Founders Lab is a 4-week summer program where kids spot real problems, design real products, and sell them at Market Day. Try Cohort 1 to start. Add Cohort 2 if you love it.
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 builds the founder mindset and the plan. Cohort 2 brings it to life at Market Day. Try Cohort 1 first — then add Cohort 2 if you love it.
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 by 3:10 PM.
Try Cohort 1, commit to both, or jump straight to Market Day prep with pre-work. All cohorts include all materials.
YSMnation t-shirt · branded Founder notebook · "I'm a Founder" pin · portfolio folder · personalized Market Day display card. Available with Cohort 2 or Bundle.
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 12 and Market Day on Jun 27 — parents and family are invited to see what their child has built. Real moments. Real pride.
You have direct access to us at hello@ysmnation.com. 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. Add Cohort 2 if you love it. Cancel up to 3 days before start.
Reserve your child's spot →