What The Biobuilder Educational Foundation Inc does

The BioBuilder Educational Foundation Inc is a 501c3 nonprofit educational foundation established in 2011 from an award-winning team at MIT. The organization develops and distributes two classroom-ready curricula — BioBuilder Learning, which provides problem-based learning resources for students, educators, and industry professionals focused on bioscience challenges, and BioTechBuilder, a plug-and-play, skill-oriented biotech curriculum with micro-credentials developed in partnership with industry-leading companies to prepare students for careers in biotechnology. Both products target high school students and educators, delivering hands-on, lab-based bioscience education rather than software or AI products.

The foundation operates as a donation-funded nonprofit, generating revenue through contributions from individuals, corporations, and foundations; programs are intentionally offered at low or no cost to schools to remove financial barriers to participation. Its go-to-market is sales-led, engaging directly with high schools, school districts, and career-technical education (CTE) programs to drive curriculum adoption, supplemented by teacher professional development, a podcast, blog, and impact reports. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and appears to be subsidized or accessible.

Since inception, BioBuilder has reached 87,000 students and trained 600+ teachers across 50 US states and 80 countries. The organization is supported by an industry partner ecosystem including Ginkgo Bioworks, BioMADE, UCB, the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center, the City of Boston, American Student Assistance, Allston Labworks, and the Niswonger Foundation. It holds no disclosed patents, has no proprietary software or AI products, and is headquartered at 716 Beacon Street #590686, Newton, Massachusetts.

Name

The Biobuilder Educational Foundation Inc

Legal name

The BioBuilder Educational Foundation Inc

Website

https://biobuilder.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

STEM Education Services

NAICS

All Other Schools and Instruction (61169), Educational Support Services (61171), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Biology & Life Science Enrichment (Biotech, Genetics, Anatomy) (EDAMABAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Hands-on Science Exploration & Experiments (Lab Kits, Science Clubs) (EDAMABAA), STEM & Computer Science Curriculum (EDAGAAAB), Teacher Training & Curriculum Providers (Robotics/Maker Education) (EDAMADAM), STEM, Digital Literacy & Maker Education Nonprofits (BPAGADAG)

Keywords

• STEM education curricula
• Bioscience curriculum programs
• Biotechnology teacher training
• High school science labs
• Micro-credentials education

Headquarters

HQ city

Newton

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, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: As a 501c3 nonprofit organization, BioBuilder Educational Foundation generates revenue primarily through donations from individuals, corporations, and foundations. The organization states a commitment to ensuring money is not a barrier to participation.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The BioBuilder Educational Foundation provides lab-based bioscience curricula and teacher training programs for high schools. Its two main offerings are BioBuilder Learning (problem-based learning resources for students and educators) and BioTechBuilder (plug-and-play skill-oriented biotech curriculum with micro-credentials developed with industry partners). Programs are designed for both comprehensive and career-technical education (CTE) settings and are offered at low or no cost to schools.

Product overview

BioBuilder Educational Foundation offers two main educational programs: BioBuilder Learning provides problem-based learning resources for students, educators, and industry professionals focused on bioscience challenges, while BioTechBuilder offers a skills-oriented curriculum with industry partnerships and micro-credentials for biotechnology career preparation. Both programs target high school education and are backed by 14+ years of field-tested experience rooted in MIT research.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• BioBuilder Learning: Problem-based learning resources and programs for students, educators, and industry professionals that inspire the next generation to tackle local and global challenges through bioscience.
• BioTechBuilder

Products and services

• BioBuilder Learning Problem-based learning resources and programs for students, educators, and industry professionals that inspire the next generation to tackle local and global challenges through bioscience. Targeted at high school students and teachers, with hands-on lab activities rooted in MIT research.
• BioTechBuilder Plug-and-play skill-oriented biotech curriculum with micro-credentials, developed in partnership with industry-leading companies (Ginkgo Bioworks, BioMADE, UCB, Massachusetts Life Sciences Center), that prepares students for purposeful and wealth-building careers in biotechnology. Targeted at high schools and CTE programs.

Quantifiable outcome

• 87,000 students trained since 2011
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core, regional and supporting.

• Ginkgo BioworkscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLeading biotechnology company partnering with BioBuilder to develop curriculum and provide industry insights for student training programs.
• Massachusetts Life Sciences CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMassachusetts state agency supporting life sciences education and workforce development, partnering to advance biotech education.
• BioMADEcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerManufacturing USA institute focused on bioindustrial manufacturing, supporting BioBuilder's educational programs and workforce development.
• UCBcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal pharmaceutical company partnering with BioBuilder to support biotech education and talent development.
• City of BostonregionalStrategic or Co-development PartnerMunicipal government partnership supporting STEM education initiatives in Boston area schools.
• American Student AssistancesupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerNonprofit organization helping students access educational opportunities, partnering to reach students and support career development.
• Allston LabworksregionalStrategic or Co-development PartnerBoston-based life sciences innovation hub supporting BioBuilder's local educational initiatives.

Scale indicators6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology): Major STEM education nonprofit operating robotics and technology competitions and curricula for K-12 students. FIRST competes with BioBuilder for school STEM program adoption, teacher engagement, and corporate sponsor funding from companies in the science and technology sectors.
• Code.org: High-profile STEM nonprofit that provides K-12 computer science curriculum and teacher training to schools nationwide. While focused on CS rather than biotech, Code.org competes with BioBuilder for the same limited pool of foundation grants, corporate STEM CSR dollars, and educator attention in K-12 STEM.
• Project Lead The Way: Large STEM education nonprofit providing K-12 curriculum and teacher training across biomedical science, engineering, and computer science. PLTW is the dominant scale player in STEM education nonprofits and directly competes with BioBuilder for school adoption and foundation funding, particularly in biomedical pathways.
• National Math and Science Initiative (NMSI): Large national STEM education nonprofit that provides teacher training, curriculum, and student programs for AP STEM courses. NMSI is a potential peer in the teacher professional development and rigorous STEM curriculum space that BioBuilder operates in.

Direct peers

• MassBioEd: Massachusetts-based life sciences workforce development nonprofit that provides biotechnology education, teacher training, and student programs. It is a direct peer in life sciences-focused high school education, sharing Massachusetts geography and a similar mission of building the biotech talent pipeline.

Others

• Biogen Foundation: Corporate foundation of major biotech company Biogen that funds STEM and life sciences education initiatives. The Biogen Foundation is a relevant peer and potential partner/funder for BioBuilder, as both work to expand access to biotech education for high school students.

Emerging players

• Genes in Space: Biotechnology-focused STEM education program that engages high school students in genetics and molecular biology challenges. Genes in Space targets a similar audience (high school students interested in bioscience) with a similar model of problem-based and industry-connected STEM experiences.
• Engineering Tomorrow: Nonprofit providing free STEM curriculum and teacher support to high schools nationwide, with focus on engineering and applied sciences. While Engineering Tomorrow leans more engineering than biotech, it competes for the same school partnerships and shares the model of free, industry-validated curriculum.
• Science Olympiad: National STEM education nonprofit that organizes K-12 science competitions and provides curriculum resources. Science Olympiad competes with BioBuilder for school STEM club adoption and for student engagement in science beyond standard classroom curricula.
• BioBus: Nonprofit that brings mobile science labs and hands-on bioscience programming to underserved K-12 schools. BioBus is comparable in mission and target audience to BioBuilder, with similar focus on life sciences education and access for underrepresented students.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

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 The Biobuilder Educational Foundation Inc