Startup Skool
Startup Skool provides entrepreneurship, design thinking, and technology education for children, teens, and K-12 classrooms through summer camps, workshops, and online school curriculum, using project-based business creation, digital tools, and pitch events.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2014
- HeadquartersVictoria, Canada
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Startup Skool does
Startup Skool is a private, Victoria, Canada-based for-profit education company founded in 2014 that provides entrepreneurship training for children, teens, and K-12 classrooms. Its direct-to-consumer programs target parents of youth primarily ages 8-16, with some teen offerings extending to ages 13-18, while its school programs target teachers and classrooms seeking project-based entrepreneurship, financial literacy, technology, and design-thinking curriculum.
The product set includes Innovation Camp, Creative HQ, Design Thinkers, Shopify & T-Shirts, and In-School Programs. The underlying model is not a proprietary software platform; it is a project-based curriculum delivered through camps, workshops, an online learning platform for teachers, and third-party digital tools such as Shopify, Adobe Illustrator, Canva, InVision, and Sketch. Students work on real projects, including business creation, product testing, website or store setup, digital portfolios, market days, $100 classroom micro-loans, and pitch presentations to local entrepreneurs.
Revenue appears to come from one-time purchases: summer camp registrations, specialized workshop fees, and school curriculum access for teachers or classrooms. Pricing is not publicly disclosed, though need-based financial assistance covers 25-50% of program costs for eligible British Columbia residents ages 8-16. Go-to-market combines direct website registration, direct school sales, partner-hosted locations such as Glenlyon Norfolk School and university campuses, and a local entrepreneurship ecosystem of mentors, guest speakers, and sponsors.
Startup Skool firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Startup Skool
- Legal name
- Startup Skool
- Website
- https://startupskool.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2014
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Startup Skool provides entrepreneurship, design thinking, and technology education for children, teens, and K-12 classrooms through summer camps, workshops, and online school curriculum, using project-based business creation, digital tools, and pitch events.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Startup Skool industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Youth Entrepreneurship Education
- NAICS
- All Other Schools and Instruction (61169)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Entrepreneurship, Business & Innovation Camps (EDAMALAL)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Youth Business Incubators & Accelerators (EDAMAHAC), Entrepreneurship Foundations & Startup Basics (EDAMAHAA), Business Planning, Pitching & Competitions (Pitch Decks, Demo Days) (EDAMAHAB)
Keywords
Where Startup Skool is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Victoria
- HQ country
- Canada
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
Startup Skool business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Summer Camp Programs: Week-long summer camp programs for youth ages 8-16 covering innovation, design thinking, technology, and entrepreneurship. Programs run Monday-Friday, 8:30am-3:30pm with early drop-off and late pick-up included.
- School Curriculum Programs: Project-based learning programs sold to K-12 classrooms through online platform (Thinkific). Programs available for grades K-3, 4-5, 6-7, 8, 9-10, and 11-12. Teachers purchase access to curriculum materials and lesson plans.
- Specialized Teen Workshops: Intensive programs like Shopify & T-Shirts for teens ages 13-18, teaching e-commerce, graphic design, and business fundamentals over 5 days.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Financial Assistance Program |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels4 records
Startup Skool product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Startup Skool provides project-based entrepreneurship education to youth ages 8-18 through week-long summer camps (Innovation Camp, Creative HQ, Design Thinkers, Shopify & T-Shirts) and in-school curriculum programs for K-12 classrooms. Programs teach business fundamentals, technology skills, design thinking, and digital literacy, culminating in Dragon's Den-style pitch events with local entrepreneurs and micro-loan-funded student businesses that donate profits to charity.
Product overview
Startup Skool is a youth entrepreneurship education company offering hands-on programs across summer camps and in-school curriculum. The core portfolio includes Innovation Camp (ages 8-11), Creative HQ (ages 8-11), Design Thinkers (ages 12-16), and the Shopify & T-Shirts teen program (ages 13-18), all emphasizing entrepreneurship, design thinking, and technology skills. Supporting offerings include K-12 in-school programs and a financial assistance program. These programs work independently but complement each other to cultivate creativity, confidence, and entrepreneurial skills in youth.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Innovation Camp A hands-on summer program for youth ages 8-11 that teaches entrepreneurship fundamentals, basic coding, and business creation skills. Students create innovative ideas, test products in the market, build prototypes, and pitch to a Dragons' Den panel of local entrepreneurs.
- Creative HQ A beginner-level program for ages 8-11 focused on the creative aspects of entrepreneurship. Students explore problem-solving, product creation, advertising through video production, and sell their creations at a weekly market day.
- Design Thinkers A beginner-to-intermediate program for ages 12-16 that teaches design thinking principles, UX design, branding, and consumer apps. Students learn industry-standard tools (Canva, InVision, Sketch) and work in teams to solve real-world design challenges.
- Shopify & T-Shirts An intensive 5-day workshop for teens ages 13-18 teaching how to create, launch, and run an online t-shirt business. Students learn graphic design in Illustrator, e-commerce fundamentals using Shopify, digital marketing, and financial literacy, and leave with a live online store.
- In-School Programs (Early Entrepreneurs) Project-based entrepreneurship curriculum for grades K-12 delivered through an online platform to teachers. Programs include core competency development, inquiry-driven learning activities, and $100 micro-loans for student businesses. Programs available for grades K-3, 4-5, 6-7, 8, 9-10, and 11-12.
Quantifiable outcome
- 98% of participating classrooms successfully reach $500 revenue goal
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Startup Skool
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Startup Skool technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Startup Skool partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.
- University of Victoria Gustavson School of BusinesscoreUniversity partnership providing access to facilities and entrepreneurial expertise for camp programs at UVic campus. Students benefit from university environment and connection to business school resources.
- UBC Sauder School of BusinesscorePartnership with UBC's business school for hosting summer programs and connecting students with entrepreneurial mentorship.
- Centre for Digital MediacoreCDM partnership for running technology-focused camps including Tech Leaders and Shopify & T-Shirts programs. Provides access to digital media facilities and expertise.
- BCIC (BC Innovation Council)majorProvincial innovation council supporting entrepreneurship and technology initiatives in British Columbia.
- VIATEC (Vancouver Island Technology Council)majorVancouver Island technology association supporting innovation and tech entrepreneurship in the region.
- Simon Fraser UniversityminorUniversity partnership for entrepreneurship education and potential program delivery.
- Mills CollegeminorEducational institution partnership for program development and student opportunities.
- Glenlyon Norfolk SchoolcoreIndependent school in Victoria hosting 2020 summer camps. Startup Skool programs run by GNS with Startup Skool providing curriculum and leadership. Located at 801 Bank St, Victoria.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights7 records
Startup Skool competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- iD Tech: Large operator of summer technology camps and online courses for kids and teens, including entrepreneurship-adjacent content. Comparable camp model and age range but more heavily weighted to coding/STEM rather than business creation.
Direct peers
- BizWorld Foundation: Provides project-based entrepreneurship curriculum for elementary and middle school students, including student-run businesses with seed capital. Directly comparable to Startup Skool's in-school program and micro-loan methodology.
- Galileo Learning: US-based summer camp provider focused on innovation, design, and STEAM for K-8 students with hands-on project-based curricula. Comparable in summer-camp model, age range, and emphasis on innovation/design thinking, though operating at significantly larger scale.
- Junior Achievement: Largest global youth entrepreneurship and financial literacy education provider operating in K-12 classrooms. Directly comparable mission, age range, and delivery model (in-school curriculum + student-run businesses), but operates at much larger, multi-national scale.
- Lemonade Day: National youth entrepreneurship program teaching kids to start and run a lemonade stand business, with curriculum for schools and families. Comparable mission and youth business-creation methodology, though simpler product than Startup Skool's multi-track offering.
- Envision Experience: Runs career-focused and entrepreneurship programs for high school students including summer programs and leadership experiences. Comparable on youth summer programs with business/leadership themes and on direct-to-parent marketing.
- Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE): US-based nonprofit delivering entrepreneurship education to middle and high school students through classroom curricula and pitch competitions. Closely aligned on target age, classroom-licensing model, and emphasis on student-run businesses.
- Young Entrepreneurs Academy (YEA!): Runs semester-long programs and summer camps where students ages 11-18 launch real businesses and pitch to investors. Near-direct overlap on youth entrepreneurship programming and Dragon's Den-style pitch events.
Broad incumbents
- DECA: Large international student organization preparing high school and college students for careers in business, marketing, finance, and entrepreneurship. Overlaps on the entrepreneurship and business skills mission but operates as an extracurricular competitive program rather than camp/curriculum.
Regional players
- MakerKids: Canada-based provider of STEM, coding, and maker education programs for kids including camps and after-school programs. Comparable Canadian geography, K-12 focus, and camp delivery format but heavier STEM emphasis vs. Startup Skool's entrepreneurship focus.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Startup Skool social profiles
Digital presenceStartup Skool financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Startup Skool leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles10 records
Startup Skool funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Startup Skool M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Startup Skool
What does Startup Skool do?
Startup Skool provides project-based entrepreneurship education to youth ages 8-18 through week-long summer camps (Innovation Camp, Creative HQ, Design Thinkers, Shopify & T-Shirts) and in-school curriculum programs for K-12 classrooms. Programs teach business fundamentals, technology skills, design thinking, and digital literacy, culminating in Dragon's Den-style pitch events with local entrepreneurs and micro-loan-funded student businesses that donate profits to charity.
Is Startup Skool a public or private company?
Startup Skool is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Startup Skool founded?
Startup Skool was founded in 2014. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Startup Skool based?
Startup Skool is headquartered in Victoria, Canada, in the North America region.
How does Startup Skool make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Summer Camp Programs are the primary driver. The others are school Curriculum Programs and specialized Teen Workshops.
Who are Startup Skool's main competitors?
iD Tech is listed as an emerging player. Direct peers are BizWorld Foundation, Galileo Learning, Junior Achievement, Lemonade Day, Envision Experience, Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE) and Young Entrepreneurs Academy (YEA!). DECA is listed as a broad incumbent. MakerKids is listed as a regional player.
Does Startup Skool have an API?
No public API is recorded for Startup Skool.
What industry is Startup Skool in?
Startup Skool's product category is Youth Entrepreneurship Education. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAMALAL, Entrepreneurship, Business & Innovation Camps, with a secondary code of EDAMAHAC, Youth Business Incubators & Accelerators. Its NAICS code is 61169 and its SIC code is 8200.