Kidpreneurs mean business

August 12, 2026 - 00:13

A new initiative hosted by the University of North Dakota is giving elementary and middle school students in Grand Forks a real taste of the business world. The Kidpreneur Program, held on the UND campus, is designed to teach young participants the fundamentals of starting and running their own small ventures. Over the course of several sessions, the students are diving into hands-on lessons about branding, pricing, and customer sales, moving beyond simple lemonade-stand theory into practical application.

The program focuses on making entrepreneurship accessible and fun. Organizers say the goal is not just to teach kids how to make money, but to help them develop problem-solving skills and confidence. During the workshops, students work on creating their own product ideas, designing logos, and figuring out how to set prices that make sense. They also practice pitching their products to potential buyers, learning how to communicate the value of what they have created.

For many of the young participants, the highlight is the chance to actually sell their goods at a mini-market held at the end of the program. Parents and community members are invited to browse the student-run stalls, giving the kids a chance to experience a real transaction from start to finish. The program has drawn praise from local educators who see it as a valuable supplement to traditional classroom learning. By bringing the concepts to life in a supportive environment, the Kidpreneur Program is helping the next generation of business owners get an early start.