What Heph Foundation does

HEPH Foundation is a 501c3 nonprofit founded in 2014 by Steve and Sheila Conner that delivers K-12 STEM/STEAM education to underserved learners using tools students already engage with—video games, sports, music, social media, dance, fashion, and comics. Its flagship offering, DREAM T.E.A.M.S., combines a proprietary curriculum framework (integrating mindfulness, teamwork, creativity, real-world problem-solving, and entrepreneurship) with an AI-infused individualized learning platform and the INCREDICAMP BIOTECH gaming system, which includes a pilot NIH-funded immunology game and a planned robotic surgery module. The foundation claims 95% engagement, 75% improvement in math and reading skills, 20,000 learners impacted, and over 1,000 underserved schools requesting the platform, with anchor partnerships at Oak Park School Districts 97 and 200 since 2015.

The organization operates from Oak Park, Illinois with programs delivered in Chicago, Philadelphia, New York, and South Carolina, serving K-12 students—particularly those who have "tuned out" of STEM—and the schools and districts that serve them. The Conner family maintains operational control through the Executive Director (Steve) and COO (Sheila) roles, supported by a board drawn from consumer research, legal, and international development backgrounds.

Revenue is generated through a hybrid nonprofit model: tax-deductible donations at tiers ranging from $20 to $35,000+ (or custom multi-year school sponsorship), program fees from summer camps, year-round camps, and after-school programs, and educational kit sales through a Shopify storefront. The only quantified capital event is a $125,000 NIH grant secured in 2021 with INCREDIVERSE and Loyola University. The foundation was recognized with a 2024 Red Cross Heroes Award for education.

Name

Heph Foundation

Legal name

HEPH Foundation

Website

https://hephfoundation.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Heph Foundation is a 501c3 nonprofit that delivers K-12 STEM/STEAM education through games, arts, and AI-infused learning tools to underserved students and schools in Chicago, Philadelphia, New York, and South Carolina.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

K-12 STEM/STEAM Education Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (61171), Educational Services (611)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

STEM Project-Based Learning (PBL) & Challenge Platforms (EDAFANAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

STEM, Digital Literacy & Maker Education Nonprofits (BPAGADAG), Math & STEM Learning Technology (incl. Coding/Robotics Platforms) (EDAJAMAG), Virtual Test Prep & Online Supplemental Instruction (K–12) (EDAJADAI)

Keywords

• K-12 stem education
• Steam learning programs
• Educational video games
• Summer camp education
• After-school programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Oak Park

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donations and Philanthropic Support: As a 501c3 nonprofit organization, Heph Foundation relies on tax-deductible donations from individuals and organizations to fund operations and programs
2. Educational Program Fees: Revenue from summer camps, year-round camps, and after-school programs; fees support student, classroom, and school-level engagements
3. Kit Sales: Sale of educational kits through their Shopify store (heph-1003.myshopify.com) to support learning at home and in classrooms

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

HEPH Foundation is a 501c3 nonprofit that delivers K-12 STEM/STEAM education to underserved learners through its DREAM T.E.A.M.S. curriculum framework, INCREDICAMP camp programs, and INCREDICAMP BIOTECH gaming platform. Programs are delivered via direct school district partnerships, community-based summer and after-school camps, and an online store for educational kits and merchandise. The organization bridges engagement gaps in STEM by using AI-infused individualized learning and video game-based modules alongside traditional curriculum.

Product overview

Heph Foundation operates DREAM T.E.A.M.S., a unified STEM/STEAM education platform that delivers curriculums through engaging tools learners love—including video games, sports, music, social media, dance, fashion, and comics. The platform is complemented by INCREDICAMP BIOTECH, a gaming platform featuring educational video games like an immunology-themed cancer-fighting game developed with NIH funding, and INCREDICAMP year-round/summer camp programs. The organization also offers AI-infused individualized learning capabilities to personalize the educational experience.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• INCREDICAMP: Year-round camp and summer school program focused on STEM/STEAM education using games, sports, music, and engaging experiences.
• INCREDICAMP BIOTECH

Products and services

• DREAM T.E.A.M.S. An educational platform and program that uses video games, sports, music, social media, dance, fashion, and comics to teach STEM/STEAM concepts to underserved K-12 learners, incorporating AI-infused individualized learning and the proprietary T.E.A.M.S. framework that integrates mindfulness, teamwork, creativity, real-world problem-solving, and entrepreneurship.
• INCREDICAMP Year-round and summer camp programs focused on STEM/STEAM education through hands-on activities, games, sports, music, and engaging experiences for K-12 students.
• INCREDICAMP BIOTECH Gaming Platform A biotech gaming platform featuring video games that teach immunology and other biotech concepts to middle and high school students, developed in collaboration with INCREDIVERSE and Loyola University.
• Educational Kits Physical educational kits sold through the Heph Foundation Shopify store (heph-1003.myshopify.com) to support learning at home and in classrooms.

Quantifiable outcome

• 95% learner engagement rate across Heph programs
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Oak Park School District 97coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2015HEPH Foundation has worked with the elementary school district in Oak Park, IL since 2015. The partnership focuses on students in partnership with community, teachers, department heads and superintendents. Executions include a powerful new way of teaching summer school, in-school adventure activities and scaffolding between schools. The approach integrates rather than alienates all students.
• Oak Park and River Forest High School District 200coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2015HEPH Foundation has worked with the high school district serving both Oak Park and River Forest, IL since 2015. The working relationship revolves around students and is in partnership with community, teachers, department heads and superintendents. The partnership delivers holistic support to students who otherwise might get lost in the system.
• INCREDIVERSEcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration partner for NIH-funded video game development; partners with Heph and Loyola University on the INCREDICAMP BIOTECH gaming platform for teaching immunology to middle and high school students.
• Loyola University (Professor Makio Iwashima, PHD)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner collaborating on the NIH-funded $125,000 grant to develop the INCREDICAMP BIOTECH gaming platform. Professor Iwashima brings academic expertise in immunology to the video game development.
• UIC (Professor Cristian Luciano, PHD)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFuture modules of INCREDICAMP BIOTECH gaming platform are in planning stages with UIC Professor Cristian Luciano, PHD. This module will focus on robotic surgery.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• STEM NOLA: Nonprofit delivering STEM/STEAM programming to underserved K-12 students through camps, school partnerships, and community events. Comparable mission, audience (underserved learners), and program mix (camps plus in-school activities) to Heph.
• Code.org: K-12 computer science and STEM nonprofit that delivers standards-aligned curriculum, teacher training, and after-school programs to underserved schools nationwide. Highly comparable mission, customer base, and program model to Heph's DREAM T.E.A.M.S. and INCREDICAMP.
• Khan Academy: Large K-12 STEM/STEAM online learning nonprofit offering free personalized educational content. Directly comparable as a tech-enabled, mission-driven K-12 STEM platform, though Khan operates at vastly greater scale and with broader subject coverage than Heph.
• MIND Research Institute: Education nonprofit delivering visual, game-based K-12 math programs to schools serving low-income communities. Comparable as a K-12 STEM nonprofit using game-based learning to drive measurable math outcomes in underserved schools.
• FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology): Nonprofit running K-12 STEM/robotics competitions and school programs that engage underserved learners through hands-on, project-based experiences. Comparable target audience (K-12 underserved schools), engagement model, and reliance on district and sponsor partnerships.
• Iridescent: STEM education nonprofit serving under-resourced communities through family engagement and hands-on engineering programs. Closely comparable as a mission-driven STEM nonprofit focused on underserved K-12 learners.
• Citizen Schools: Nonprofit providing after-school STEM enrichment, career exploration, and project-based learning to underserved middle schoolers. Overlaps directly with Heph's after-school, summer camp, and underserved K-12 positioning.

Broad incumbents

• Discovery Education: Large K-12 digital content provider delivering standards-aligned STEM/STEAM curriculum and resources to school districts. Comparable customer (K-12 districts) and STEM focus, but with a much broader content portfolio and more established distribution.
• BrainPOP: Established K-12 educational content platform offering STEM/STEAM videos, games, and curriculum across thousands of schools. Comparable subject matter (K-12 STEM with engaging media) but operates as a broader commercial content library rather than Heph's targeted underserved-school model.

Emerging players

• Newsela: K-12 educational content platform providing differentiated instructional content with measurable literacy outcomes. Adjacent rather than directly overlapping: shares the K-12 outcomes-driven model but focuses on literacy content rather than STEM/STEAM gaming.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/dreamteamsgo
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/heph-foundation

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Heph Foundation