TinkerTech

What TinkerTech does

TinkerTech is a privately held STEM education company founded in 2014 and headquartered in Marin County, California. It delivers hands-on maker, coding, robotics, and design engineering programs to students ages 5-18 through after-school classes, summer camps, workshops, and educator professional development. Core offerings include Coding & AI Classes (Scratch, Python, generative AI tools), Robotics Programs (LEGO, micro:bit, Finch, Ozobot, LEGO WeDo), STEM Explorers for younger students, Design Camp (3D printing, laser cutting) for ages 11-13, Entrepreneurship Camps, and AI Workshops for Families — built on a curriculum that combines simple maker materials (card, copper tape, LEDs) with mainstream edtech platforms (Scratch, Tinkercad, MakeCode, Makey Makey, Strawbees).

The business is operated by a small core team of about 5 employees led by founder Claire Comins, supported by a contractor instructor pool and high-school/college STEM assistants. The company maintains a 1:8 teacher-to-student ratio and runs programs at more than 10 partner facilities across Marin County, San Francisco, and San Mateo. Revenue is generated primarily through one-time summer camp fees ($375-$661 per week, most commonly $649), recurring after-school program fees, professional development services, and curriculum consultancy. Customer acquisition relies heavily on partnerships with recreation departments and schools — including Larkspur, San Anselmo, Novato, Marinwood, Ross, Sausalito, and Corte Madera recreation departments, plus non-profits such as Marin Makerspace and BACR — with registration often completed through partner websites. The company is bootstrapped/founder-owned with no disclosed institutional funding, supplemented by foundation grants (PMMI Foundation, NBT Foundation) for scholarships.

Name

TinkerTech

Legal name

TinkerTech

Website

https://tinkertechcamps.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

TinkerTech is a Marin County, California STEM education company founded in 2014 that delivers hands-on coding, robotics, and maker programs to students ages 5-18 through partnerships with schools, recreation departments, and non-profits across the Bay Area.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

K-12 STEM Education Services

NAICS

All Other Schools and Instruction (61169), Computer Training (611420), Professional and Management Development Training (611430)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Robotics & Engineering Summer Camps / Bootcamps (EDAMADAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Robotics, Engineering & Makers Camps (EDAMALAE), STEM & Coding Learning Centers (Robotics, Programming, Engineering) (EDANAHAF), STEM & Maker Education (Makerspaces, Coding Clubs, Robotics) (EDAAAFAL), Math & Science Interactive Learning Platforms (STEM Core) (EDAFANAH)

Keywords

• STEM education
• Coding camps
• Robotics programs
• Maker education
• K-12 enrichment

Headquarters

HQ city

Marin County

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Summer Camp Fees: Week-long full-day camps for students ages 5-18, priced at $649 per week. Revenue is one-time per camp session with materials included.
2. After-School Program Fees: Ongoing after-school enrichment classes at schools and community centers, typically charged per session or semester.
3. Professional Development Services: Training for educators looking to incorporate more STEM into their own programs and classrooms.
4. Curriculum Consultancy: Custom program development for schools or organizations using TinkerTech's tried and tested curriculum of activities.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

TinkerTech delivers hands-on STEM education programs for K-12 students, including coding, robotics, AI, and maker-focused camps and classes. Programs are offered as in-person summer camps, after-school enrichment, and virtual workshops, with additional professional development services for educators and consulting for recreation departments. The company combines project-based learning with established third-party educational tools (Scratch, LEGO, micro:bit, Python, Google Gemini) to teach STEM concepts.

Product overview

TinkerTech is a STEM education company offering a comprehensive portfolio of after-school programs and summer camps for students ages 5-18 across Marin County and the San Francisco Bay Area. The core offerings include Coding & AI Classes (using Scratch, Python, and generative AI tools), Robotics Programs (with LEGO, micro:bit, Finch robots, Ozobot), and STEM Explorers for younger students. Specialized offerings include Design Camp at Marin Makerspace teaching 3D printing and laser cutting, Entrepreneurship Camps for product development, Interactive Art Installations Camp, and AI Workshops for Families. The company also provides Professional Development for Educators and Free STEM Activities resources. Founded in 2014, TinkerTech partners with recreation departments, schools, and non-profits to deliver hands-on maker activities and coding challenges. Recent additions include Gemini AI Video Workshop and expanded AI curriculum covering machine learning and ChatGPT applications.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Summer Camps Multi-week, full-day STEM summer camps covering coding, robotics, AI, design, and maker topics for K-12 students. Priced around $649/week and delivered in partnership with Bay Area recreation departments.
• After-School Programs Recurring after-school STEM classes in coding, robotics, and maker skills for K-12 students, typically held on school sites or at partner recreation facilities.
• Coding & AI Classes Classes teaching coding fundamentals and AI literacy to K-12 students using tools such as Scratch, Python, and Google's Gemini.
• Robotics Programs Robotics instruction for K-12 students using LEGO Education kits and BBC micro:bit microcontrollers, delivered as camps and multi-session classes.
• STEM Explorers Introductory STEM exploration program designed for younger K-12 students to sample coding, robotics, and maker activities.
• Design Camp Design-focused STEM camp that engages K-12 students in hands-on product, maker, and engineering design projects.
• Entrepreneurship Camps Entrepreneurship-themed STEM camps that introduce K-12 students to innovation, product thinking, and maker business concepts.
• Interactive Art Installations Camp Camp combining art, technology, and maker skills in which K-12 students build interactive installations.
• AI Workshops for Families Workshops introducing families to AI concepts and tools such as Google Gemini, designed for parents and children to attend together.
• Gemini AI Video Workshop Workshop in which students use Google Gemini to create videos and explore AI-assisted content creation.
• Imagination Camp (Virtual) Online/virtual Imagination Camp offering maker and STEM projects for K-12 students who cannot attend in person.
• Professional Development for Educators Professional development and training services for teachers and educators on STEM curriculum, maker education, and tools such as Scratch, LEGO, and micro:bit.

Named customers10 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration12 records

AI capability9 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Marin MakerspacecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCreative classroom and fablab in South Novato where TinkerTech runs Design Camp and other maker programs. Partnership started when TinkerTech was founded in 2014 at the Intel Computer Clubhouse.
• BACR (Bay Area Community Resources)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNon-profit partner providing summer programs at Venetia Valley school in San Rafael. TinkerTech runs 6-week design courses and other programs through BACR sites.
• Friends of Marin City LibraryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner enabling programs in Marin City at the Library Makerspace location for summer 2024.
• Karma Club (Terra Linda)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartner location at Northgate Shopping Mall hosting TinkerTech programs in Terra Linda.
• Marin County Office of EducationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner supporting STEM education initiatives across Marin County schools.
• Marin IJminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal newspaper covering and visiting TinkerTech programs in Marin City camp.
• Marinwood RecreationminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartner recreation department hosting programs at Miller Creek Middle School location.
• Novato RecreationminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartner recreation department hosting programs at Novato locations including Hamilton Community Center.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• MakerKids: STEM and maker education provider offering after-school programs, summer camps, and birthday parties focused on coding, robotics, and Minecraft/STEM. Directly comparable to TinkerTech in maker-based pedagogy, age range (K-8), and Bay Area-adjacent operations.
• iD Tech: The largest US operator of STEM and tech-focused summer camps and after-school programs for ages 6-18, including coding, robotics, AI, and game design. Directly comparable to TinkerTech in target audience (K-12 students), curriculum domains (coding/robotics/AI), and delivery model (week-long camps + year-round classes), though iD Tech operates at much greater scale nationally.
• Emagination Tech Camps: Summer tech camp operator for ages 8-17 covering coding, game design, robotics, and engineering. Comparable to TinkerTech in summer-camp delivery model and STEM curriculum, though Emagination operates more as a residential camp at partner universities.
• Code Ninjas: Franchise-based coding education provider for kids, offering after-school enrichment, summer camps, and proprietary curriculum (mostly Scratch, JavaScript, Python). Directly comparable to TinkerTech in age range, coding-first curriculum, and center-based delivery, though Code Ninjas operates through a national franchise model rather than local non-profit partnerships.
• Galileo Learning (Galileo Innovation Camps): Bay Area-based operator of summer camps (preK-8th) combining arts, sciences, and maker activities. Comparable to TinkerTech in Bay Area footprint, summer-camp focus, and project-based enrichment pedagogy.
• Black Rocket Productions: Provider of technology-focused summer camps and after-school programs covering coding, video production, 3D modeling, and robotics for ages 8-14. Comparable to TinkerTech in target audience, tech-curriculum focus, and partnership-driven delivery through schools and recreation programs.
• Digital Media Academy: Tech and creative summer-camp provider for ages 6-17 covering coding, AI, robotics, game design, and film at university campuses. Comparable to TinkerTech in target market, week-long camp format, and STEM/AI curriculum focus.

Broad incumbents

• Code.org: Non-profit promoting computer science education in K-12 schools. Comparable to TinkerTech in coding-curriculum foundation (TinkerTech uses Scratch, a Code.org partner tool) and target audience, though Code.org is a broader incumbent focused on curriculum/policy rather than direct camp delivery.
• Tynker: Self-paced online coding platform for K-12, used by schools, parents, and camp providers. Comparable to TinkerTech in serving the K-12 coding-education market, though Tynker is a digital platform rather than an in-person camp operator.

Others

• San Mateo County Libraries: Public library system that partnered with TinkerTech to deliver free AI workshops for families in summer 2024. Listed as a peer to highlight TinkerTech's channel-partner model with public/community education institutions — a comparable approach to Galileo and other community-based STEM program operators.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCtLttYTwklglsR08YabhgLw
• Instagraminstagram.com/tinkertechcamps
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/tinkertech

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 TinkerTech