Number of Classes
6 weekly sessions
Session Duration
45-60 minutes
School Subjects Alignment
Course Description
Turn your big ideas into real-world ventures. Next-Level Startup empowers students to ethically and responsibly use open-source AI tools to brainstorm, test, and refine business concepts while mastering the essentials of business planning and digital literacy. Whether self-paced or guided through weekly virtual sessions, students participate in peer feedback, guided checkpoints, and real-world reflection to build confidence and clarity. This course helps students develop an entrepreneurial mindset, sharpen problem-solving abilities, and strengthen communication skills — all through the lens of innovation and technology. Students do not need prior business experience, advanced technical skills, or coding knowledge; AI tools act as creative collaborators in this course.
By the end of the course, students will create a brief professional portfolio that may include a business concept, brand assets, website landing page, app prototype, financial model, and / or investor-style pitch deck.
State Standards
- Massachusetts English Language Arts (ELA) Standards
- Speaking and Listening
- Writing
- Research
- Massachusetts Digital Literacy and Computer Science (DLCS) Standards
- DLCS 3. Computational Thinking
- DLCS 5. Impacts of Computing
- Massachusetts Career Development Education (CDE) Standards
- CD 1: Career Awareness & Exploration
- CD 2: Employability Skills
- CD 3: Career Planning & Management
Skills Learned
- Entrepreneurial mindset
- Problem-solving
- Communication skills
- AI-supported learning
About NFTE
The Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE) is a global education nonprofit that activates the entrepreneurial mindset in young people from under-resourced communities. NFTE’s curriculum and digital learning tools empower students to think like entrepreneurs—solving real-world problems, building leadership and financial skills, and preparing for college, career, and community success. NFTE currently serves students in over 25 U.S. states and 30+ countries, offering a continuum of programs from short innovation challenges to semester- and year-long accredited courses.
About the Instructor
Ryan Kinser is the Platform Operations Manager at NFTE, where he designs and scales AI-powered entrepreneurship programs that help students turn ideas into real businesses. A 20+ year K-12 teaching veteran, Ryan is also a Clinical Assistant Professor of Educational Technology at Arizona State University, where he prepares middle and high-school teaching candidates. In Next-Level Startup, Ryan helps learners use AI as a co-founder to validate ideas, build momentum, and launch with confidence.