Founders Lab is a 4-week summer program where kids spot real problems, design real products, and pitch them to the public on Market Day. Start with Cohort 1 (Foundation). Continue to Cohort 2 (Launch) to build and sell at Market Day.
Designed around what parents told us matters most. Six outcomes your child will earn through the full Founders Lab journey.
Pricing, profit, budgets — the math that runs the world. They learn it by actually using it.
By Market Day, your child stands up and delivers a real pitch to a real audience. That changes them.
Idea generation isn't a gift — it's a muscle. We train it daily with brainstorm sprints and design challenges.
Mixed-age teams mean older kids mentor younger ones. Every child leads. Every child learns.
The Problem Hunter walk teaches kids to see opportunities everywhere. A skill they'll use forever.
By Market Day, your child has a portfolio, a pitch, a product, and a booth. Not a worksheet. A business.
Two 2-week cohorts. Cohort 1 (Foundation) is where kids find their idea, define their customer, and build the plan. Cohort 2 (Launch) is where they build the product, brand it, and sell it at Market Day. Each cohort is a complete chapter with its own graduation moment.
What is a business? Spot real problems. Generate 8+ original ideas using the "Crazy 8" technique. Deliver your first 30-second pitch
Customer personas. Real peer interviews. Refining the idea based on feedback. Pricing basics: cost vs. value.
Product design & prototyping. Cost, pricing, profit math. Branding: logo, name, color, signage. Marketing & ad basics.
Booth design. Production. Pitch rehearsals. Friday Market Day Clinic (Jun 26). Saturday Market Day finale (Jun 27).
A full-day program from 9 AM to 3 PM — five hours of structured learning plus lunch and breaks. Designed to keep every child (Grade 1 through Grade 8) engaged.
A story, video, or quick activity to introduce the day's big idea.
Mini-lesson with age-tiered discussion, and examples from the real world.
Hands-on project work in mixed-age teams. Lunch break in the middle.
Share-out time. Every child presents. Then a quick reflection journal before pick-up.
The full day breakdown: Drop-off begins at 8:50 AM. Program runs 9 AM - 3 PM. Five hours of structured learning + a 30-minute lunch + short breaks between blocks. Pick-up starts by 2:55 PM.
Start with Foundation, or commit to the full journey through Market Day. All include materials, mentorship, and a Certificate of Completion.
YSMnation t-shirt · branded Founder notebook · "I'm a Founder" pin · portfolio folder · personalized Market Day display card. Available with the Full Journey
Founders Lab is designed from the ground up with the structure, supervision, and care that parents of children Grades 1–8 expect.
Just 15 students per cohort. Every child gets attention, mentorship, and a real seat at the table — no one gets lost in the crowd.
Clear learning blocks. Lunch break. Reflection time. Consistent pickup process. Children thrive when they know what to expect.
Younger children draw, act, and play. Older kids lead and mentor. Every activity is adapted so each child works at the right level.
Authorized adult sign-out required at every dismissal. Only people listed on the registration form can pick up your child.
Showcase on Jun 19 and Market Day on Jul 4 — parents and family are invited to see what their child has built. Real moments. Real pride.
You have direct access to us at [email protected]. Concerns answered within 24 hours. No layers of administration between us and you.
YSMnation provides educational programs, workshops, and enrichment activities for children and youth — structured learning experiences that support academic, creative, and personal growth. Here's what's next on our roadmap.
Weekly skill-building sessions — coming this fall.
Mini one-week intensives during school breaks.
Pitch nights, family workshops, and community gatherings.
Start with Cohort 1 for $275 or commit to the full journey through Market Day for $550. Cancel up to 3 days before start.
Reserve your child's spot →