Great news! We have just won the 2017 NextGen Franchising Global Competition. We are the third Canadian company to win consecutively!
Founded in Toronto, MakerKids is currently at the International Franchise Association’s Annual Convention, where we will be part of exclusive training and a business accelerator program. Our goal is to open MakerKids locations internationally teaching thousands of kids. Read about our journey at the competition here.
We are excited to share this news with you and we are very excited to grow our community. Thank you to all our students, parents, team and supporters.
Read our full press release below:
Toronto’s MakerKids Wins NextGen Franchising Global Competition
Third Canadian Company to Win Consecutively
Toronto, ON – Founded in Canada, MakerKids is the first and largest makerspace for kids and is set to launch internationally. Selected amongst hundreds of entrepreneurs and startups around the world, MakerKids is the winner of the 2017 NextGen Franchising Global Competition. MakerKids is an educational trailblazer providing after-school programs and a playful space dedicated to giving kids the resources they need to feel empowered by the digital world. Their mission is to empower the leaders of tomorrow with the skills and mindsets to change the world.
CEO Jennifer Turliuk has been invited to participate in a 90-day accelerator program and to attend the International Franchise Association’s Annual Convention in Las Vegas, for the NextGen in Franchising Summit.
“I am so happy and grateful to have won the NextGen in Franchising competition at the International Franchise Association conference. It was amazing to learn from CEOs of large franchised companies such as College Pro and TutorDoctor. I am proud to have made this a 'hat trick' for Canada (the past two winners were also Canadian). I look forward to using the learnings from this experience to grow our brand and expand the Canadian economy,” Jenn Turliuk, CEO MakerKids.
With a focus on effective and positive digital education, MakerKids hopes to cultivate minds that feel empowered by our digital contexts, and seek to design supportive futures for everyone. Carlos Contreras, Director of Education at Intel, says “I think that MakerKids is doing some outstanding things for kids. Let’s get more kids into making.”
MakerKids’ education model develops leaders, designers, engineers and citizens that are excited to face a new generation of challenges. “In the many years that we’ve been running our camps and weekly programs, we’ve seen kids presenting their MakerKids projects on national TV, starting their own businesses with the skills they’ve learned (e.g. one 10-year-old makes, sells and fixes audio speakers in his neighbourhood), and most importantly – improving their confidence, social skills, and engagement at school,” Jenn Turliuk.
Through expanding, MakerKids will bring their innovative curriculum and teaching philosophy across the world, empowering thousands of kids. This is a huge win to further education and Canadian innovation.
About MakerKids
Designed and created by industry professionals and makers (NASA’s Singularity University graduate, engineers, entrepreneurs, teachers and speakers from Queen’s University), MakerKids has been operating for over six years.
MakerKids was named “Best Kids’ Workshops” by Toronto Life Magazine. Thousands of kids have taken their STEM programs in Coding, Robotics and Minecraft. Their camps, after school and weekend programs and birthday parties empower children to be creators, not just consumers.
Inside MakerKids: https://youtu.be/p2jkrPa3Y48
Contact
Jenn Turliuk,
CEO MakerKids
www.makerkids.com
647 247 1678
jenn@makerkids.com
