SVC FOUNDATION

What SVC FOUNDATION does

The SVC Foundation, legally the Society of Vacuum Coaters Foundation, Inc., is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt nonprofit organization established in July 2002 and headquartered in Albuquerque, New Mexico. It was founded by the Society of Vacuum Coaters (SVC) to administer charitable, educational, and scientific activities related to vacuum coating technology, with scholarship programs as its primary function. Its core products are four scholarship programs: Academic Scholarships (up to $5,000 for tuition, books, fees, and conference travel for students in vacuum coating-related fields), Industry Scholarships (approximately $2,500 for working professionals seeking further education), the TechCon Student Travel Sponsorship (full travel and registration support for student presenters at SVC TechCon), and the WISE Scholarship (delivered in partnership with AIMCAL, which directly pays down student debt for women in the roll-to-roll converting sector). The foundation also distributes the Vacuum Wizard Video, an educational product covering the fundamentals of vacuum and vacuum coating technology, made available at graduated donation tiers ranging from $0 for students to $300 for businesses.

The foundation operates with a volunteer-run structure and very low overhead, with a Board of Directors composed of industry representatives drawn from companies such as Vergason Technology, Kurt J. Lesker Company, J.A. Woollam Co., SPECS-TII Inc., Arizona Thin Film Research, and Fil-Tech. Revenue is generated entirely through donations (cumulative lifetime donations exceed $350,000), corporate sponsorships of named and memorial scholarships, and fundraising events including the annual Casino Night Fundraiser ($75 per admission) and the 5K Run/Walk ($40 per registrant, $350 corporate sponsorship). Substantially all donations are expended on stated goals.

Since inception, the foundation has awarded nearly $600,000 across 220+ scholarships to students from 28+ countries, and has exceeded $50,000 in annual awards and travel grants since 2020. Its go-to-market is community-led: applications are sourced through the foundation's website, academic institutions, and industry channels, with fundraising and recognition concentrated at the annual SVC TechCon, which draws more than 1,500 industry professionals. Partnerships with SVC, AIMCAL, and a network of corporate donors form the foundation's primary distribution and fundraising infrastructure.

Name

SVC FOUNDATION

Legal name

SVC Foundation, Inc.

Website

https://svcfoundation.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The SVC Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides scholarships and travel sponsorships for students and industry professionals in vacuum coating technology. Founded in 2002 by the Society of Vacuum Coaters, it is volunteer-run and funded entirely by donations and corporate sponsorships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Educational Scholarship Foundation

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Scholarship & Fellowship Foundations and Trusts (EDADAHAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

College Access, Scholarships & Student Success Nonprofits (BPAGADAE)

Keywords

• Vacuum coating education
• Nonprofit scholarship foundation
• Educational travel grants
• Industry scholarship fund
• Technical conference sponsorships

Headquarters

HQ city

Albuquerque

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations: The foundation draws financial resources from contributions by individuals and businesses. Total donations to-date exceeds $350,000. As a volunteer-run organization with very low overhead, substantially all donations are expended for stated goals.
2. Event Fundraising: Revenue generated from fundraising events including Casino Night Fundraiser and 5K Run/Walk. Corporate sponsorships available at various levels.
3. Vacuum Wizard Video Donations: The SVC Foundation distributes the Vacuum Wizard Video and requests donations at various levels: Student $0, Educator $20, Individual $30, Foundations/non-profits $100, Businesses $300. Includes limited term license for training purposes.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

SVC Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides scholarships and travel sponsorships for students and industry practitioners pursuing education in vacuum coating and related technologies. Its programs include Academic Scholarships (up to $5,000), Industry Scholarships (typically $2,500) for working professionals, the WISE Scholarship for women in the roll-to-roll converting sector, and full TechCon travel sponsorships for student presenters at the annual SVC Technical Conference. The foundation also distributes the Vacuum Wizard Video as a donation-tied educational resource on vacuum and vacuum coating fundamentals.

Product overview

SVC Foundation operates as a single unified nonprofit organization offering scholarship programs as its primary services. The core offerings include Academic Scholarships for students in vacuum coating technology fields, Industry Scholarships for working professionals, Student Travel Sponsorship for conference attendance, and WISE Scholarship for women in the roll-to-roll sector. Additional offerings include the Vacuum Wizard Video educational product and event programs (Casino Night Fundraiser, 5K Run/Walk) that support fundraising for scholarships. Since inception, programs have awarded nearly $600,000 to students from over 28 countries.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Academic Scholarships Annual scholarships for full-time students enrolled in accredited technical, vocational, two-year, undergraduate or graduate programs studying fields related to vacuum coating technology such as engineering, physics, and materials science. Awards of up to $5,000 cover tuition, books, fees, and travel to conferences. Selection is by a blind-review scholarship committee.
• Industry Scholarships Scholarships of typically $2,500 for individuals already working in the vacuum coating or related industry who wish to expand their knowledge through further educational opportunities, covering classes, books, and fees. Includes endowed variants such as the VTI Industry Scholarship (Vergason Technology, 2023) and the Cardinal Glass Industry Scholarship.
• WISE Scholarship (Women in Industry Scholarship for Excellence) A partnership scholarship with AIMCAL that directly pays down student debt for women who have chosen employment in the roll-to-roll converting sector and are continuing to make important contributions to the industry.
• TechCon Travel Sponsorship Sponsorship covering travel costs and SVC TechCon conference registration fees for selected students who are required to make technical presentations at SVC TechCon and prepare manuscripts for the Technical Conference Proceedings. Links students with the 1,500+ professionals who attend the annual SVC Technical Conference.
• Vacuum Wizard Video An educational video distributed by the foundation that brings to life the fundamentals of vacuum and vacuum coating technology through informal presentation with non-technical jargon and live demonstrations. Available in exchange for donation at tiered levels: Student $0, Educator $20, Individual $30, Foundations/non-profits $100, Businesses $300 (the business tier includes a limited-term license for training purposes).
• Casino Night Fundraiser Annual fundraising event held at SVC TechCon featuring casino games, networking opportunities, and a 50/50 raffle in support of SVC Foundation scholarship programs. Admission is $75 per person, including one complimentary drink ticket, $200 in play money, and a chance to win door prizes; corporate sponsorship is available at various levels.
• Annual 5K Run/Walk Annual fitness event held during SVC TechCon to raise funds for the Academic and Industrial Scholarship Funds. Registration is $40 per person and a corporate sponsorship tier is available for $350 that includes the company logo on the race T-shirt; both in-person and virtual participation options are offered.

Quantifiable outcome

• 220+ scholarships awarded to students from 28+ countries
• +2 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Vergason Technology (VTI)minorOthers · 1 January 2023Vergason Technology established the VTI Industry Scholarship to improve the PVD skills of technicians and engineers, supporting further education of practitioners in vacuum coating technology.
• Clark & Karen Bright Endowed ScholarshipminorOthers · 1 January 2021Clark and Karen Bright created this endowed scholarship honoring Angus Macleod. The scholarship provides $2,500 annually for students working with Optical Thin Films and/or Transparent Conductive Thin Films.
• Mike Plaisted Memorial Scholarship FundminorOthers · 1 January 2019Alan 'Mike' Plaisted passed away in 2019. He established ULVAC North America and later founded Soleras LTD. Mike listed the SVC Foundation for donations to establish this memorial scholarship.
• Jim Colbridge Memorial Scholarship FundminorOthers · 1 January 2018Jim Colbridge, a Sales Manager at TELEMARK since 2012, was memorialized through this scholarship established by his friends and colleagues. TELEMARK contributed the initial $10,000.
• J.A. Woollam CompanyminorOthers · 1 January 2016J.A. Woollam Company endowed a scholarship through the SVC Foundation in 2017 to encourage young students in their path toward education in fields involving vacuum coating technologies. Since inception, this scholarship has been made available to 17 students.
• TELEMARKminorOthers · 1 January 2012TELEMARK generously contributed the initial $10,000 to establish the Jim Colbridge Memorial Scholarship in memory of Jim Colbridge, a Sales Manager at TELEMARK who passed away in 2018.
• Bernard Henry AIMCAL-SVC Scholarship FundminorOthers · 1 January 2009AIMCAL and the SVC, with support from many donors, established this scholarship in honor of Bernard Henry who died in 2007. Bernard made major contributions to science with his work on flexible gas barrier materials and polymer solar cells.
• Helen and Rolf IllsleyminorOthers · 1 January 2007Rolf Illsley was co-founder of Optical Coating Laboratory, Inc. (OCLI). The Illsley fund established in 2007 supports the vacuum coating industry by helping students pursue education in the field.
• Society of Vacuum Coaters (SVC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe SVC and SVC Foundation work together each year to fund student travel to the annual TechCon. The SVC Student Sponsorship Program helps link students with the 1,500+ professionals who attend the Annual SVC Technical Conference. The foundation was established in July 2002 as an initiative of the SVC to support charitable, educational, and scientific activities.
• AIMCAL (Association of International Metallizers, Coaters and Laminators)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe SVC Foundation partners with AIMCAL to promote the Women in Industry Scholarship for Excellence (WISE). This scholarship helps reduce college debt for women in the roll-to-roll converting sector. AIMCAL and SVC also jointly established The Bernard Henry AIMCAL-SVC Scholarship Fund in 2009.
• SolerasminorOthersSoleras has generously donated to the SVC Foundation to support multiple Industry Scholarships helping support further education in vacuum coating technology.
• Cardinal GlassminorOthersCardinal Glass has established an Industry Scholarship through the SVC Foundation to support education in vacuum coating technology.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• IEEE Foundation: IEEE Foundation funds scholarships across all engineering disciplines including those intersecting with vacuum coating and thin-film electronics. Comparable in mission and structure but vastly larger and broader in scale and donor reach.
• SPIE: SPIE provides scholarships, grants, and educational outreach across optics, photonics, and related vacuum-deposited thin film applications. Larger and broader in scope, but directly comparable in mission, beneficiary type (graduate students in optical sciences), and event-based donor cultivation.
• American Physical Society (APS) Foundation: APS administers scholarships, fellowships, and grants for physics students — overlapping with the physics-heavy curriculum of vacuum coating students. A much larger and broader incumbent with a similar grantmaking-foundation operating model.
• ASM Materials Education Foundation: ASM Foundation funds scholarships for students in materials science and engineering, which overlaps with thin-film and coating materials. It is a larger incumbent with an analogous industry-affiliated foundation structure and named/endowed scholarship programs.
• Optica (formerly OSA) Foundation: Optica Foundation funds scholarships and fellowships across optics and photonics, a discipline that overlaps with vacuum-coated optical thin films. It is a much larger and broader incumbent in an adjacent technical domain with a comparable scholarship-grantmaking model.

Direct peers

• AVS (American Vacuum Society) Foundation: AVS Foundation funds scholarships, fellowships, and student travel grants for the vacuum science community. It is the most directly comparable peer — overlapping donor base, overlapping beneficiary population (vacuum-related disciplines), and overlapping conference ecosystem (AVS Symposia vs. SVC TechCon).
• AIMCAL: Association of International Metallizers, Coaters and Laminators is itself a co-funder of the Bernard Henry AIMCAL-SVC Scholarship Fund and the WISE Scholarship. AIMCAL's own foundation-style programming and industry-aligned scholarship activity make it the closest co-partner peer.

Regional players

• Society for Information Display (SID): SID funds student travel and scholarships in display technology, which depends heavily on vacuum-deposited thin films. Comparable niche-industry foundation model, though its donor and conference ecosystem is more display-focused than vacuum-coating-focused.

Emerging players

• American Ceramic Society (ACerS): ACerS Foundation funds scholarships for students in ceramics and glass science, an adjacent materials domain to vacuum-deposited coatings. Smaller and more emerging in its thin-film-adjacent scholarship activity, but operates the same industry-affiliated foundation model.
• Society of Women Engineers (SWE) Scholarship Program: SWE administers scholarships for women in engineering — directly analogous to the WISE scholarship that SVC Foundation operates with AIMCAL. Comparable in targeting a defined demographic within engineering, though SWE operates at much larger scale and broader scope.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/society-of-vacuum-coaters-foundation-inc

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about SVC FOUNDATION