Future Founders

Future Founders Future Founders® believes every youth can become an entrepreneur. We immerse youth in experiences that inspire and empower them to create their own opportunity.

Future Founders® is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that believes every youth can become an entrepreneur. We believe this leads to a generation more determined, hopeful and equipped as they engage the future. Since 2005, our programs have served over 35,000 youth. Join us as we empower the next generation of business leaders and entrepreneurs.

There’s something powerful about being in a room full of people who are building. Ideas move faster. Questions get answ...
06/02/2026

There’s something powerful about being in a room full of people who are building.

Ideas move faster. Questions get answered. New possibilities emerge.

Whether it’s a workshop, networking event, pitch competition, or community gathering, these spaces bring together young entrepreneurs who are curious, ambitious, and eager to learn from one another.

Sometimes the most valuable takeaway isn’t what happens on stage. It’s who you meet, the conversations you have, and the relationships that continue long after the event ends.

That’s the power of being in the room.

06/01/2026

What if waste could become the starting point for something valuable? We sat down with Fellowship Alum Elliott Notrica of Symbio Bioculinary to talk about using engineered organisms to transform food waste into useful materials like antioxidants, oils, and sugars.

With a background as a chef, Elliott saw firsthand how much food gets thrown away and decided to approach the problem differently. His work is a reminder that innovation often starts by looking at everyday problems through a new lens.

Access changes everything. Over the years, accomplished founders and business leaders from across industries have stepp...
05/31/2026

Access changes everything. Over the years, accomplished founders and business leaders from across industries have stepped into Future Founders spaces to share their stories, offer guidance, and empower the next generation of entrepreneurs.

These moments are about more than inspiration. They’re about building relationships, expanding networks, and helping young founders realize they belong in these rooms too.

05/29/2026

What started as a side hustle in college turned into a beverage brand now sold in 30 states. We sat down with Fellowship Cohort 11 alum Eddie Favela, founder of Vidagua, to talk about scaling from homemade aguas frescas to supermarket shelves, learning the realities of manufacturing, and building a product people genuinely wanted.

From restaurant testing to national growth, his story is a reminder that entrepreneurship is not just about having an idea. It is about learning, adapting, and figuring things out at every stage.

Behind every pitch is a young person learning to believe in their own ideas. Across Future Founders programs, pitch com...
05/27/2026

Behind every pitch is a young person learning to believe in their own ideas. Across Future Founders programs, pitch competitions give participants the opportunity to practice public speaking, think critically, respond to feedback, and communicate their vision with confidence. For many, it’s the first time they’ve ever stood in front of a crowd and said, “Here’s what I’m building.” And that moment matters.

05/26/2026

Future Founders Mentor Spotlight 💡

We sat down with Future Founders mentor Reva Minkoff of Digital4Startups to talk about building a business through opportunity, adaptability, and long-term relationships.

Reva advises our founders on a variety of topics to help them
maximize their marketing efforts through digital marketing, SEO, and social media, to name a few.

When Future Founders started as a standalone organization, we shared desk space with Reva and her company. Reva’s support has been there since the very beginning and we’re thrilled to connect talented founders like her with our own founders.

05/22/2026

Some of the best moments happen in between the programming.

The side conversations. The shared advice. The introductions that turn into future collaborations.

This gathering brought together founders from different backgrounds, industries, and stages of entrepreneurship, from Apprentices just getting started to Fellows and Alumni actively scaling businesses.

So many ideas exchanged. So many meaningful connections formed. And so much inspiration shared along the way.

Identifying problems, creating solutions, pitching ideas, and turning vision into reality every single day. This is what...
05/20/2026

Identifying problems, creating solutions, pitching ideas, and turning vision into reality every single day. This is what founder life looks like.

A collection of moments from a room built by founders for founders 📸 Conversations that started as introductions turned...
05/18/2026

A collection of moments from a room built by founders for founders 📸

Conversations that started as introductions turned into shared ideas, advice, and new collaborations. Across every corner of the space, founders exchanged stories, challenges, and what they’re building next.

So many stories shared, so many ideas started, and so many authentic relationships formed in between.

05/15/2026

Creativity is a business and a path forward. (Startup Bootcamp alum and current Fellowship participant) is building her own lane through live art experiences, backed by a community that pushes her to keep growing.

Through Future Founders, she’s found mentors, guidance, and a network that shows what’s possible. And now, she’s showing other creatives that success isn’t limited to one path. It belongs to anyone willing to build it.

Address

222 W. Merchandise Mart Plaza, Suite 1212
Chicago, IL
60654

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

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