The Impact of 4.0 Alumni Integration Model

What happens when you treat program graduates not as alumni, but as lifelong partners in transforming education?

The University of Delaware did comprehensive research, analyzing survey responses from 220 of 4.0 alumni and conducted in-depth interviews with our team. 

They uncovered something we've long suspected: when you build with the community at the center, the impact multiplies far beyond what any single program could achieve.

The Data Tells a Story We Love

Since 2010, we've had the privilege of supporting the launch of more than 1,800 education initiatives. 

That's 1,800 bold ideas that moved from napkin sketches to real-world impact. But here's what really caught the researchers' attention—and honestly, made us pretty proud:

Our coaching model works. Really works.

When asked about the most valuable part of their experience with us, 53% of alumni pointed to their coach, rating it as extremely valuable. 

This isn't surprising to us (we've seen these relationships bloom into decade-long mentorships), but it's validating to see it in the data.

Even better?

The learning sticks around. A remarkable 93% of our alumni still use the mindsets and skills they developed here. That's not just retention; that's integration into how they approach their work every day.

From Bold Ideas to Funded Ventures

Let's talk outcomes, because the numbers here tell an important story about sustainability:

Among our alumni who are running active ventures, 60% have secured additional funding beyond their initial investment from us. This isn't luck—it's what happens when entrepreneurs have the tools, network, and support to build something fundable.

Our alumni are tackling education's biggest challenges through every avenue imaginable:

• 60% are developing programs or services
• 21% are building educational technology
• 20% are launching entirely new schools

And they're hitting the areas that matter most: professional development and teacher training (12%), college and career readiness (11%), STEM education (9%), plus crucial work in community building, youth development, and social-emotional learning (each at 6%).

Building Leaders, Not Just Entrepreneurs

Here's where the data gets personal for us. We don't just want to launch ventures, we want to develop leaders who will transform education for decades to come.

The research shows we're on the right track: 62% of our alumni say we made a high contribution to their leadership capacity. 

And this translates into real career impact: 59% now hold top-level management positions, with another 18% in middle management roles.

But leadership isn't just about titles. It's about how you think and solve problems. Our alumni tell us they're still using the core skills we explored together:

• Identifying assumptions (62%)
• Communicating ideas to new audiences (61%)
• Breaking down complex problems (56%)
• Evaluating community connection strength (54%)

These aren't just startup skills, they're the tools of systems change.

The Magic of Staying Connected

We set out to create 10 alumni communities. 

Our community had other plans - they've built 13 and counting. 

The most active? Our Black founders community, with 15% of survey respondents actively participating. Overall, 24% of alumni are engaged in at least one identity-based community.

This matters because isolation kills innovation. When 85% of our alumni say they want connections to our broader network of partners and funders, they're not just asking for introductions. They're asking to remain part of something bigger than their individual ventures.

And here's the beautiful thing: 61% want to give back as coaches, recruiters, or application reviewers. This creates a virtuous cycle where today's fellows become tomorrow's mentors, each generation lifting up the next.

Our Net Promoter Score of 60 (with 69% of respondents as active promoters) isn't just a metric, it's a measure of belief in what we're building together.

Values That Travel

We talk a lot about our core values: equity, joy, self-determination, and growth. 

But do they actually stick? 

The research says yes, emphatically. Our alumni report these values remain central to their work:

• Growth: 79%
• Equity: 72%
• Joy: 65%
• Self-determination: 62%

This isn't corporate speak making its way into grant applications. This is a shared language for how we want education to feel and function. 

When our alumni carry these values forward, they're not just building ventures, they're shifting culture.

What's Next?

The University of Delaware's research confirms what we've believed all along: when you invest in people, not just projects, the impact compounds over time. Our model works because we don't see graduation as an ending—we see it as the beginning of a longer journey together.

For potential funders and partners, these numbers paint a clear picture: investing in our model means investing in a multiplier effect. 

Every entrepreneur we support becomes a node in a growing network of change.

For educators and innovators considering joining us, know this: you're not just applying to a program. You're joining a community that will challenge you, support you, and stay with you long after your official time with us ends.

We're deeply grateful to the University of Delaware for helping us understand our impact through data. But we're even more grateful to our alumni who make these numbers meaningful through their daily work transforming education.

Because at the end of the day, we're not trying to fix education from the outside. We're building a movement of insiders—teachers, parents, students, and community members—who know exactly what their communities need and have the tools to build it.

That's the future we're creating.

One bold idea, one supported entrepreneur, one transformed community at a time.

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