Science Alive!

What Science Alive! does

Science Alive! is a New Zealand-based charitable trust (legally "Science Alive Charitable Trust") founded in 1991, operating as a non-profit focused on making science captivating and accessible for New Zealanders through STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) education. The organization serves three primary user groups: schools and educators, families, and community/event audiences. It does not accept international orders and operates exclusively within New Zealand.

The organization delivers its mission across three operational pillars. First, a digital pillar built around Science Alive+, an online learning portal at learn.sciencealive.co.nz offering a free content library with an optional premium educator subscription that adds collaborative planning, whole-school visibility, student lesson assignment, progress tracking with analytics, and assessment capabilities; the platform supports Google, Microsoft, and Clever single sign-on. Second, a physical outreach pillar comprising facilitated hands-on science programmes delivered by in-house facilitators and the Discovery Dome, an immersive planetarium-style inflatable dome experience offered in multiple thematic programmes (e.g., Our Solar System, Night & Day, Power Play, Dig It!). Third, a direct-to-consumer e-commerce shop at sciencealive.co.nz/shop selling educator-approved STEM products — experiment kits, robotics, science books, and educational toys — with prices ranging from NZD $21.99 to NZD $99.99 and free shipping on orders over NZD $150 within New Zealand.

Monetisation spans three revenue streams: e-commerce product sales (one-time purchases), Science Alive+ subscription revenue (annual recurring), and outreach programme fees (unit-priced events such as Discovery Dome Nano Fest at NZD $8 per event, alongside enquiry-based programme contracts). The go-to-market is multi-channel: a content-led website hub, a monthly newsletter, educator webinars, outreach events, and a self-serve e-commerce storefront. No funding rounds, M&A activity, partnerships with named external counterparties, audited financials, headcount data, or AI/ML capabilities are disclosed in the available material.

Name

Science Alive!

Legal name

Science Alive Charitable Trust

Website

https://sciencealive.co.nz

Company type

Private

Founded year

1991

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Science Alive! is a New Zealand charitable trust founded in 1991 that delivers STEM education to schools, educators, families, and communities through a digital learning platform (Science Alive+), physical outreach programmes (including the Discovery Dome experience), and an e-commerce shop for STEM kits and books.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

STEM Education Services

NAICS

All Other Schools and Instruction (61169), Professional and Management Development Training (611430), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Hands-on Science Exploration & Experiments (Lab Kits, Science Clubs) (EDAMABAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

STEM & Maker Education (Makerspaces, Coding Clubs, Robotics) (EDAAAFAL), STEM, Digital Literacy & Maker Education Nonprofits (BPAGADAG), Environmental Science & Sustainability Programs (Ecology, Climate, Conservation) (EDAMABAD)

Keywords

• STEM education resources
• Educational outreach programs
• Science experiment kits
• Digital learning platform
• Hands-on science workshops

Headquarters

HQ city

Christchurch

HQ country

New Zealand

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. E-commerce Product Sales: Sales of STEM products including experiment kits, books, science toys, robotics, and educational resources through their online shop. Free shipping available for orders over $150 in New Zealand.
2. Science Alive+ Subscription: Optional premium upgrade from their free content library offering enhanced features including collaborative planning tools, student tracking, analytics, and assessment capabilities for educators.
3. Outreach Programme Fees: Revenue from delivering hands-on science programmes and Discovery Dome experiences to schools, communities, and events, including facilitated programmes and interactive science stations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Science Alive Charitable Trust delivers STEM education in New Zealand through three integrated channels: the Science Alive+ digital learning platform with collaborative planning and assessment tools for educators; hands-on outreach programmes including the immersive Discovery Dome experience and facilitated science workshops delivered directly to schools and communities; and an e-commerce shop selling educator-approved STEM experiment kits, science books, robotics, and educational resources to families and teachers.

Product overview

Science Alive! operates as a charitable trust offering a comprehensive STEM education ecosystem consisting of three main pillars: the Science Alive+ digital learning platform providing collaborative planning tools and assessment features for educators; a physical outreach programme featuring immersive Discovery Dome experiences and hands-on science workshops; and an e-commerce shop selling STEM experiment kits, science books, and educational resources. The Science Alive+ platform serves as the core digital product with optional premium features, while the outreach programmes and physical products complement digital learning with hands-on experiences for schools, communities, and families.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Science Alive+: A digital learning platform and optional subscription service providing collaborative planning tools, lesson assignment, student progress tracking, and assessment tools for educators.
• Discovery Dome

Products and services

• Science Alive+ Platform An optional premium upgrade from the free content library providing collaborative planning, whole school visibility, student lesson assignments, progress tracking with analytics, and assessment tools for teachers and educators in New Zealand schools.
• Learning Portal Online student and educator portal providing access to STEM learning content, lessons, and resources with role-based login for students and teachers.
• Discovery Dome Experience Immersive inflatable dome experience offering journeys through space, science, and the natural world for schools, communities, and events.
• Facilitated Science Programmes Hands-on science programmes delivered by Science Alive facilitators that support learning and spark curiosity in classrooms and communities.
• Interactive Science Experiences Interactive stations, live demonstrations, and hands-on activities for all ages suitable for events and community engagement.
• Big Reactions - Fire & Ice Chemistry outreach programme featuring spectacular fire and ice demonstrations delivered to schools and communities.
• Discovery Dome - Night & Day Immersive dome experience exploring astronomy concepts of day and night cycles.
• Discovery Dome - Our Solar System Immersive dome experience taking audiences on a journey through the solar system.
• Wavelengths - Light & Colour Science outreach programme exploring physics of light and colour.
• Power Play - Electricity and Circuits Hands-on electricity and circuits programme for understanding electrical concepts.
• Fantastic Forces: Simple Machines Physics outreach programme exploring simple machines and mechanical advantage.
• Dig It! Geology outreach programme involving excavation and exploration activities.
• Solve It! Problem-solving outreach programme encouraging critical thinking.
• Build It! Engineering outreach programme with hands-on building activities and lessons.
• Super Chemistry Lab Kit Chemistry experiment kit for hands-on science learning at home, sold through the Science Alive shop.
• Electricity and Magnetism Kit Electronics and circuits kit for learning about electricity and magnetism through experiments, priced at $89.99.
• Mio the Robot Robotics and coding kit for learning basic robotics concepts, priced at $89.99.
• Super Microscope 1200x Science microscope offering 1200x magnification for experiments and critical thinking activities.
• How Spaceships Work Aerospace engineering book exploring how spaceships work, priced at $26.99.
• Albert Einstein Physics and mathematics book about Albert Einstein, priced at $22.99.
• Wild Coasts Marine biology resource in Te Ao Māori context about ocean ecosystems, priced at $21.99.
• Clean Water Science Environment and sustainability experiment kit focused on water science.
• Rosa Explores Life Cycles Science book exploring life cycles for young learners.
• Journey to the Earth's Core Geology science resource for exploring Earth's structure.
• Will We Ever Live on the Moon? Planetary science book about selenology and lunar exploration.
• What Next? Literacy and creativity book with storytelling elements.
• The Observologist Observation and scientific skills book with drawing activities.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature3 records

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• BrainPOP: Subscription-based K–12 educational content platform covering science topics with videos, quizzes, and lesson planning — comparable to Science Alive+'s educator platform and content library model.
• Wonder Workshop: Educational robotics and coding products (Dash, Dot) sold to schools and families with curriculum resources — comparable to the Mio the Robot and STEM kit offerings in Science Alive's shop.
• KiwiCo: Subscription and e-commerce business delivering hands-on STEM, science, and maker kits for kids and families — directly comparable to Science Alive's online shop model combining kits, books, and educator resources.
• Mystery Science: K–12 science curriculum platform with lesson plans, videos, and hands-on activities aligned to standards — directly comparable to Science Alive+'s educator-facing STEM content and lesson planning tools.
• Mad Science: Global franchise delivering hands-on science programmes, assembly shows, and science-themed workshops to schools and communities — directly comparable to Science Alive's Discovery Dome and facilitated outreach programmes.
• MEL Science: Subscription-based science experiment kits with educator and family channels and interactive content — closely comparable to Science Alive's e-commerce kit business and Science Alive+ subscription platform.
• House of Science NZ: New Zealand-based nonprofit that provides hands-on science resource kits and teacher professional development to primary schools — directly comparable to Science Alive's educator outreach and resource model in the same geography.

Broad incumbents

• Scholastic Education: Large incumbent publisher and distributor of K–12 educational books, kits, and classroom resources — overlaps with Science Alive's curated science book and kit retail and educator resource catalogue.
• National Geographic Kids: Major science education brand producing books, videos, and classroom content with strong credibility in science topics — comparable to the science book and educational content offerings in Science Alive's shop and resource library.

Emerging players

• Whizz Pop Bang: UK-based science magazine and STEM activity resource for primary-aged children — comparable as a niche STEM content and activity provider targeting similar family and educator segments as Science Alive.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/science-alive-

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 Science Alive!