Gift advances Northside Square campaign and builds on Anthropic’s footprint in Memphis
MEMPHIS, Tenn., July 20, 2026. CodeCrew, the Memphis-based nonprofit that has trained more than 16,000 students and adult learners in computer science and AI over the past decade, today announced a $1 million gift from Anthropic, the AI research and development company behind Claude — the frontier model used by millions of people worldwide. The investment, made with support from the City of Memphis, will help fund CodeCrew’s new national headquarters at Northside Square in North Memphis.
The gift triples CodeCrew’s instructional capacity and gives the organization, for the first time, the physical infrastructure to serve hundreds of students at once, host national convenings, and model AI-powered education for the rest of the country.
“We are deeply grateful for Anthropic’s investment in CodeCrew and the children and adults we serve,” said Meka Egwuekwe, co-founder and CEO of CodeCrew. “This gift moves us closer to the day when every student who walks through our doors will find a space that says, ‘I believe in you,’ and leaves equipped to shape the future of AI and technology.”
Why Memphis
In May 2026, Anthropic agreed to use all of the capacity at the Memphis-based supercomputer, Colossus 1, giving Anthropic access to more than 300 megawatts of compute. That commitment already ties Anthropic’s day-to-day operations to Memphis. The CodeCrew investment extends that relationship into the city’s workforce pipeline, putting resources behind the students and adults who will make up the next generation of the AI economy.
“CodeCrew has built something remarkable here in Memphis, and they have a clear vision for where it goes next,” said Marlene Williams, Anthropic’s Head of State & Local Government Relations for Southern States. “We’re honored to support that work and the community it serves.”
A Broader Approach to AI Investment in Memphis
The city’s support for this investment reflects a standard Mayor Paul Young has set for what AI growth in Memphis should deliver for residents. In 2025, he proposed and championed the city’s first Community Benefits Ordinance, directing 25 percent of property tax revenue from AI data center facilities in Memphis, potentially up to $100 million over time, into the neighborhoods nearest the data centers. Mayor Young also required infrastructure costs for these facilities be covered by the companies building them, not Memphis ratepayers. The administration has also continued to press for completion of an $80 million recycled wastewater facility meant to further reduce strain on the Memphis Sand Aquifer.
“We want every major investment in Memphis to leave our city stronger than it found it, and Anthropic’s investment in CodeCrew does exactly that,” said Memphis Mayor Paul Young. “For more than a decade, CodeCrew has opened doors for thousands of young people and adults by preparing them for careers in technology. This investment will expand that impact, strengthen our talent pipeline, and help us reach our goal of creating 5,000 meaningful workforce pathways by 2030 by connecting more Memphians to the high-paying jobs that are shaping our economy.”
About Anthropic
Anthropic is an AI research and development company that creates reliable, interpretable, and steerable AI systems. Anthropic’s flagship product is Claude, a large language model trusted by millions of users worldwide. Learn more about Anthropic and Claude at anthropic.com.
About CodeCrew
Founded in 2015, CodeCrew empowers individuals from communities with untapped potential to lead, innovate, and create opportunity in the tech economy through computer science, AI, and technology-driven education. CodeCrew has trained more than 16,000 students and adult learners, delivered more than 500,000 hours of computer science education, and helped pass legislation guaranteeing computer science education for every Tennessee student. Learn more at code-crew.org.
About Northside Square
Northside Square will serve as CodeCrew’s national headquarters and a community anchor in North Memphis, surrounded by a library, an elementary and middle school, affordable housing, and a community center. CodeCrew’s purpose-built space will feature a state-of-the-art AI Workforce Development Lab, collaborative innovation spaces, immersive classroom technology, educator training facilities, and community gathering areas all designed to advance AI-ready schools, an AI-ready workforce, and AI-ready organizations. CodeCrew’s programs have already delivered more than 500,000 hours of computer science instruction, and its Code School graduates go on to generate an average economic impact of $70,000 per year each.
