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Rubbish

Our innovation and enterprise programs are the first step, whether you're launching a startup, exploring new tech, or leading real-world change in your community.

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How It Works

Step-by-Step Learning

Every founder starts somewhere. Here's where ours begin.

Join the program

Reserve seats for your students. We handle everything else.

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Build something real

Students turn a rough idea into a real venture. Something they can actually launch.

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Pitch to industry

They present to real founders, mentors and investors. The kind of room most people wait years to get into.

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Future-ready skills

Problem-solving, communication, working through the messy middle. The capabilities every future needs, picked up by building.

Industry networks

They meet angels, mentors and founders throughout the program. They leave with contacts in industry most adults spend years trying to build.

A live business

They take an idea and turn it into a working business, tested on real customers. By the end they've got something real to show for it.

Your Journey Starts Here

Every young person walks away with …

Get in touch
Grant funding or support

The best teams walk away backed. What starts as a school program becomes a business that outlives it.

Self-belief

They've stood in front of real founders and investors. They stop doubting whether they belong in the room

A head start on what's next

They leave knowing they can make things happen. A story they carry into every application and interview after.

Your Journey Starts Here

From Idea to Real-World Success

Get in touch
Future-ready skills

Problem-solving, communication, working through the messy middle. The capabilities every future needs, picked up by building.

Industry networks

They meet angels, mentors and founders throughout the program. They leave with contacts in industry most adults spend years trying to build.

A live business

They take an idea and turn it into a working business, tested on real customers. By the end they've got something real to show for it.

Grant funding or support

The best teams walk away backed. What starts as a school program becomes a business that outlives it.

Self-belief

They've stood in front of real founders and investors. They stop doubting whether they belong in the room

A head start on what's next

They leave knowing they can make things happen. A story they carry into every application and interview after.

testimonials

Real stories from real learners sharing their experiences, growth, and success with Future Minds.

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“Future Minds gave me the perfect support I needed to launch my business. I wouldn't have been able to do it myself."

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Kayya

Founder @ Kayya Crafts

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“I’ve grown so much. I've gained the confidence to show my art business and tell my story, and it made me more comfortable applying for future galleries and markets.”

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Ruesa

Independent artist

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“Future Minds helped us sell at real markets, and we had our best sales day yet. Nearly everyone bought something because they'd come to support us. It was humbling to be so supported and recognised.”

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Hadija

Co-founder @ Gumnut Echo

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"It's like a kickstarter for your business. I'm making more connections and building more opportunities than I ever expected."

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Mona

CEO @ HennaHQ

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"It's something you shouldn't miss. The journey of running a business can feel lonely at times, since it's not always seen as a 'stable' path, but the people in this program are truly amazing and inspiring."

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Ziggy

Founder @ Floria Touch

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“Future Minds surrounds you with people who inspire you to grow, so many incredible connections and really cool people who can genuinely help you.”

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Ashutosh

CEO @ Ashan Industries

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“Future Minds was exactly what I needed. There are many problems in the world, and I knew I wanted to solve them, but it was always difficult to discuss these issues with students my age. It gave me the opportunity to meet with students who wanted to change the world."

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Yash

Co-founder @ Startup Link UniMelb

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"Participating in FutureHack was one of the best decisions I have ever made. The program opened up my eyes to the power and impact of social entrepreneurship. It helped me see that I could combine my love for helping others with business ."

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Hannah

Founder @ Letters Against ISO

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"Future Minds kickstarted my career in the social impact space. Their mentorship and guidance helped change me as a leader. "

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Arya

Former Chair at Victorian Government's Youth Congress

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"Future Minds opened my mind to entrepreneurship and social impact, something I think I wouldn’t have discovered not participating in the hackathon.

Through the program, I was inspired to attend the Yale Young Global Scholars program, where I met startup founders from all around the world."

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Ewa

Analyst @ Reserve Bank of Australia

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"Future Minds has been one of the most influential events in my life! Their ability to scout some of the best mentors and generate an environment of productive innovation is incredible.

Through the program, I was even able to land an internship at an edtech startup, that molded me into a better entrepreneur."

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Khoi

Founder @ Aurora

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"It’s different from any other event I’ve participated in. Whether you want to work in a startup or not, Future Minds allows you to meet so many new people and make new connections."

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Arshia

National Lead @ Encode Justice

Your Journey Starts Here

A day in the life

8:45 am
Doors open

 Students arrive and check in.

9:15 am
Welcome to the Summit

An energising kick-off that sets the tone for the day. Facilitators open by sharing the moments that defined their journeys, the risks, the failures, the breakthroughs. From the very first minute, students start seeing themselves differently.

9:30 am
The Innovator Mindset

What does it really take to think like an innovator? This session unpacks the mindset behind every great idea, exploring how the world's boldest problem-solvers approach challenges differently, and how every student in the room can too.

9:45 am
Team Challenge

Students are thrown headfirst into a challenge that demands creativity, communication and quick thinking. By the end, they've built something together, and discovered what they're capable of when they back themselves and each other.

11:00 am
Break

A chance to recharge and keep the conversation going, connecting with facilitators and swapping ideas with peers from other schools.

1:30 pm
Ideas to Impact

Students take everything from the morning and push it further, refining their concepts and stress-testing their thinking. Facilitators move through the room, challenging assumptions and helping teams uncover angles they hadn't considered. It's where students explore how what they've built can create genuine impact in their school or community.

2:15 pm
Wrap up and next steps

Facilitators bring the day to a close, celebrating what's been built and how far everyone has come. The Top teams have the opportunity to access our 6-week program, to take their idea from today into reality.

2:30 pm
Event concludes

Upcoming Cohort

The next cohort starts soon.

Join the upcoming cohort. Seats are limited to ensure personalized mentorship and code reviews.

14
Days
06
Hours
22
Minutes
09
Seconds

28 March – 5 April

(Application Deadline: 25 March)

Kick-start your learning with immersive workshops, real-world projects, and guidance from experienced mentors. Build practical skills and connect with a community of passionate learners.

APPLY NOW

28 August – 5 September

(Application Deadline: 20 August)

Advance your knowledge through project-based learning, industry insights, and career-focused sessions designed to help you confidently apply your skills in real-world settings.

APPLY NOW
the logistics

learning made simple

No new subject, no new timetable, no extra prep for your teachers. Our facilitators deliver the whole program. Your school gives students the time and space, and we handle the rest.

WHAT WE HANDLE
Facilitators in every session
The full six-week curriculum
Mentors and the investor panel
Demo Day and the showcase
Monash credit assessment
 Student certificates
WHAT YOUR SCHOOL DOES
Give students the class time
Provide a room and wifi
Nominate one staff contact
That's genuinely it
Education, the right way

Same Goal. Different Experience.

Learn smarter with a modern education experience built for real growth and success.

THE USUAL WAY

Sit through the same fixed lessons as everyone else.

Fund your idea entirely on your own.

Share one teacher with thirty other students.

Stay cut off from the industry you want to break into.

Study content that lags years behind the real world.

Chase marks, grades and graduation.

Stay stuck in one classroom, one time, one place.

THE FUTURE MINDS WAY

Earn a pathway to real university credit, through our Monash partnership.

Win real grants of up to $1,000 to bring your idea to life.

Learn from many mentors, each an expert in their field.

Connect directly with the founders and companies shaping it.

Work with content we refresh every single year.

Build real skills, real ventures and a real career.

Learn in person or online, wherever works for you.

Toggle to reveal
TICKETS

Two tickets. Lunch is in both.

Partner with Future Minds and help create meaningful learning experiences while gaining valuable brand exposure and community recognition.

Student

Perfect for individuals. Get full-day access to all talks, workshops, and event activities.

$500

per ticket, GST included

Full-day access to FutureHack
Access to all talks and workshops
Lunch, snacks, and coffee included
Entry to the live pitch competition
Workbook and speaker contact list
Get a Ticket
MOST STUDENTS
last year

what 2025 looked like.

Partner with Future Minds and help create meaningful learning experiences while gaining valuable brand exposure and community recognition.

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Transforming Data into Compelling Narratives: Key Visualization Essentials
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Transforming Data into Compelling Narratives: Key Visualization Essentials
Four smiling students holding books and backpacks standing outdoors on campus with trees.
Transforming Data into Compelling Narratives: Key Visualization Essentials
Four smiling students holding books with backpacks standing outside a school building.
Transforming Data into Compelling Narratives: Key Visualization Essentials

Questions we get asked

Find quick answers to the most common questions about our programs, process, and learning experience.

HOW IT RUNS

Six weeks, six jumps forward.

Every moment is hands-on and fast-paced, built to show young people what they can create when they're trusted to lead. There's no sitting and listening, just doing, from the first idea to the final pitch.

01
stage 1 · DISCOVERY

Teamwork

You'll be placed into a team and meet students you've never worked with before. You'll learn to collaborate under real pressure, play to each other's strengths, and discover what you can build together.

02
stage 1 · DISCOVERY

Real-world challenges

You'll take on a genuine problem worth solving, from your own community to the wider world. You'll learn to look past the obvious, spot opportunities others miss, and turn a real issue into the seed of an idea.

03
stage 1 · DISCOVERY

Industry mentorship

You'll meet real founders and innovators from your own region, right there in the room. They'll share how ventures actually start, guide you as you shape your idea, and answer the questions you've always wanted to ask.

04
stage 1 · DISCOVERY

The pitch

You'll finish by pitching your team's idea to a real audience. You'll learn to shape a clear, compelling story, present with confidence, and get genuine feedback on your very first idea. By the end, you'll have gone from a blank page to a real pitch, in a single day.

The Honourees

Class of 2026

Meet the exceptional learners, innovators, educators, & changemakers who have demonstrated outstanding achievement, leadership, and impact within the Future Minds community.

Year
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2022
Uditi Sharma

Elevate Tech

, UAE

17

STEM
STEM

Uditi founded her non-profit organisation, ‘Elevate Tech’, with a mission to empower gender minorities – women and nonbinary people – in technology and entrepreneurship. She has now been running the organisation for nearly two years, leading a team of over 30 members internationally, impacting over 5,000 individuals in over 35 countries through various initiatives like the hackathons, fellowship programmes, mentorship programmes, workshops, and online Discord community. She continues to work at the intersection of technology and social justice to encourage more young girls to join STEM and ensure that no young girl is left behind due to lack of finances or opportunities.

15,000+ Students Supported

Headline Impact

2022
Tilak Mehta

Papers n Parcels

, India

16

Entrepreneurship
Entrepreneurship

Tilak is the founder of an app-based courier service in Mumbai known as ‘Papers n Parcels’, which is a digital courier company that provides one-day parcel services, collaborating with the Mumbai Dabbawalas. His motive in building this courier service was to ensure the same-day delivery of goods to more than thousands of people at a lower cost within the region of Mumbai.Papers N Parcels is a company that offers door-to-door pickup and delivery services for about everything, starting from a pen to all of your important paperwork. On a daily basis, it delivers roughly 1200 parcels to their destinations on the same day.

15,000+ Students Supported

Headline Impact

2022
Stephanie Nuesi

MaxUp

, Dominican Republic/ USA

24

Entrepreneurship
Entrepreneurship

Stephanie Nuesi is the Founder and CEO of Max Up, a career consulting firm that specializes in helping college students and professionals to land their dream careers while maximizing their potentials. They've delivered more than 600+ workshops and events at Fortune 500 Companies, organizations and schools worldwide. They've even helped over 500 jobseekers from all over the world land great jobs in many industries.Without speaking a word of English, Stephanie found their way to a dream role by overcoming rejections. With more than 20M+ Views, they share their career content with millions of jobseekers everyday.

15,000+ Students Supported

Headline Impact

2022
Srijanita Maurya

Activist

, India

17

Social Impact
Social Impact

I'm Srijanita Maurya, 17 years old Senior high school student, TEDx Speaker and the founder The Animal Patronage. Well for the past 8 years, I have been working for the animals with my mom in my local area, but during COVID19 when the lockdown came and all were locked in their houses, I felt that we were unable to help them. We were only helping those who were in the area of my society and were present there and we were not well globally spread out. but when the covid came it was like no one can have those sources to provide them food because we were locked in homes. There I got the idea to start my organization which is animal patronage which is a youth-led organization that comes for animal welfare especially. The organization focuses on becoming the voice of the animals. We want to fight for their rights and protect them from human cruelties and extinction. till now it is a global nonprofit organization which is based in India and aims to educate, inspire and empower the youth for the speechless who cannot speak for their rights and to make a difference in society. Somehow we got a chance, I got a team to spread out currently, we are operating in India, Africa, South Korea, and many others in the UK and other countries, more than 18 plus organisations are there which have collaborated with us. but then a special collaboration we got from the Crimson Youth Entrepreneurship Society the Harvard university students. Cherry on top, we got awarded with President George W Bush's Foundation Points of Light Inspirational Honor Roll 2022 and also got recognised by famous American singer and author Lady Gaga's organization named Channel kidness. We have rescued more than 10 dogs and cats. Donated INR 30,501 for their food and water installation. We started in 2021, since then, we hosted The Animal Patronage Podcast for and by students. Besides our frequent pop-ups that aim to empower young youth through providing inspiration and ways to work for Environment, we also bring awareness posters and digital literacy workshops to marginalized communities with little-to-no access to animal welfare.

15,000+ Students Supported

Headline Impact

2022
Sikander (Sonny) Khan

, US

24

Activism
Activism

In 2017 Sonny, then a low-income first-generation college student at the ‘University of Michigan’, founded ‘Paani’ with other Pakistani-American students to build water wells in Pakistan, one of the countries most affected by lack of secure access to clean water. The group has grown from Sonny and his roommate Arhum selling donuts on campus to fund ‘Paani’s’ first well, to raising over $3.1 million from over 20,000 donors to build over 9,300 water wells that serve more than 732,500 villagers. ‘Paani’ has also donated $500,000 in medical supplies to COVID-19 clinics, distributed over 1 million meals, and built schools for refugees while galvanising thousands of youths globally through community-based awareness.

15,000+ Students Supported

Headline Impact

2022
Shina Novalinga

Advocate

, Canada

24

Activism
Activism

Like many teens, Shina Novalinga started creating TikToks for fun, but after videos of Shina and her mother Inuit throat singing went viral, Shina realized that she could use her social media platform to share her culture and traditions. Shina has become a social media personality with 4.1 million fans on Tiktok. Traditions like throat singing almost died out among Shina’s mother’s generation, so Shina is helping preserve and share these cultural aspects with a wider community.

15,000+ Students Supported

Headline Impact

the 10x Fund

Every standout idea can win a grant to make it real. Because for a young
person who's never had a dollar of capital, a little goes a long way.

$1,000

Max grant per idea

2+

Young founders backed

100%

Paid directly to students

Step 1

Pitch your idea

Showcase your idea at Demo Day and present it to industry experts. Demonstrate your vision, explain your solution, and make your case.

Step 2

Receive funding

Outstanding ideas receive funding, mentorship, and resources to help turn potential into progress.

Step 3

Build your dream

Leverage the grant to create, launch and rgrow your project - from first prortoype to real-world impact.

Past Recipients

See how grant recipients turned their ideas into real products, projects, and opportunities after receiving funding.

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Grantee

Ava Williams

Student Entrepreneur

"Receiving this grant allowed me to turn an early concept into a working product. It gave me the resources and confidence to move forward and build something with real impact."

Ava Williams's story
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Grantee

Daniel Carter

Innovation Program Student

"The funding helped me take my project from planning to execution. It opened opportunities to test ideas, improve the product, and gain valuable real-world experience throughout the journey."

Daniel Carter's story
Young woman with black-rimmed glasses and purple hair smiling in a modern office setting.
Grantee

Ava Williams

Student Entrepreneur

"Receiving this grant allowed me to turn an early concept into a working product. It gave me the resources and confidence to move forward and build something with real impact."

Ava Williams's story
Smiling woman with glasses and purple ombre hair in a modern office workspace.
Grantee

Daniel Carter

Innovation Program Student

"The funding helped me take my project from planning to execution. It opened opportunities to test ideas, improve the product, and gain valuable real-world experience throughout the journey."

Daniel Carter's story
Young woman with black-rimmed glasses and purple hair smiling in a modern office setting.
Grantee

Ava Williams

Student Entrepreneur

"Receiving this grant allowed me to turn an early concept into a working product. It gave me the resources and confidence to move forward and build something with real impact."

Ava Williams's story
Smiling woman with glasses and purple ombre hair in a modern office workspace.
Grantee

Daniel Carter

Innovation Program Student

"The funding helped me take my project from planning to execution. It opened opportunities to test ideas, improve the product, and gain valuable real-world experience throughout the journey."

Daniel Carter's story

Our industry network

We have industry mentors and experts who offer personal guidance, business advice and academic support.

These are Australia’s most experienced founders, investors and partners who show up for young people every day. Together, they open doors most students never get to walk through, turning ambition into real opportunity.

Supporting ambitious learners on their journey toward growth, opportunity, and long-term success.

Challenges

Challenge Overview

Solve real-world retail challenges and create innovative solutions that shape the future of shopping.

Future of COVID19

Future of COVID19

Melbourne
June 16, 2026

At the height of COVID-19, young people across Australia were living through disruption they had no say in shaping. Casual work disappeared overnight, study was interrupted at the worst possible moment, and isolation stretched long enough to leave a mental health toll that outlasted the lockdowns themselves. Meanwhile the recovery was being designed almost entirely by people it would affect least.

How might we build a recovery that reflects what young people actually went through, using solutions they generate themselves?

Delivered in partnership with Futures Collective and Bridging Us

Challenges FAQ
Meet the Judges

Evaluated by Industry Leaders and Visionaries

Our panel brings together experienced entrepreneurs, investors, educators, and innovators who carefully review every submission to recognize the most impactful ideas and outstanding achievements.

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Ziyaan Virji

For The Menstruator

, United States

Social Impact

Ziyaan Virji is the Founder and CEO of For The Menstruator. (previously known as AASW), a global initiative of over 100 volunteers advocating for menstrual equity. For The Menstruator has served over 8500 people in 7 countries globally. They have co-designed a reusable sanitary pac, raised over $50,000 through campaigning and hosted an international Period Month collaboration with 30 organisations globally.

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Ziad Ahmed

JuV Consulting

, United States

Activism

Ziad Ahmed is the CEO and Co-Founder of JUV Consulting, a purpose-driven Gen Z consultancy that works with clients to help them reach young people. The company has worked with over 20 Fortune 500 companies, has been profiled by the New York Times, and has established full-time offices.

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Zach Latta

Hack Club

, United States

STEM

Zach Latta is the co-founder and executive director of Hack Club, where he works to bring coding clubs to high schools worldwide. By the time he turned 17, Zach haddropped out of high school to work in tech and built the backend architecture for Yo – an app with more than 3 million users. Not long after, over 5 million people were using his software. Today, Hack Club provides baseline coding curriculum, software tools, and community-building training to 14,000 students in 400 high school clubs. Many of the websites or apps that members of Hack Clubs have built are on display on its site. There’s Kenko, for example, that describes itself as “shazam for food,” where you take a photo of any food and receive health insights. In 2020, Elon Musk and the Musk Foundation donated $500,000 to help expand Hack Club,[8] and donated another $1,000,000 in 2021.

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Yuma Soerianto

AnyoneCanCode

, Australia

STEM

Yuma Soerianto is a 5X Apple WWDC (Worldwide Developers Conference) scholarship and Swift Student Challenge winner. At ten years old, Yuma was the youngest scholarship winner at WWDC17. Since then, Yuma has published 10 apps, won awards for two of them and regularly speaks at international conferences. Yuma also teaches coding on the YouTube channel, Anyone Can Code. With almost 15,000 subscribers, Yuma is an inspiration for many young people out there looking to take their first steps into STEM.

Meet the Judges

Put your name on the stage

Open to students aged 10 to 18 at an Australian school, or who finished within the last year. Educators must currently work at an Australian school.

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Sponsorship Tiers

Choose Your Level of Impact

Partner with Future Minds and help create meaningful learning experiences while gaining valuable brand exposure and community recognition.

Gold

The whole awards, presented by you.

$10,000

naming partner . one per year

Naming rights: "The Future Sponsor a major award Minds Awards, presented by [you]”
Your logo on stage, on screen and across every category
A speaking moment and present the top award on the night
Logo and feature on the awards website and all comms
Named in every media release and social post
A table of eight at the awards night
Recommended
Silver

A major presence on the night.

$5000

up to four available

Sponsor a major award category with your name on it
Logo on the website, the program and category screens
Named across social
Four seats at the awards night
Bronze

Sponsor one award, with your name.

$1000

open number of awards

Your name on one award, e.g."The [you] Impact Award"
Logo on the awards website and program
A thank-you in the awards night reel
two seats at the awards night
In Good Company

Trusted by Organizations Driving the Future

We're proud to collaborate with leading organizations, educational institutions, and industry partners that share our commitment to empowering the next generation of learners.

QUESTION 1 OF 4

First up, who's asking?

QUESTION 2 OF 4

What are you after?

QUESTION 3 OF 4

How much time have you got?

QUESTION 3 OF 4

How much time have you got?

QUESTION 3 OF 4

How much time have you got?

QUESTION 3 OF 4

How much time have you got?

Start with a Summit

The Innovation Summit is a one-day event that brings students from different schools together to work on a real problem. Most people start here, because it takes a single day and helps you deep dive into the world of innovation and entrepreneurship.

FutureHack is built for this

FutureHack is a six-week program where teams build and launch a real venture, then pitch it to real industry. Most people arrive with a rough idea and leave with a business, a pitch, and proof they can do it again.

Young Artists Centre

Young Artists Centre is an immersive, extracurricular retail program where you learn to price, sell and scale the things you make. Most people arrive thinking their work is a hobby and leave running a small business.

Let's have a conversation

Whether you're looking at joining a cohort, running something with your team, or exploring a longer partnership, the honest next step is a chat. We’d love to learn what you’re looking for.

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Hello! Have any questions?