STEM to Startup runs hands-on workshops where primary and middle school students design a real product, build a functional prototype, and pitch it to simulated investors.
Every workshop follows a structured timeline — working in small cohorts, building with physical assets, and facing an active feedback loop.
Every great invention begins with a problem. Students will explore real-world challenges related to STEM, such as environmental sustainability, healthcare, technology, or community issues. They will research these problems, brainstorm creative solutions, and develop an initial concept for a product or prototype that addresses a meaningful need.
With guidance from mentors and hands-on workshops, students will transform their ideas into working prototypes. They'll learn engineering design principles, collaborate with teammates, test their designs, and improve their products through an iterative design process.
Students will develop the business side of their innovation by learning how to communicate their product's value. They will create a professional pitch, explain the problem their solution addresses, discuss its potential impact, and present their prototype to the judges while learning what investors look for in promising ideas.
Our workshop tracks are carefully designed to perfectly fit different age groups. Select an open session below to secure a participant slot.
Welcome introduction (parents welcome!), fun icebreaker games, a lively Kahoot challenge, and our hands-on toothpick & marshmallow building contest.
An interactive mini-lesson to spark big ideas. We'll introduce the famous Egg Drop Challenge, team up, and jump straight into brainstorming and building.
teams pitch their creative shield designs to our panel! We’ll look at what makes an idea strong and “invest” in the designs built for success.
Students will build their own mini catapults using popsicle sticks, rubber band, and plastic spoons while learning about kinetic and potential energy through hands-on experiments. They will also think like young entrepreneurs by creating a brand for their catapult, identifying who would buy it, decide on a selling price, and presenting why their design stands out.
Students will explore real-world environmental challenges and design an eco-friendly invention or product that helps solve one. They'll create a simple business plan, identify their target customer, set a price, and pitch their innovation to the group.
Students will design and build their own boats using simple materials while learning the science of buoyancy and floating. Teams will test whose boat holds the most weight or floats the longest before presenting why their design is the best.
Welcome introduction (parents welcome!), team-building icebreakers, and a fast-paced mini-challenge to get creative juices flowing.
An interactive presentation exploring core STEM concepts alongside the basics of sales, finance, and building a winning business plan.
Form teams of 4–5, gather materials, and map out your prototype plans. Teams will review project guidelines and get their initial concepts approved by the instructors.
Put the finishing touches on your physical prototypes! Next, we'll review the presentation requirements and start building your team's business pitch, with instructors on hand for full Q&A.
Finalize your business pitch slides, refine your speaking points, and practice your delivery. Instructors will be available for final feedback and questions.
Presentation Day! Dressed in your favorite professional outfit, your team will deliver a "Shark Tank style" pitch to the panel. May the best ideas win—1st, 2nd, and 3rd place prizes will be awarded!
For Middle School Students (Grades 6–8)
Our Virtual Academy keeps students learning all year long through engaging online workshops. Whether we're teaching engineering, business, finance, or technology, every session is designed to be interactive, educational, and fun. Students can join live from home while participating in games, discussions, and hands-on thinking activities.
No prior experience required!
Students join from any device using our online meeting link.
Our student mentors teach an engaging STEM or business lesson using slides, demonstrations, and discussions.
Students participate in interactive games like Kahoot, Blooket, or Jeopardy to reinforce key concepts.
Students can join future workshops, earn participation certificates, and continue learning throughout the year.
Explore exciting topics like engineering, physics, environmental science, and more.
Learn how products become businesses through branding, pricing, marketing, pitching ideas, and financial literacy skills.
Reinforce what you've learned with Kahoots, Blookets, Jeopardy, trivia, and other fun challenges.
Develop creativity, teamwork, communication, and critical thinking through real-world activities.
Each session features an engaging presentation led by our student mentors.
Students ask questions, share ideas, and collaborate with peers.
Every workshop ends with a fun game to reinforce what students learned.
Join throughout the school year to explore new STEM and business topics and continue building your knowledge.
Live lessons designed by high school student mentors.
Kahoot, Blooket, Jeopardy, and STEM challenges every session.
Join virtually and continue learning throughout the school year.
While our hands-on workshops are held in person throughout the year, our Virtual Academy keeps students engaged between events with live online lessons, interactive games, and STEM discussions. This allows students to continue learning and exploring new topics no matter where they are.
STEM to Startup provides structural educational programs that teach students how to build solutions and communicate why they matter.
We believe technical problem-solving reaches its full potential when students are equipped to translate structural engineering concepts into persuasive proposals.
Constructed and engineered directly from a peer perspective to spark high authentic engagement thresholds.
All structural builds and theoretical concepts remain 100% the property of the participating students.
Industry-experienced volunteer mentors provide real, transparent development milestones to our student founders.
Zero barrier-to-entry pricing parameters or prior technology exposure metrics demanded. All that is required is intellectual curiosity.
Students learn to identify actual community and global challenges, moving past abstract worksheets to build concrete solutions.
Participants don't just engineer; they evaluate feasibility, market need, and project viability to train a multi-dimensional brain.
Students experience the thrill of the iterative cycle—transforming raw concepts into physical, functioning prototypes from scratch.
Early exposure to basic corporate models, product design frameworks, and resource allocations gives students a distinct competitive edge.
Young builders practice public speaking and proposal presentation, translating complex technical ideas into persuasive storytelling.
Working in student-led cohorts teaches collaboration, compromise, task distribution, and the value of leveraging diverse peer strengths.
Hi! I’m Harshini Dodda and I’m one of the co-founders and the manager director of STEM To Startup! I will be majoring in Finance/Wealth Management. Beyond that, I have a strong interest in public speaking and participating in business competitions. I am thrilled to help the next generation turn a spark of inspiration into a structured reality.
Hello! I’m Avya Sinha and I am one of the co founders of STEM to Startup! I am going to major in applied physics/aerospace engineering. Aside from that, I love being oustide and I run track and do hurdles in my free time. I am super pumped to be able to share my knowledge and help spark curiosity in the next generation of innovators.
Hi there! I’m Misha Balwani and I’m one of the co-founders of STEM To Startup! I will be majoring in Architecture Engineering. A fun fact about me is that I love playing basketball and I play the saxophone for my school’s marching band! I’m excited to inspire kids and help them learn new ways to implement their ideas into real world situations!
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Highlights from our hands-on builder track workshop
