Training our Next Generation of
Founders

Next Gen Founders Program

Innovate under constraints, develop a hypothesis, create a product and unlock your child’s future

Next Gen Founders Program

The Next Gen Founders program works with kids of diverse backgrounds in grades 2 - 12 to teach the frameworks of entrepreneurship and innovation. We believe best innovation comes under constraint and want to encourage this next generation of inventors to think even more creatively to build the future. We seek to inspire kids to create, innovate, communicate, and build. We wish to build psychological safety and empower them to hypothesize ideas, test them, fail fast, and develop passion and persistence on their entrepreneurship and life journey.

The Next Gen Founders program will be conducted through a 5 week synchronous & asynchronous online program culminating in a Entrepreneurship Showcase on January 2.

Logistics

  • 5 Weeks: Dec 5, 2020 - Jan 3, 2021

  • Saturday 1 hour @ 9 am PT (for those with time conflicts, the sessions will be recorded and there’s a chance to meet offline)

  • Entrepreneurial Showcase –1 hour slot to present on Sat Jan 2 or Sun Jan 3

  • Cost is $25 and parents / guardians should commit to purchasing $25 of other products

  • Scholarships will be awarded based on need and fees can be waived for low income families

Schedule

  • Pre-work prior to Dec 5: Hypothesize

  • Students will identify a problem, product or service they wish to build and sell in week 5 - Jan 2 & 3, 2021

  • Conduct customer interviews

  1. Sat Dec 5, 2020 - Empathize and Discover

    • Discuss entrepreneurship, failing fast, passion and persistence

    • Identify the customer and understand their needs / wants

    • Create a hypothesis, product positioning, and plan

    • Capture customer interviews

  2. Sat Dec 12, 2020 - Ideate and Plan

    • Share ideas and refine hypotheses

    • Discuss constraints and financing - inventory, budget, pricing, and forecasting

    • Create an online store, name, and logo

  3. Sat Dec 19, 2020 - Create and Iterate

    • Share plans continue to create and explore their ideas

    • Discuss communication & presentation

    • Show their product and store progress

    • Begin developing short presentation on Customer Problem, Product, and Plan

  4. Sat Dec 26, 2020 - Communicate and Show

    • Recap communication plan

    • Finalize short presentation on Customer Problem, Product, and Plan

    • Discuss accounting, income statement, fulfillment, and Customer Service

    • Develop punch list

  5. Sat Jan 2, 2021 & Sun Jan 3, 2021 - Entrepreneurial Showcase

    • Present their 5 week journey and business pitches

    • Shop for each others’ goods and services

    • Encourage each other in entrepreneurship

    • Prizes will be awarded