Who We Are

What if students were paid to conduct innovative research projects without the obstacles of grants, lab space, or prior experience?

OpenSTEM provides a platform of automated agricultural technology units where students are paid to conduct semester-long research projects in the fields of sustainability, STEM, and more.

Hosted in universities and high-traffic areas, OpenSTEM units feature multimodal advertising space where sponsors can grow their brand, as well as their commitment to education and sustainability.

Meet the OpenSTEM Unit

Our Mission

OpenSTEM develops meaningful academic and professional experiences while providing a collaborative research environment driving innovations in sustainability, STEM, and more.

"We believe every student has the capacity to innovate and express creative ideas beyond what they think themselves capable of - they just need the opportunity.

Unfortunately, obstacles such as grant applications, limited equipment availability, and more impede this process.

We want to change that.

While our goals as a business are to develop quality research tools and an alternative method to research funding, our true mission is to be the catalyst for student-driven innovation."

Sam Norton, Founder & CEO

Our Story

  • Spring 2023

    OpenSTEM awarded combined bid from CORE SC, NASA EPSCoR, and Charleston County Government to design and display "the intersection of technology, space, and ecology".

  • October 2023

    OpenSTEM prototype unit designed and constructed in Deborah Oropallo and Michael Goldin's San Francisco workshop.

  • Spring 2024

    OpenSTEM soft launch semester hosted by the College of Charleston in the Rita Liddy Hollings Science Center.

  • Fall 2024

    OpenSTEM tech stack overhaul complete with automated data uploading and storage, environmental condition control, and more.

  • December 2024

    Completed first successful student-led experiment growing Bibb lettuce in a variety of soil compounds.

  • Spring 2025

    OpenSTEM hard launch semester hosted by the College of Charleston in the Rita Liddy Hollings Science Center.

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Our Team

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Join OpenSTEM Today

Participate in OpenSTEM's mission of developing an innovative research platform where Students learn and earn, Sponsors elevate their brand, and Hosts transform their space.

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