Akamai Foundation, a charitable fund endowed by Akamai Technologies, Inc. has announced recipients of the Akamai Foundation 2022 global STEM education grants.
The Akamai Foundation is dedicated to encouraging the next generation of technology innovators by supporting STEM education, with a focus on the pursuit of excellence in mathematics and diversifying the technology ecosystem. Grants focus on equal access to quality STEM education with supporting programs designed to attract more diversity to the technology industry.
In addition to early learner K-12 STEM grants, the Foundation piloted a new grant program called “Empower.” The Empower grant program is an invite-only program that is offered for the first time this year. The program broadens the Foundation’s giving to create more diverse talent in the technology industry by supporting later stages of the talent pipeline such as underrepresented populations in college, technology career pathways and entrepreneurship. Empower grants are higher threshold grants ranging from $25 – $100,000 and above, with $1 million awarded in this first cycle.
The Akamai Foundation commenced funding post graduate initiatives early this year with the Associate to Master’s degree Pathway for Technology (“A2M4Tech”) program. This innovative and affordable pathway to the technology sector is for learners who begin their undergraduate education in community college. The development and startup of the program is run by Northeastern University through a $750,000 grant from the Akamai Foundation. The program addresses institutional barriers that have long slowed progress in achieving equity in computer science. It combines academic study and work by providing full-time employment opportunities for students while they pursue their degrees.
The 2022 early learner K-12 STEM grants and Empower grants total $2 million.
“The Akamai Foundation is pleased to expand its grant program this year – meeting recipients precisely where their needs are. In addition to our grants for programming grades K-12 globally, we are providing support to programs that focus on diversifying tech talent via programs in higher education, college, careers pathways and entrepreneurship,” said Kara DiGiacomo, executive director, Akamai Foundation..
