Students and Participants
Gain hands-on experience, mentorship, technical skills, and exposure to meaningful projects that connect learning with real opportunity.
Unity Foundation·St. Louis, MO
The tools that shape the future should be accessible to everyone.
Technology shapes how we learn, work, and connect. Access shouldn't depend on where a child grows up.
Unity Foundation builds upon a 30-year legacy of expertise developed by Dr. Ebrahim Moshiri at Object Computing, which trained more than 50,000 engineers across Fortune 1000 organizations. Today, Unity Foundation applies that same depth of experience to expand access to workforce development, digital literacy, and education in St. Louis.
Technology plays an increasing role in daily life, yet many people are not given the opportunity to understand it, question it, or create with it. We're working to change that by opening access to the tools, knowledge, and support systems that shape the modern world.
Be part of the work.
University partners
Saint Louis UniversitySIU EdwardsvilleUMSLMaryville UniversityHarris-Stowe State
Our Legacy Numbers
30+
Years of leadership training, curriculum, and certificate programs
50,000+
Engineers trained
150+
Courses & 1,500+ workshops delivered
Talent Is Everywhere. Access Is Not.
The gap starts early.
Open source is built on the principle that the foundational blueprints of technology should be transparent and available to all. It is designed to keep the systems shaping our collective digital future open, collaborative, and community-driven. Yet while open-source software now drives global infrastructure, active participation in building it remains concentrated among a remarkably small number of contributors — and the communities with the most to gain are most often left out.
In many classrooms, educators are working to prepare students for a rapidly changing world without access to modern tools or training. Families face the same barriers, limiting early exposure and the confidence that comes with it. The challenge is never a child's potential. It is access to the conditions that allow that potential to grow. When access is limited, opportunities narrow — and over time, that narrowing affects not only individuals, but entire communities.
In St. Louis, the digital divide is a neighborhood-level barrier that directly shapes a child's relationship with technology. Nearly half of households across the city and county face at least one core obstacle — unreliable internet, unaffordable service or devices, or limited foundational digital literacy. In lower-income areas, particularly in North St. Louis City and North County, many families navigate multiple barriers at once.
2025 Recognition · NDIA
Progress is possible.
In 2025, St. Louis was recognized by the National Digital Inclusion Alliance as a Visionary Digital Inclusion Trailblazer for its work expanding access through community-based learning and support systems.
At the national level, these early gaps do not close on their own — they compound. Access to foundational computer science and AI education remains deeply uneven, particularly in high-poverty schools. Participation in building open-source technology remains highly concentrated even as its economic importance grows.
Unity Foundation's approach is grounded in something most programs cannot claim: three decades of proven workforce development expertise and practitioners who have built global-scale technology systems from the ground up. That established capability is now deployed directly within your community — creating a foundation for lasting, compounding change.
Technology creates opportunity when it is accessible, understood, and shared.
We are working to close the gap, starting in St. Louis.
Why It Matters
Technology profoundly influences access to education, employment, healthcare, communication, and civic participation. Despite its pivotal role, access to the systems and skills that shape modern life remains deeply uneven. Many communities face significant barriers to reliable technology, technical education, mentorship, and entry into the workforce. That divide affects individuals, families, and long-term economic mobility.
Open technology is founded on the principle that digital blueprints should be transparent and accessible to all — yet participation in building those foundational systems remains highly concentrated, excluding the diverse perspectives needed for infrastructure as critical as healthcare, civic institutions, and national communications. Closing this talent gap is not a local initiative. It is a national capability challenge.
How We Help.
Unity Foundation addresses this by creating the conditions for sustained, compounding progress rather than temporary solutions. We build practical pathways into technology education and workforce participation.
01
Open systems that create long-term adaptability
02
Transparent practices that build trust and shared ownership
03
Structured, progressive pathways that support continued growth
04
Mentorship models that extend learning across generations
The goal is a living ecosystem — building capability, confidence, and connections that extend outward into communities and industries. When access expands, everyone benefits.
This Work Is Worth Doing. And It Cannot Be Done Alone.
The talent pipelines, open technology ecosystems, and community partnerships that Unity Foundation is building depend on the people, educators, organizations, mentors, and communities willing to help shape them. There is a place for you here — no matter where you are starting from. Together, we can help Local Talent stay in St. Louis.
Find your path →
Educators and Schools
Bring workforce-aligned learning, mentorship, and open-source tools into classrooms and communities.
Community Members and Volunteers
Support local programs, mentor participants, and help expand access where it matters most.
Industry and Technology Partners
Engage with emerging talent, contribute expertise, and help strengthen the open technology ecosystems shaping the future workforce.
Donors and Funding Partners
Support programs, mentorship, technical education, and long-term workforce development initiatives that create measurable community impact.
Express Your Interest
Tell us a little about yourself and how you'd like to be part of the work. We'll get back to you with where you fit best.
The next generation of problem solvers is already out there. Help us find them, equip them, and give them the tools to lead.