STARBASE Indiana
STARBASE Indiana is a non-profit 501(c)(3) educational program that delivers free, hands-on STEAM curricula to elementary and middle school students at four military installations across Indiana, funded primarily by the U.S. Department of Defense with supplemental corporate sponsorships.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2012
- HeadquartersGary, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What STARBASE Indiana does
STARBASE Indiana is a non-profit 501(c)(3) educational program operating as the state-level affiliate of the national DoD STARBASE program, sponsored by the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Manpower and Reserve Affairs. It delivers free, hands-on, inquiry-based STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art/Design, Mathematics) programming to elementary and middle school students at four military installations across Indiana: Fort Wayne (122nd Fighter Wing, Air National Guard Base), Indianapolis (Stout Army Air Field), South Bend, and Gary (Indiana National Guard Armory). The core program is a 5-day, 25-hour curriculum for 5th graders covering physics, chemistry, robotics, engineering design, 3D CAD, and STEM careers, supplemented by a structured after-school mentoring program (STARBASE 2.0) for middle school students, free summer camps for grades 3-9, community outreach events, and homeschool programming. Students interact with military personnel who serve as role models and apply abstract STEAM principles to real-world settings. The organization was founded in 2012 by Col David Augustine (Ret) and has been expanded to a four-location network serving Northeast, Central, Northwest, and South Bend regions of Indiana plus the Chicagoland area.
The organization is primarily funded by the U.S. Department of Defense, with additional support from a network of more than 20 corporate and institutional sponsors including Verizon Foundation, ERIE Insurance, L3Harris, BAE Systems, NIPSCO/NISource, Sweetwater, Teachers Credit Union, Legacy Foundation, Indiana Tech, Parkview Health, and Manchester University. Programs are delivered at no cost to schools, which only provide student transportation and lunches. The go-to-market motion is community-led: STARBASE Indiana partners directly with school districts, homeschool groups, and community organizations to recruit students, with each academy using a customized subset of peer-reviewed DoD curriculum aligned to state learning standards. The organization operates with a small staff (1-10 employees across four sites) and relies on military volunteers, guest speakers, and local sponsorships to scale program delivery.
STARBASE Indiana firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- STARBASE Indiana
- Legal name
- STARBASE Indiana
- Website
- https://starbasein.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2012
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- STARBASE Indiana is a non-profit 501(c)(3) educational program that delivers free, hands-on STEAM curricula to elementary and middle school students at four military installations across Indiana, funded primarily by the U.S. Department of Defense with supplemental corporate sponsorships.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
STARBASE Indiana industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Youth STEAM Education Services
- NAICS
- Educational Services (61), Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Robotics, Engineering & Makers Camps (EDAMALAE)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- STEM & Science Camps (Biology, Chemistry, Space, Lab Science) (EDAMALAC), Coding, Game Design & Computer Science Camps (EDAMALAD)
Keywords
Where STARBASE Indiana is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Gary
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices4 records
Markets served
STARBASE Indiana business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Department of Defense Funding: Primary funding from the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Manpower and Reserve Affairs. The main STARBASE Indiana program is fully funded by the Department of Defense.
- Private Donations and Sponsorships: Additional growth and activities are supported by donations to the organization's 501(c)(3) fund. Corporate sponsors include Verizon Foundation, ERIE Insurance, L3Harris, Sweetwater, and others.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Multi-year contract | Free 5-day, 25-hour STEAM program for 5th graders |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels4 records
STARBASE Indiana product offering
Product offeringCore offering
STARBASE Indiana delivers free, hands-on, inquiry-based STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art/Design, Mathematics) educational programs to elementary and middle school students at military installations in Fort Wayne, Indianapolis, South Bend, and Gary. Core offerings include a 5-day, 25-hour program for 5th graders (STARBASE 1.0), a 10-week after-school mentoring program for middle schoolers (STARBASE 2.0), free Summer STEM Academies for grades 3-9, community outreach STEM experiences, and specialized homeschool programs.
Product overview
STARBASE Indiana is a DoD-sponsored educational program offering a portfolio of hands-on, minds-on STEAM programs for youth. The core offerings include STARBASE 1.0 (a 5-day, 25-hour program for 5th graders at military installations), STARBASE 2.0 (an advanced afterschool mentoring program for middle school students), Summer STEM Academies (free summer camps for grades 3-9), Community Outreach (partner-based STEM events), and Homeschool Programs. The program operates at four Indiana locations: Fort Wayne, Indianapolis, South Bend, and Gary, providing students with experiences in physics, engineering, robotics, rocketry, aviation, and other STEAM topics.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- STARBASE 1.0 (Basic Program) A free, 5-day, 25-hour hands-on, inquiry-based STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art/Design, Mathematics) program primarily for 5th grade students, conducted on-site at military installations. Curriculum covers Newton's Laws, Bernoulli's principle, robotics, engineering design, 3D computer-aided design, mathematics operations, metric measurement, estimation, geometry, data analysis, and STEM careers. Military personnel lead tours and lectures demonstrating real-world STEAM applications. Delivered at no cost to schools, which only provide transportation and lunches.
- STARBASE 2.0 (Advanced After-School Program) A structured after-school STEAM mentoring program for middle school students (grades 6-12) that meets once per week for 10 weeks, 2 hours per session. Combines team mentoring, school-based mentoring, and after-school programming elements. STEAM projects include advanced robotics, 3D CAD, CSI forensics, high-altitude balloon experiments, rocketry, Scalextrics, engineering, physics, FIRST LEGO League, solar cars, chemistry, technology, and aerospace. Mentors serve as STEAM professional coaches and role models.
- Summer STEM Academies Free summer camp programs for students entering grades 3-9, featuring immersive STEAM learning experiences including robotics programming, rocket launches, aviation investigations, computer design, the science of baseball, dissection labs, and cybersecurity. Operated at Fort Wayne, Indianapolis, South Bend, and Gary locations with location-specific community collaborations.
- Community Outreach Stand-alone STEM experiences delivered in partnership with school districts and community groups for students, families, and practitioners across Northwest Indiana and Chicagoland regions, designed to extend STARBASE programming beyond the on-site academy model.
- Homeschool Programs Specialized, free week-long STEAM programs for homeschooled students in grades 4-9, with a minimum group size of 20 students. Programs leverage the same military-installation learning environment and peer-reviewed curriculum as STARBASE 1.0 and are hosted primarily at the Gary location.
Quantifiable outcome
- Students who attend DoD STARBASE improve their attitudes about and confidence in STEAM
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use STARBASE Indiana
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
STARBASE Indiana technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
STARBASE Indiana partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered minor, core and flagship.
- Indiana TechminorUniversity partner supporting STARBASE Indiana programs and initiatives.
- Sweet AviationminorAviation company partner supporting aviation-related STEAM programming.
- Young EaglesminorAviation education organization partner supporting flight-related STEAM activities.
- Parkview HealthminorHealthcare system partner supporting health-related STEM programming and career exploration.
- Parkview Field (TinCaps)minorMinor league baseball stadium partner supporting community-based STEAM events and programs.
- World Baseball AcademyminorBaseball academy partner supporting community outreach and STEAM programming.
- Manchester UniversityminorUniversity partner providing educational support and career pathway connections.
- Indiana National GuardcorePrimary hosting partner providing military installations for STARBASE programs across Indiana. Serves as the sponsoring military unit for multiple locations.
- Indiana Air National GuardcoreKey military partner hosting STARBASE programs at Air National Guard facilities including Fort Wayne Air National Guard Base and Stout Army Air Field.
- Department of Defense (Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Manpower and Reserve Affairs)flagshipPrimary sponsor of DoD STARBASE program. Provides federal funding and program oversight for all STARBASE locations nationwide including the four Indiana academies.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves9 records
Expansion highlights4 records
STARBASE Indiana competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Project Lead the Way (PLTW): National nonprofit providing STEM curriculum and teacher training for K-12 schools, including engineering, computer science, and biomedical science pathways. Comparable as a school-partnered STEAM curriculum provider, though delivered in-school rather than on military installations.
- National Math and Science Initiative (NMSI): Nonprofit that partners with school districts to scale advanced STEM coursework (AP math/science, computer science) and teacher training. Comparable as a federally and corporately funded K-12 STEM nonprofit, though focused on advanced coursework rather than introductory hands-on exposure.
- Boys & Girls Clubs of America: Large national youth-development nonprofit that runs after-school STEM/STEAM programming across hundreds of clubs. Comparable as a free-to-families youth education platform with similar geographic footprint and reliance on corporate/foundation funding, but without the military-installation differentiator.
- 4-H (National 4-H Council): The largest U.S. youth-development organization, with deep STEM programming (robotics, agriscience, aerospace) delivered through Cooperative Extension. Comparable as a federally and corporately funded K-12 STEM enrichment platform with school-based partnerships, but with an agricultural rather than defense focus.
- NASA STEM Engagement: Federal STEM education program offering K-12 student engagement, teacher resources, and authentic STEM experiences tied to NASA's mission. Comparable as a government-funded K-12 STEAM platform offering real-world exposure (analogous to STARBASE's military-installation access).
Direct peers
- FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology): Runs FIRST LEGO League, FIRST Tech Challenge, and FIRST Robotics Competition for K-12 students with a strong hands-on engineering/robotics focus. STARBASE Indiana's middle-school program explicitly references FIRST LEGO League; comparable in target audience and STEM engagement model.
- DoD STARBASE National Program: The parent/flagship federal program that funds and oversees STARBASE Indiana and roughly 60+ other state academies. Directly comparable as the same curriculum, funding mechanism (DoD Manpower & Reserve Affairs), and military-installation delivery model.
- STARBASE Wisconsin: A sibling state-level DoD STARBASE academy operating the identical 5-day, 25-hour STEAM curriculum for 5th graders at Wisconsin National Guard installations. Directly comparable in operating model, customer base, and funding structure.
- STARBASE Michigan: Another state-level DoD STARBASE program; notably the state where the original Project STARS originated in 1991. Operates the same hands-on STEAM curriculum at Michigan military installations for elementary and middle school students.
Emerging players
- Code.org: Nonprofit focused on expanding computer-science access in K-12 schools through free curriculum, teacher training, and the Hour of Code. Overlaps with STARBASE Indiana's computer-aided design and computer-training components, though Code.org is digital-first rather than hands-on-lab focused.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
STARBASE Indiana social profiles
Digital presenceSTARBASE Indiana financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
STARBASE Indiana leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
STARBASE Indiana funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
STARBASE Indiana M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about STARBASE Indiana
What does STARBASE Indiana do?
STARBASE Indiana delivers free, hands-on, inquiry-based STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art/Design, Mathematics) educational programs to elementary and middle school students at military installations in Fort Wayne, Indianapolis, South Bend, and Gary. Core offerings include a 5-day, 25-hour program for 5th graders (STARBASE 1.0), a 10-week after-school mentoring program for middle schoolers (STARBASE 2.0), free Summer STEM Academies for grades 3-9, community outreach STEM experiences, and specialized homeschool programs.
Is STARBASE Indiana a public or private company?
STARBASE Indiana is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was STARBASE Indiana founded?
STARBASE Indiana was founded in 2012. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is STARBASE Indiana based?
STARBASE Indiana is headquartered in Gary, United States, in the North America region.
How does STARBASE Indiana make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Department of Defense Funding is the primary driver. The others are private Donations and Sponsorships.
Who are STARBASE Indiana's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Project Lead the Way (PLTW), National Math and Science Initiative (NMSI), Boys & Girls Clubs of America, 4-H (National 4-H Council) and NASA STEM Engagement. Direct peers are FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology), DoD STARBASE National Program, STARBASE Wisconsin and STARBASE Michigan. Code.org is listed as an emerging player.
Does STARBASE Indiana have an API?
No public API is recorded for STARBASE Indiana.
What industry is STARBASE Indiana in?
STARBASE Indiana's product category is Youth STEAM Education Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAMALAE, Robotics, Engineering & Makers Camps, with a secondary code of EDAMALAC, STEM & Science Camps (Biology, Chemistry, Space, Lab Science). Its NAICS code is 61 and its SIC code is 8200.