What is Life Lab?
Established in 1979, Life Lab serves as a cornerstone in the field of garden-based education, providing a robust framework that integrates outdoor learning with core academic curricula. The organization operates from its flagship Garden Classroom in Santa Cruz, California, functioning as a hub for professional development, internships, and immersive field experiences. By transforming outdoor spaces into living laboratories, Life Lab fosters a deep-seated connection between students and the natural world, effectively bridging the gap between traditional classroom instruction and experiential environmental stewardship. Their model is designed to be scalable, equipping educators nationwide with the tools necessary to cultivate curiosity and academic engagement through nature-based pedagogy.
How much funding has Life Lab raised?
Life Lab has raised a total of $150K across 1 funding round:
Debt
$150K
Debt (2020): $150K with participation from PPP
Key Investors in Life Lab
PPP
Public-Private Partnership
What's next for Life Lab?
With the recent capital deployment, Life Lab is poised to transition into a more aggressive phase of organizational growth. The strategic roadmap likely involves the expansion of its professional development infrastructure and the digitization of its curriculum to reach a broader demographic of educators. As the organization navigates this late-stage funding environment, the focus will remain on deepening its commitment to equity and inclusion, ensuring that high-quality outdoor learning opportunities are accessible to diverse student populations. By scaling its operational capacity, Life Lab aims to solidify its status as a national leader in environmental literacy, setting a new standard for how educational institutions integrate nature into the modern learning experience.
See full Life Lab company page
