Built by Young Minds

Big Ideas Do Not Come with an Age Requirement.

Children and teens are already creators, inventors, artists, problem-solvers, storytellers, builders, and future community leaders.

Future Founders Expo gives them a place where their ideas are taken seriously, and their hard work is celebrated.

Every approved business should reflect meaningful involvement from its young founder. Adults may provide guidance, transportation, supervision, and encouragement—but the ideas, decisions, preparation, and presentation should belong to the child or teen whenever possible.

The finished product does not have to be perfect.

The booth does not have to look professional.

The founder does not have to know every answer.

They simply need an idea, the willingness to work, and the courage to share what they created.

It begins with the courage to explore an idea today.

Bring My Idea to Life.

More Than a Kid Business Fair

Future Founders Expo is not simply a room filled with tables and things for sale. It is a hands-on learning experience that gives children and teens the opportunity to discover what it takes to bring an idea to life.

Young founders will have the chance to:

Develop an original product, service, invention, or idea
Create a business name and identity
Learn basic budgeting, pricing, and money management
Design an inviting booth or display
Practice communicating with customers
Explain the story behind their business
Solve problems and make decisions
Build confidence through real experience
Celebrate what they created—whether they make one sale or sell out

The goal is not to see who makes the most money.

The goal is to help every young founder leave believing:

I created this. I shared it. And I can keep going.

What Can Founders Sell?

Handmade Creations

Art, crafts, jewelry, décor, accessories, stationery, keychains, and other items made by the young founder.

Youth-Designed Products

Shirts, hats, bags, stickers, printed items, and other products featuring the founder’s original artwork or designs.

Homemade Treats

Approved baked goods, packaged treats, and other food products that meet IPOC and applicable food-safety requirements.

Youth-Provided Services

Pet care, lawn work, tutoring, photography, organizing, art commissions, and other age-appropriate services the founder can personally provide.

Digital & Creative Services

Graphic design, digital artwork, photography, invitations, simple websites, videos, or other services created by the young founder.

Original Products

Useful items, activity kits, games, toys, or other products developed and made by the founder.

Every booth must feature products created, designed, prepared, or meaningfully developed by the young founder—or services the founder can personally provide. Ordinary retail merchandise purchased only for resale will not be approved.

How the Expo Works

From First Creation to First Customer

Create It

Choose something you enjoy making or a service you are ready to provide.

Price It

Learn what your product costs to make, decide what to charge, and prepare to handle money responsibly.

Sell It

Create your booth, welcome shoppers, explain what you offer, answer questions, and complete real sales.

Grow From It

Celebrate what worked, learn from what did not, and use the experience to make your next idea even stronger.

Future Founders Expo is not about creating a perfect business.

It is about giving young people the opportunity to say:

“I made this, I sold it, and I can keep growing.”

Who Can Participate?

Future Founders Expo welcomes children and teens who are ready to create, prepare, and proudly sell something of their own.

Participants may include:

First-time young business owners
Returning youth vendors
Artists, bakers, makers, and creators
Young people offering age-appropriate services
Individual founders
Sibling teams
Youth-partner teams
Participants with different abilities and experience levels
Young people who have a skill or talent they are ready to share

Specific ages, divisions, booth fees, deadlines, and event requirements will be announced when applications open.

No previous business or sales experience is required.

Become a Future Founder.

Recognition Beyond the Sale

Every Founder Has Something Worth Celebrating.

Success is not measured only by who earns the most money or sells the most products.

Future Founders Expo celebrates effort, preparation, creativity, communication, customer service, and the courage to put something into the world.

Recognition may include:

Most Creative Product
Best Booth Presentation
Strongest Sales Pitch
Outstanding Customer Service
Best Original Design
Community Choice
Rising Founder
Founder With Heart
Best Youth-Provided Service
Most Memorable Business
Future Impact Award

Recognition categories may change with each expo.

Every approved young founder who completes the experience deserves to be celebrated for creating something, showing up, meeting customers, and taking a chance on themselves.

Families Behind the Founders

Parents and caregivers play an important role in helping young founders prepare safely and successfully.

Adults may help with:

Brainstorming
Purchasing approved supplies
Transportation
Food-safety supervision
Practicing prices and money handling
Building or transporting displays
Booth setup and cleanup
Safety and age-appropriate supervision
Encouragement when the founder feels nervous

But the adult should not become the business owner.

Whenever possible, the young founder should:

Help create or prepare the products
Understand the service being offered
Know the prices
Help design the booth
Speak with customers
Participate in sales
Handle age-appropriate responsibilities
Explain how the business was created

Adults are there to guide, protect, and encourage—not take over.

A child’s imperfect creation is more valuable than a perfect business completed for them.

Help Build the Future

Young Businesses Need a Community Behind Them.

Future Founders Expo needs volunteers, mentors, sponsors, shoppers, and local business owners who are willing to encourage the next generation.

Ways to help may include:

Mentoring a young founder
Leading a preparation workshop
Helping with setup or cleanup
Welcoming participants
Assisting with booth placement
Serving as a judge
Sponsoring booth fees or founder supplies
Donating tables, signs, or display materials
Helping with printing
Photographing the event
Promoting participating businesses
Shopping from young vendors

You do not need to own a large company or have years of business experience to make an impact.

Sometimes one encouraging conversation is enough to help a young person believe:

“Maybe I really can do this.”

Important Expo Information

Submitting an application does not guarantee acceptance or booth placement.

All products, services, food items, displays, activities, and equipment must receive IPOC approval before the event.

Each young founder must be meaningfully involved in creating, designing, preparing, or developing the products being sold—or must be capable of personally providing the advertised service.

Products purchased only for ordinary resale, adult-owned businesses presented as youth businesses, and booths primarily operated by adults may not be approved.

Participants are responsible for:

Meeting all application and payment deadlines
Providing accurate product or service information
Bringing approved inventory and booth materials
Clearly displaying prices
Safely handling money
Remaining within the assigned booth space
Keeping aisles and exits clear
Following food-safety requirements when applicable
Providing required adult supervision
Treating shoppers, volunteers, and other founders respectfully
Cleaning the booth area before leaving

Electricity, special equipment, refrigeration, internet access, and other accommodations may be limited and must be requested in advance.

IPOC does not guarantee attendance, sales, profits, bookings, awards, or reimbursement for supplies, business expenses, or unsold inventory.

Unsafe, unlawful, inappropriate, misleading, discriminatory, or unapproved products and services may be denied or removed.

Event dates, booth fees, age divisions, rules, recognition categories, and other details may change.

🅴 Envision What Is Possible

Every new idea begins with imagination. Young founders are encouraged to look at the world around them and picture what they could create, improve, or build.

🆇 Xpress Your Creativity

There is no single right way to become a founder. Art, technology, inventions, services, food, fashion, and community projects can all begin with one original spark.

🅿️ Plan with Purpose

Ideas become stronger when young people learn to set goals, make decisions, understand costs, establish prices, and prepare for what comes next.

🅻 Learn by Doing

Some lessons cannot be learned from a worksheet alone. Meeting customers, solving problems, handling money, and operating a booth turn ideas into real experience.

🅾️ Own Your Journey

Every founder’s path will look different. Young people are encouraged to take pride in their work, accept responsibility for their choices, and recognize how much they have accomplished.

🆁 Rise Through Challenges

Not every product will work perfectly. Not every customer will make a purchase. Challenges teach young founders how to adjust, keep trying, and grow stronger.

🅴 Empower the Future

When children and teens are given the opportunity to create, lead, and be taken seriously, they begin to understand that they have the power to shape what comes next.