STEM4Girls

What STEM4Girls does

STEM4Girls is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization headquartered in Portland, Oregon, that delivers STEM educational programming for marginalized and underrepresented youth, with a particular focus on girls. Its core offering is the STEM4Health Challenge, an annual global research competition in which student teams of 4-10 members (with at least one female member required) apply science, technology, engineering, and mathematics to real-world health problems. The competition spans three categories: elementary (grades 1-5), middle (grades 6-8), and high school (grades 9-12). Select teams receive $250 research grants, expert review from field professionals, and recognition at the International Research Conference for Children (IRCC). The organization runs a lean operation with 1-10 employees and no proprietary technology platform; its digital presence is built around the stem4girls.org website (hosted at stem4girls.netlify.app), which serves as the primary registration and information hub.

The business model is donation-funded rather than revenue-generating: programs are delivered free to participants, with the funding base appearing to come from charitable contributions and the small research grants awarded to winning teams. Distribution is self-serve and global, with no geographic restrictions on team registration. Strategic partnerships are central to program delivery — STEM4Girls collaborates with the Global Young Researchers Academy (GYRA) to scale the competition internationally, and IRCC provides the recognition and presentation venue. The 2026-2027 competition cycle is in active launch mode, with submissions opening October 1, 2026 and winners announced at IRCC 2027.

There is no disclosed AI/ML capability, no enterprise customer base, no funding rounds, and no headcount trend data. The organization's intellectual property consists of its nonprofit brand position and its partnership-driven ecosystem rather than any technology asset. Growth signals are modest and tied primarily to the annual competition cadence and international distribution via GYRA.

Name

STEM4Girls

Legal name

STEM4Girls

Website

https://stem4girls.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

STEM4Girls is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit based in Portland, Oregon that runs the global STEM4Health research competition for student teams in grades 1-12, with a mission to expand STEM access for marginalized and underrepresented youth, particularly girls.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth STEM Education Competitions

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), Child and Youth Services (62411)

akta.pro primary industry

STEM Competitions & Olympiads (Science Bowls, STEM Challenges) (EDAMABAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Health Science & Medical STEM Programs (Pre-Med, Public Health) (EDAMABAJ), STEM Research & Inquiry Programs (Research Mentorship, Science Fair Prep) (EDAMABAC), STEM Assessment, Badging & Competition Platforms (EDAFANAJ), STEM, Digital Literacy & Maker Education Nonprofits (BPAGADAG)

Keywords

• STEM education programs
• Youth research competitions
• Nonprofit educational services
• K-12 STEM outreach
• Girls in STEM

Headquarters

HQ city

Portland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

STEM4Girls is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers free STEM education programs to marginalized communities, centered on the STEM4Health Challenge — a global research competition for elementary, middle, and high school students. Teams of 4-10 students (with at least one female member) develop hypothesis-driven research addressing real-world health challenges, with select teams receiving $250 research grants and winners presenting at the International Research Conference for Children (IRCC).

Product overview

STEM4Girls is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization operating as a single unified program offering: the STEM4Health Challenge, a global research competition for students in grades 1-12. The organization also provides a Resources section, maintains Previous Projects and Team pages, and offers a Join Us pathway for participation. The STEM4Health Challenge is the core product through which STEM opportunities are delivered to underrepresented youth.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• STEM4Health Challenge A global research competition for elementary (grades 1-5), middle (grades 6-8), and high school (grades 9-12) students who apply Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics to solve real-world health challenges. Teams of 4-10 students with at least one female member develop hypothesis-driven research, with select teams receiving $250 research grants, expert feedback, and the opportunity to present at the International Research Conference for Children (IRCC).

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Global Young Researchers Academy (GYRA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026GYRA collaborates with STEM4Girls as a key partner to make the STEM4Health competition a success. The partnership combines STEM4Girls' mission of providing STEM opportunities for marginalized communities with GYRA's focus on young researchers globally.

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Science Olympiad: Established K-12 STEM competition organization running regional, state, and national tournaments across science disciplines. Comparable as a multi-category STEM competition platform serving elementary through high school students, but far larger and broader in scope.
• Girls Who Code: Largest nonprofit dedicated to closing the gender gap in tech, running free virtual and in-person coding programs for girls in grades 3-12. Comparable as a girls-focused STEM nonprofit with global reach, free programming, and similar K-12 targeting — but significantly larger and focused on CS rather than health-applied STEM.
• Society for Science (Regeneron ISEF / STS): Long-running nonprofit that runs the International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) and Regeneron Science Talent Search — the most prestigious pre-college research competitions. Comparable as a youth research competition with conference-style recognition, though at much greater scale and prestige.

Direct peers

• Technovation: Global nonprofit AI/tech entrepreneurship program for girls aged 8-18, where teams build apps to solve community problems and compete for awards. Highly comparable: female-team requirement, global self-serve registration, project-based competition structure, and pitch/recognition events.
• Kode With Klossy: Nonprofit offering free coding camps for girls and non-binary teens aged 13-18, with a selective application process. Comparable as a free, girls-focused STEM nonprofit program with selective cohort competition and external recognition pathways.
• Black Girls CODE: Nonprofit providing technology education for Black girls and other girls of color through workshops, hackathons, and summer camps. Closely comparable mission (girls + underrepresented minorities in STEM), workshop/camp delivery model, and nonprofit funding structure.
• Project Scientist: Nonprofit summer STEM program dedicated to girls ages 4-12, offering hands-on science experiences and mentorship. Directly comparable as a girls-only STEM enrichment nonprofit serving elementary-aged students with free programming.

Emerging players

• Citizen Schools: Nonprofit providing expanded learning opportunities including STEM apprenticeships to underserved middle school students. Comparable target population (underrepresented youth) and nonprofit delivery model, with overlap in career-exploration outcomes.

Regional players

• STEM For Kids: Franchise-based STEM enrichment provider offering camps, workshops, and after-school programs primarily across the US for K-12 students. Comparable as a STEM workshops/competitions operator targeting elementary through high school, though more locally distributed and for-fee.
• MATHCOUNTS Foundation: Nonprofit that provides fun and engaging math competitions and programs for U.S. middle school students. Comparable as a structured K-12 STEM competition platform with national recognition tiers, though narrower in discipline (math only).

Market position

Strengths1 record

Weaknesses1 record

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/GirlsStem4

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 STEM4Girls