From Minecraft STEM Programs to a Business Exit

From Startup Acquisition Stories by Acquire.com

June 16, 2026 · 12 min · Episode 170

About this episode

Mike Blackwell shares his journey of building and selling Code Knights, an education company centered around Minecraft STEM programs.

Mike Blackwell did not set out to build a business around Minecraft. What started as coding classes evolved into Code Knights, an education company built around Minecraft STEM programs, library partnerships, and community learning. As demand grew, the business expanded across multiple states and eventually became an acquisition opportunity. Mike later sold Code Knights through Acquire.com . You'll hear: How Minecraft helped create demand for educational programs Why library partnerships became a growth engine What made Code Knights attractive to buyers How Mike positioned a niche business for acquisition 3 Lessons from the Code Knights Acquisition: Build Around Demand: The strongest opportunities often come from what customers already want. Create Valuable Assets: Partnerships, curriculum, and infrastructure made the business more attractive to buyers. Make the Business Easy to Understand: Clear positioning helped buyers see the opportunity. For founders, this episode shows how a focused business can grow from a simple idea into a successful startup exit. Follow the Guest LinkedIn Mike Blackwell Code Knights

People in this episode

Guest: Mike Blackwell

Topics covered

Minecraft
STEM education
business acquisition
entrepreneurship
library partnerships

Keywords

Minecraft
education
business exit
acquisition
entrepreneurship
Code Knights
library partnerships

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Code Knights, Acquire.com