KidBizCON 2026
Big ideas. Real pitches. Youth-made businesses.
KidBizCON 2026 is a two-day youth entrepreneurship experience featuring a pitch competition, youth marketplace, social enterprise showcases, leadership labs, partner activations, KidBiz challenge economy, prizes, and the Young Black in Business Awards celebration.
youth, families, student entrepreneurs, partners, VIP guests, and community supporters expected across two days.
Two-Day Youth Entrepreneurship Experience
Pitch. Sell. Learn. Celebrate.
KidBizCON is YEI’s signature youth entrepreneurship event where young people launch ideas, sell products, pitch businesses, learn from community leaders, and celebrate what it means to build something of their own.
Elementary, middle, and high school entrepreneurs pitch live for startup prizes and recognition.
Student vendors showcase and sell youth-made products in the KidBizCON Youth Marketplace.
Youth rotate through fast-paced leadership labs focused on business, advocacy, marketing, creativity, prototyping, and product-making.
Families join the closing celebration for pitch awards, Young Black in Business Awards, prizes, and student recognition.
KidBizCON in Action
Past moments. Bigger vision for 2026.
From youth pitches and marketplace moments to hands-on labs and award celebrations, KidBizCON gives young entrepreneurs a real audience, real feedback, and real reasons to keep building.
Youth, families, partners, and community supporters
Young entrepreneurs take the stage
Student businesses meet real customers
Pitch + Marketplace
VIP preview, social enterprise gifting suite, youth marketplace, student pitches, and community celebration.
Leadership Labs
Eight rotating labs where youth explore business, advocacy, marketing, creativity, prototyping, beauty, and youth power.
Youth Marketplace
Shop youth-led brands featuring art, fashion, beauty products, apparel, accessories, candles, and more.
Awards Celebration
Celebrate pitch winners, student businesses, program completion, special track awards, and youth leadership.
Day 1
Pitch Competition + Youth Marketplace + VIP Preview
Day 1 invites families, partners, funders, VIP guests, judges, and community members to experience youth entrepreneurship in action.
Guests will shop student vendors, experience YEI social enterprises, hear youth business pitches, and connect with young entrepreneurs before pitch winners are announced during the Day 2 closing celebration.
Monday, August 3, 2026
4:00–7:00 PM
- VIP social enterprise gifting suite
- Youth marketplace
- Elementary + middle school pitch division
- High school pitch division
- Community shopping and networking
- Day 2 invitation and closing remarks
Tuesday, August 4, 2026
11:30 AM–5:15 PM
- Opening party
- Entrepreneurship Passport
- KidBiz Bucks challenge economy
- Eight rotating leadership labs
- Lunch + marketplace
- Closing celebration + YBIBA
Day 2
Leadership Labs, Marketplace + Young Black in Business Awards
Day 2 brings youth together for an active festival-style experience. Students receive an Entrepreneurship Passport, earn KidBiz Bucks through challenges and partner activations, rotate through leadership labs, shop the marketplace, and participate in a high-energy closing celebration.
Families are invited to join the closing celebration for pitch awards, Young Black in Business Awards, student recognition, marketplace awards, partner acknowledgments, prize drawings, and final KidBiz redemption.
Day 2 Leadership Labs
Eight fast-paced labs designed for youth leadership and entrepreneurship.
Each lab helps students connect business, creativity, community change, advocacy, marketing, production, and leadership through hands-on learning.
Business Across Generations
Youth and adult entrepreneurs share lessons about first sales, pricing, customers, and building with limited resources.
Community Strengths to Community Change
Students identify community strengths and imagine businesses, programs, products, or campaigns that can create change.
Voices for Change
ACC youth leaders present a drug prevention debate and advocacy experience connected to public speaking and healthy decisions.
Marketing That Moves People
Students learn how audience, message, story, visuals, and calls to action help businesses reach customers.
Vision to Action Studio
Youth create a mini vision-to-action card connected to business, career, education, money, or community impact.
Apparel Making + Product Prototyping
Students explore digital fabrication, DTF customization, screen printing, quality control, and hands-on prototyping.
Cosmetic Product Lab
Youth learn about ingredients, safety, measuring, naming, labeling, pricing, and beauty entrepreneurship.
Teen New Deal
Students explore youth power, opportunity, student pay, student government, student media, and advocacy.
Schedule at a Glance
KidBizCON 2026 Run of Show
From live business pitches to hands-on leadership labs and the Young Black in Business Awards, here is how the two-day experience will unfold.
Day 1: Monday, August 3, 2026
VIP Arrival + Social Enterprise Gifting Suite
VIP guests experience student-led tours, product demos, youth-made gifts, and social enterprise stories.
Youth Marketplace Opens
Families, community members, partners, and guests arrive and shop youth vendors.
Official Welcome
Student emcees welcome guests and introduce the purpose of KidBizCON.
Elementary + Middle School Pitch Division
Young entrepreneurs pitch live for judges and the audience.
Marketplace Break + Stage Reset
Guests shop youth vendors while judges organize notes and the pitch team resets for the next division.
High School Pitch Division
High school entrepreneurs present their ideas and products for startup prize consideration.
Closing Remarks + Day 2 Invitation
Guests are invited back for leadership labs, activations, marketplace, awards, and closing celebration.
Day 2: Tuesday, August 4, 2026
Arrival + KidBiz Challenge Economy
Students check in, receive passports, visit partner stations, and begin earning KidBiz Bucks.
Official YEI Welcome
Youth MCs explain rotations, marketplace, challenge economy, lunch, expectations, and closing celebration.
Leadership Labs — Rotations 1–4
Students rotate through the first four leadership lab experiences.
Lunch + Marketplace + Challenge Redemption
Youth eat, shop, meet vendors, complete passport activities, and redeem a limited portion of earned currency.
Regroup + Transition
Students rejoin their color groups and transition to the final leadership lab rotations.
Leadership Labs — Rotations 5–8
Students complete the final four leadership lab experiences.
Closing Celebration + Prizes + YBIBA
Families join for pitch winners, Young Black in Business Awards, recognition, partner acknowledgments, and prizes.
Final Shopping + Photos + Dismissal
Guests take photos, complete final marketplace purchases, and celebrate youth entrepreneurs before dismissal.
KidBiz Challenge Economy
Students earn, spend, redeem, and learn.
Day 2 includes an Entrepreneurship Passport and KidBiz Bucks system where youth earn event currency through business challenges, partner activities, marketplace engagement, teamwork, and positive participation.
Youth earn currency through bingo, scavenger hunts, partner stations, trivia, marketplace tasks, and business challenges.
Students use earned currency during marketplace and redemption windows while supporting youth entrepreneurs.
Students visit partner tables, complete challenges, and learn from community leaders and entrepreneurs.
Final redemption, prizes, and recognition happen during the closing celebration experience.
Youth Marketplace + Awards
Shop youth businesses and celebrate young entrepreneurs.
KidBizCON gives young entrepreneurs a real audience, real customers, and real opportunities to practice business skills. Guests can shop the youth marketplace, meet student founders, support youth-made products, and return for the closing celebration where pitch winners and student leaders are recognized.
Youth Marketplace
Meet student entrepreneurs, explore youth-led brands, and shop products created by young business owners.
View Youth BusinessesAwards Ceremony
Families and guests are invited to the Day 2 closing celebration for pitch awards, Young Black in Business Awards, student recognition, prizes, and final KidBiz redemption.
View Awards TimeKidBiz Bucks
Youth earn event currency through passport challenges, partner activities, marketplace engagement, teamwork, and positive participation.
Register FreeReserve Your Spot
KidBizCON is free, but space is limited.
Registration helps us plan for youth participation, group rotations, marketplace access, lunch, family seating, and the closing celebration.
Youth Participant
Students and young entrepreneurs
Includes access to KidBizCON activities, leadership labs, marketplace, challenges, lunch, and youth-centered programming.
- Leadership labs
- Entrepreneurship Passport
- KidBiz challenge economy
- Youth marketplace
- Lunch
- Closing celebration
Family Member or Guest
Parents, guardians, and supporters
Families and guests are invited to attend marketplace moments and the closing celebration, including awards and recognition.
- Youth marketplace
- Pitch competition audience
- Family closing celebration
- Awards and recognition
- Photo opportunities
Group Registration
Schools, nonprofits, and youth groups
Community groups may reserve group tickets for youth participants. Space is limited based on workshop rotation capacity.
- Group check-in support
- Color-coded rotations
- Leadership labs
- Marketplace access
- Lunch planning support
Free registration. No payment required. Space may be limited by program capacity, group size, and workshop rotation limits.
Closing Celebration
Young Black in Business Awards
The Day 2 closing celebration brings students, families, partners, and guests together for pitch awards, ACC youth recognition, Young Black in Business Awards, marketplace awards, partner acknowledgments, prize drawings, and final KidBiz redemption.
Every YEI participant will be celebrated, with special awards recognizing standout students from each track. Families are invited to join this high-energy celebration of youth entrepreneurship, creativity, leadership, and growth.
“We do not just celebrate winners. We celebrate youth who build, lead, try, sell, speak, and grow.”
Past Participant Voices
KidBizCON has inspired young entrepreneurs, creators, and leaders.
“The Student Marketplace was my favorite. I got to actually sell my products — and people bought it. Now I want to keep going.”
Zahanna, Youth Entrepreneur“KidBizCON made me realize that I could actually start my own business while I’m still a teen.”
Jeremy, KidBizCON Participant“I never thought I would start a fashion business, but this experience gave me the inspiration and confidence to.”
Damien“YEI is an exceptional organization that empowers young entrepreneurs.”
Ariel Atkins, WNBA Player“KidBizCON taught me I could create my own opportunities.”
Tyler“Having our youth exposed to the creative economy is a beautiful thing. I am so honored that this is taking place in Ward 8.”
Ms. JackieSponsors + Partners
Help power DC’s youth entrepreneurship experience.
KidBizCON is made possible by partners who believe youth deserve access to entrepreneurship, creativity, mentorship, markets, and real opportunities.
PASTE SPONSOR LOGOS OR NAMES HERE
PASTE PARTNER LOGOS OR NAMES HERE
Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know before KidBizCON.
When and where is KidBizCON 2026?
KidBizCON 2026 will take place August 3–4, 2026 at Bard High School Early College DC, 1351 Alabama Ave SE, Washington, DC.
What happens on Day 1?
Day 1 includes VIP arrival, social enterprise gifting suite preview, youth marketplace, official welcome, elementary and middle school pitch division, high school pitch division, and a Day 2 invitation.
What happens on Day 2?
Day 2 includes arrival and opening party, Entrepreneurship Passport activities, KidBiz Bucks challenge economy, eight leadership labs, lunch, marketplace, final redemption, prizes, and the Young Black in Business Awards closing celebration.
When are pitch winners announced?
Pitch winners are not announced on Day 1. Winners will be announced during the Day 2 closing celebration.
Can families attend?
Yes. Families may attend designated public-facing parts of the event, including the youth marketplace, pitch competition, and Day 2 closing celebration. Family arrival details will be shared closer to the event.
What are the Leadership Labs?
Leadership Labs are short, hands-on experiences focused on entrepreneurship, community change, advocacy, marketing, visioning, prototyping, cosmetic product-making, and youth power.
What are KidBiz Bucks?
KidBiz Bucks are event currency youth can earn through passport challenges, partner activities, marketplace engagement, teamwork, and positive participation. Youth may use earned currency during marketplace and redemption moments.
Is registration free?
Yes. KidBizCON registration is free, but space is limited and registration helps YEI plan for youth participation, groups, lunch, marketplace access, and closing celebration seating.
How can I volunteer, sponsor, or partner?
Use the volunteer, sponsor, or contact links on this page to connect with YEI about supporting KidBizCON.
Be Part of KidBizCON
Join young entrepreneurs, creators, families, partners, and changemakers.
Register, sponsor, volunteer, shop the marketplace, or help make KidBizCON 2026 a powerful two-day experience for young entrepreneurs across Washington, DC.