When you think of 9th graders, you might picture typical teenagers:
navigating high school life, glued to their phones, and battling the trials of adolescence. Now, imagine those same teens building startups.
Sound ambitious? It absolutely was!
Recently, I had the chance to work with a group of 9th graders from Thüringen, guiding them through the process of developing their very own startups. Whether it was coming up with a game-changing app, a product to solve a common problem, or a service that tapped into their community’s needs, the ideas that flowed from these teens were actually quite fun and fresh even on day one.
But here’s the thing about startup ideas: they’re only as good as the teamwork and effort behind them.
The Real Challenge: Teamwork and Collaboration
One of the first obstacles we hit was teamwork. We’re talking about a group of teenagers who, like most teens, are used to doing things on their own terms. Suddenly, they had to collaborate, bounce ideas off each other, and, most challenging of all, compromise.
It was fascinating to watch how each team navigated this. Some groups clicked right away, divvying up tasks with ease, while others struggled to find common ground. I had to step in at times to help them realise that no one can build a business alone—success is about leaning on each other's strengths and finding a rhythm as a group. It took time, but slowly, they began to get it.
And let’s be honest: teamwork isn’t easy, even for adults. Watching these students learn how to communicate effectively and delegate tasks felt like a major win.
Creativity: Thinking Outside the Box
The creative process was another area where we faced some bumps in the road. Teens today are bombarded with information from every direction, and coming up with original ideas can feel overwhelming. Some students wanted to emulate existing businesses, while others were stuck on the “perfect idea” and found it hard to think outside the box.
To push them past this, we had brainstorming sessions where the focus was not on perfection, but on getting any and all ideas out in the open. They learned that sometimes, even the wackiest idea can spark something brilliant, and the creative process is about iteration, not immediate perfection.
The Hard Part: Keeping Attention and Endurance
Let’s face it: holding a teenager’s attention can be tough. We live in a world of instant gratification, and it can be hard for students to stay focused on long-term projects. This startup journey wasn’t just a one-day workshop; it took time. There were moments when their focus wavered, and I could tell they wanted to move on to something new.
But the startup world requires grit. You can’t give up when things get tricky, and endurance is key. I encouraged them to push through, reminding them that real innovation doesn’t happen overnight. To their credit, they dug deep. Some groups struggled more than others, but by the end of it, every student had a sense of pride in the progress they had made. They realised that building something worthwhile takes effort, attention, and—yes—even a bit of patience.
A Lesson for Life
Building startups with 9th graders? It wasn’t always easy, but it was 100% worth it. Seeing their excitement turn into resilience and growth was great. I have no doubt that some of these teens will go on to create their own real-life startups one day—and that’s a future you can see right here with our video pitch decks.
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