What reDiscover Center does

reDiscover Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit maker education organization founded in 2002 and incorporated in California in 2004 (EIN #20-0192617), headquartered in Los Angeles. It operates two public youth makerspaces — a 3,000 sf facility in Venice opened in 2008 and a second site in Mid City opened in 2023 — plus a seasonal program location at The Pit in Atwater/Glendale. Its core technology is a proprietary maker-education pedagogy built on real woodworking tools, cardboard construction, and upcycled materials, developed over 20 years from Tinkering School and Exploratorium approaches, plus a curated supply chain drawing on 100+ LA material donors.

The organization serves six primary customer segments: youth and families (Tinkering Camp, Cardboard Camp, Maker Mentor Program, Family Crafting, Open Tinkering, Tool Training, birthday parties, Scouts badge workshops), K-12 schools (field trips, in-school programs, semester-long classes across 75+ LA-area schools including LAUSD, SMMUSD, PUSD, and 12+ homeschool charters), educators (professional development and makerspace design consulting), corporate teams (workshops for Snap, XPrize, UCLA, Universal, PwC at $1,850+), community event organizers (farmers markets, libraries, festivals), and schools purchasing equipment and materials.

Revenue is generated through a diversified mix: program fees (e.g., Tinkering Camp $625/week, Cardboard Camp $450/week, Maker Mentor $1,050/3-week), tiered annual memberships ($120-$1,200), corporate team-building workshops (from $1,850), physical product sales and rentals (Tinkering Toolkits, Tool Walls, Tinker Carts, Tinkering Lab Installations, Classroom Woodworking Tool Sets, creative reuse materials), and unrestricted support from individual donors, corporate sponsors, and a network of major foundations and government arts agencies (LA Department of Cultural Affairs, LA County Department of Arts and Culture, California Arts Council, Getty, Ahmanson, Herb Alpert, Fox, California Community Foundation, Snap Foundation, Clif Family). The organization serves 14,000+ youth ages 2-18 and nearly 11,000 adults annually, with sliding-scale financial aid available and a free membership tier for income-qualified families.

Name

reDiscover Center

Legal name

Rediscover Center, Inc.

Website

https://rediscovercenter.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

reDiscover Center is a Los Angeles-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that operates two public youth makerspaces delivering STEAM education through creative-reuse materials, real-tool woodworking, and cardboard construction. It serves 14,000+ youth annually across camps, school programs, corporate workshops, and community events.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

STEAM Maker Education Services

NAICS

Fine Arts Schools (61161)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Arts & Design Camps (Visual Arts, Crafts, Design Thinking) (EDAMALAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Robotics, Engineering & Makers Camps (EDAMALAE), DIY & Home Skills Workshops (Woodworking, Carpentry, Home Repair, Gardening) (THAJAKAI), DIY Kits, STEM Electronics & Maker Bundles Retail (CRACAKAN)

Keywords

• Maker education programs
• STEAM youth education
• Creative reuse workshops
• Hands-on tinkering camps
• School makerspace services

Headquarters

HQ city

Los Angeles

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Program Fees: Revenue from camp registrations, class fees, birthday parties, and workshop fees. Core tuition-based programs include Tinkering Camp ($625/week), Cardboard Camp ($450/week), Maker Mentor Program ($1,050/3-week session), and birthday parties ($550-$650).
2. Materials and Equipment Sales/Rentals: Rediscover sells creative reuse materials, Tinkering Toolkits, and classroom tool sets to schools and artists. Also rents equipment including woodworking tool kits, wind tunnels, and tool carts to schools for day/week/semester use.
3. Membership Program: Annual family memberships ranging from free (Rediscover for All) to $1,200 (STEAM Leader). Benefits include free weekend family crafting, materials, discounts, and exclusive events.
4. Corporate Team Workshops: Team-building workshops for corporate clients ranging from $1,850 for 2-hour sessions. Serves companies like Snap, XPrize, UCLA, Universal, and PwC.
5. Donations and Grants: Nonprofit funding from individual donors, corporate sponsors, foundations, and government grants. Since founding in 2004, Rediscover has relied on mix of program fees and donations. Programs serve 14,000 children per year through this combined funding model.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

reDiscover Center operates two public youth makerspaces in Los Angeles (Venice and Mid City) delivering hands-on maker and STEAM education using real tools and upcycled creative-reuse materials. Its portfolio includes week-long Tinkering and Cardboard Camps, drop-in Family Crafting and Open Tinkering sessions, Tool Training, Birthday Parties, Scouts Badge workshops, school services (field trips, in-school curriculum, educator professional development, makerspace consulting) and corporate team-building workshops. The nonprofit also sells and rents physical maker products (Tinkering Toolkits, Tool Walls, Tinker Carts, Tinkering Lab installations, creative-reuse materials) to schools and artists, and supports programming through annual family memberships plus grants and donations.

Product overview

Rediscover Center is a nonprofit maker education organization offering a comprehensive portfolio of hands-on STEAM programs centered on creative reuse and sustainable making. The core offering consists of physical programs and services delivered at two public youth makerspaces in Los Angeles (Venice and Mid City) and at schools/community events throughout LA County. The product suite includes: youth camps (Tinkering Camp and Cardboard Camp for ages 6-12), drop-in family programs (Family Crafting, Open Tinkering, Weekend Artist Workshops), private events (Birthday Parties, Group/Team Workshops, Scouts Badge Workshops), and school services (Field Trips, Professional Development, Curriculum Consulting). Supplementary offerings include physical products (Tinkering Toolkits, Classroom Woodworking Tool Sets, Tool Walls, Tinker Carts, Tinkering Lab Installations) and membership/financial aid programs. The organization serves over 14,000 youth ages 2-18 annually through camps, classes, field trips, and community events, with free programming supported by grants, donations, and membership fees.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Tinkering Camp Week-long summer day camp for ages 8-12 where participants build with wood, plastic, metal, and fabric using real tools (drills, saws, sanders) in a 5:1 camper-to-facilitator ratio. Includes tool safety training, design challenges, and collaborative big builds. Priced at $625/week with aftercare.
• Cardboard Camp Week-long half-day summer camp for ages 6-9 focused on building large and small projects from cardboard and sustainably sourced materials (costumes, models, puppets, spinners, games, toys, and climb-through castles). Priced at $450/week with aftercare.
• Maker Mentor Program Three-week leadership development program for youth ages 13-18 (formerly Counselor-in-Training) in which Maker Mentors work alongside reDiscover staff to support campers with brainstorming, building, and problem-solving. Priced at $1,050 per 3-week session.
• Family Crafting Drop-in 90-minute hands-on crafting sessions for families on Sundays at Venice or Mid City, with tools and materials included (upcycled materials, fabric, wire, foam). $10 per person; free with a qualifying Rediscover Membership, for ages 3 and under, teachers, and CalFresh/Medi-Cal cardholders.
• Tool Training Workshop Safety-focused Sunday workshop for ages 7+ teaching the use of clamps, hand drills, and other tools with proper eye, dust, and hearing protection. Required prerequisite for Open Tinkering sessions.
• Open Tinkering Self-directed makerspace sessions for ages 8+ providing up to three hours of shop time with full access to reDiscover's tools and creative reuse materials. $30 per session; Sundays at Venice or Mid City. Requires Tool Training completion within 12 months.
• Weekend Artist Workshops Friday and Sunday workshops featuring visiting local artists leading sculpture, painting, mixed media, collage, and functional-object making with upcycled materials.
• Birthday Parties Creative hands-on birthday party packages hosted at Venice or Mid City locations or brought to a customer-chosen venue, with Upcycled Art Party ($550 for first 15 participants) and Tinkering Party ($650 for first 10 participants) options and customizable themes.
• Group Workshops and Corporate Team Building Team-building events and group workshops for 4-40 participants lasting 2 hours to a full day, delivered at reDiscover makerspaces or offsite. Includes design challenges, life-size superhero builds, and custom creative-reuse workshops. Starting at $1,850.
• Scouts Badge Workshops Workshops for Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts that fulfill badge requirements through hands-on making activities, including Baloo the Builder, Pinewood Derby, Woodworker, Crafting and Tinkering, and Create and Innovate badges.
• Community Programs Hands-on sustainable artmaking activities brought to community events across LA County (farmers markets, library events, street festivals, family-friendly events). Includes activity booths, cardboard playgrounds, and pop-up makerspaces that can serve up to 250 participants per hour.
• School Services Comprehensive school programs for PreK-12 including field trips to reDiscover centers, in-school maker-education curriculum, and semester-long classes. Teaching artists work with partner schools on project-based learning using recycled materials; serves 70+ LA-area schools across LAUSD, SMMUSD, PUSD, and homeschool charter schools.
• Professional Development Workshops for Educators Hands-on professional development workshops for PreK-12 educators covering creative-reuse materials, maker-based STEM education, cardboard construction, woodworking, tool safety, and school makerspace design.
• Curriculum and Makerspace Design Consulting Consulting services for schools implementing project-based learning or refining existing makerspaces, with expertise in safe tool use, curriculum-integrated maker projects, play-based learning, and materials management for STEAM education.
• Tinkering Toolkit Physical 'makerspace in a bag' kit containing tools and kid-sized safety equipment designed for high-level making and prototyping using cardboard and recyclables. Sold to families, schools, and educators for use at home or in classrooms.
• Classroom Woodworking Tool Sets Classroom sets of woodworking tools (workbenches, measuring tools, safety equipment, drills, clamps, saws) available for rental or purchase, with optional lumber, hardware, and materials packages for semester-long tinkering programs.
• Tool Wall Fully stocked tool walls available in 4', 8', or 12' widths with Cardboard Construction or Woodworking configurations. Includes specialized punches, motorized cutters, tape dispensers, fasteners, drills, saws, and clamps.
• Tinker Cart Mobile makerspace cart with custom cabinetry, a solid tabletop, and bins of creative-reuse materials. Fully loaded version includes all tools and materials for classroom-based maker education.
• Tinkering Lab Installation Complete permanent makerspace installation for schools including mounting hardware, workbenches, tools for a class of 30 students, creative-reuse materials, and a suggested K-6 curriculum for art-led STEAM education.
• Creative Reuse Materials Upcycled and donated materials (jar lids, corks, plastic cups, cardboard, paper tubes, carpet tubes, donated art supplies, fabric, wire, wood scraps, plywood) sold to schools and artists at nominal fees, with preselected project kits also available.
• Maker Membership Annual family membership tiers ($120 Maker Family, $240 Maker Family Plus, $480 Creators Circle, $1,200 STEAM Leader) providing free weekend Family Crafting, materials to take home, discounts on camps, and exclusive events. Free 'Rediscover for All' membership for families qualifying through CalFresh, WIC, CalWORKS, Section 8, or foster parent status.

Quantifiable outcome

• Serves 14,000+ youth and 11,000+ adults annually
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments6 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

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• SnapcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate partner for team-building workshops and employee volunteer programs. Snap employees have participated in hands-on maker experiences at Rediscover Center.
• XPrizecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate partner for team-building workshops. XPrize team members engaged in creative reuse team activities at Rediscover.
• UCLAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity partner for team workshops and educational programs. Also partnered with UCLA researchers for study on risk-taking and anxiety in maker education.
• UniversalcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerEntertainment company partner for team-building workshops and corporate volunteer programs at Rediscover Center.
• PwCcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerProfessional services firm partner for team-building workshops using design thinking and creative reuse activities.
• The PitminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with The Pit in Atwater/Glendale (3015 Dolores St) to host seasonal Cardboard Camp starting June 21.
• DeWALTminorOthersTool manufacturer providing in-kind donations of woodworking tools for maker education programs.
• Harbor Freight ToolsminorOthersTool retailer providing in-kind donations for maker education programs.
• 75+ Schools and Educational InstitutionscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSchools including La Crescenta Elementary, Beverly Vista Middle, Turning Point School, and others receiving field trips, in-school programs, and makerspace consulting. Includes LAUSD, SMMUSD, and PUSD districts.
• Homeschool Charter Schools (12+)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorApproved vendor for homeschool charter schools including Blue Ridge Academy, Heartland Charter School, ILead Charter School, Inspire Charter School, Method Schools, Sage Oak Charter, and others. Accepts student enrichment funds.
• 100+ LA Material DonorscoreOthersLocal households and businesses donating discarded materials that are curated for creative reuse in maker education. Includes industrial and commercial partners providing offcuts and overstock.
• Safe Place for YouthminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerYouth services organization coordinating with Rediscover for work-learn vocational training program.
• Coalition for Engaged Education/C-YouthminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducation coalition coordinating young adults for Rediscover vocational training program.
• OTIS College of Art and DesignminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerArt and design college providing intern and work-study students for Rediscover programs.
• LMU (Loyola Marymount University)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity providing intern and work-study students for Rediscover programs.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Regional players

• Camp Galileo: Bay Area-based summer day camp operator focused on STEAM, design thinking, and hands-on maker projects for ages 4-12. Closely comparable in summer-camp structure, ages served, design-thinking pedagogy, and premium per-week pricing.
• Steve & Kate's Camp: Multi-location day camp operator offering self-directed, mixed-age maker/arts programming with premium pricing and flexible enrollment. Comparable in design-thinking pedagogy, real-tools usage for kids, and per-week pricing tier structure.
• Children's Creativity Museum: San Francisco museum offering hands-on maker and media-arts experiences for youth. Comparable in its maker-education programming, school field trips, family workshops, and commitment to creative technology integration.

Broad incumbents

• Maker Ed: National nonprofit organization focused on expanding maker education in schools through educator training, curriculum resources, and advocacy. Overlaps with reDiscover in mission, K-12 professional development, and the 'maker' framing of hands-on STEAM learning.
• The Exploratorium: San Francisco museum of science, art, and human perception that pioneered tinkering-based pedagogy reDiscover explicitly cites. Comparable in its art-led STEM approach, public-facing maker programming, and educator professional development offerings.
• KiwiCo: Subscription-based STEAM activity kit company serving kids and educators across the U.S. Overlaps with reDiscover's Tinkering Toolkit and creative-reuse product lines as well as its school-vendor and homeschool-charter distribution channels.
• Lakeshore Learning: National retailer and educator supplier of hands-on learning materials, classroom makerspace equipment, and STEAM kits. Comparable in its product line (Tinkering Lab-style installations, classroom tool sets) and K-12 school-customer base.

Direct peers

• Snapology: National franchise offering STEAM programs, camps, workshops, and birthday parties for kids using LEGO, robotics, and maker activities. Closely comparable in its mix of camps, birthday parties, school programs, and franchise-style replication model.
• Tinkering School: The original Bay Area-based makerspace camp founded by Gever Tulley that reDiscover's Executive Director (Jonathan Markowitz Bijur) was trained at and spun out of. Both programs share the same hands-on, real-tools, design-thinking maker camp philosophy rooted in the same pedagogy.

Emerging players

• DIY.org: Online platform offering project-based learning 'challenges' and maker skill development for kids. Comparable in promoting hands-on making, design-thinking challenges, and skill-badge frameworks (overlaps with reDiscover's Scouts badge workshops).

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/reDiscoverCenter/videos
• Facebookfacebook.com/rediscoverctr
• Instagraminstagram.com/rediscoverctr
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/rediscoverctr

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles19 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 reDiscover Center