Lifestarter

What Lifestarter does

Lifestarter, o.z. is a Slovak civic association (registered IČO 50718274) founded in 2017 in Trnava that delivers non-formal educational programming across six persona segments: teachers, seniors, youth, mothers on parental leave, Ukrainian refugees, and families. Its core product surface comprises licensed Slovak Ministry of Education teacher training programs (Prebuď svojich žiakov!, Škola v pohode, Škola bez nudy), senior digital-literacy curricula (Digitálna akadémia pre seniorov, HOTSPOT), youth and refugee social-inclusion projects, career counseling, and a small commercial line of educational board games (Horúce kreslo, Trnačina, IDE O NEHO, Horúce kocky) sold via eshop.lifestarter.sk. Service delivery is anchored at the Community Education Centre at Kalinčiakova 47 in Trnava (operational since 2023) and supplemented by partner locations including Orange Digital Center Bratislava and secondary vocational schools across the Trnava and South Moravian regions.

The organization operates with 11 employees and no proprietary technology platform; the technology stack is standard civic-association CMS plus Zoom for webinars and a WooCommerce-style eshop. Revenue is a mix of EU project grants (Erasmus+, Interreg Slovensko-Česko, ESF+ — recent project budgets to Lifestarter range from €10,000 to €77,062), fee-based services (€30 career-counseling session, €100–€340 teacher training blocks, €180–€410 camp and Children's University tickets), e-commerce product sales, and Slovak 2% tax donations. Distribution is primarily community-led through events, workshops, and partner-school channels, with secondary direct-to-consumer via eshop and self-serve Zoom webinars. Geographic reach is nominally multi-country via consortia (CZ, PL, GR, HU, RO), but program delivery is overwhelmingly domestic Slovak with cross-border program participation mediated by EU-funded consortia rather than direct international sales.

Lifestarter's principal strategic asset is its institutional positioning in Slovak adult and lifelong learning, capped by its contribution to Trnava becoming the first Slovak city in the UNESCO Global Network of Learning Cities (2023). The business model is structurally dependent on continued EU grant cycles and Slovak civic-association fundraising, which constrains both scalability and commercial defensibility; no parent company, PE/VC backing, or M&A activity is disclosed.

Name

Lifestarter

Legal name

Lifestarter, o.z.

Website

https://lifestarter.sk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Lifestarter, a Slovak civic association founded in 2017 in Trnava, delivers non-formal educational programs, teacher training, senior digital literacy, career counseling, and educational board games to teachers, seniors, youth, mothers, refugees, and families, primarily funded through EU grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Adult Education and Community Learning Services

NAICS

Professional and Management Development Training (61143), Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Child and Youth Services (62411), Civic and Social Organizations (813410)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYEDAMALAO

Life Skills & SEL Camps (Confidence, Executive Function, Social Skills)

Education/Supplemental & Enrichment Programs (Arts, STEM, Language)/Summer & Holiday Enrichment Camps (Multi-Activity, Academic)

SECONDARYHSABAIAI

Family Caregiver Coaching, Education & Support

Home & Personal Services/Elder Care & In-Home Care Services/Care Coordination & Geriatric Care Management

Keywords

• Adult education services
• Teacher training programs
• Community learning centers
• Digital literacy training
• Educational board games

Headquarters

HQ city

Trnava

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Educational workshops and training: Provides professional development workshops for teachers, digital skills training for seniors, career counseling, and various educational programs. Revenue generated through participant fees for training programs and school-based educational services.
2. EU project funding: Lifestarter receives significant funding through European Union programs including Erasmus+, Interreg Slovensko-Česko, and other EU social funds. These grants support specific educational initiatives targeting youth, seniors, teachers, and Ukrainian refugees.
3. Product sales (e-commerce): Sells educational board games (Horúce kreslo, Horúce kreslo teen, Trnafčina, Horúce kocky, IDE O NEHO) and tickets to children's university events through their online shop.
4. Donations and 2% tax donation: As a registered civic association (o.z.), Lifestarter accepts donations and receives support through the Slovak 2% tax donation program.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Lifestarter is a Slovak civic association that delivers non-formal educational programs, professional training workshops, and career counseling services to multiple target audiences including teachers, seniors, youth, mothers on parental leave, families, and Ukrainian refugees. It also designs and sells educational board games through its own e-shop and runs a children's summer university program from its community education center in Trnava.

Product overview

Lifestarter is an educational organization that offers a diverse portfolio of board games for experiential learning and educational services for various target groups. The product portfolio includes: board games (Horúce kreslo, Horúce kreslo teen, Trnafčina, IDE O NEHO, Horúce kocky) sold through their eshop; educational programs for teachers (Prebuď svojich žiakov!, Škola v pohode, Škola bez nudy) providing innovative and update education; specialized programs for seniors (Digitálna akadémia pre seniorov, HOTSPOT); career counseling services; initiatives for mothers (Učiace sa mamy); and community programs like Učiaca sa Trnava. The company operates from a Community Education Center in Trnava and offers both in-person and online learning experiences.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• UČITEĽ21.SK: Online courses platform for teachers
• Učiaca sa Trnava
• SELCO.BLOG
• Večer talentov
• EDUpoint
• Digitálna akadémia pre seniorov
• HOTSPOT
• GenT Akadémia
• F-camp
• Detská univerzita
• SELCO
• Biznis point

Products and services

• Horúce kreslo (social board game) A social icebreaker board game with 121 original questions designed for families, communities, and classrooms to facilitate getting to know each other and improvisation.
• Horúce kreslo teen (teen social board game) Teen version of the Horúce kreslo social game, designed for Generation Z audiences.
• Trnafčina (Trnava dialect board game) Social board game featuring Trnava dialect expressions, containing 100 cards with local terms and a dice for gameplay variations.
• IDE O NEHO (faith-sharing social game) Social game for small groups focused on sharing about faith, spiritual life, and personal relationship with Jesus, containing 100 questions and 10 biblical character cards.
• Horúce kocky (creative dice game) Creative game with 6 wooden dice and 36 symbols to stimulate imagination for children and adults, suitable for storytelling, ideas, and reflections.
• Prebuď svojich žiakov! (Innovative teacher education) Innovative education program for teachers focused on non-formal learning methods, gamification, storytelling, and creative drama, licensed by Slovak Ministry of Education. 25 hours total (21 hours in-person + 4 hours online + 25 hours distance learning).
• Škola v pohode (Teacher update education) Update education program for teachers focusing on mental well-being, psychology, coaching, conflict mediation, and 21st century skills.
• Škola bez nudy (Teacher update education) Update education program for teachers on non-formal learning methods, gamification, teamwork, storytelling, and AI in education. Priced per cohort: 250-340 EUR depending on participant count.
• Učiaca sa Trnava (Learning City initiative) Learning City initiative that made Trnava the first city in Slovakia to join the UNESCO Global Network of Learning Cities, promoting lifelong learning.
• Učiace sa mamy (Learning Mothers) Erasmus+ project creating educational opportunities for mothers on parental leave across Slovakia and Czech Republic; budget 60,000 EUR.
• Kariérne poradenstvo (Career counseling) One-on-one career counseling with Adela covering career direction, CV creation, LinkedIn profile setup, and interview preparation. 45-minute session for 30 EUR; first session free for under-30s.
• Digitálna akadémia pre seniorov (Digital Academy for Seniors) Digital academy program for seniors in Bratislava covering online safety, smartphone usage, applications, AI prompting, social networks, and media literacy; running January-December 2026 with target of ~450 participants.
• HOTSPOT pre seniorov a učiteľov Project providing workshops for teachers and seniors on digital skills including student activation tools, social media trends, content creation, internet safety, and disinformation.
• F-camp detský denný tábor (Children's day camp) Children's day camp combining adventure, games, and activities based on the life of Saint Francis of Assisi, held in Christian spirit; 180 EUR per child.
• Children's University 2026 (Detská univerzita) Summer educational program for children in Trnava; single child ticket 230 EUR, two-child bundle 410 EUR.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 1,750 Ukrainian refugees to benefit from social inclusion programs across 3 countries
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles8 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Centrum pro rodinu a sociální péči (CZ)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSlovak-Czech partnership for Erasmus+ project 'Learning Mothers' focused on creating educational opportunities for mothers on parental leave. Project number 2024-2-SK01-KA210-ADU-000266229 with 60,000 EUR budget.
• Fundacja Bądź Aktywny (Poland)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPolish partner in SELCO (Senior Learning Communities) Erasmus+ project focused on new educational methods for senior learning communities across Slovakia, Poland, and Greece.
• Achaia Adult Education Institute (Greece)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGreek partner in SELCO Erasmus+ project bringing Mediterranean perspective to senior learning community development.
• Vzdělávací institut pro MoravucoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLead Czech partner in DIGINETWORK Interreg project (NFP403401DUI2) focused on cross-border digital education cooperation. Budget 77,062.71 EUR with EU support of 70,897.70 EUR.
• Secondary vocational schools network (SK-CZ)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork of 8 partner schools in South Moravian and Trnava regions including Střední průmyslová škola Brno, Obchodná akadémia Trnava, and others for digital skills implementation.
• Jesuit Refugee Service Europe AISBL (JRS-E), BelgiumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational project coordinator for SMART UA (668,191 EUR total, Lifestarter portion 11,532 EUR) focused on social inclusion of Ukrainian refugees. Multi-stakeholder cooperation across Hungary, Romania, and Slovakia.
• Centrum pomoci pre rodinu (CPPR), SlovakiaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSlovak partner in SMART UA consortium providing family support services.
• Association of Schools of Social Work in Romania (ASSWR)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRomanian partner in SMART UA consortium focused on social work education and refugee support.
• Evangélikus Diakónia, HungaryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHungarian partner in SMART UA consortium providing social services and support.
• Szociometrum Social Science Research Ltd., HungaryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHungarian research partner providing analytical expertise for SMART UA project.
• JRS RomaniaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrior partner from Link IT project (2019-2020) that informed SMART UA methodology for refugee integration.
• City of TrnavacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMunicipal partnership for Learning City initiative, making Trnava the first Slovak city to join UNESCO Global Network of Learning Cities.
• Orange Digital Center BratislavacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVenue partner for digital skills workshops for seniors, providing space and resources for Digital Academy and HOTSPOT programs.
• Spoločenstvo JEDENminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for F-camp children's day camp, providing catering and support services.
• Kráľovské mesto communityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFaith community that created the 'IDE O NEHO' board game for spiritual sharing and discussion.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• People in Need: Major Czech NGO with significant education and refugee-integration programs across Central Europe, including senior and adult education. Comparable in target segments (refugees, adults, educators) and EU-grant funding model, though at materially larger scale.
• Caritas Slovakia: Slovak branch of an international Catholic charity with education, refugee support, and senior services. Comparable in delivering community education and social-inclusion programs in Slovakia with mixed grant/donation revenue.
• Generation (formerly McKinsey Social Initiative): Global nonprofit running employment-focused education programs for refugees and underserved adults (incl. Ukraine response). Comparable in refugee-integration pedagogy, EU program partnerships, and tuition-free/grant-funded operating model.

Others

• Open Society Foundation – Education Programme: International grantmaker funding adult education, Roma inclusion, and civic learning in Central Europe. Relevant as a comparable ecosystem participant — both a potential funder and a benchmark for grant-funded adult education delivery.

Emerging players

• Aha! – Asociace aktivních seniorů: Czech senior learning community association that parallels Lifestarter's SELCO/Senior Learning Communities work. Comparable in senior education focus and EU-funded adult-learning project participation.
• Czechitas: Czech nonprofit delivering adult re-skilling (digital, tech) education, often targeting underrepresented groups. Comparable in adult-education mission, community-led delivery model, and Central European focus.

Direct peers

• IUVENTA – Slovenská inštitúcia mládeže: Slovak state-funded youth organization running educational projects for young people, including youth participation and non-formal learning initiatives. Comparable as a domestic nonprofit delivering education programs to youth with public/grant funding.
• Centrum pomoci pre rodinu (CPPR): Slovak family-support organization partnering with Lifestarter on the SMART UA refugee project. Comparable in mission, geography, and grant-funded operating model for family/social services in Slovakia.
• Centrum pre rodinu a sociálnu péči: Czech partner on the Erasmus+ 'Učiace sa mamy' project and a Trnava-aligned family/social services organization. Directly comparable as a Central European nonprofit delivering adult education and family support programs funded by EU grants.

Regional players

• Pontis Foundation (Nadácia Pontis): Slovak foundation running education and civic engagement programs, often partnering with schools and municipalities. Comparable as a Slovak nonprofit education intermediary working with EU grants and corporate sponsors.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@lifestarter_sk
• Facebookfacebook.com/lifestarterSK
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/lifestarter-sk
• Instagraminstagram.com/lifestarter_sk
• TikToktiktok.com/@lifestarter_sk?lang=sk

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 Lifestarter