The Urban Assembly Maker Academy

Name

The Urban Assembly Maker Academy

Legal name

The Urban Assembly Maker Academy

Website

https://uamaker.nyc

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Secondary Education

NAICS

Educational Services (611), Technical and Trade Schools (6115), Educational Support Services (611710)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Career & Technical Education (CTE) Centers & Programs (EDAJAAAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

STEM, Digital Literacy & Maker Education Nonprofits (BPAGADAG), STEM & Maker Education (Makerspaces, Coding Clubs, Robotics) (EDAAAFAL)

Keywords

• Public secondary education
• College preparatory programs
• Career technical education
• Maker education curriculum
• Postsecondary planning services

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Public Education Funding: UA Maker is a NYC Department of Education public school, funded through city and state education budgets. No tuition is charged to students.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Urban Assembly Maker Academy is a tuition-free NYC Department of Education public high school serving students in grades 9-12 with a college-preparatory curriculum centered on design thinking, maker education, and Career and Technical Education (CTE) pathways. Core offerings include CTE programs in computer science, digital media, and maker skills; a student-operated hydroponic farm producing 25,000 pounds of produce annually; comprehensive college counseling and postsecondary planning services; and work-based learning opportunities including internships and employer site visits. All programs are delivered at no cost to students and families, funded through NYC DOE public education budgets and The Urban Assembly nonprofit network.

Product overview

The Urban Assembly Maker Academy operates a school website built on Edlio CMS as its primary digital product, supplemented by a portfolio of educational programs. Core offerings include CTE pathways with industry partnerships, college counseling services supporting postsecondary planning, and student journalism through The Maker Paper. The school also runs a hydroponic farm as part of its food justice programming, an academic spotlight initiative showcasing student work, work-based learning opportunities including internships and employer visits, and a chartered National Honor Society chapter. Saturday Academy provides Regents preparation support.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Career and Technical Education (CTE) Programs Career-focused educational pathways for grades 9-12 in computer science, digital art, and maker skills, integrated with academic curriculum and work-based learning experiences through industry partnerships.
• College Counseling and Postsecondary Planning Services Comprehensive college and career guidance including college visits, application support, financial aid assistance (FAFSA, TAP, CSS Profile), and one-on-one counseling delivered by the Director of College Counseling to help students develop postsecondary plans.
• Teens for Food Justice Hydroponic Farm Student-operated hydroponic farming initiative integrated with CTE curriculum that produces thousands of pounds of fresh produce annually while teaching sustainable agriculture and food justice concepts. The farm is capable of producing 25,000 pounds of produce per year.
• Work-Based Learning and Internship Programs Structured opportunities connecting UA Maker students with employers including worksite tours, the CS4All Pathfinders internship, Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP), and career exploration activities through industry partners.
• National Honor Society Chapter Chartered National Honor Society chapter recognizing students demonstrating scholarship, leadership, service, and character. Includes peer tutoring requirements and induction ceremonies.
• The Maker Paper (Student Journalism) Student-run newspaper and journalism program producing news articles, opinion pieces, features, and sports coverage by published student journalists.
• Academic Spotlight Program Weekly instructional and student work showcases created by Instructional Coach Priyanka Katumuluwa, highlighting classroom activities and student achievements through visual presentations.
• Summer Saturday Academy (Regents Preparation) Weekend academic support program providing free Regents exam preparation tutoring in partnership with Ivy Tutors Network, serving UA Maker students alongside UASEM and MECA schools.

Quantifiable outcome

• Students graduate with a postsecondary plan regardless of chosen pathway
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• The Urban AssemblycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUA Maker is a school of The Urban Assembly network, a network of public schools focused on college and career preparation. The network provides organizational support, shared resources, and best practices across member schools.
• Children's Arts and Science WorkshopcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for CareerReady SYEP program where approximately 90 Maker students are placed with industry partners connected to the CTE program for work-based learning experiences.
• Stadium GoodsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndustry partner providing worksite tours and workshops for CTE students, including brand authenticity training and retail strategy education.
• Ivy Tutors NetworkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration for Saturday Academy Regents Exam preparation, providing academic support alongside UASEM and MECA schools.
• Teens for Food JusticecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProgram partner for the hydroponic farm operation, integrating urban agriculture and food justice education into the CTE curriculum.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• NYC iSchool: NYC public high school with a strong technology and project-based learning focus, serving similar grades 9-12 students within the NYC DOE system. Comparable in its emphasis on innovation and digital fluency as differentiators.
• Quest to Learn: NYC public school using game-based and maker-inspired learning models. Highly comparable in its design-thinking pedagogy and project-based curriculum aimed at 21st-century skills development.
• Bard High School Early College: NYC public early college high school with strong record of college placements and accelerated postsecondary pathways. Comparable in its selective college outcomes and rigorous college-preparatory model.
• The Urban Assembly: UA Maker's parent network and most direct comparable — a network of NYC public schools focused on college and career preparation. Shares the same operating model, governance, and student-success mission across multiple member schools.
• NYC Outward Bound Schools: NYC public school network emphasizing experiential learning, character development, and college readiness. Operates as a network of NYC public schools with comparable student populations and similar goals for postsecondary outcomes.

Broad incumbents

• KIPP NYC: Large NYC public charter school network serving similar underserved student populations with college-preparatory focus. Comparable in mission to drive college outcomes for high-need NYC students, though with broader scale.
• High Tech High: Established national network of public charter schools with deep CTE, maker, and project-based learning focus. Comparable in pedagogical model and industry-partnership-driven curriculum, though operating in a different geography.
• Big Picture Learning: National nonprofit supporting innovative public schools with internship-based learning and personalized education. Comparable in its emphasis on work-based learning and student-driven pathways to postsecondary success.
• Success Academy Charter Schools: Large NYC public charter school network with strong academic outcomes and college placement records. Comparable in serving NYC students with a results-oriented college-prep mission, though operating at much greater scale.

Emerging players

• Teens for Food Justice: Nonprofit partner organization operating the hydroponic farm program at UA Maker. Closely comparable in its youth-led urban agriculture and food justice education model, with potential overlap if it expands into school-site program delivery.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/UAMakerNYC
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@uamaker282
• Facebookfacebook.com/uamakernyc
• Instagraminstagram.com/uamakesthefuture
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/school/uamaker

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 The Urban Assembly Maker Academy