Want to Give Your Teen a Head Start on Their Future?

Have a business idea? Or maybe no idea yet, but a whole lot of ambition? NextGen Founders Lab is a Calgary-based venture studio helping high school students turn their ideas into real businesses.

Designed for students in Grades 9 to 12, the nine-month Venture Studio takes participants from an idea to a launched product, with the goal of gaining real traction and paying customers.

Students work through weekly three-hour sessions, with guidance from experienced founders, investors and business operators. Along the way, they learn practical skills in startup building, branding, pitching, leadership and customer discovery. They can build independently or work alongside other like-minded students.

And it's about more than starting a business. Students gain hands-on experience they can put to work on their resumes, in post-secondary applications and in future career opportunities. Building a venture gives them real examples of problem-solving, leadership, teamwork, creativity and initiative to talk about in interviews and applications.

The program focuses on learning by doing, not just writing business plans. Students work towards developing a minimum viable product, finding customers and building a venture they can continue growing beyond the program. They also have opportunities to gain hands-on experience through internships.

No business background is needed, and students keep 100% ownership of their businesses. No equity is taken, ever.

Limited seats are available for the Fall cohort, and applications close October 8!

The application takes just five minutes. Learn more and apply at nextgenfounderslab.com