Stanford spinout to convert to nonprofit under Lemnis umbrella, bringing future-ready skills to nearly 5,000 schools and 1.5 million students
PORTLAND, Ore., Sept. 4, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Lemnis, a public charity investing in solutions that expand educational opportunity, today announced the acquisition of Wayfinder, the Bend, Oregon-based creator of purpose-driven PreK-12 curriculum used by more than 1.5 million students to build the future-ready skills they need to succeed in school and life. Following the acquisition, Wayfinder will convert from a for-profit to a division of Lemnis, a not-for-profit organization.
“We’re living through a moment when the path from high school to a meaningful career has never been less certain, or more consequential. Amid rapid technological advancement, it’s essential that young people are given the opportunity to hone uniquely human skills that are relevant to any job in any field that they choose to pursue,” said Melissa Johnston, founding CEO of Lemnis. “Wayfinder ignites purpose and passion, alongside college and career-ready skill development, that has fundamentally shaped students’ experience in and beyond school.”
Since its founding in 2015 at the Stanford d.school K-12 Lab, Wayfinder has developed 14 years of PreK-12 curriculum grounded in research on adolescent development and neuroscience. An independent evaluation by Stanford researcher Dr. Heather Malin found that students who completed the curriculum showed an 11-times increase in a key measure of purpose compared to a control group, along with 55% growth in school engagement and 64% growth in social awareness. One elementary school in Des Moines Public Schools reported that chronic absenteeism has dropped by half since using Wayfinder—from 33% to 16%.
Wayfinder’s curriculum comes to life through structured lessons that teachers, counselors, and advisors lead in advisory periods, elective courses, and counseling sessions at every grade level. Each lesson guides students through reflection, discussion, and hands-on activities that build the skills employers say matter most: navigating uncertainty, making smart and independent decisions, and building meaningful connections.
“The questions at the heart of what we do—who am I, what do I value, what kind of life do I want to build—have always mattered. But they’re more urgent now than ever,” said Patrick Cook-Deegan, founder and CEO of Wayfinder. “Young people are navigating a world that’s more complex and, in some ways, more demanding than anything previous generations have faced. Too many are doing it without the tools or support to find their footing. Becoming part of Lemnis means we can meet that moment at the scale it deserves. As a public charity, Lemnis shares our conviction that this work is too important to be steered by shareholder pressure or a quarterly bottom line—it’s mission first, always. That alignment means more resources, wider reach, and the staying power to keep showing up for students and educators for the long haul. We couldn’t be more excited about what we get to build together.”
Today, schools and districts across the country—including the Hawaiʻi State Department of Education, Des Moines Public Schools, The School District of Philadelphia, Minneapolis Public Schools, Chicago Public Schools, Douglas County School District, Pittsburgh Public Schools, Portland Public Schools, and Cumberland County Schools—access the program through a digital platform that features a library of classroom-ready activities and assessments to track student growth over time. The lessons are prototyped, tested, revised, and retested with students in classrooms across urban, suburban, and rural school districts. The curriculum is used across a range of school contexts to support students’ development of six Core Skills: Self-Awareness, Adaptability, Empathy, Collaboration, Agency, and Purpose. Wayfinder’s Portrait of a Graduate feature also allows for the Core Skills to be translated to match district or statewide student success frameworks.
“We are preparing students for jobs that don’t yet exist in a rapidly changing world. To navigate this landscape, our students need skills in adaptability, resilience, and collaboration, with a forward-thinking mindset. Through our partnership with Wayfinder, we give teachers the curricula they need to support students in developing skills for their future lives and careers,” said Jennifer Hauth, director of student well-being at Bend-La Pine Schools. “Wayfinder’s curriculum prepares our students by fostering self-awareness, cultivating character, and promoting responsible decision making, which we see as essential ingredients to their future success.”
Today’s announcement marks Lemnis’ third acquisition in just eight months, as part of a broader strategy centered on providing mission-aligned organizations with access to patient capital and support for future growth, impact, and innovation.
- In February, Lemnis announced its acquisition of the nonprofit InsideTrack, which has provided success coaching to more than 3.6 million learners over the last 25 years.
- In March, Lemnis announced its acquisition of Mainstay, creator of AI-enabled student support technologies used by more than 200 colleges and universities to boost enrollment, persistence, and completion.
As a division of Lemnis, Wayfinder will continue providing its current programs and services to PreK-12 schools and districts. Nfluence Partners acted as the exclusive investment banker to Wayfinder in this transaction.
About Lemnis: Lemnis is a public charity dedicated to expanding learning for all. Our vision is to create a future of the Unlimited Learner, where every young person can thrive in a time of dramatic change. Lemnis, whose name is inspired by the lemniscate (∞), believes that to unlock limitless possibilities for learners, we must create a sense of belonging and community, apply findings from neuroscience of learning and social sciences, leverage pro-social artificial intelligence and digital technology, and generate new ecosystems and supports that are learner centered. Lemnis acquires mission-aligned education organizations, both for-profit assets and nonprofits with earned revenue, that provide learners with purpose and belonging, career and life readiness skills, and equitable opportunities for academic, career and life success. InsideTrack and Mainstay are the first divisions to form the Lemnis Collective. To support the broader ecosystem, Lemnis also makes grants to intermediaries and accelerators through its Alliance strategy and makes strategic investments in mission-aligned funds and for-profit organizations through its Initiatives strategy. For more information, visit www.lemnis.org.
About Wayfinder: Wayfinder is the complete PreK-12 platform for purpose-driven learning—combining research-backed curriculum, MTSS-ready resources, and real-time insights to help every student thrive in school and beyond. From daily lessons to districtwide data tools, educators can access everything they need to teach future-ready skills, measure student growth, and build belonging. Wayfinder’s curriculum develops Self-Awareness, Adaptability, Empathy, Collaboration, Agency, and Purpose—skills proven to boost engagement, achievement, and well-being. Today, Wayfinder reaches 1.5 million students across nearly 5,000 schools and districts, including Pittsburgh Public Schools, Cumberland County Schools, Des Moines Public Schools, and the Hawaiʻi State Department of Education. Learn more at www.withwayfinder.com.
View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/fast-growing-public-charity-makes-first-k-12-acquisition-of-wayfinder-302869593.html
SOURCE Lemnis
