L.E.T. Design Innovate  ·  Nonprofit Research Organization

Designing futures
for youth who
deserve to
see themselves
in tech.

We research, build, and empower — connecting career identity to technology through a cycle of equitable innovation for marginalized young people.

Research Build Empower Reflect Reimagine
Our ecosystem

One mission. Three distinct roles.

This ecosystem is intentional. Research generates knowledge. Technology operationalizes it. The foundation delivers it to the community. Each entity is separate — and each one depends on the others.

Research & Knowledge
L.E.T. Design Innovate

The intellectual engine. We conduct independent research on how technology shapes career identity and equity for marginalized youth. Our findings — including the CIDR Framework™ — are the foundation everything else is built on. The research must remain separate to stay rigorous and unbiased.

What we produce:
  • Research frameworks & theory
  • The CIDR Framework™
  • Evidence-based program design
  • Academic publications & presentations
Meet Dr. Burke →
Knowledge
Technology & Product
JIL Software Solutions

The technology engine. JIL takes the research produced by L.E.T. Design Innovate and operationalizes it — building the actual software, platforms, and tools that put the theory to work. North Star™ is JIL's flagship product built directly from Dr. Burke's doctoral research.

What we build:
  • NorthStar™ career platform
  • AI-powered student tools
  • Equity-centered EdTech products
  • Research-to-product pipelines
Visit jilss.com →
Impact
Community & Access
Jerome Burke Foundation

The community engine. JBF is the medium through which the research and technology reach the students who need it most. As an approved CPS vendor, the Foundation delivers programs — including the AI Career Identity Workshop — directly into schools and communities, ensuring the work creates real-world impact.

What we deliver:
  • AI Career Identity Workshops
  • Mentorship & scholarship programs
  • School & CPS partnerships
  • Community access to NorthStar™
Visit jeromebf.org →
The intentional cycle
Research → Operationalize → Deliver → Reflect → Reimagine

Community insights from JBF flow back to L.E.T. Design Innovate as real-world data, informing the next generation of research — creating a self-sustaining cycle of knowledge, technology, and impact.

Flagship initiative

North Star Platform

✦ Live Research Prototype
Where career identity meets learning technology

North Star is a platform exploring how students — especially those from marginalized communities — can see and build their career identities through adaptive technology. Built for schools, students, and researchers studying equity in education.

Launch North Star →
Financial transparency

Accountable to our community.

As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit operating in Illinois, L.E.T. Design Innovate is committed to full financial transparency. Our filings are publicly available below.

Federal Tax Filing
Form 990-PF

Our annual private foundation return filed with the IRS, detailing program activity, revenue, expenses, and grants paid.

Available upon request
Request filing →
Employer Identification Number
EIN

Our federal EIN confirms our registered nonprofit status with the IRS and is required for grant applications and donations.

[Your EIN here]
Verify status →
Illinois Registration
State Charitable Registration

Registered with the Illinois Attorney General's Charitable Trust Bureau as required under the Illinois Charitable Trust Act.

Illinois 501(c)(3)
IL AG Charity Bureau →

L.E.T. Design Innovate is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Contributions are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law. In compliance with Illinois law, financial records are available to the public upon written request. To request copies of our most recent Form 990-PF or other financial documents, contact us at info@letdesigninnovate.org.

Research

Scholarship that drives real change.

The work at L.E.T. Design is grounded in rigorous academic research — not trends. Our findings shape our tools, our frameworks, and every student we serve.

PhD Dissertation · IIT, 2024
Adaptive Technology & Young Black Students

Examines how adaptive learning technologies can be designed to expand career identity and opportunity for Black youth — combining design research, participatory methods, and platform prototyping.

Read at IIT Institute of Design →
Framework · Ongoing
The CIDR Framework™

A research-based model combining Career Identity, Intentional Reflection, Design Thinking, and Responsive Mediation to help young people navigate purpose and career in the age of AI.

Explore the CIDR Framework™ →
Applied Research · Live
North Star Platform

A live prototype testing how learning technology shapes career exploration and identity for marginalized students. Active in schools and open to research partnerships.

Explore the platform →
PhD Research · IIT Institute of Design
Adaptive Technology Creates New Possibilities for Young Black Students
Read the research →