What YWAM Emerge does

YWAM Emerge is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded in 2013 in Colorado Springs, Colorado, that operates an aquaponics-based training and food production program aimed at reducing poverty with dignity in vulnerable communities. Its core offering is OASYS, an open-source aquaponics system (10m x 15m footprint, six grow beds, three IBC fish tanks with independent shut-offs, dual-pump design, and multi-stage filtration) that combines hydroponics and aquaculture to produce vegetables and protein using 90% less water than traditional agriculture. The OASYS system has 3,060 planting holes producing 650–700+ plant units per week on roughly 20 man-hours of labor per week.

YWAM Emerge monetizes through multiple small-ticket streams: OASYS Training Courses ($1,000 per student with optional $500 onsite accommodations), the six-month Discipleship Training School (DTS) with lecture and outreach phases at $3,500 each, paid private tours and field trips ($5 per person), and local lettuce sales that partially offset operations (lettuce is also donated to food pantries). Donations remain the primary revenue source given the non-profit structure. The go-to-market combines a domestic demonstration facility (22,000 sq ft greenhouse, free weekly public tours, volunteer harvest days) with international system deployments executed through DTS outreach teams in South Africa, Kenya, and Central Asia.

The organization operates as an official ministry within the Youth With A Mission (YWAM) global network, which provides missionary distribution into thousands of locations worldwide. Primary customer segments include DTS trainees (spiritual/vocational training), OASYS trainees, K-12 and college students on STEM field trips, facility tour visitors, vulnerable communities in developing regions served through deployed systems, and donor individuals and organizations supporting the poverty-reduction mission.

Name

YWAM Emerge

Legal name

YWAM Emerge

Website

https://ywamemerge.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

YWAM Emerge is a Colorado Springs-based 501(c)(3) non-profit that operates open-source OASYS aquaponics systems and training programs to reduce poverty with dignity, serving DTS students, OASYS trainees, K-12 students, and vulnerable communities in South Africa, Kenya, and Central Asia.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Aquaponics Training and Sustainable Agriculture Education

NAICS

Food Crops Grown Under Cover (11141), Aquaculture (1125), Animal Production and Aquaculture (112)

SIC

Agricultural Services (700), Agricultural Production-Crops (100)

akta.pro primary industry

Aquaponics (Integrated Fish & Plant Production) (AFAEAAAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Hydroponic & Soilless Greenhouse Production (NFT, DWC, Substrate Grow Bags) (AFAGAHAI), Sustainable Agriculture & Food Systems (Fair Trade, Food Access, Regenerative) (BPAGALAD)

Keywords

• Aquaponics training
• Sustainable farming education
• Poverty alleviation programs
• Faith-based missions
• STEM agricultural field trips

Headquarters

HQ city

Colorado Springs

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Infrastructure, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations: As a 501(c)3 non-profit, YWAM Emerge relies heavily on charitable donations from individuals and organizations supporting their poverty reduction mission.
2. Donations: Tax-deductible donations in the United States, recurring gift options available.
3. Lettuce Sales: Produce grown in their commercial aquaponics system is sold locally to help cover operational costs. Lettuce is also donated to local food pantries.
4. OASYS Training: Training course providing foundation for building and operating OASYS system. Cost: $1,000 per student, includes lunches Monday-Friday. Optional onsite accommodations for additional $500.
5. DTS Program Tuition: Six-month Discipleship Training School with Lecture Phase ($3,500 USD - tuition, food, housing) and Outreach Phase ($3,500 USD + airfare - food, housing, activities).
6. Field Trip Fees: Educational field trips for students: $5.00 per person with financial assistance available.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

YWAM Emerge operates an open-source aquaponics system called OASYS that combines hydroponics and aquaculture to produce vegetables and protein using 90% less water than traditional agriculture. The organization sells produce locally, donates lettuce to food pantries, and provides multi-tier training programs—including an OASYS Training Course and a six-month Discipleship Training School (DTS)—to equip individuals and communities to build and operate their own food systems.

Product overview

YWAM Emerge is a non-profit organization that offers a unified portfolio centered on the OASYS aquaponics system as its core product. The OASYS is an open-source, reproducible aquaponics system (10m x 15m) that produces 650-700+ plants per week using 90% less water than traditional agriculture. Supporting the core product, YWAM Emerge provides the OASYS Training Course for building and operating the system, the Discipleship Training School (DTS) combining spiritual development with aquaponics training, and educational programs including greenhouse tours and field trips. The organization operates a 22,000 square foot commercial greenhouse in Colorado Springs used for training, R&D, and local lettuce production.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• OASYS: Open-source aquaponics system developed by YWAM Emerge for food production. OASYS is designed to be affordable, robust, simple to build, and easy to run with high output.
• DTS (Discipleship Training School)

Products and services

• OASYS Aquaponics System An open-source, reproducible aquaponics system combining hydroponics and aquaculture; the standard build is 10m wide x 15m long with six grow beds (9.2m x 1.2m each), three IBC fish tanks with independent shut-offs, dual-pump design for water and aeration, and radial, Matala, and biological filtration. Designed for families, communities, and mission partners who want a cost-efficient, easy-to-build food production system.
• Discipleship Training School (DTS) A six-month YWAM-aligned program with a Lecture Phase ($3,500 USD, includes tuition, food, and housing) and an Outreach Phase ($3,500 USD plus approximately $1,800–$2,000 airfare, includes food, housing, and activities) that combines Christian discipleship with aquaponics and small-business training. Aimed at individuals seeking spiritual purpose and practical vocational skills, with international outreach placements in places such as South Africa and Kenya.
• OASYS Training Course A paid training course priced at $1,000 per student (lunches Monday–Friday included; optional onsite accommodation for an additional $500) covering horticulture, aquaculture, bacteriology, operations, sales and marketing, and hands-on building experience for the OASYS system. Targeted at aspiring aquaponics operators, missionaries, and community builders.
• Greenhouse Tours Educational tours of YWAM Emerge's operational aquaponics greenhouse, with free public tours on Wednesdays at 3:30pm (RSVP required) and private tours available at $5 per person. Designed for visitors, prospective students, and community members to view the commercial system that produces thousands of heads of lettuce monthly.
• Field Trips Interactive STEM field trips priced at $5 per person (financial assistance available), with tour lengths ranging from 1 hour (2 modules) to 2.5 hours (4 modules with lunch break). Modules cover aquaculture, bacteriology, engineering system design, thermal dynamics, architecture, chemistry, horticulture, food safety, hydrology, environmental mitigation, and meteorology. Targeted at K-12 and college student groups visiting the Colorado Springs facility.

Quantifiable outcome

• 90% water reduction vs traditional agriculture
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Youth With A Mission (YWAM)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerYWAM Emerge is an official ministry of Youth With A Mission, a global Christian missions movement. YWAM Emerge operates within the YWAM family, benefiting from their network, infrastructure, and shared mission to serve Jesus throughout the world. YWAM was founded in 1960 and has tens of thousands of staff and thousands of teams and locations globally.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• The Aquaponic Source: U.S.-based retailer and educator offering aquaponics systems, kits, and training; overlaps with YWAM Emerge on equipment design and end-user aquaponics education.
• Backyard Aquaponics: Long-running aquaponics company sharing open-source designs, building plans, and community education — directly paralleling OASYS's open-source community-and-training focus.
• Sweet Water Foundation: Non-profit using urban agriculture and aquaponics as a platform for youth education and community development — closely aligned with YWAM Emerge's training-plus-food-system model.
• Nelson and Pade: Commercial leader in aquaponics systems, training, and curriculum; comparable to YWAM Emerge in offering reproducible aquaponics designs and education, though operating as a for-profit and with broader commercial clientele.

Broad incumbents

• Plenty: Well-capitalized indoor vertical farming company; comparable as a controlled-environment agriculture operator using technology to grow food more efficiently, though focused on commercial scale rather than non-profit training.
• AeroFarms: Major indoor/vertical farming operator with a strong water-efficiency narrative; comparable to YWAM Emerge on resource-efficient food production, though serving a very different market and distribution model.
• Pentair Aquatic Eco-Systems: Established industrial supplier of aquaculture and aquaponics components (tanks, filtration, pumps); comparable to YWAM Emerge on the underlying system engineering and parts ecosystem that OASYS relies on.
• Heifer International: Large non-profit organization focused on ending hunger and poverty through sustainable agriculture and livestock, overlapping directly with YWAM Emerge's mission of poverty reduction with dignity through food production and small-business livelihoods in developing regions.

Emerging players

• Fresh Roots: Non-profit that uses schoolyard farms and food systems as living classrooms for youth — comparable to YWAM Emerge's integration of food production with K-12 educational programming and community engagement.

Others

• Agritecture: Consultancy and media platform focused on controlled environment agriculture and urban farming; comparable to YWAM Emerge as an ecosystem participant shaping the broader conversation around CEA and aquaponics adoption.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ywam-emerge

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 YWAM Emerge