What Sloyd Experience does

Slöyd Experience is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization headquartered in Louisville, Colorado, founded in 2019 by co-founders Luke Johanson (Executive Director) and Allison Johanson (Director of Development), both former United States Air Force officers. The organization delivers hands-on woodworking-based educational programs to children aged 6-14, grounded in Otto Salomon's historical Scandinavian Theory of Educational Slöyd, a pedagogy emphasizing the unity of hands, head, and heart, and character development through authentic tool use. In 2025, the organization served 285 students across after-school, summer, and in-school sessions, delivering more than 3,800 hours of hands-on learning in Boulder County.

The core product portfolio consists of three interconnected programs: a Summer Program (Monday-Thursday, June-July), an After-school Program (September-May, aligned with the Boulder Valley School District calendar), and an In-school Curriculum delivered at Louisville Elementary School as part of the Boulder Valley School District curriculum. Programming is delivered in person at a maximum 10:1 student-to-instructor ratio to preserve individualized instruction and safety, using traditional hand tools and incremental skill progressions. A separate Partnership & Instructor Training module extends the methodology to external schools and organizations, providing instructor training, curriculum licensing, classroom tool guidance, and access to a research network that includes University of Northern Colorado, Åbo Akademi University (Finland), and University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Revenue is generated through three streams: per-session fees paid by families ($35 per 75-minute session), tax-deductible donations from individuals (Registered 501(c)(3), EIN: 83-3630364), and corporate sponsorships including matching gift, payroll deduction, and quarterly grant programs from partners such as Schacht-Mill-Works and Wedgewood Cabinetry. Go-to-market combines direct family registration via the organization website, an in-school partnership with Boulder Valley School District (Community Partner since 2022), and a licensed partner network spanning organizations in Colorado, Oregon, Arkansas, Brazil, and Switzerland. Marketing relies on content (blog, newsletter), podcast appearances, partner webinars, and corporate sponsor referrals. The organization is governed by a five-member board and operates with 1-10 employees.

Name

Sloyd Experience

Legal name

Slöyd Experience

Website

https://sloydexperience.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Slöyd Experience is a Louisville, Colorado-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers hands-on woodworking education to youth ages 6-14 based on Otto Salomon's historical Scandinavian pedagogy, operating after-school, summer, and in-school programs plus a partner instructor-training module.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Experiential Education

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), Educational Support Services (61171)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Youth-to-Adult Transition & Life Skills (Independent Living, Soft Skills) (EDAAAFAN)

Keywords

• Experiential education programs
• Woodworking education
• Character development education
• Youth enrichment programs
• Educational sloyd

Headquarters

HQ city

Louisville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Program Session Fees: Families pay $35 per session for woodworking programs. Sessions are 75 minutes each during summer (Monday-Thursday) and after-school (when Boulder Valley School District is in session).
2. Donations: Registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit (EIN: 83-3630364) accepting donations to support mission of making slöyd education accessible and inclusive.
3. Corporate Sponsorships: Corporate partners including matching gifts, payroll deduction programs, and end-of-year or quarterly grants. Corporate sponsors shown include Schacht-Mill-Works and Wedgewood Cabinetry.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Slöyd Experience delivers hands-on woodworking education programs for youth ages 6-14 based on Otto Salomon's Theory of Educational Slöyd. Core offerings include a Summer Program (June-July, Monday-Thursday), an After-school Program (September-May), an In-school Curriculum embedded in Louisville Elementary School, and a Partnership and Instructor Training module for organizations wishing to replicate the Slöyd methodology. Programs emphasize the unity of hands, head, and heart to develop Self-Reliance, Neatness, Perseverance, Concentration, Love for Labor, and Resilience.

Product overview

Slöyd Experience is a nonprofit educational organization offering a unified portfolio of hands-on woodworking programs for children aged 6-14. The core offering consists of three interconnected programs: (1) the Summer Program with sessions in June-July, (2) the After-school Program running September-May, and (3) the In-school Curriculum delivered through partnerships with schools like Louisville Elementary in the Boulder Valley School District. Additionally, the organization offers a Partnership and Instructor Training module for schools and organizations wishing to replicate the Slöyd methodology. All programs are grounded in Otto Salomon's Theory of Educational Slöyd and focus on character development through hands-on craftsmanship rather than simply teaching woodworking techniques.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Summer Program Seasonal summer woodworking program offered Monday through Thursday during June and July, with four sessions daily between 8:30AM and 2:15PM. Each session is 75 minutes long for children aged 6-14, focused on character development through hands-on woodworking.
• After-school Program Woodworking sessions offered Monday through Thursday during the academic year (September through May) when Boulder Valley School District is in session. Sessions are held at 3:00PM-4:00PM and 4:00PM-5:15PM at Louisville Elementary School for children aged 6-14.
• In-school Slöyd Curriculum Slöyd education integrated into Louisville Elementary School as part of the Boulder Valley School District curriculum, funded by Slöyd Experience to make the opportunity equitable and accessible to students during school hours.
• Partnership and Instructor Training Training and licensing program for individuals and organizations wanting to implement authentic Slöyd education in their schools and communities. Includes hands-on instructor training, supplemental teaching resources, classroom tool guidance, a refined model curriculum, and access to a research network.

Quantifiable outcome

• 285 students served in 2025
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• University of Northern ColoradocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity partner whose professors support and engage with Slöyd Experience to validate, advance, and refine the organization's curriculum and methods.
• Åbo Akademi University (Finland)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFinnish university partner supporting educational research and slöyd methodology advancement.
• University of Wisconsin-MadisoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity partner contributing to research and validation of slöyd education curriculum and methods.
• North Bennet Street SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHistoric partner with rich history in sloyd education. Pauline Agassiz Shaw, the school's founder, brought sloyd pedagogy to the United States. Organizations collaborated on a webinar discussing organizational history, vision, and impact.
• Saint Maud'sminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization providing slöyd education programs in their community in Newberg, Oregon.
• The Thaden SchoolminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization providing slöyd education programs.
• Ecolint (International School of Geneva)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization providing slöyd education programs at this international school in Switzerland.
• Sacred Heart of Jesus School BoulderminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization providing slöyd education programs in Boulder, Colorado.
• Slöyd Experience BrasilminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization providing slöyd education programs in Brazil.
• Handiwork: Carving Children's CharacterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization in Newberg, Oregon providing slöyd education programs in their community.
• Schacht-Mill-WorksminorOthersCorporate sponsor supporting Slöyd Experience's mission to expand slöyd education across communities.
• Wedgewood CabinetryminorOthersCorporate sponsor supporting Slöyd Experience's mission to expand slöyd education across communities.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• MakerKids: Toronto-based provider of maker education for kids (coding, robotics, Minecraft) — overlapping as a youth enrichment nonprofit with similar age targets, but focused on technology rather than traditional woodworking craft.
• KiwiCo: Hands-on educational kits and content for kids covering science, art, and engineering. Comparable mission of hands-on learning for children, but delivered through a product/kit model rather than in-person craft instruction.
• Children's Creativity Museum: San Francisco nonprofit offering hands-on creative technology and art experiences for children; comparable as a nonprofit youth enrichment provider using real materials, though leaning digital rather than craft-based.
• Steve & Kate's Camp: Day camps emphasizing self-directed learning, maker activities, and real-skill building for kids — comparable in offering alternative, hands-on enrichment rather than traditional sports/screen-based camp formats.

Direct peers

• Tinkering School: Founded by Gever Tulley, Tinkering School offers hands-on, project-based learning for youth using real tools and materials — directly comparable to Slöyd Experience's character-development-through-woodworking model for children.
• The Crucible: Oakland-based nonprofit industrial-arts education center offering hands-on craft and fabrication classes (woodworking, welding, jewelry, etc.) for youth and adults — comparable as a nonprofit craft-education provider, though with a much broader age and discipline range.
• North Bennet Street School: Boston-based nonprofit vocational school whose founder Pauline Agassiz Shaw originally brought Slöyd pedagogy to the United States. NBSS is an existing partner of Slöyd Experience and directly comparable as a nonprofit craft-education institution.
• The Handwork Studio: Provides hands-on needlework, sewing, and crafts camps and classes for children, similar in ethos (screen-free, skill-based character development for kids) though delivered through fiber arts rather than woodworking.

Others

• Rockler: Woodworking supply retailer and education provider offering classes and content — comparable as a domain-adjacent participant in woodworking education, though for-profit and adult-oriented rather than a youth-focused nonprofit like Slöyd Experience.
• Woodcraft: National woodworking supply retailer that also runs in-store and online woodworking classes, including some youth/family programming. Comparable as a domain participant in woodworking education, though primarily a commercial retailer rather than a youth-focused nonprofit.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/sloydexperience
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sloyd-experience

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 Sloyd Experience