Grades 6–10 · 8-week incubator program

Turning Ideas Into Startups Through STEM

FoundUp is an 8-week student startup incubator where students in grades 6–10 learn entrepreneurship by building real projects, receiving mentorship, and presenting their work at LaunchPad Demo Day.

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8 Weeks
MVP Build path
Demo LaunchPad Day
About FoundUp

Learn by building, not lecturing

FoundUp helps students transform ideas into real products through entrepreneurship, STEM, and hands-on learning. Rather than learning business concepts through lectures, students gain experience by identifying problems, building solutions, testing ideas, and presenting a finished project.

From Idea to Startup in 8 Weeks

Incubator Program

A structured journey from problem discovery to LaunchPad Demo Day—designed for curious students and easy for parents and partners to understand.

  1. Week 1

    Ideation

    Students identify real-world problems, explore opportunities, and develop startup ideas that solve meaningful challenges.

  2. Week 2

    Research & Planning

    Students research competitors, understand their target audience, and create a plan for bringing their idea to life.

  3. Week 3

    Prototyping

    Students design their solution and build an interactive prototype to visualize how their product will work.

  4. Week 4

    Testing

    Students gather feedback from potential users and learn how successful startups validate ideas before building.

  5. Week 5 & 6

    MVP Development

    Students build a functional Minimum Viable Product (MVP) using modern tools and mentor guidance.

  6. Week 7

    Iteration

    Students refine their product based on testing, improve features, and learn how startups continuously adapt.

  7. Week 8

    Pitch Preparation

    Students create presentations, demos, and storytelling strategies to communicate their solution effectively.

  8. Demo Day

    LaunchPad

    Students showcase their projects to peers, parents, mentors, and community members. Prizes awarded to winners.

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Why Join?

What students gain

Build a Real Startup

Create a project from idea to prototype and gain experience building something meaningful.

Learn from Mentors

Receive guidance, feedback, and support throughout the program.

Gain Entrepreneurship & STEM Experience

Develop problem-solving, leadership, communication, and technical skills.

Who Is This For?

Curious creators in grades 6–10

Grades 6–10 students who are curious, creative, and interested in innovation, technology, engineering, design, or entrepreneurship.

No prior coding, business, or startup experience required.

Application

Ready to Build Something?

We are looking for motivated students who are excited to learn, create, and collaborate.

Student Application

Complete our application form to join the FoundUp Incubator. You'll be asked for your name, grade, school, email, and why you want to join.

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Interested in mentoring or supporting FoundUp?

Educators, community leaders, and partners—we'd love to hear from you.

Get Involved