CT North STEM Education Inc.

What CT North STEM Education Inc. does

CT North STEM Education Inc., doing business as CT STEM Academy, is a Connecticut-based nonprofit educational organization founded in 2011 by Pond Hill Elementary School fifth-grade teacher Christopher Stone. The organization delivers STEM enrichment programming for K-12 students and their families, operating across approximately 10 Connecticut communities including Wallingford, Meriden, Cheshire, Durham, Orange, Middletown, Hamden, New Britain, Berlin, and New Haven. Its stated mission centers on innovative STEM enrichment with explicit emphasis on gender equity, cultural diversity, and direct family involvement. Key programs include the VEX IQ Robotics Competition Team (the flagship, built on the VEX IQ platform for student robot design, build, and programming), Summer Offerings, CT Family STEM Nights, Evening/Weekend Programs, Homeschool STEM Programs, In-School/After-School/Field Trip Programs, Birthday Parties, and Mahan Planetarium Nights. Supporting products include co-developed Open Source STEM Lessons and STEM Educator Resources published in partnership with NASA Connecticut Space Grant Consortium, Central Connecticut State University, Albertus Magnus College, and education-association partners.

The delivery model is community-anchored rather than direct-to-consumer: programs are run through partnerships with public school districts (Wallingford, Hamden, Meriden, Cheshire, New Britain, Regional School District 16), municipal parks and recreation departments (Wallingford, Orange), the Meriden-New Britain-Berlin YMCA, Quinnipiac University, Mahan Planetarium, the Spanish Community of Wallingford, and others. Institutional supporters include the Wallingford Rotary Club, Town of Wallingford, Connecticut Education Association (the founding grant provider, with $10K in 2011 and $100K in 2017), and a base of foundations and corporate donors (Regan Foundation, 3M, Petit Foundation, CHEFA, AT&T, Wallingford Education Foundation, NEA Foundation, Community Foundation for Greater New Haven).

Revenue is generated primarily through per-program fees (e.g., $70/$60/$55 per homeschool child for a 6-week YMCA program; $38 per child for a 4-session recreation program) augmented by grants and donations; specific financial figures are not disclosed. The organization is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors led by President Mark Davis (Owner, PC Services LLC) and includes representation from 3M Health Information Systems, Albertus Magnus College, the Regan Foundation, and K-12 school leadership. Per a 2017 CEA report, more than 15,000 students and families had been engaged over the prior five years, and the VEX IQ program has qualified 14 teams for the World Championship.

Name

CT North STEM Education Inc.

Legal name

CT STEM Academy

Website

https://ctstemacademy.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Short description

CT North STEM Education Inc. (DBA CT STEM Academy) is a Wallingford, Connecticut-based nonprofit founded in 2011 that delivers STEM enrichment programming — including VEX IQ Robotics, summer camps, family STEM nights, homeschool classes, and after-school programs — to K-12 students and families through partnerships with public schools, parks and recreation departments, and YMCAs across 10+ Connecticut towns.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

K-12 STEM Education Services

NAICS

Educational Services (61), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

STEM & Maker Education (Makerspaces, Coding Clubs, Robotics) (EDAAAFAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

STEM Competitions & Olympiads (Science Bowls, STEM Challenges) (EDAMABAL), Science Camps & Field Programs (Nature, Space, Marine, Geology) (EDAMABAB)

Keywords

• STEM enrichment programs
• K-12 robotics education
• After-school STEM classes
• Summer STEM camps
• Family STEM events

Headquarters

HQ city

Wallingford

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Program Fees: Revenue from STEM program registration fees for summer camps, after-school programs, evening/weekend programs, birthday parties, and homeschool programs.
2. Grants and Donations: Support from foundations and organizations including The Regan Foundation, 3M, NASA Connecticut Space Grant Consortium, The Petit Foundation, CHEFA, AT&T, Wallingford Education Foundation, National Education Association Foundation, and Community Foundation for Greater New Haven.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

CT STEM Academy delivers community-based STEM enrichment programs for K-12 students and families through summer camps, after-school programs, evening/weekend classes, homeschool programs, family STEM nights, birthday parties, and a VEX IQ Robotics Competition Team. Programs are offered in-school, after-school, evenings, weekends, and summers across more than 12 Connecticut towns, with support from foundations, corporations, and community organizations.

Product overview

CT STEM Academy operates as a community-based STEM enrichment organization offering a diverse portfolio of programs for students. The core offerings include VEX IQ Robotics Competition Team (the flagship competitive robotics program), Summer Offerings (seasonal camps), CT Family STEM Nights (family engagement events), Birthday Parties, Evening/Weekend Programs, Homeschool STEM Programs, In School/After School/Field Trip Programs, and Mahan Planetarium experiences. Supporting resources include Open Source STEM Lessons (educator-created lesson plans shared freely) and STEM Educator Resources. Programs are delivered across multiple Connecticut communities including Wallingford, Meriden, Cheshire, Middletown, Hamden, New Britain, Berlin, Orange, Durham, and New Haven. The organization emphasizes gender equity, cultural diversity, and direct family involvement in all programming.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Summer Offerings Seasonal STEM camps and programs for K-12 students offered during summer break in multiple Connecticut communities including Wallingford, Cheshire, and the Meriden YMCA.
• CT Family STEM Nights Family-oriented STEM events where families participate together in hands-on science activities, learning, and scientific problem-solving.
• In School, After School, and Field Trip Programs School-based STEM enrichment programming delivered during school hours, after school, or as field trip experiences, customizable for partner school districts and community organizations.
• Birthday Parties STEM-themed birthday party experiences where children and guests engage in hands-on science activities as part of celebrations.
• VEX IQ Robotics Competition Team Competitive robotics program where students meet weekly in teams to design, build, and program robots using the VEX IQ platform, participating in local, state, and world-level competitions.
• Evening/Weekend Programs STEM enrichment activities offered during evenings and weekends at various community locations, providing continued learning opportunities outside school hours.
• Homeschool STEM Programs STEM curriculum designed specifically for homeschool families, including structured classes at the Discovery Lab in Wallingford and through partner organizations like the Meriden-New Britain-Berlin YMCA (e.g., 6-week program for ages 7-13 at $70/$60/$55 per child).
• Mahan Planetarium & Learning Dome Astronomy and space science programming hosted at the Mahan Planetarium, offering family science nights and educational experiences focused on astronomy.
• Open Source STEM Lessons Free, educator-created STEM lesson plans and resources developed in partnership with NASA Connecticut Space Grant Consortium, Central Connecticut State University, Albertus Magnus College, National Education Association, and Connecticut Education Association.
• STEM Educator Resources Professional development materials and resources for STEM educators, including lesson plan templates and teaching tools.

Quantifiable outcome

• 15,000+ students and families engaged with STEM over five years
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers10 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

Feature1 record

Partnerships

18 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Wallingford Rotary ClubcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2011Key founding partner that helped launch CT STEM Academy in 2011 as part of collaborative community initiative.
• Connecticut Education AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2011Provided initial two-year $10,000 grant to launch the after-school enrichment program. Later provided $100,000 grant for program expansion.
• Town of WallingfordcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2011Municipal partner that helped launch CT STEM Academy and continues to support through parks and recreation partnerships.
• NASA Connecticut Space Grant ConsortiumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupported development of Open Source STEM Lessons created by educators.
• Quinnipiac UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHosts VEX IQ Robotics Competitions for Connecticut students in 2024 and 2025.
• Hartford AthleticminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSoccer team that hosted STEM Soccer Education Day at Trinity Health Stadium with CT STEM Academy displays.
• Spanish Community of Wallingford (SCOW)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner that hosted Girls of Color Mentoring Network STEM event run by CT STEM Academy.
• Mahan PlanetariumminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWallingford planetarium partner hosting Family Science Nights with CT STEM Academy.
• Wallingford Public SchoolscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary school district partner for in-school, after-school, and field trip STEM enrichment programs.
• Meriden-New Britain-Berlin YMCAcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartners to deliver STEM camps at Camp Thundermoon and ongoing STEM classes for ages 8-12.
• Wallingford Parks and RecreationcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCo-sponsors summer programs, homeschool STEM, and evening/weekend STEM activities.
• Orange Parks and RecreationcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHosts VEX IQ Robotics Team 16477 and various STEM programs.
• Albertus Magnus CollegeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in creating Open Source STEM Lessons; Professor of Biology serves on Board of Directors.
• Central Connecticut State UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity partner supporting development of Open Source STEM Lessons.
• Hamden Public SchoolsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSchool district partner for summer programs.
• Meriden Public SchoolsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSchool district partner for STEM programming.
• Cheshire Public SchoolsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSchool district partner for summer program offerings.
• Regional School District 16minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerServes Prospect and Beacon Falls schools for summer programs.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Connecticut Science Center: The Connecticut Science Center in Hartford operates hands-on STEM programming, school field trips, and family science events across Connecticut, overlapping with CT STEM Academy's Family STEM Nights and school programming in the same state.

Direct peers

• Engineering For Kids: Engineering For Kids delivers STEM enrichment (engineering, robotics, coding) for ages 4-14 via after-school, homeschool, summer camp, and birthday party formats — a direct comparable in curriculum scope and program mix.
• Club Scientific: Club Scientific provides hands-on science camps, in-school field trips, and after-school STEM programs for elementary-aged students — overlapping directly with CT STEM Academy's summer offerings and Family STEM Night format.
• Mad Science: Mad Science runs hands-on science enrichment programs for K-8 students via in-school, after-school, summer camp, and birthday party formats — a directly comparable operating model to CT STEM Academy, with broader national reach but similar STEM enrichment focus.
• iCode: iCode runs STEM and technology enrichment programs — including robotics, coding, and game design — through school, after-school, and camp channels, mirroring CT STEM Academy's delivery model and target audience.
• Code Ninjas: Code Ninjas operates a franchise network of STEM, coding, and robotics enrichment centers for K-12 students, including VEX-adjacent robotics curricula. It competes with CT STEM Academy for the same after-school and summer STEM enrollment pool.
• Bricks 4 Kidz: Bricks 4 Kidz delivers LEGO-based engineering and robotics enrichment programs (camps, after-school, birthday parties) for K-5 students via franchise locations, comparable to CT STEM Academy's competitive robotics and hands-on STEM focus.

Emerging players

• Citizen Schools: Citizen Schools partners with school districts to deliver after-school and extended-learning STEM enrichment for middle schoolers, an overlapping service model and target demographic, though oriented more toward district contracting.

Others

• VEX Robotics (Competition & Education): VEX (by Innovation First) powers the VEX IQ platform that CT STEM Academy uses for its competitive robotics teams. It is a key enabling partner/platform rather than a competitor, defining the competition ecosystem CT STEM Academy participates in.
• NASA STEM Engagement: NASA STEM Engagement is a federal grants and content program that funds and supplies curriculum (e.g., NASA CT Space Grant Consortium, which co-developed CT STEM Academy's Open Source STEM Lessons) — a critical content/funder upstream of CT STEM Academy's programs.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/ctstem
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ctstemacademy
• Instagraminstagram.com/ctstem

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 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 CT North STEM Education Inc.