Rooted in design thinking, innovation, and collaboration, Startland Studio serves as a programming hub that equips students, educators, entrepreneurs, and communities with the tools to identify problems and create impactful solutions. Through interactive problem-solving experiences, think tanks, and incubators, the studio fosters an entrepreneurial mindset — building creative confidence, empathy, and resilience to help participants turn ideas into action and navigate an ever-evolving world. 

Upcoming Opportunities for Educators

  • Join us June 3rd, 4th, and 5th, 2025 for the 5th cohort of our Summer Educator’s Lab hosted by Startland Studio in collaboration with the Career Education Consortium. During this interactive workshop, teachers will experience first hand how design thinking transforms the classroom and aligns with real-world learning.

    Day 1: Discover & Ideate

    • Discovering Design Thinking

    • The Educator’s Design Challenge

    Day 2: Design & Align

    • Rapid Prototyping

    • Pitching to Your Peers

    • The Entrepreneurial Mindsets

    Day 3: Build & Launch

    • Design Thinking

    • Problem-Based Learning

    • Implementing in the Classroom

  • Join Startland Studio for an immersive three-day Entreprenuerial Teacher Accelerator designed to equip educators with the skills, resources, and community support they need. Aimed to guide you through the implementation of Entrepreneurial Experiences in your classroom and connect you with the Entrepreneurial Ecosystem in Kansas City.

    Through this experience, you will explore how to integrate entrepreneurial thinking, foster creative confidence, and empower student voices. You’ll also learn how to design real-world problem-solving experiences that engage students and prepare them for the future. By the end of the program, you'll leave with practical strategies and a supportive network, ready to inspire entrepreneurial mindsets in your students.

    When: July 14-16, 2025

    Where: UMKC Bloch School of Business

    Time: 8:30 AM - 3:00 PM daily

    Stipend: $1,000 for full participation

    CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

  • Students shouldn't be the only ones having fun! Join Startland Studio at this year’s Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge hosted by Network Kansas for a rapid, two-hour innovation session designed exclusively for Kansas-based educators.

    You’ll use design thinking to develop a framework that will better support the youth entrepreneurs in your classroom — and have a lot of fun doing it.

    Join us in Manhattan, Kansas April 16 at Kansas State University.

Upcoming Opportunities for Youth

  • Young people are more plugged in than ever — but when it comes to local news? They're tuning out. Not because they don’t care, but because traditional journalism isn’t speaking their language. The stories shaping their communities, their futures, and their voices are getting lost in the noise of endless scrolling.

    This year, Startland’s Youth Lab is flipping the script. Student journalists from across the metro will dive deep into why their generation is disengaged from local news — and what needs to change. Through real-world research, collaboration, and innovation, they’ll create bold, youth-driven solutions to help media outlets capture young audiences and build a more sustainable future for journalism.

    By empowering students as creators, disruptors, and changemakers, we’re not just shaping the next generation of journalists. We’re giving them the tools to shape their world.

    APPLICATIONS OPEN SEPTEMBER 1.

Are you ready to make a difference for younger generations? Inspire starters by becoming a Startland mentor.