Summer camp
Develop a business idea, learn how to budget and market it, and practice your pitch with help from high school instructors and guest speakers.
Free for students in grades 3 to 8 in Naperville. No business experience needed.
Dates and locations for summer 2027 have not been announced yet.
- Season
- Summer 2027
- Grades
- 3 to 8
- Cost
- Free
- Seats
- Limited
- Past locations
- 95th Street and Nichols libraries, Naperville
Before you register
The questions parents ask us first. There are more answers in the FAQ.
Read the FAQ
- Who can join
- Students in grades 3 to 8. Brand new or already entrepreneurial, camp is designed for every experience level.
- Cost
- Free. Our mission is to make entrepreneurship accessible to every student, thanks to the support of our community partners.
- Dates and locations
- The 2027 dates and locations have not been announced yet. From 2024 to 2026, camp met once a week at the 95th Street and Nichols libraries in Naperville. You always get location details ahead of time.
- Tracks
- The 2027 camp keeps the two tracks that started in 2026: KidPreneur for grades 3 to 6 and first-time founders, and VentureLab for grades 6 to 8 and students ready to go further. Ask us which fits your child.
- What to bring
- A folder, pencils, a water bottle, and, if you have one, a laptop or tablet for building and researching ideas.
- Staying updated
- We email families after each session with highlights, reminders, and important links.
- Registration
- Register with our Google Form. Seats are limited, so secure your place in the 2027 camp before they fill up.
What a summer looks like
This is the 2026 schedule, one session a week for six weeks. Each session builds on the one before it and ends with a pitch. The 2027 schedule will be posted here once it is set.
| Week | KidPreneur | VentureLab |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ideation | Ideation |
| 2 | Finance | Feasibility & Market Research |
| 3 | Marketing & Prototyping | Prototyping |
| 4 | Problem Solving & Business Models | Project Management & Linking |
| 5 | Presentational & Speaking Skills | Presentational & Speaking Skills |
| 6 | Mock Pitch | Demo Day Practice |
Guest speakers since 2024
Founders, a Shark Tank alum, city leaders, and the Mayor of Naperville have all spoken to our campers.
Kandice Henning
CEO of the Alive Center
- 2024 · Session 1: Ideation & Innovation: “How to Become a Fearless Entrepreneur”
- 2025 · Session 3: Marketing & Branding: “Brand Like a Boss”
Isha Elandassery
Founder of Naperville Rising Women in Business
- 2024 · Session 2: Unique Value Proposition & Networking: “Finding Your Competitive Advantage”
- 2026 KidPreneur · Session 2: Finance: “Money Moves & Smart Decisions”
Mary Gibson
Naperville Park District President
- 2024 · Session 3: Marketing: “Pitch, Polish, Promote: Branding Lessons from the Ballot”
- 2025 · Session 5: Finance & Budgeting: “Campaigning Your Company”
Athena Chen
Founder of the Naperville Children's Business Fair
- 2024 · Session 4: Public Speaking: “Confident Kidpreneurs: Believe, Build, and Be Bold”
Scott Wehrli
Mayor of Naperville
- 2024 · Session 5: Finance: “From Ideas to Impact: How Innovation Builds Better Communities”
- 2025 · Session 6: Business Planning & Leadership: “Leading the Local Way”
- 2026 KidPreneur · Session 5: Presentational & Speaking Skills: “Leading the Local Way”
Eddie Yoon
Co-Creator of Category Pirates
- 2024 · Session 5: Finance: “Finance is Freedom”
Sean Riley
CEO of Dude Wipes
- 2024 · Session 6: Pitching: “Dude, Start Now: Why Entrepreneurship Can't Wait”
Lindsey Fleischhauer
Co-Founder at Totes Babies
- 2025 · Session 4: Prototyping & Product Creation: “Totes Babies, Totally Brilliant”
Raymond Munch
City Director of Finance
- 2025 · Session 6: Business Planning & Leadership: “Finance Fuels Innovation”
Past camps
Every session, speaker, and photo from each summer.
Summer camp 2026
KidPreneur and VentureLab ran side by side, six sessions each, and finished in two Fish Tank divisions.
- 165 students taught
- 6 sessions per track
- 2 guest speakers
- 2 camp programs
Summer camp 2025
Free seven-week camp with 5 guest speakers, including Shark Tank alum Lindsey Fleischhauer and Mayor Scott Wehrli. 120 students learned ideation, marketing, finance, and pitching.
- 7 camp sessions
- 5 guest speakers
- 120 students taught
Summer camp 2024
Free six-week camp with 6 sessions, 7 guest speakers, and hands-on business challenges. 110 students learned ideation, marketing, finance, and pitching.
- 6 camp sessions
- 7 guest speakers
- 110 students taught
Join the 2027 summer camp
Registration is open now. Grades 3 to 8, in Naperville, no business experience needed. After camp comes Fish Tank, our pitch competition.