Lemonade Stand is Australia’s business school for kids. The fun holiday program, which sold out nationwide, is designed to equip 9 – 12 year olds with an entrepreneurial mindset to help them succeed in this fast-moving century.
Constantly pushing the boundaries, the team behind Lemonade Stand is now bringing a world-first to Australian kids everywhere, launching the first ever dedicated Augmented Reality (AR) class for kids.
This generation thinks in 3D Worldwide, 30 million kids play online games such as Minecraft, which provides an interactive and collaborative environment where players can build creative structures, creations and artwork. Taking this a step further, the AR class will teach students how to build models using 3D printing and then export their creations into an augmented reality.
What is Augmented Reality?
Augmented reality (AR) is a live direct or indirect view of a physical, real-world environment whose elements are augmented (or supplemented) by computer-generated sensory input such as sound, video, graphics or GPS data. The technology functions by enhancing one’s current perception of reality. Augmented reality brings out the components of the digital world into a person’s perceived real world. One example is an AR Helmet for construction workers which displays information about the construction sites.
Lemonade Stand has partnered with Plattar, Australia’s first and easiest to use Augmented Reality (AR) platform, to allow young, budding 3D artists to view and manipulate their creations in an AR environment. The upcoming Lemonade Stand program will open students’ to new opportunities in VR/AR and introduce them to an industry that will hold exciting career prospects to many in the near future.
There are no other holiday programs that offer the unique and tailored curriculum that Lemonade Stand does. Beyond offering a strong foundation of business skills, emerging skills such as web and app development, prototyping, and business pitching is also offered. Further, the team behind Lemonade Stand is now bringing a world-first to Australian kids everywhere, launching the first ever dedicated Augmented Reality (AR) class for kids.
What is the story behind Lemonade Stand?
Lemonade Stand was founded by two Melbourne entrepreneurs, Steve Glaveski and Sean Qian. The program was born out of Collective Campus, an innovation hub, school and consultancy based in Melbourne’s CBD, established to help people and organisations adopt the mindsets, methods and tools required to successfully explore new business models and disruptive innovation in an era of rapid change and increasing uncertainty.
Lemonade Stand co-founders Steve Glaveski and Sean Qian told told Anthill more about the start-up in the detailed interview below.
What inspired you to start Lemonade Stand?
We realised that kids today are living in a faster, more technology driven world. However, the speed of technology change is outpacing the current education system – especially when it comes to entrepreneurial mindset.
Lemonade Stand serves to empower children with the mindsets and emerging skill sets that they require to succeed in a fast moving century. Compared to ten years ago, it’s comparatively cheaper and easier to start a business. We’re big believers that with the right skills and confidence, there’s no reason nine year olds can’t solve real problems.
What about AR grabbed your attention?
The LS Team strives to live on the bleeding edge of technology and keeps their ears peeled to the innovation happenings across the globe. With examples of AR games such as Pokemon Go reaching millions of people, AR is set to take off as the next major emerging skillset that adults and children alike need to understand and manipulate.
Following the success of its 3D printing program, LS is ambitiously taking this a step further and partnering with Plattar, Australia’s first and easiest to use Augmented Reality (AR) platform. LS aims to upskill young, budding 3D artists to view and manipulate their creations in an AR environment. The upcoming Lemonade Stand program will open students to new opportunities in VR/AR and introduce them to an industry that will hold exciting career prospects to many in the near future.
How is Lemonade Stand doing so far?
Lemonade Stand has sold out programs nationwide across Australia in cities such as Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane. The LS team has also recently returned from successful programs held in Singapore based at Impact Hub, as well as the Singapore American School. We’re now currently working to put on more classes both within and outside schools, as well as building an online initiative to help us reach more kids.
How has it been funded so far?
True to the lean startup methodologies that Collective Campus spreads, Lemonade Stand started as a well-run experiment. Progressive parents recognised the stark lack of entrepreneurship and tech-related skills from their children’s school curriculums. These early adopters, combined with key partners such as Microsoft, launched the program to much success.
The Australian government has also recognised the value of Lemonade stand, awarding the program $100,000 as part of LaunchVic’s $6.5 million first round of funding allocations. LaunchVic, Victoria’s $60 milion startup fund, was set up to build the infrastructure and grow the startup ecosystem.
Other than the funding Lemonade Stand has received from LaunchVic, LS is completely self funded by Collective Campus.
What has been your biggest challenge so far in business and how did you overcome it?
As with any new venture, the biggest challenge is finding your customers before running out of time and resources. One strategic decision we made early on which helped us overcome this challenge was to target parents directly for our holiday programs, rather than go through schools, which are often slow moving, bureaucratic organisations. Our next challenge is finding a way to scale Lemonade Stand so we can impact more kids, whilst also retaining the quality of learning we currently have.
