October 3–4, 2026 · Sat 10:00 AM – Sun 6:00 PM
Founders Weekend — Washington, DC
Washington, DC — venue shared with accepted families
A two-day founders challenge for ages 9–16: pick a niche you know weirdly well, build the smallest thing that gets a real signal, and get it in front of strangers to earn your first dollar.
Founders Weekend runs Saturday morning through Sunday evening — workshops, long build blocks with founder-mentors floating table to table, and an evening fireside. It ends with science-fair judging and live finals on stage. The same weekend runs at ten Alpha School campuses across the US.
Free for accepted participants. 30 spots, ages 9–16, solo or in teams of up to three. There is no overnight component — parents handle all transport, and hard wrap times are published in advance.
Applying takes two minutes: name, email, and one short paragraph on why you — or your child — is a good fit for the weekend. Spots are limited, so we review every application and confirm by email.
Together, we’ll explore
- Find your angle: pick a niche you know weirdly well and turn it into a real, money-making idea — not a hobby.
- Vibe-code your MVP: use AI to build a working landing page, app, or product in an afternoon, no coding background needed.
- Get strangers to say yes: walk up to people you have never met, pitch in ten seconds, and earn your first real dollar.
- Long build blocks with founder-mentors floating table to table, plus a guest-founder lunch.
- Ship it and pitch it science-fair style on the final stage — the top team wins the first investment in their company.
- Every student leaves with: a real business they started, a 3-minute video to post anywhere, a plan to make their first $10K in 90 days, and 90 days of free tool credits.
- Not an overnight event — students go home each night.
October 3–4, 2026
Date
Sat 10:00 AM – Sun 6:00 PM
Time
Washington, DC — venue shared with accepted families
Location
Apply for a Spot
25/30 spots leftSpots are limited, so we pick from the applications we get. Tell us why you’re a good fit and we’ll follow up by email.