debate spaces
Debate Spaces is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2017 that delivers free, virtual cross-cultural debate education to students ages 10-17 across 50+ countries via Zoom-based Academy, Summer, and Summit programs.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2017
- HeadquartersBoston, United States
- Headcount—
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What debate spaces does
Debate Spaces is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit education organization founded in 2017 and headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts. It provides free debate education programs to young people ages 10-17, connecting students from more than 50 countries through virtual, Zoom-based sessions designed to develop critical thinking, public speaking, and cross-cultural empathy. The organization's core offerings include the year-round Debate Spaces Academy (September through May weekend sessions), the Summer Academy and Debate Camp (July and August), Debate Spaces Delivered (partner training workshops for schools and community organizations), the Speak Up Summit (themed advocacy events such as the 2021 climate justice summit), and a Fellows Program for graduate student involvement. All programs are provided at no cost to participants.
The platform is built on commodity infrastructure — Zoom for live instruction, Google Forms for self-service registration, Wix for web presence, and Zeffy/PayPal/Givebutter for donations. The curriculum covers Public Forum and World Schools Debate formats, with content drawn from Harvard Law-affiliated leadership and nationally ranked competitive debaters. Business model is donation-driven, supplemented by fundraising events (trivia nights with $250–$500 team entries), grants (including the 2021 i3 Harvard Innovation Challenge), and partnership collaborations. The organization claims 600+ cumulative students reached, outcome metrics of 96% reporting school improvement and 93% reporting improved public speaking, and Harvard Graduate School of Education validation of a supportive and inclusive learning environment.
debate spaces firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- debate spaces
- Legal name
- Debate Spaces, LTD
- Website
- https://debatespaces.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2017
- Operating status
- Operating
- Short description
- Debate Spaces is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2017 that delivers free, virtual cross-cultural debate education to students ages 10-17 across 50+ countries via Zoom-based Academy, Summer, and Summit programs.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
debate spaces industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Youth Debate Education
- NAICS
- All Other Schools and Instruction (61169)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Private Debate Academies & Speech Coaching Centers (EDAMAOAC)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Speech & Debate Camps, Intensives & Bootcamps (EDAMAOAN), After-School Public Speaking & Debate Clubs (EDAMAOAB), Speech & Debate Competition Preparation (Events, Extemp, Impromptu) (EDAMAOAF)
Keywords
Where debate spaces is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Boston
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
debate spaces business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Donations and charitable contributions: Debate Spaces operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit education organization that relies primarily on charitable donations from individuals and organizations. The website explicitly states 'Your gift helps us focus on providing quality programs instead of fundraising.' Donations are processed through Zeffy platform.
- Event-based fundraising: The organization hosts fundraising events such as trivia nights where teams of 2-6 people can register for $250 or $500, with corporate sponsorships also available. These events support debate education while building community engagement.
- Partnership and community collaborations: Debate Spaces Delivered offers single or multi-session trainings on public speaking, debate, and advocacy to community partners, potentially generating revenue through collaborative partnerships with organizations like youth activist groups.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Annual | Free programs for all students |
| Freemium | Annual | Free summer programs for students ages 10-17 |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels11 records
debate spaces product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Debate Spaces is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers free, virtual debate education programs to students ages 10-17 worldwide. Its core offering is the Debate Spaces Academy, a year-round weekend program running September through May, supplemented by summer programs (Summer Academy and Debate Camp) and partner-delivered training workshops (Debate Spaces Delivered). All programs are provided at no cost to students and emphasize critical thinking, public speaking, empathy, and cross-cultural connection.
Product overview
Debate Spaces operates as a unified educational nonprofit offering a portfolio of programs centered on cross-cultural debate education for youth. The core product is the Debate Spaces Academy, a year-round online program running September through May with weekend sessions. Supporting programs include Summer Academy (July) and Debate Camp (August), which are free virtual summer debate programs. Debate Spaces Delivered provides partner training services. The organization also runs periodic events like the Speak Up Summit and maintains a Fellows Program for graduate student involvement. All programs are free to participants and serve students ages 10-17 from over 50 countries.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Debate Spaces Academy Free, online, interactive debate education program for students ages 10-17 running September through May on Saturday mornings. Students learn from world-renowned debaters, engage with peers from 50+ countries, and develop debate, public speaking, and critical thinking skills via games, discussions, and practice rounds.
- Summer Academy Free virtual summer program held in July with bi-weekly sessions dedicated to current debates such as climate change, diplomacy, AI, and markets. Includes guest expert lectures and global roundtable discussions for students ages 10-17.
- Debate Camp Free week-long virtual debate camp held in August offering expert instruction in Public Forum or World Schools Debate formats. Includes group instruction, practice activities, individual coaching, community building, and a Friday tournament.
- Debate Spaces Delivered Partner training program offering single or multi-session workshops on public speaking, debate, and advocacy for community organizations, youth activist groups, and schools. Delivered in collaboration with community partners such as Mario Umana Academy and McCormack Middle School.
- Fellows Program Professional development program for graduate students where fellows collaborate on curriculum development, session assistance, and outreach activities while gaining career experience supporting Debate Spaces operations.
- Speak Up Summit Virtual summit events connecting middle school students globally with expert panelists to explore pressing issues such as climate change and civic engagement. Features breakout discussions, youth empowerment activities, and partnerships with organizations such as Sunrise Movement, GirlUp Nation, and United People Project.
Quantifiable outcome
- 100% of student participants said Debate Spaces helped them meet people who were different from them
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use debate spaces
Customer profileNamed customers11 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
debate spaces technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration7 records
Feature3 records
debate spaces partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- Sunrise MovementminorClimate justice activist organization represented by Chris D'agostino who served as an expert panelist at the Debate Spaces Speak Up Summit on climate change. The partnership involves content collaboration and panel participation rather than formal program integration.
- GirlUp NationminorInternational club affiliated with the UN focused on issues faced by women, represented by Sheen Tyagi who led breakout rooms at the Speak Up Summit. Partnership focused on youth empowerment and climate justice education.
- United People ProjectminorOrganization represented by Dreese Foxworth as expert panelists at the Speak Up Summit. Collaboration centered on climate justice advocacy and youth activism education.
- International Student Environmental Coalition (ISEC)minorEnvironmental coalition represented by Jessy Musaazi at the Speak Up Summit. Partnership for climate education and youth environmental activism programming.
- Boston Debate LeaguecoreRanner Faugas from Boston Debate League serves on the Board of Directors, indicating a strategic partnership for debate education collaboration and community building in the Boston area and beyond.
- Harvard UniversitycoreCo-founders Matt Summers and Tessa Holtzman are graduate students at Harvard. The organization is featured in Harvard Law Today and connected to Harvard Graduate School of Education. Partnership for research, talent, and credibility.
- Mario Umana AcademyminorPartner school where Debate Coach Julia Brasser participates in Debate Spaces programs and provides feedback on curriculum effectiveness. Example of school partnership for program delivery.
- McCormack Middle SchoolminorPartner school where teacher Pam Doiley observed positive outcomes from Debate Spaces programming, noting students were brought together across differences.
Scale indicators9 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
debate spaces competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Mikva Challenge: Chicago-based nonprofit engaging youth in civic participation, debate, and democratic action. Comparable mission and audience (youth civic engagement, debate skill development) with overlapping pedagogical focus on amplifying youth voice.
- National Speech & Debate Association (NSDA): The largest U.S. organization for speech and debate education, serving middle and high school students with competitive events, curriculum, and teacher resources. Directly comparable as a debate-education provider for the same student demographic, though more U.S.-centric and membership-based rather than free.
- Junior State of America (JSA): Student-run civic engagement organization for high schoolers focused on debate, public speaking, and political discourse. Directly comparable as a youth-targeted debate and civic-education nonprofit with similar skill-development focus.
- Boston Debate League: Boston-based nonprofit providing debate education to middle and high school students, with a board member (Ranner Faugas) sitting on Debate Spaces' board. Directly comparable as a local-to-regional debate-education nonprofit targeting the same age group with similar pedagogical approaches.
- National Civics Bee: Competition-based civic education initiative for middle school students run in partnership with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation. Comparable as a structured, competition-based civic-education experience for the same age demographic.
- Close Up Foundation: Civic education nonprofit providing programs in Washington, D.C. and virtually to engage students in government and civic dialogue. Comparable as a youth civic-education provider with both in-person and virtual program offerings.
- Generation Citizen: Nonprofit focused on civic education and youth empowerment through action civics, targeting high school and college students. Comparable as a youth civic-engagement nonprofit with similar mission overlap (debate, advocacy, civic participation) for school-age participants.
- iDebate: International debate education organization promoting accessible debate worldwide, including through the World Schools Debating Championships. Directly comparable as a global debate-education provider serving students across multiple countries.
Emerging players
- World Debate: International debate education initiative supporting competitive debate and cross-cultural dialogue among youth globally. Comparable as an emerging global debate-education nonprofit with overlapping mission and international student audience.
Others
- ClassDojo: Edtech platform widely used in K-8 classrooms for classroom management and communication. Adjacent rather than directly competitive; relevant as an enabling infrastructure player in the K-12 education ecosystem Debate Spaces operates within.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
debate spaces social profiles
Digital presencedebate spaces compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
debate spaces financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
debate spaces leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles14 records
debate spaces funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
debate spaces 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 debate spaces
What does debate spaces do?
Debate Spaces is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers free, virtual debate education programs to students ages 10-17 worldwide. Its core offering is the Debate Spaces Academy, a year-round weekend program running September through May, supplemented by summer programs (Summer Academy and Debate Camp) and partner-delivered training workshops (Debate Spaces Delivered). All programs are provided at no cost to students and emphasize critical thinking, public speaking, empathy, and cross-cultural connection.
Is debate spaces a public or private company?
debate spaces is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was debate spaces founded?
debate spaces was founded in 2017.
Where is debate spaces based?
debate spaces is headquartered in Boston, United States, in the North America region.
How does debate spaces make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Donations and charitable contributions are the primary driver. The others are event-based fundraising and partnership and community collaborations.
Who are debate spaces's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Mikva Challenge, National Speech & Debate Association (NSDA), Junior State of America (JSA), Boston Debate League, National Civics Bee, Close Up Foundation, Generation Citizen and iDebate. World Debate is listed as an emerging player. ClassDojo is listed as an others.
Does debate spaces have an API?
No public API is recorded for debate spaces.
What industry is debate spaces in?
debate spaces's product category is Youth Debate Education. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAMAOAC, Private Debate Academies & Speech Coaching Centers, with a secondary code of EDAMAOAN, Speech & Debate Camps, Intensives & Bootcamps. Its NAICS code is 61169.