The Youth Foundry exists for young people who think differently. They aren't behind. They're building differently, and we give them the education, mentorship, and real-world experience to prove it.
Ages 14 to 24 · Palm Beach County, FL
Empowering different thinkers to become tomorrow's founders.
To empower young people who think differently by providing the education, mentorship, and real-world experiences that help them recognize their strengths, build confidence, and transform innovative ideas into entrepreneurial opportunities.
A world where different ways of thinking are celebrated as strengths, and every young person has the opportunity to unlock their potential, pursue bold ideas, and shape their own future.
These are not posters on a wall. They are the operating principles behind every cohort, every mentor match, and every pitch competition we run.
The Youth Foundry runs a two level founder program. Students start with IGNITE, then build on it with FORGE. Each level is offered on its own, so a student can begin wherever they are ready.
Young founders build from idea to pitch in a community designed for the way they think.
For IGNITE graduates. From concept to minimum viable product, built on their terms.
I've watched students pitch business ideas to rooms full of real entrepreneurs and walk away with something no classroom grade can measure. Confidence. Vision. The belief that their ideas are worth building.
That moment is why I built The Youth Foundry.
I spent decades feeling like I wasn't keeping up in a world that wasn't designed for the way my brain worked. Then I watched my son navigate the same invisible struggle, and watched a system fail him when he needed it most.
Those experiences didn't break me. They made me the educator I am. They're why I don't just teach entrepreneurship. I find the potential in students that's waiting to be activated, and I build the structure around them to help them actually launch.
The best measure of this work is what students say about it. More stories are on the way as our founders share their experiences.
Your teaching inspired me to be the best version of myself and think outside the box! You always believe in your students and that encourages us to reach our full potential inside and outside the classroom.
The Shark Tank experience encouraged me to feel more confident in myself and my ability to come up with ideas, and that if an idea isn't perfect then it's okay to go back to the drawing board and come up with something different.
Tell us a little about yourself and we will keep you posted on programs, events, and new ways to get involved. Name and email are all you need. The rest is optional.
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