receives an undisclosed state appropriation from the Utah Department of Cultural & Community Engagement and supplements this with corporate and foundation grants, including documented awards from Andeavor ($1.5M), Boeing ($75K), UServeUtah ($50K), and BambooHR ($10K). Programs are delivered free of charge to schools and students. The Center does not generate revenue from fees or product sales; its financial sustainability is tied to continued state appropriations and corporate sponsor support.

Name

Utah STEM Action Center

Legal name

Utah STEM Action Center

Website

https://stem.utah.gov

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Utah STEM Action Center is a 19-employee state government division under the Utah Department of Cultural & Community Engagement that coordinates STEM education for K-12 students and educators statewide through programs like the STEM Bus, mentor app, and Girls Who Code network, funded by state appropriations and corporate grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

STEM Education Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAGADAG

STEM, Digital Literacy & Maker Education Nonprofits

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Education & Youth Development Nonprofits

SECONDARYEDAAAFAL

STEM & Maker Education (Makerspaces, Coding Clubs, Robotics)

Education/Adult & Continuing Education/Community & Public Education Programs (Libraries, Community Centers)

SECONDARYEDAFANAK

STEM Teacher Tools, Curriculum & Lesson Planning Platforms

Education/Education Technology (EdTech) & Digital Learning/STEM & Coding Learning Platforms (Robotics, Maker, Computer Science)

SECONDARYEDAJAFAH

Science & STEM Instruction (School-Delivered)

Education/K–12 / Primary & Secondary Education/K–12 Curriculum, Instruction & Assessment (School-Delivered)

Keywords

• STEM education programs
• Educator professional development
• Student STEM engagement
• STEM classroom grants
• School STEM designation

Headquarters

HQ city

South Salt Lake

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. State Government Funding: As a division of the Utah Department of Cultural & Community Engagement, the organization receives state government appropriations to fund STEM education initiatives across Utah.
2. Federal Grants: The organization receives federal grant funding, including a $50,000 federal grant partnered with UServeUtah to support Utah nonprofits.
3. Corporate and Private Donations: The Utah STEM Foundation (nonprofit arm) receives donations from corporate partners including Boeing ($75,000 for Collective Impact study), Andeavor ($1.5 million for STEM Bus), Western Alliance Community Foundation (hydroponics sponsorship), and individual company sponsorships.
4. Program Fees: Summer camps through the Innovation Hub charge fees (e.g., $120 for Camp Innovate Mini camps) for program participation.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Utah STEM Action Center is a state government division that coordinates and delivers STEM education programming across Utah, distributing funds to educators and classrooms, hosting conferences and competitions, operating a mobile STEM classroom (STEM Bus), running a makerspace facility (Innovation Hub), providing professional learning opportunities, and facilitating lesson plan sharing for K-12 STEM education statewide.

Product overview

The Utah STEM Action Center operates as a state government division promoting STEM education through a portfolio of interconnected programs. The core offerings include the Innovation Hub (a makerspace with classes and camps), mySTEM (student program for grades 6-12), STEM in Motion (mobile STEM activities), and the annual STEM Best Practices Conference. Supporting programs include the STEM School Designation, Math Mentors Program, Micro STEM Fest Kit, UGROW Hydroponics Grant, Educator Resource Library with lesson plans, the How'd You Think of That? podcast hosted by Dr. Temple Grandin, STEM Signing Day, Week of STEM, MILO & Friends early math campaign, Tinker Totes, STEM Spots community stations, STEM Fest events, and the 3D Coin Design Contest. These programs work together to deliver funding, events, competitions, professional learning, and curriculum resources across Utah's education ecosystem.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• STEM Foundation (Utah STEM Foundation): The nonprofit arm of the Utah STEM Action Center that supports STEM education through fundraising, industry partnerships, and grants including the Girls Who Code Entrepreneurial Challenge.
• Innovation Hub
• mySTEM
• STEM Bus / STEM in Motion
• STEM Fest
• STEM Best Practices Conference
• How'd You Think Of That? (Podcast)

Products and services

• Innovation Hub
• mySTEM

Quantifiable outcome

• 500+ educators at annual conference
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 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

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Google for EducationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGoogle for Education partners with Utah State Board of Education to offer free AI professional development training for K-12 and higher education educators.
• UServeUtahcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with UServeUtah for a $50,000 federal grant supporting Utah nonprofits, with focus on STEM and arts integration and cultural nonprofit support.
• AdobecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAdobe partnered with the Utah STEM Action Center, Dell EMC, Girls Who Code, and Microsoft to launch the Utah Girls Who Code Club Network with nearly 50 clubs statewide.
• Dell EMCcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDell EMC hosts teacher workshops, provides computer donations (approximately 500 PCs), and partners on Girls Who Code clubs and other STEM initiatives.
• MicrosoftcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMicrosoft partners on the Utah Girls Who Code Club Network initiative supporting programming clubs in schools, community centers, and libraries.
• Girls Who CodecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to establish the Utah Girls Who Code Club Network with nearly 50 clubs across Utah schools and community organizations.
• Code.orgcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCode.org partners with the STEM Action Center and Dell EMC to provide computer science professional development workshops for teachers.
• Hill Air Force BaseminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHill Air Force Base partnered to open a model air traffic control tower in Junior Achievement City and provided support for various STEM programs.
• ComcastcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerComcast partnered to equip 35 locations across Utah as WiFi-connected 'Lift Zones' to help connect low-income families to educational opportunities.
• EdTech Evidence ExchangeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSTEM Action Center joined the EdTech Evidence Exchange initiative (affiliated with University of Virginia) to help educators track and share data about what technology works in education.
• Get Away TodayminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGet Away Today donated two $500 travel certificates as grand prizes for the STEM Best Practices Conference.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• FIRST: National K-12 STEM competition organization (FIRST LEGO League, Robotics, etc.). Utah STEM Action Center connects schools to FIRST competitions and Beehive Science & Technology Academy's 3rd-place international finish illustrates the integration.
• Project Lead The Way (PLTW): National nonprofit providing K-12 STEM curricula, professional development, and school recognition. Overlaps with Utah STEM Action Center's lesson plan library, school designation, and teacher professional learning offerings but at national scale.
• Code.org: National nonprofit promoting K-12 computer science education. Active partner of Utah STEM Action Center on teacher professional development and part of the broader K-16 Computing Initiative ecosystem.
• Girls Who Code: National nonprofit running Girls Who Code clubs nationwide. Partnered with Utah STEM Action Center (alongside Adobe, Dell EMC, Microsoft) to launch the Utah Girls Who Code Club Network with ~50 clubs.

Others

• STEMconnector: National STEM industry-stakeholder network. Comparable to the Action Center's industry coalition work connecting companies (Qualtrics, Oracle, Cytiva, etc.) to STEM talent and education initiatives, but at a national advocacy level.

Emerging players

• TIES (Teaching Institute for Excellence in STEM): STEM education design and professional development organization working with schools, districts, and state agencies. Comparable in providing STEM school designation consulting, professional learning, and ecosystem coordination services.

Direct peers

• Kentucky Science and Technology Council: Kentucky's state STEM council coordinating STEM education and workforce development across K-12, higher education, and industry. Functionally analogous to a state STEM Action Center.
• Tennessee STEM Innovation Network: Tennessee's state-affiliated STEM education hub operating STEM school designations, educator networks, and industry partnerships. Closely parallels Utah STEM Action Center's STEM School Designation and Best Practices Conference programs.
• Ohio STEM Learning Network: Statewide STEM education network in Ohio serving K-12 educators, students, and industry partners with convening, professional development, and program funding — directly comparable mission and operating model to Utah STEM Action Center.
• Indiana STEM Network (INSciSE): Indiana state STEM network supporting K-12 STEM education through partnerships, professional learning, and school recognition programs. Comparable in structure, mission, and state-level convening role.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/stemutah
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/utah-stem-action-center
• Instagraminstagram.com/stemutah

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Utah STEM Action Center