Steam & Dream Liberation Labs

Name

Steam & Dream Liberation Labs

Legal name

Steam & Dream Liberation Labs

Website

https://steamdreamlabs.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2024

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth STEM Education Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

STEM, Digital Literacy & Maker Education Nonprofits (BPAGADAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Robotics & Engineering Summer Camps / Bootcamps (EDAMADAF), STEM & Science Camps (Biology, Chemistry, Space, Lab Science) (EDAMALAC)

Keywords

• STEM education programs
• Near-peer mentorship
• Youth enrichment services
• Culturally affirming curriculum
• K-12 STEM programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: One-time and recurring donations from individuals supporting STEM education for underserved youth. Donation options include $25, $50, $100, $500, and custom amounts with weekly, monthly, quarterly, and annual billing cadences.
2. Corporate/Foundation Grants: Funding from corporate sponsors and foundations to support STEM labs, scholarships for underrepresented youth, major events like Future Ceremony, and grants supporting college STEM Learning Leads.
3. K-12 School Partnerships: Integrate project-based learning programs into partner school curricula during school day or after-school. Programs brought to schools at no cost to the school, funded through donations and grants.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

STEAM & Dream Liberation Labs is a Chicago-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit delivering hands-on, culturally affirming STEM education to youth in grades 2-12 through five themed program tracks—Healthcare to the Future, Tech to the Future, Engineering to the Future, Planetary Guardians, and Future Equation (Math). Programs are delivered in schools during the school day and after-school, led by trained college STEM majors from Chicago universities acting as near-peer mentors and role models.

Product overview

STEAM & Dream Liberation Labs operates as a nonprofit STEM education organization offering five distinct program tracks as a unified educational platform: Healthcare to the Future, Tech to the Future, Engineering to the Future, Future Equation (Math), and Planetary Guardians. These programs serve youth in grades 2-12 through in-school and after-school formats, utilizing a near-peer mentorship model where college STEM majors lead hands-on learning activities. The five tracks cover healthcare, technology/coding/cybersecurity, engineering disciplines, mathematics, and environmental science respectively, all emphasizing culturally affirming education for Black and Brown youth in Chicago.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Healthcare to the Future Hands-on healthcare exploration program where students study human anatomy, nursing, pharmacy, dentistry, mental health, nutrition, and biomedical engineering, building clinical and observation skills alongside near-peer mentors and healthcare professionals. Designed for grades 2-12.
• Tech to the Future Technology education program covering circuits, coding, robotics, gaming, web design, and cybersecurity. Students transition from technology consumers to creators through hands-on projects. Designed for grades 2-12.
• Engineering to the Future Engineering immersion program exploring civil, mechanical, aerospace, biomedical, and electrical engineering disciplines through hands-on design challenges, prototyping, and the engineering design process. Designed for grades 2-12.
• Future Equation (Math) Math exploration program using games, puzzles, chess strategy, scavenger hunts, and geometry activities to build problem-solving skills, reasoning, and math confidence for students in grades 2-12.
• Planetary Guardians Environmental science and sustainability program where students investigate water, food, and energy systems, explore ecosystem impacts, and design solutions for environmental challenges facing their communities. Designed for grades 2-12.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 1,000 youth served since 2024 launch
• +3 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

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Gary Comer College Prep Middle SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 September 2024Partner school receiving in-school and after-school STEM programs through Healthcare to the Future (nursing) and Tech to the Future tracks. 75-85 students served in Fall 2024 launch.
• Perspectives IIT Math & Science AcademycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 September 2024Partner school receiving STEM programs as part of the initial Fall 2024 launch with 75-85 students across three schools.
• University of Chicago Woodlawn Charter SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 September 2024Partner charter school receiving hands-on STEM programming and mentorship for middle school students as part of the initial Fall 2024 launch.
• Three City Social ClubminorOthers · 3 September 2024Venue partner for the September 3, 2024 Launch Fundraiser event in Chicago.
• Argonne National LaboratorycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBoard member Brandon Pope serves as Education Outreach Coordinator at Argonne National Laboratory, providing potential for scientific partnerships and STEM expertise.
• Chamberlain UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBoard member Dr. Simendea Clark serves as Executive Dean of Prelicensure Nursing, supporting Healthcare to the Future track curriculum and career pathways.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Black Girls CODE: Nonprofit delivering technology and STEM education programs to Black girls and other underrepresented youth through workshops, camps, and clubs — directly aligned mission and target audience with STEAM & Dream.
• STEM NOLA: New Orleans-based nonprofit delivering hands-on STEM exposure and mentorship to underserved K-12 youth through community pop-ups and school partnerships — comparable regional STEM equity mission.
• Iridescent: Nonprofit (Curiosity Machine) running AI and STEM education programs for underrepresented K-12 youth with family engagement and mentor components — comparable underserved-youth STEM delivery model.
• Project Scientist: Nonprofit running STEM summer academies, after-school clubs, and expeditions for girls K-12 with a focus on underrepresented populations — closely mirrors STEAM & Dream's enrichment-format, multi-track delivery.
• Science Club for Girls: Nonprofit providing STEM mentoring and after-school clubs for girls of color and other underrepresented youth, with a near-peer mentor model and a focus on culturally responsive STEM identity — highly comparable.
• KID Museum: Bethesda-based nonprofit operating makerspace-based STEM programs, camps, and in-school workshops for K-12 youth, with an emphasis on hands-on, culturally responsive design challenges — comparable supplemental STEM enrichment model.
• Citizen Schools: National nonprofit providing expanded-learning STEM and career exploration programs for underserved middle-school youth, using near-peer and adult-volunteer mentors — directly comparable model to STEAM & Dream's school-day and after-school delivery.
• Girls Who Code: Nonprofit building the largest pipeline of female engineers through clubs, summer programs, and college-loops that mirror STEAM & Dream's near-peer college-student mentorship model for underrepresented youth in tech.
• Technovation: Nonprofit running technology entrepreneurship and AI programs for girls ages 8-18 globally with mentor-supported teams — directly comparable STEM + near-peer mentorship model for underrepresented youth.

Broad incumbents

• Code.org: Larger, established nonprofit focused on expanding access to computer science education in K-12 schools through curriculum, teacher training, and advocacy — broader incumbent in the same STEM equity space as STEAM & Dream.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 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 Steam & Dream Liberation Labs