YSMnation creates hands-on, project-based learning experiences where young people notice real problems, explore ideas, build solutions, communicate what they think, and learn from what happens next.
Young people notice things adults overlook. They ask questions we have stopped asking. They imagine solutions before deciding whether something is 'realistic.' YSMnation grew from a simple belief: those instincts deserve somewhere to go.
We wanted to create learning experiences where a young person could notice something that matters to them, develop an idea of their own, make something from it, put it in front of other people, and discover what they are capable of along the way.
Entrepreneurship became one way to do that. Founders Lab became our first major experiment. But the idea behind YSMnation has always been bigger than starting businesses.
It's about helping young people see themselves as people who can contribute.
YSMnation helps young people turn real problems into meaningful solutions through hands-on, project-based learning.
We envision a world where young people grow up seeing themselves as capable problem-solvers, creators, and contributors—and have meaningful opportunities to practice becoming those people.
We can guide, question, encourage, and challenge. But the idea should belong to the young person.
There is a difference between hearing how something works and having to make it work yourself. We choose experiences that give young people something real to do.
The first idea may not work. The prototype may need changing. The pitch may feel uncomfortable. We don't remove every hard part—the hard parts are often where growth happens.
A perfect product isn't the goal. A young person who can explain what they tried, what they learned, and what they would do differently has done something valuable.
Across YSM experiences, young people move through a simple cycle. They pay attention to something worth working on, make a first version, learn from real feedback, and communicate what they discovered.
YSMnation is still at the beginning.
In summer 2026, nine young people joined our first Founders Lab experience in Snellville, Georgia. They gave us our first opportunity to put the YSM approach into practice, learn from real families, and see where our ideas held up—and where they needed work.
We're now using what we learned to shape Founders Lab 2027 and to explore thoughtful collaborations with businesses, community organizations, educators, and others who share our belief in meaningful learning for young people.
We're intentionally growing carefully. We'd rather build something useful, learn from it, and improve it than expand simply so that we can say we've grown.
Small enough to learn. Serious enough to build well.
YSMnation launched its first Founders Lab experience.
Nine young people moved from problems and ideas toward products, pitches, and Market Day.
We're reviewing what worked, strengthening the model, building relationships, and preparing for what comes next.
Founders Lab returns—with what we learned from the first one built into it.
We don't know every program YSMnation will eventually offer or every organization we'll work with. We do know the kind of young person we hope those experiences help develop: observant, curious, capable, willing to try, able to communicate, and confident that they have something worth contributing.