Discover + Prototype
We work with the community to identify, research and develop ideas that expand access to quality education
We scout, build, and invest in the future of education and scholarship
ITHAKA Labs operates at the forefront of ITHAKA’s mission to expand access to education and knowledge. Working with foundations, colleges and universities, libraries, and publishers, we discover opportunities, design solutions, and incubate and scale services that change people’s lives through learning.
How we work
Building the future of educational opportunity, from idea to impact
Learn more about how we work →
Incubate + Scale
We foster the growth of promising concepts in an environment of continuous learning and discovery
Invest + Accelerate
We collaborate with and invest in initiatives that align with our mission and values
Our work and impact
JSTOR Access in Prison
Improving outcomes for incarcerated learners by providing offline and online access to JSTOR’s ever-growing flagship library
1,450+
prisons & jails
1M+
incarcerated people
22.5M
searches this year
Winner
of ALPSP Impact Award
Transfer Explorer
Helping students and their supporters understand how past coursework and other learning experiences transfer and count toward a college degree
45+
schools live
360k+
courses
4.9M+
course equivalencies
Open Knowledge
Developing open source tools that make it easier to find, understand, and share scholarly information.
25+
flash builds and design sprints
590+
Github forks and stars
Winner
SSP People's Choice Aware
[This fellowship] was everything I’d hoped for and more! I… was so impressed by the way we put agility and speed into action every step of the way!
Innovation Fellow
ITHAKA Labs
Notes from the field
Blog Post
October 14, 2026
Teaching in Prison: What We Learned from Our Curriculum Pilot
Teaching in prison requires a thoughtful, trauma-informed approach, yet instructors rarely get the tailored prep they need. To help bridge that gap, ITHAKA Labs teamed up with the University of Puget Sound to build and test a flexible, modular online course aimed at both new and experienced higher education in prison instructors.
