What is the name of your organization?
Be A Geek, Inc.
What is the name of your solution?
Be A Geek App
Provide a one-line summary or tagline for your solution.
The Be A Geek app allows parents and educators of K-12 students to find and register for vetted STEM programs based on age, interest, and location.
In what city, town, or region is your solution team headquartered?
Atlanta, GA, USA
In what country is your solution team headquartered?
USA
What type of organization is your solution team?
Nonprofit
Film your elevator pitch.
What specific problem are you solving?
In the US, Black college students earn just 7% of all STEM bachelor's degrees and Black adults represent only 9% of the STEM workforce.
Research shows African American youth are just as interested in STEM as any other race. However, interest wanes as external forces, such as racism and bias within education and the media, convince them they lack the aptitude or attitude to become STEM professionals.
The lack of representation of Black people in STEM is a global issue rooted in systemic racism and a lack of access to and knowledge of high-impact STEM programs and resources.
According to our research and user interviews, while there is a growing number of free, low-cost, and accessible STEM programs for K-12 students in African American communities across the country, many parents, guardians, and educators of K-12 youth find it difficult to find and register for these programs.
The consequences extend beyond just individual career trajectories. A lack of diversity and representation in STEM means that a limited set of perspectives and experiences shapes technological innovations.
What is your solution?
Be A Geek is the first organization to develop a comprehensive, searchable, easy-to-use database of STEM programs. Our native iOS and Android mobile app allows parents and educators to discover, register, and bookmark STEM programs nationwide, filtering by location, interests, and age. It also features Gizmo, our AI chatbot that guides kids of all ages through science experiments, provides career guidance, and serves as a virtual STEM mentor.
Our STEM Partner Portal enables program providers to showcase their offerings in the app and access a dashboard with metrics on engagement and impact.
Be A Geek makes finding and exploring STEM opportunities easy for families while giving organizers a custom-built platform to reach the exact communities they want to serve. You can think of Be A Geek as a Google Maps or Yelp for STEM programs.
Here's a link to a demo of the Be A Geek mobile app: https://vimeo.com/1073381684
Here's a link to a demo of the STEM Partner Portal: https://vimeo.com/1076444641?share=copy#t=0
Who does your solution serve, and in what ways will the solution impact their lives?
Be A Geek directly serves Black youth, parents, and educators facing systemic STEM participation barriers. Despite Black students showing equal interest in STEM compared to other races, they represent only 7% of STEM bachelor's degree recipients—a disparity rooted in limited access to opportunities and supportive environments.
Our solution addresses three critical gaps:
For Black families and educators, we eliminate the frustrating information barrier by providing a comprehensive, searchable database of STEM programs filtered by location, interest, and age—making previously hidden opportunities visible and accessible.
For Black youth, we offer Gizmo, an AI chatbot that serves as a virtual STEM mentor. It provides science experiments, career guidance, and sustained engagement, creating a supportive environment that nurtures their STEM interests despite external discouragement.
For resource-constrained STEM program providers serving Black communities, we provide a dedicated platform to efficiently reach their target audience without diverting resources from programming.
By connecting Black youth with appropriate STEM opportunities and mentorship, we help sustain their natural interest through critical developmental stages, ultimately contributing to a more diverse STEM ecosystem where Black perspectives are represented in technological innovation.
