WELCOME:

Founder’s Message

Dear Base 11 Community,

Ten years ago, we started Base 11 with a simple but radical belief:

America’s future prosperity will be determined by who we prepare—and who we empower—to lead in the industries defining the next century.

We believed that high-potential, low-resource students and early career adults were not lacking talent; they were lacking access, awareness, and the belief that they belonged in the rooms where the future was being built.

So we decided to change that. In 2015, we set a bold goal: accelerate 11,000 students on their pathway to STEM career success by 2021. Many thought it was too ambitious.

We reached it a year early, and that milestone goes beyond numbers. It was proof that when access, opportunity, and belief are aligned, trajectories change.

So we thought bigger. We committed to scaling our impact 10x: 100,000 students and early career adults accelerated by 2030. Today, we have surpassed 60,000—and we are just getting started.

From Awareness to Access to Outcomes

Our impact is built through a deliberate ecosystem that moves students from exposure to execution. We don’t just create awareness, we build pathways:

Industry-aligned learning experiences, where students develop the technical skills required in next frontier industries
Hands-on, applied opportunities, like the Base 11 $1M Space Challenge—the largest collegiate-level liquid fuel rocketry competition in the world—where students are building, testing, and competing at a global level
Strategic partnerships across education, industry, and community that ensure talent is connected to real opportunities

This is how we bridge the gap between potential and participation.

The Next Frontier: AI and What Comes Next

We now stand at the edge of the next great inflection point.

Artificial Intelligence is not just another technology cycle. It is a force multiplier for human potential. It is reshaping aerospace, manufacturing, healthcare, energy, climate, cybersecurity, and every industry that will define the next decade.

The question is not whether AI will transform the future. The question is: who will be prepared to shape it?

Base 11 intends to lead once again.

We are moving decisively to ensure that high-potential, low-resource students and early career adults gain AI fluency, applied technical capability, and the entrepreneurial mindset to build, launch, and lead in this new era.

Instead of preparing students for yesterday’s jobs, we are preparing them to create tomorrow’s industries.

Designing the Future — On Purpose

A bold example of this vision is the Base 11 STEM Entrepreneurship and AI Innovation Center at Freedom West—a transformative $2.3 billion place-based development project in the historic Fillmore neighborhood of San Francisco.

This is more than a building. It is a declaration that innovation belongs in every community.

By integrating workforce development directly into a major urban revitalization effort, we are aligning talent, technology, capital, and community in one ecosystem.

Here, a student can move from classroom to career pathways, from exposure to execution, from potential to participation—all within reach. This is what it looks like to design the future on purpose.

A Broader Mission

Our mission has always been bigger than STEM. It is about helping to build a sustainable middle class made up of all Americans. Next Frontier industries are the engines of economic mobility. When we expand who participates in building the future, we expand who benefits from it.

Call to Action

To our partners, sponsors, educators, board members, and the Base 11 team: thank you.

You have helped turn bold vision into measurable impact. You have challenged assumptions about who belongs in Next Frontier industries and proven what is possible when we invest intentionally in talent.

The next chapter, however, will require even greater coordination and commitment. The pace of change is accelerating. Industries are being reshaped in real time. This is not a moment for incremental thinking, it is a moment for intentional action.

If we want a sustainable middle class made up of all Americans, we must design it. We must align education, industry, capital, policy, and place. And we must do it at scale.

Base 11 is ready to lead, but leadership at this level requires partnership at this level. So I invite you not simply to support this work, but to help build it: invest in the talent pipeline, champion AI fluency and Next Frontier skills, and partner with us to bring this vision to life.

The next decade will define who participates in building the future—and who benefits from it. Let’s ensure the answer is: everyone with the talent and drive to pursue it.

The future is not something we wait for; it is something we build. And together, we will build it bigger, bolder, and more inclusive than ever before.

With gratitude, resolve, and unwavering belief,

Landon Taylor

Founder, Base 11
Co-Chairman & CEO, LegacyFirst

WELCOME:

President’s Message

Dear Base 11 Community,

As we reflect on 2024 and 2025, I am filled with pride and gratitude for all that our team, partners, and interim CEO Dr. Michelle Flowers Taylor have accomplished. These past two years has been one of strategizing and stabilizing, a crucial period of focus and refinement as we strengthened our foundation and positioned Base 11 for the next phase of growth.

Together, we sharpened our strategy, deepened our partnerships, and laid the groundwork to amplify our impact in the years ahead. While the pace of change in STEM continues to accelerate, our mission remains clear: to empower the next generation of diverse, high-potential talent with the access, awareness, and belief needed to thrive in the innovation economy.

As we move into 2026, we do so with renewed energy, excitement, and optimism. The coming year represents a new chapter: one of action, expansion, and continued alignment with our Next Frontier Initiative. I am confident that, with the dedication of our team, the support of our board, and the unwavering commitment of our partners, Base 11 will continue to create transformative opportunities for students and early-career adults nationwide.

Thank you for standing with us and believing in the power of education, equity, and innovation to change lives.

Onward and upward,

Teniel Jones

President & CEO, Base 11

Impact

Base 11 is on a mission to accelerate 100,000 high-potential, low-resource students and early-career adults on their pathway to STEM career success by 2030!

Serving More Students

60,000

STUDENTS ACCELERATED TO-DATE

4,576

STUDENTS ACCELERATED IN 2024

4,712

STUDENTS ACCELERATED IN 2025

2024 Highlights

Parity Project Innovation Challenge

“This opportunity continues to go beyond words and measures— truly life-changing.”

– Quavoris Wellington, Howard University; 2024 Parity Project Innovation Challenge Winner

Through the Parity Project Innovation Challenge, students and early-career adults proposed technological solutions to advance economic parity for Working-Class America. Our winners traveled to Washington DC, New York City, and the San Diego to visit esteemed leaders at JP Morgan Chase, The Executive Leadership Council, and the Grand Boulé, where they presented their ideas, connected with mentors, and advanced their projects.

College/University Level

Quavoris Wellington
Pro Bono But Not Free

Nagea Kirkley
Bonded Dollas

Garrett Ransom
A Blockchain-Based Business Line of Credit: Data-Driven Change

Oyelekan Ajiboy–Odibo
An AI to Train and Pay

Iman Jervey
The Comeback

Destiny Harris
Application Bias Eraser

High School Level

Stephany Gutierrez
SWISH Desalination Device

Parity Project Innovation Challenge winners present their economic parity solutions at The White House. Left to Right: Dwayne Murray, Doug Bender, Teniel Jones, Nova Sportsman, Michael Hyter (President of ELC), Kiante Bush, Gabrielle Harris, Jasmine Bacchus, Paul Griffin, Chanda Lowrence, Roderick Hall, Landon Taylor, Sezi Fleming

2024 Highlights:

Day of STEM in Memphis, TN with Delta Boulé

Sigma Pi Phi Delta Boulé, in partnership with the Memphis Chamber of Commerce and Base 11, hosted the 2nd annual Delta Boulé STEM Summit on November 8, 2024, to cultivate an inclusive STEM environment in Memphis. Themed “STEM Strong: The Path for Parity,” this summit convened 100 high school students from MSCS who harbor keen interests in STEM disciplines. The event included seminar-style presentations, panel discussions, and a STEM Mixer, providing students with opportunities to engage with STEM resources in the community.

Student Success Story

Daniela Davalos

Daniela is an alum of the Base 11 Summer Fellowship at Caltech’s Aerospace Mentorship Program, where she worked on creating a simulation of an underwater autonomous vehicle. Because of Daniela’s work, it can now be tested safely and efficiently using mathematical models to simulate the behavior of the vehicle, testing any and all what-if scenarios without actually putting the vehicle at risk. Daniela is now pursuing her Doctor of Philosophy – PhD at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology!

2025 Highlights:

STEM Career Playbook Series, feat. Regeneron

In 2025, Base 11’s signature series, the STEM Career Playbook, continued to empower students on their journeys to future careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) with exclusive interviews from Regeneron professionals.

The Playbook provides students with a comprehensive framework for navigating the complexities of STEM career exploration. Through a combination of interactive modules, industry mentorship, and real-world experiences, students gain the knowledge, skills, and confidence they need to thrive in the ever-evolving STEM landscape.

Dr. Chiatogu Onyewu, MD, PhD

Sr. Dir., Research Program Management & Operations, Regeneron Genetic Medicines

Dr. Lori Morton, PhD

SVP, Reserach, Regeneron

Dr. Lyndon Mitnaul, PhD

Executive Dir., Research Initiatives, Regeneron Genetics Center

Student Success Story

Ken Casimiro

Ken Casimiro is an alum of the Base 11 Autonomous Systems Engineering Academy Summer Fellowship at UC Irvine and is now pursuing an MS in Electrical Engineering at UC San Diego. He has also recently joined the team at Northrup Grumman as an Associate Software Engineer!

2024/2025 Highlights:

Base 11 Summer Fellowships

The 2024 and 2025 Base 11 Summer Fellowship Programs were successfully held at the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, Calif., and the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C..

Aerospace Mentorship Program

Through the Caltech Aerospace Mentorship Program, students experienced the process of research as a creative intellectual activity as part of the Graduate Aerospace Laboratories at Caltech (GALCIT). Students got paid to live on campus, complete hands-on research projects, and work alongside grad students.

National Air and Space Museum

In this summer fellowship at the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum Preservation and Restoration Fellowship, students gain exposure to experts in the field as they work on preserving, restoring, cleaning and caring for historic artifacts and engines. Students gain a deeper understanding of aviation and space-related topics, learn the informal and informal education process, and gain exposure to well-known experts in the field. At the Center for Planetary Studies Fellowship, students help investigate the geology of Mars to help get a glimpse into the red planet’s past.

2025 Highlights:

Crypto For Good HBCU Innovation Challenge

In partnership with Coinbase and Morgan State University’s National Fintech Center, we launched the Crypto For Good HBCU Innovation Challenge. We invited students and early career adults to a nationwide call-to-action to reimagine the future of money through cryptocurrency for the chance to win cash prizes and the opportunity to further develop bring their proposals to life.

The challenge invited young visionaries to create crypto-powered solutions that expand financial access, literacy, and security for historically underserved communities, such as unbanked households, elderly populations, and informal workers. After working with mentors from Coinbase, the challengers refined their proposals and pitched them live at the the 6th Annual National HBCU Blockchain, FinTech, and AI Conference at North Carolina A&T University, where top teams presented their projects before an esteemed panel of judges, including leaders from industry and academia.

GlobalHealthChain: Cross-Border Medical Records & Aid on the Blockchain, Aryan Bagale – 1st Place

Helixis Technology, Twyla Jackson and Dennis Day – 2nd Place

Base 11 and Coinbase present challenge winner with prize check

Aryan Bagale, Howard University

Twyla Jackson, Bethune Cookman University

Student Success Story

Stephany Gutierrez

Stephany Gutierrez was the High School winner of the 2024 Parity Project Innovation Challenge. Her submission, entitled Project: SWISH Desalination Device, conceptualizes a systematic water desalinator that incorporates innovative technology in order to provide clean water for those in need. She is now attending UCLA, studying Materials Science and Engineering at the Samueli School of Engineering, continuing her work towards developing an affordable, portable desalination system through ongoing research and iteration.

2025 Highlights:

Board Meeting and Strategy Planning

In November 2025, the Base 11 Board and team gathered for their annual board meeting at Freedom West in the historic Fillmore District of San Francisco to reflect on 2025 and discuss 2026 priorities. They were excited to be in the community as the Freedom West Community Development Corporation and Base 11 have partnered, with the support of JPMorgan Chase, on the planning phase of the Base 11 STEM Entrepreneurship & AI Innovation Center at Freedom West. By integrating this state of the art facility directly into a major urban revitalization effort, we are creating a “live-work-learn” ecosystem. Here, a student from a low-resource background can walk three blocks from home to access the same high-capital tools, venture capital networks, and AI mentorship found in the world’s most elite corporate boardrooms.

2024/2025 Highlights:

Partnerships That Accelerate Our Mission

23 community college students took part in the Caltech Aerospace Mentorship Program during the 2023-24 and 2024-25 academic year.

They spent the year studying the fundamentals of aerospace, connecting with graduate students for mentorship, and sampling the resources available at the prestigious research university.

41%

OF INTERNS IDENTIFIED AS WOMEN

95%

OF INTERNS CAME FROM AN UNDERSERVED BACKGROUND

2025 Highlights:

Coinbase Inspires Future STEM Leaders at Long

Island University

Darin Carter, Senior Manager of US Policy & Community Engagement at Coinbase, delivered a powerful keynote address at Long Island University Brooklyn’s Impact Academy of Research Scholars event. Led by LIU‘s Associate Dean of the School of Education Dr. Robin Elliott, this transformative summer program empowered undergraduate students in STEM from underrepresented backgrounds and focused on academic enrichment, professional development, and career readiness. Through the Impact Academy, students learned to craft research proposals, develop social-emotional skills, gain academic and professional guidance, and collaborate closely with faculty advisors on yearlong research projects.

This meaningful collaboration between Coinbase and Long Island University is a perfect example of the power of the Base 11 community, where industry and academia come together to provide real-world inspiration, mentorship, and opportunities for the next generation of innovators. By fostering these connections, we continue to build bridges that help students turn potential into impact!

Funders

Generous Funding Provided By:

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Financials

2024 Revenue: $297,435

2025 Revenue: $308,806

The reorganization between 2024 and 2025 resulted in a notable shift in both cost structure and mission allocation efficiency. Program spending—the core indicator of mission delivery—increased from approximately 53.5% ($293.6K) in 2024 to 58.8% ($157.7K) in 2025, indicating improved prioritization of direct service delivery despite a smaller overall expense base. Administrative costs rose meaningfully as a percentage of spend from 30.8% to 37.1%, suggesting increased overhead concentration post-reorg, this was due to temporary administrative costs related to the reorg effort. Meanwhile, fundraising efficiency improved materially, with costs declining from 9.7% to 5.5%, reflecting a leaner or more effective revenue generation model. Overall, the reorganization appears to have reduced total spend while reallocating resources toward program delivery and improving fundraising efficiency.

A Warm Thank You to our 2024/2025

Board Chair, Dr. Regina Stanback Stroud

In 2024, Dr. Regina Stanback Stroud was elected to Board Chair to help lead the Board as it contributed to Base 11’s work to accelerate STEM students on their paths to success.

Former Chancellor, President, Vice President and Faculty member, Dr. Regina Stanback is a scholar – practitioner of racial equity and literacy. She served President Barack Obama on the President’s Advisory Council on Financial Capability for Young Americans. She is recognized for her work by the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges’ Regina Stanback- Stroud Diversity Award and the Western Regional Council on Black American Affairs’ Dr. Regina Stanback Stroud Leadership Achievement Award. She holds a Doctorate and Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership from Mills College, a Master’s Degree in Human Relations from Golden Gate University and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing Sciences from Howard University.

Welcoming Our 2026 Board Chair, Al Bunshaft

Al Bunshaft was elected to Board Chair to oversee the Corporate Board and help execute Base 11’s strategic vision for 2025.

Bunshaft is the former Senior Vice President of Global Affairs, Americas, for Dassault Systèmes, where he was responsible for new business development, academic sales and relationships, and coordination of the company’s involvement in institutes and consortia. He also served as President of the Dassault Systèmes US Foundation, part of the global charitable organization La Fondation Dassault Systèmes. Bunshaft’s expertise in 3D visualization, computer graphics and engineering-related software tools has been a special focus of his career. He was originally elected to the Base 11 Board of Directors in 2019 and has been serving ever since.