What SparkNC does

SparkNC is a North Carolina-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that operates an interdistrict educational network designed to prepare K-12 students for technology-focused careers. The organization partners with 26 North Carolina public school districts (up from 17 in its 2023-24 launch year) to embed SparkLabs — physical, hybrid-equipped learning spaces co-located within participating high schools and innovation centers — where students ("Spark Scholars") select from more than 50 on-demand, live, and experiential learning units covering high-tech domains such as cybersecurity, AI, software development, and computer systems engineering. Units can be stacked toward high school graduation credit, and students build project portfolios that demonstrate readiness for college and career.

The program architecture is a custom learning platform plus a connected-classroom network: each SparkLab functions as a hybrid teaching and learning zone that connects to other SparkLabs across districts, enabling cross-district instruction and industry interaction without external facilities. SparkNC's product surface includes Live Units (taught by SparkLab Leaders and industry experts), Experiential Units (conferences, hackathons, job shadowing), On-Demand Units (self-paced modules), Spark Teamships (team-based industry internships), and an annual Exchange Conference hosted in partnership with UNC Wilmington. Lessons completed generate digital portfolio artifacts.

SparkNC's revenue model is nonprofit-style and multi-stream. The organization was launched with support from the North Carolina General Assembly and partners with the NC Department of Public Instruction; additional funding comes from corporate partnerships (financial contributions plus in-kind expertise and equipment), major grants (notably a $1 million investment from American Student Assistance in 2025 to scale Spark Teamships), and individual donations collected through Givebutter, text-to-give, corporate matching programs (Benevity, YourCause), and Donor Advised Funds. Programs are free for students and schools; there is no disclosed per-student or per-district pricing. Customer segments are three: NC K-12 students (the primary learner persona), NC school districts (the primary institutional channel partner), and technology companies/employers (corporate partners providing knowledge, volunteers, and workplace exploration).

Name

SparkNC

Legal name

SparkNC

Website

https://sparknc.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2023

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

SparkNC is a North Carolina 501(c)(3) nonprofit that runs an interdistrict network of 26 school districts operating SparkLabs — tech-focused learning spaces — where K-12 students complete more than 50 catalog learning experiences toward high school credit and career readiness.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

K-12 Technology Education Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), All Other Schools and Instruction (61169)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

STEM Project-Based Learning (PBL) & Challenge Platforms (EDAFANAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Innovation & Design Thinking Programs (EDAMAHAD), Accelerated Learning & Grade Advancement Programs (EDAJAGAE), Advanced Project-Based Learning & Portfolio Mentoring (STEM/arts portfolios, maker projects) (EDANAKAI)

Keywords

• K-12 technology education
• Competency-based learning programs
• Interdistrict education network
• Student portfolio development
• Tech career pathways

Headquarters

HQ city

Raleigh

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Government/Legislative Funding: SparkNC was launched with generous support from the North Carolina General Assembly and operates in partnership with the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction.
2. Corporate and Business Partnerships: Businesses partner with SparkNC through financial contributions, knowledge sharing, workplace exploration programs, and volunteering. Companies provide funding, tools, equipment, and expertise to support Spark Scholars.
3. Individual Donations: SparkNC accepts donations through online platforms (givebutter), text-to-give (SPARKNC to 53555), mail-in checks, corporate matching programs through Benevity and YourCause, and Donor Advised Funds. The organization is a registered 501(c)(3) with EIN 92-1765886.
4. Major Grant Investments: SparkNC receives significant grant investments from organizations like American Student Assistance (ASA), which provided a $1 million investment to expand Spark Teamship opportunities.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

SparkNC delivers a tech-focused, learner-centered educational program to K-12 students in North Carolina through an interdistrict network of physical SparkLabs located in 26 public school districts. The program offers an on-demand Catalog of 50+ learning experiences in high-tech fields, delivered via Live Units, Experiential Units, and On-Demand Units, plus team-based internships called Spark Teamships, all of which students (Spark Scholars) can stack toward high school credit while building professional portfolios.

Product overview

SparkNC is an interdistrict network of North Carolina school districts operating a unified educational program centered on SparkLabs—collaborative physical spaces for tech-focused learning. The core offering includes three types of learning experiences (Live Units, Experiential Units, and On-Demand Units) delivered through SparkLabs and the SparkNC Catalog containing 50+ courses. Student participants (Spark Scholars) stack these units toward high school credit while building professional portfolios. The program also includes Spark Teamships (team-based internships) and the annual Exchange Conference. The architecture is a single integrated program rather than a modular software platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• SparkLabs Physical collaborative spaces for teaching and learning located in high schools, innovation centers, and community locations across North Carolina districts. Each SparkLab has separate zones for collaboration, high-tech computing, and individual work, with hybrid teaching zones connecting across the interdistrict network. For Spark Scholars and North Carolina school districts adopting the program.
• SparkNC Catalog A catalog offering more than 50 learning experiences related to high-tech fields, including introductory modules, units, and capstone experiences that together earn course credit toward high school graduation. Designed for K-12 students (Spark Scholars) and delivered via the SparkNC platform.
• Spark Teamships Team-based internship opportunities where Spark Scholars work on real-world challenges with industry partners, expanding career navigation and professional network development. For North Carolina students exploring high-tech careers and the corporate partners hosting teams.
• Exchange Conference Annual three-day gathering where Spark Scholars lead learning exchange sessions alongside university professors, participate in networking workshops, and engage with industry leaders through the Innovation Circuit. For Spark Scholars, partner districts, and corporate partners.

Quantifiable outcome

• 26 school districts currently participating in the interdistrict network
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

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

• North Carolina Department of Public InstructioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSparkNC operates in partnership with the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction to provide tech education pathways across the state's public schools.
• The Innovation ProjectmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSparkNC began as an initiative incubated within The Innovation Project, a nonprofit collaborative working group of North Carolina public school district leaders, before transitioning to a standalone nonprofit during the 2023-24 academic year.
• UNC WilmingtonmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUNC Wilmington hosted the annual Exchange 2025 conference, a three-day gathering where Spark Scholars led learning sessions alongside UNCW professors.
• District CminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDan Gonzales, CEO of District C, led a hands-on networking workshop for students before Exchange 2025's Connection Dinner.
• Education ReimaginedmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSix Spark Scholars and their lab leader traveled to Chicago to participate in Education Reimagined's Learner Centered Ecosystem Lab convening, a national gathering of students, educators, and innovators.
• SAS InstitutemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStudents from Wake Tech RTP Campus visited SAS Institute to share their experiences and learn about tech career pathways.
• CiscomajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSparkNC district leadership and industry partners came together for a Leadership Exchange at Cisco, exploring ways to guide students to develop durable success skills and build meaningful industry connections.
• North Carolina School Districts (26 districts)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor26 North Carolina school districts participate in SparkNC's interdistrict network, operating SparkLabs in high schools, centers for innovation, and community locations to provide tech education pathways.
• Apple (Jamey Falkenbury, Manager Strategic Innovations)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJamey Falkenbury from Apple serves on the SparkNC Business Advisory Council, providing strategic innovations expertise and thought partnership.
• IBM (Phaedra Boinodiris, Global Leader for Trustworthy AI)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPhaedra Boinodiris from IBM serves on the SparkNC Business Advisory Council, contributing expertise in AI and technology education.
• Epic Games (Steve Isaacs, Senior Manager Programs and Partnerships)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSteve Isaacs from Epic Games serves on the SparkNC Business Advisory Council, contributing gaming and technology expertise.
• Lenovo (Kendall Latham, Education Strategist)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerKendall Latham from Lenovo serves on the SparkNC Business Advisory Council, providing education strategy expertise.
• Live Oak Bank (Kate Groat, Director of Corporate Philanthropy)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerKate Groat from Live Oak Bank serves on the SparkNC Business Advisory Council, contributing corporate philanthropy perspective.
• TEKsystems (Candice Miles, Global Account Leader)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCandice Miles from TEKsystems serves on the SparkNC Business Advisory Council, contributing workforce and talent expertise.
• UNCG Esports ProgramminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEdgecombe County Spark Scholars learned from UNCG's Esports Program as part of their experiential learning opportunities.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics (NCSSM): State-funded residential and online high school for advanced STEM in NC. Comparable as an NC-focused, state-legislature-backed STEM pathway provider serving top-performing high schoolers.
• CareerSafe: Provider of career-and-technical-education (CTE) and OSHA-aligned credentialing for high school students. Comparable as a CTE-style, career-readiness nonprofit adjacent to SparkNC's Teamship/credentialing direction.

Emerging players

• TEALS (Technology Education and Literacy in Schools): Microsoft-backed volunteer-driven program placing tech professionals in high school CS classrooms. Comparable in industry-volunteer + school-embedded model to SparkNC's industry-partner SparkLab Leader approach.
• Girls Who Code: Nonprofit running clubs and programs to close the gender gap in tech. Comparable as a K-12 tech-career pipeline nonprofit; overlaps with SparkNC's high-tech career exposure mission but targets a narrower demographic.

Direct peers

• NAF (National Academy Foundation): Nonprofit operating career academies in US high schools focused on industry-themed pathways (IT, finance, health). Comparable to SparkNC's industry-partner-driven, portfolio-based, career-launching model for high school students.
• P-TECH (Pathways in Technology Early College High School): IBM-origin model blending high school, college, and workplace learning in tech pathways with corporate partners. Highly comparable to SparkNC's Teamship/internship components and corporate-advisory structure.

Broad incumbents

• Project Lead The Way (PLTW): Largest US K-12 STEM curriculum nonprofit, offering project-based pathways in computer science, engineering, and biomedical sciences. Directly comparable to SparkNC's project-based, credit-bearing, tech-career-focused model, though PLTW operates nationally rather than via an interdistrict network.
• Code.org: Major nonprofit expanding K-12 computer science access nationwide through curriculum, teacher training, and advocacy. Comparable as a STEM/CS education nonprofit serving NC districts, though broader and not district-embedded.
• Discovery Education: Major K-12 digital content and STEM curriculum provider with deep school-district penetration. Comparable as an EdTech partner serving NC districts with STEM content; broader portfolio but less career-launch focus.
• IBM SkillsBuild: IBM's free digital learning platform for tech career readiness, used by students and job seekers. Comparable as a tech-career credentialing pathway; broader global reach but less district-embedded than SparkNC.

Market position

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/wearesparknc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/wearesparknc
• Instagraminstagram.com/wearesparknc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 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 SparkNC