STARBASE Minnesota

What STARBASE Minnesota does

STARBASE Minnesota is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1993 that delivers free, hands-on STEM education to Minnesota youth, primarily targeting 5th grade students through an intensive 5-day, 25-hour school program model. The organization operates two physical sites — its St. Paul headquarters (established 1993) and a Duluth location co-located at the 148th Fighter Wing (established 2017) — and extends reach statewide through distributed STEM kits including Destination Mars. Programmatic offerings include the core 5-day school program, summer programming, the STARBASE 2.0 advanced mentoring track with corporate facility visits (e.g., Medtronic BATLAB), college and university field experiences, and a curated STEM career video library featuring local Minnesota professionals.

The technology stack is experiential rather than algorithmic: students engage with Microsoft HoloLens 2 mixed reality headsets and iPads for AR career exploration (landing rovers on Mars, investigating 3D models), Stratasys 3D printers, Ozobots, rockets, and CAD software, all mapped to Minnesota Science and Math Standards. Programs are taught by licensed instructors in state-of-the-art facilities, with curriculum emphasis on teamwork, creativity, perseverance, and real-world problem solving.

The business model is grant- and donation-funded rather than tuition-based. Revenue streams include corporate and foundation grants (3M as a Diamond Level anchor for 15+ years, Cummins, Medtronic Foundation, Collins Aerospace, and others), government partnerships, individual donations, and substantial in-kind contributions of volunteer time, equipment, and technology. The organization explicitly disclaims any governmental or Department of Defense status despite its National Guard site co-location. Since inception, STARBASE Minnesota has served over 170,000 Minnesota youth, with cumulative impact depending on continued corporate partner support and donor funding.

Name

STARBASE Minnesota

Legal name

STARBASE MINNESOTA Inc.

Website

https://starbasemn.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1993

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

STARBASE Minnesota is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1993 that delivers free, hands-on STEM education — including AR/VR, 3D printing, and robotics — to Minnesota youth through 5-day school programs, STEM kits, summer programs, and advanced mentoring across St. Paul and Duluth.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth STEM Education

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), Educational Support Services (61171), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

STEM, Digital Literacy & Maker Education Nonprofits (BPAGADAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Academic Enrichment Camps (General Studies) (EDAMALAB), College & Career Exploration Camps (Pre-College Samplers, Pathways) (EDAMALAN)

Keywords

• Youth stem education
• Hands-on stem programs
• Stem career exploration
• Augmented reality education
• School stem partnerships

Headquarters

HQ city

Saint Paul

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Corporate and Foundation Grants: STARBASE Minnesota receives grant funding from corporate partners (3M, Cummins, Medtronic Foundation, Collins Aerospace, etc.) and foundations to support programming, equipment, and curriculum development.
2. Individual Donations: Individual donors contribute to support student programming and scholarships.
3. Government Partnerships: Partnerships with state and federal government support STARBASE sites across Minnesota.
4. In-Kind Donations: Corporate partners provide in-kind donations including volunteer time, expertise, equipment, and technology.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

STARBASE Minnesota is a nonprofit organization that provides free, hands-on STEM education programs to Minnesota youth, primarily targeting 5th grade students. Programs are delivered through school partnerships where classes attend intensive 5-day programs at STARBASE facilities, supplemented by STEM kits distributed to schools, summer programs, advanced mentoring (STARBASE 2.0), and college/university field experiences. The organization utilizes advanced technology including Microsoft HoloLens 2, augmented reality, 3D printing, robotics, and CAD software to deliver curriculum-aligned programming at no cost to students.

Product overview

STARBASE Minnesota is a nonprofit STEM education organization offering a portfolio of programs including the core 5-day School Year Program, STEM Kits for Schools (including Destination Mars kits), Summer Program, College/University Field Experience, and the advanced STARBASE 2.0 mentoring program. The organization provides educational resources including STEM Career Videos featuring local professionals and Augmented Reality career exploration using Microsoft HoloLens 2 and iPads. Programs utilize technologies such as robots (Ozobots), 3D printers (Stratasys), CAD software, and rockets. The Duluth location also offers Mission to Mars activities and Virtual Learning resources. All programs are designed to educate and inspire Minnesota youth in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics through hands-on, experiential learning.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• School Year 5-Day Programs A 5-day intensive, standards-based STEM program where students engage in hands-on activities complementing the school year curriculum. Students attend for 25 hours of hands-on learning focusing on real-world problem solving and STEM applications. Schools bring 5th grade classes to STARBASE facilities for the program.
• STARBASE Minnesota STEM Kits for Schools STEM kits distributed to schools across Minnesota, including Destination Mars kits, enabling students to engage in hands-on STEM activities in their own classrooms.
• STARBASE 2.0 Extended program for middle school students providing deeper STEM experiences including mentoring with industry professionals, CAD design, 3D printing, and visits to corporate facilities such as Medtronic's BATLAB.
• Summer Program Year-round STEM programming available during summer months, extending the STARBASE experience beyond the school year for students at STARBASE facilities.
• College and University Field Experience Program providing students opportunities to visit college campuses and explore STEM careers and post-secondary education pathways through higher education partnerships.
• STARBASE Advanced Mentoring Extended mentorship program connecting students with STEM professionals and corporate volunteers for advanced guidance and career exploration beyond the initial 5-day program.
• Mission to Mars Immersive STEM activity where students complete a mission to Mars, engaging in engineering design tasks and robotics challenges at the Duluth location.
• STEM Activities / Virtual Learning Virtual and in-person STEM activities available for students, including interactive digital learning tools and resources.
• STEM Career Videos Video collection featuring local STEM professionals sharing career pathways and experiences in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields, organized around themes of STEM, teamwork, creativity, and perseverance.

Named customers2 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• 3McoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 September 2024Longstanding corporate partner providing Diamond Level cross-facility support through grants and in-kind donations for 15+ years. STEM professionals from 3M have supported STEM at Work events. 3M scientists and engineers feature in career videos. Multiple 3M leaders serve on the Board including current members Mike Kesti and Dave Soenen (retired).
• Medtronic FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 September 2024Funded 16 new STEM career videos in FY22-23. Supports STARBASE 2.0 program including Medtronic BATLAB visits. Partnership enables students to experience real-world medical technology and engineering.
• Collins AerospacecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 September 2024Corporate partner providing scholarships and STEM at Work event volunteers. Funds $1,000 scholarships for STARBASE alumni.
• Delta Air LinesmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 September 2024Participates in STEM at Work events and corporate partnership activities.
• EcolabmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 September 2024Participates in STEM at Work events as corporate partner.
• nVentmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 September 2024Participates in STEM at Work events as corporate partner.
• StratasysmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 September 2024Corporate partner providing technology and STEM at Work event support.
• Sun Country AirlinesmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 September 2024Participates in STEM at Work events as corporate partner.
• ToromajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 September 2024Participates in STEM at Work events as corporate partner.
• Xcel EnergymajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 September 2024Participates in STEM at Work events as corporate partner.
• Boston ScientificmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 September 2024Participates in STEM at Work events as corporate partner.
• Minnesota National GuardcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 September 2024Longstanding partner providing support at both St. Paul and Duluth locations. Guard volunteers participate in programs and STEM at Work events.
• TennantminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 September 2024Participates in STEM at Work events as corporate partner.
• Minnesota VikingsminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 November 2022NFL team players and Medtronic Foundation partnered for a special STARBASE event on November 1st. Players with STEM backgrounds (including Kene Nwangwu with Mechanical Engineering degree) engaged with students in robotics and AR activities.
• Cummins, Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Provides grant funding and hands-on volunteer support since 2021 for Destination Mars STEM kits. Since 2021, team members packed and delivered 1,500 backpacks to Columbia Heights, Fridley, and Mounds View schools. Over 70 volunteers contributed in 2023-2024. Cummins engineering team and former STARBASE student (now employee) featured on career website.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• FIRST Robotics: National nonprofit running team-based robotics competitions and STEM programs for K-12 students; comparable to STARBASE Minnesota in its mission to inspire youth interest in STEM through hands-on, project-based engineering challenges.
• Destination Imagination: Nonprofit running project-based STEM, arts, and service-learning challenges for K-12 students; comparable in delivering hands-on, team-based STEM problem-solving experiences for youth.

Broad incumbents

• STARBASE National Program: Federal Department of Defense-affiliated STARBASE program that operates youth STEM academies across multiple states; directly comparable to STARBASE Minnesota as a sibling site delivering hands-on STEM immersion for 5th graders, though national in scope.
• Code.org: National nonprofit promoting K-12 computer science education through curriculum, professional development, and the Hour of Code; comparable as a major U.S. STEM education nonprofit addressing access gaps for youth.
• Project Lead The Way: National nonprofit providing STEM curriculum and teacher training for K-12 schools; comparable as a STEM education provider serving Minnesota schools, though focused on classroom curriculum integration rather than immersive out-of-school programming.

Emerging players

• STEM NOLA: Regional nonprofit delivering hands-on STEM camps, workshops, and family engagement events to underserved youth; comparable to STARBASE Minnesota in mission-driven, experiential STEM programming for elementary-aged students via corporate and community partnerships.
• Iridescent: National STEM education nonprofit delivering family-focused engineering and computer science programs; comparable to STARBASE Minnesota as a youth STEM nonprofit leveraging mentor and volunteer engagement to expand access.

Regional players

• Minnesota 4-H: University of Minnesota Extension youth development program with STEM, agriculture, and career exploration tracks serving Minnesota K-12 students; overlaps with STARBASE Minnesota on standards-aligned STEM enrichment for the same regional audience.
• Boys & Girls Clubs of the Twin Cities: Regional youth development nonprofit offering after-school STEM, arts, and academic enrichment to Twin Cities youth; comparable as a provider of free, hands-on STEM programming for elementary and middle school students in Minnesota.
• Science Museum of Minnesota: Saint Paul-based science museum offering hands-on STEM exhibits, school field-trip programs, and youth education experiences in Minnesota; overlaps with STARBASE Minnesota on experiential STEM learning for K-12 audiences in the same geography.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/starbase-minnesota

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 STARBASE Minnesota