Zeno

What Zeno does

Zeno is a Seattle-based private nonprofit founded in 2003 (originally as Explorations in Math, rebranded to Zeno in 2014) that delivers early-childhood math education centered on racial equity, family engagement, and play. The organization targets children ages 3-5, with secondary family and community reach extending to ages 3-11 through community events, and serves families of color in low-income communities primarily across King, Pierce, and Snohomish Counties in Washington State, with pilot expansion into Pasco and North Central Washington.

The core product is the MathWays partnership program, which combines a proprietary 15-game curriculum (covering geometry, measurement, subitizing, addition/subtraction, sequencing, patterns, spatial awareness, number recognition, and sorting, published in 10 languages with diverse representation) with paid modular services: Zeno Essentials professional development ($500/session), classroom modeling coaching ($150/site/visit), family math parties ($500/event), and the MathFest community event series. The curriculum is wrapped in a proprietary 5 Practices framework (Explore, Play, Talk, Build, Connect) and is supported by instructor guides, modeling videos, and game-training videos in multiple languages. Games are also sold direct-to-consumer through an online store launched in 2024.

Zeno's go-to-market is partner-led: it reaches families through more than 50 community partner organizations including preschools, family childcare centers, ParentChild+ home visiting programs, the YMCA of Greater Seattle, Wellspring Family Services, and It Takes A Village, supplemented by volunteer game-build events and MathFest community celebrations. Revenue is generated from three streams: partner cost-share fees ($50/child, representing 20% of the $250 full program cost), unit game sales ($20/game), and donations/grants from individuals and institutional funders. The organization employs approximately 51 people and is currently led by Executive Director Shayla Blanche (appointed July 2024), with governance from a Board of Directors drawn from Microsoft, Symetra, F5, Blue Origin, Seattle City Light, and GMA Consulting.

Name

Zeno

Legal name

Zeno

Website

https://zenomath.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Zeno is a Seattle-based nonprofit that delivers equity-centered early-childhood math education through a 15-game curriculum and family engagement programs, primarily serving children of color ages 3-5 in low-income communities across Washington State via community partner organizations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Early Childhood Math Education Programs

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Games, Toys & Children's Vehicles (No Dolls & Bicycles) (3944)

akta.pro primary industry

Math Games, Puzzles & Recreational Math Programs (EDAMAEAM)

Keywords

• Early childhood math education
• Family engagement programs
• Preschool professional development
• Play-based learning
• Math equity education

Headquarters

HQ city

Seattle

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Partnership/Cost Sharing Fees: Zeno partners contribute to program costs at $50/child for the standard MathWays package, representing 20% of the full program cost of $250/child. Additional components available separately: games at $20/game/child, professional development sessions at $500/session, classroom modeling at $150/site/visit, and family math parties at $500/event.
2. Donations and Fundraising: Zeno operates as a nonprofit and receives support from individual donors, institutional funders, and sponsors. Donations help fuel the math movement and support operations.
3. Game Sales: Zeno games are available for purchase through their website and at MathFest events. Games help children develop positive math identities through fun, family-oriented learning experiences.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Zeno is a nonprofit that delivers an early childhood math education program combining a 15-game physical game suite (for ages 3-5, available in 10 languages) with the Family MathWays partnership framework, Zeno Essentials professional development workshops, Family Math Parties, classroom modeling coaching, and community MathFest events. The program is distributed primarily through community-based partner organizations that cost-share program delivery, supplemented by direct game sales, donations, and grants.

Product overview

Zeno is an educational nonprofit offering a comprehensive early childhood math education program centered on racial equity, family engagement, and play-based learning. The core product is the MathWays program, which combines the 15-game Zeno Games suite (for ages 3-5, available through programmatic partners and direct sale in Washington state) with professional development (Zeno Essentials), family engagement events (Family Math Party, MathFest), and coaching services (Classroom Modeling, Game Builds). The games cover mathematical concepts including geometry, measurement, subitizing, addition/subtraction, sequencing, patterns, spatial awareness, number recognition, one-to-one correspondence, and sorting. All products are designed to be culturally responsive and available in multiple languages.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Zeno Games (15-Game Suite) Educational math games for children ages 3-5 aligned with developmental standards and designed for equity in math skill development; sold individually at $20/game/child via the online storefront and distributed to community partners as part of the MathWays package.
• Family MathWays Program Zeno's flagship partnership program combining early learning math kits, family engagement events, professional development, and coaching services for community partners serving families with young children; standard cost-share is $50/child (20% of $250/child full cost).
• Zeno Essentials Series of six professional learning workshops connecting math to racial equity, literacy, family engagement, early math objectives, art/movement, and social-emotional learning; priced at $500/session and STARS eligible.
• Classroom Modeling Job-embedded coaching where Zeno staff demonstrate math games in partner classrooms, aligned to a game in the delivery cycle; priced at $150/site/visit.
• Family Math Party Family engagement events for partner sites where families gather to play math games together, building community and reinforcing math learning at home; priced at $500/event.
• MathFest Free community math celebration events for children and families that bring together hands-on math games, prizes, and community-building activities to foster enthusiasm and confidence in math.
• Game Builds Corporate and community volunteer team-building events in which groups assemble Zeno math game kits that are then distributed to families and partner organizations.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 2,200 families reached monthly through 35 preschool classrooms, 5 ParentChild+ programs, and 30 FCC centers (September 2018 - August 2019)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Communities in Schools North Central WashingtonminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Organization believing every student deserves what they need to realize their full potential. Partnership supports school-based early math engagement in North Central Washington.
• Family First Community CentercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Family First Community Center in Renton, WA partners with Zeno to provide early childhood math education. Partnership began in 2019, serving 1 site. Mission focuses on fostering growth mindset, leadership, and community building.
• Wellspring Family ServicescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Wellspring Family Services (Atlantic Street Center) is committed to preventing homelessness and intervening early. Partnership began in 2019, serving 1 site with early learning math programs.
• Seattle UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSeattle University, dedicated to educating the whole person and empowering leaders for a just and humane world, partners with Zeno to advance shared educational missions.
• MDRCminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMDRC is a research organization committed to finding solutions to poverty, improving public education, and testing new policy-relevant interventions. Partnership supports evidence-based approach to early math education.
• MathTalkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMathTalk turns stories, public art, and augmented reality into products and activities that make adults and children smile while learning math. Partnership supports innovative approaches to family math engagement.
• YMCA of Greater SeattlecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSeattle's founding nonprofit organization offering health, hope, and opportunity programs. YMCA partners with Zeno to integrate math learning into family and youth programming.
• Renton Innovation Zone PartnershipcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRIZP leads a relationship-based, data-informed collaborative network to advance racial equity and create healthy learning opportunities. Alignment with Zeno's equity-focused mission.
• Seattle Universal Math MuseumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMath museum dedicated to sparking love of math in all people. Partnership supports shared mission of making math accessible and enjoyable for everyone.
• It Takes A Village Family of SchoolscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides high-quality, culturally responsive education and life-empowering social services. Partnership supports Zeno's focus on communities of color and culturally responsive engagement.
• GreentrikecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerGreentrike Children's Museum partners with Zeno to co-host MathFest events - free math celebrations for kids and families. Greentrike provides venues and co-organizes events.
• Chinese Information and Service CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEarly partner in Zeno's early learning pilot (2015), serving Chinese immigrant families and providing culturally responsive services.
• Parent Child Home Program at Atlantic Street CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHome visiting program partner that expanded Zeno's early learning program (2016), reaching families through in-home visits.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• TERC: Nonprofit research and development organization focused on math, science, and technology education from early childhood through adulthood. Comparable mix of curriculum development, PD, and equity-focused programming.
• ParentChild+: National early childhood home visiting program serving low-income families with young children. Existing Zeno partner, shares target population and equity-centered approach to school readiness.
• Bedtime Math Foundation: Nonprofit dedicated to making math part of family everyday life for young children. Closely comparable to Zeno in mission (family math engagement) and target audience (parents of kids ages 3-8).
• Math for Love: Math education company that publishes and distributes Zeno's game suite. Operates in the same early-childhood/family math space with comparable games, lessons, and professional development offerings for educators and parents.
• YouCubed (Stanford): Stanford-based initiative providing math resources, courses, and research to students, parents, and teachers. Overlapping focus on positive math identity and research-backed approaches to early math instruction.
• DREME (Development & Research in Early Math Education): Multi-institution collaboration focused on research-based early math resources for educators and families. Comparable evidence-based approach to early childhood math and equity-centered framing.
• Erikson Institute Early Math Collaborative: Research-to-practice initiative focused on improving early math education for children birth-grade 3. Similar mission of professional development, family engagement, and equitable math access for young children.

Broad incumbents

• Sesame Workshop (Sesame Street in Communities): Large nonprofit producing educational content for young children, including math and racial equity resources for families. Operates at much greater scale and brand recognition but overlaps in audience and mission.
• Jumpstart: National early childhood education nonprofit working with preschool-age children in low-income communities. Broader scope than Zeno but shares equity-centered mission and community-based service model.

Emerging players

• MathTalk: Early-stage partner organization creating parent-child math engagement through stories, public art, and augmented reality. Niche overlap with Zeno's family math engagement mission using more digital-native delivery.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Zeno_Math
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCnecyp-et1w_GS5SwX6-O_A
• Instagraminstagram.com/zenomath
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/zeno-math-powered

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 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 Zeno