Beyond Business: How Being a Public Benefit Corporation Guides STEAM Academy

Picture this: A world where companies like Patagonia don’t just make gear for your next adventure but actively work to protect the wild places you love. That’s the magic of being a Public Benefit Corporation, or PBC—a business model where success is measured in more than just profit. At STEAM Academy, we’re thrilled to say we’ve joined the growing ranks of purpose-driven companies in this movement. But instead of tackling glaciers and forests, our mission is to inspire young minds to fall in love with science, technology, engineering, the arts, and math.  Why is this important?  Because these are the skills our next generation of professionals (NextGen PROs) will need to overcome humanity’s greatest challenges.

So What Exactly Is a PBC Anyway?

At its core, a Public Benefit Corporation (PBC) is a type of for-profit company that wears its heart on its sleeve. Unlike traditional corporations that focus primarily on maximizing profits for shareholders, a PBC also commits to making a positive impact on society. It’s a bit like adding a moral compass to the business world—one that guides companies to balance purpose and profit.

What makes a PBC special is its legal framework. By establishing itself as a Public Benefit Corporation, a company pledges to prioritize and measure specific public benefits in addition to profit.  A great example is Warby Parker’s initiative to give eye-glasses to those in need whenever a customer buys a pair - Buy a Pair, Give a Pair.  In addition, a PBC must consider the effects of its decisions on all stakeholders, not just shareholders. This means that everything, from product design to resource allocation, is done with a holistic view of impact, considering employees, customers, the community, and the environment. It’s about redefining success, ensuring every step forward benefits not just the business itself but the world around it. 

The ‘Why’ Behind Our PBC Status

At STEAM Academy’s founding, choosing to become a Public Benefit Corporation was the only legal structure consistent with our very reason for being—it felt like a natural expression of who we are at our core. As Marian Wright Edelman once said, "Education is for improving the lives of others and for leaving your community and world better than you found it."

STEAM Academy's values revolve around education, innovation, and accessibility. We believe that every child, regardless of background, deserves engaging opportunities to explore science, technology, engineering, the arts, and math (STEAM). Our mission isn’t just about providing education; it’s about sparking curiosity, breaking down barriers, and building a world where all students have the tools and inspiration to succeed. These concepts are woven throughout STEAM Academy's Decision-Making Framework and shape day-to-day operations, company culture, and even the granular metrics measured each month.

This mission even filters down to the terminology used to describe children: they are referred to company-wide not as kids but as NGPs, or the NextGen PROs. There’s a reason for this—it serves as a powerful cultural anchor, making the mission personal and directly linking daily decisions and company priorities back to the children served. Every time a decision needs to be made and priorities need to be organized, the team asks one question first: Does this follow our rule of  NextGen PROs coming first, above all?

“Founding STEAM Academy as a Public Benefit Corp was the natural choice. We wanted our commitment to inspiring the next generation of professionals (NextGen PROs) to pursue STEM degrees and careers to be more than just words—we wanted it legally embedded in our company’s DNA.”

How Being a PBC Shapes Our Work

Our status as a Public Benefit Corporation influences every aspect of how we operate and set priorities. This starts with our company’s core values, of which our highest ranking value is to always put NextGen PROs First!  This means that when tradeoffs are to be made-and there always are in the world of business-we will prioritize the needs of our youngest stakeholders above all else. Future Proofing is another core value that we take to heart.  We’re just as serious about making sure that STEAM Academy is built to last as we are about preparing kids for a world where AI-powered robots are fundamentally changing the nature of work.

Operating as a PBC also impacts the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) we manage ourselves against.  For example, continuously track the number of NextGen PROs and schools we serve, as well as how much they love our Playfully Brilliant afterschool programs. This feedback guides our Rapid Learning (another core value) as we strive to continuously improve and enhance our impact.  Moreover, we’re starting to measure the extent to which kids entering our programs experience a positive shift in their interest in STEM-related careers.

Finally, the DNA of making a positive impact can also be found in our classroom content.  Much of the learning comes through the presentation of real-world challenges with participants creatively applying scientific principles to craft prototype solutions. In doing so we are establishing agency in children to tackle environmental challenges, create technology instead of just consuming it, and so much more.

How You Can Be Part of Our Mission

We believe that inspiring NextGen PROs to pursue STEM degrees and careers requires the collective effort of an engaged and passionate community—and that’s where you come in! Whether you’re a student, parent, educator, or an organization looking to make a difference, there are many ways to get involved with STEAM Academy and support our mission. Your voice, enthusiasm, and support amplify our impact and ensure we can continue creating educational opportunities that uplift and empower. Together, we can future proof our next generation with the STEAM skills they’ll need to overcome humanity’s greatest challenges!  

Want us to join your community?
Send us an email: hello@steamacademy.pro

Further Reading:
Interested in Starting your own BCORP? Check out this PDF from Yale