Future Founders is an entrepreneurship and innovation program designed to help young people explore ideas, develop solutions and build confidence in their thinking.
Through a structured learning journey, students are guided through the process of identifying real-world problems, developing ideas and learning how to communicate them clearly. The program can be experienced through schools or as an individual learning experience.
What Students Will Learn
Students progress through a structured six-module learning journey:
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Entrepreneurial Mindset
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Problem & Solution Thinking
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Market Research
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Prototyping and Idea Development
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Developing a Pitch
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Delivering a Pitch
By the end of the program, students will have developed the foundations to explore ideas, test their thinking and present their solutions with confidence.
Who the Program is For
Program Outcomes
Students who complete the program develop:
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Confidence presenting ideas
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Creative problem-solving skills
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Entrepreneurial thinking
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Real-world communication skills
Future Founders is suitable for:
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Students learning through their school
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Young people exploring ideas independently
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Students interested in innovation, entrepreneurship or creative thinking
Optional Extension: Young Eyes Festival of Innovation
Participants of the Program may choose to extend their learning through the Young Eyes Festival of Innovation, an annual event now in its fifth year and expanding beyond the Illawarra region.
Participants have the opportunity to further develop their ideas and pitch to a panel of judges for the chance to receive prizes and mentoring opportunities.
Participation in the festival pathway is optional.
The 2026 Young Eyes Festival of Innovation will be held at the Innovation Campus in Wollongong on 10 September:
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Illawarra students: 9:30am – 2:30pm
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Students outside the Illawarra region: 4:00pm – 7:30pm
"We can really shape how we see the future through the products we make."
Sienna
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