Empower
the Youth.
Empower
the People.
A nonprofit expanding access to entrepreneurship education through mentorship-driven, experiential learning — building ethical innovators before confidence gaps harden.
Delivery
Through Mentorship
in 5 Years — WEF
Youth — RAND 2024
We don't just teach entrepreneurship.
We teach students how to think.
Most high school entrepreneurship programs cover basics. LaunchLab goes further — equipping students with the analytical tools, ethical frameworks, and forecasting skills to thrive in the economy they're about to enter.
Students study how major economic and technological shifts have unfolded throughout history — building the instinct to recognize patterns before they fully emerge, and to understand what that means for builders today.
Every week, students step into real leadership roles through team simulations — making decisions under pressure just like actual founders do. Paired with blind case studies, students analyze real business situations without knowing whose story it is, then compare their thinking against what a real entrepreneur actually did.
Current entrepreneurs guest-speak in live sessions, sharing their real journeys — the failures, pivots, and breakthroughs. Students ask questions, build connections, and see that the path from idea to impact is human, not hypothetical.
Students learn to read and interpret real economic and workforce data — then apply it to forecast where industries, problems, and opportunities are heading over the next 10 to 15 years. This is a skill almost no high school program teaches.
Before building anything, students learn to deeply understand the people their solution will serve. Structured exercises build the empathy, judgment, and listening skills that separate products people tolerate from solutions people actually need.
Every major decision in LaunchLab is examined through an ethical lens. Students learn to build ventures that are not only viable but responsible — developing the moral reasoning and accountability that define leaders who earn lasting trust.
Two pathways. One mission.
Built on the insight that mentorship-driven, relational learning changes outcomes — at any age.
Workshops, program mentoring, and individualized one-on-one coaching
Values-aligned mentorship students describe as natural and transformative
UConn Werth Institute for Entrepreneurship — 3-year partnership
Virtual delivery · open nationwide · 10 seats per cohort
Historical analysis · live simulations · entrepreneur speakers · forecasting
Human-centered design · ethical decision-making · real business planning
Every student works on their own individual venture from Week 1
From mindset
to pitch day.
Every student works on their own individual venture from Week 1 — no hypotheticals. Real ideas, real entrepreneur mentors, real forecasting skills. Fall 2026 cohort has 10 seats available.
Mentorship that changes trajectories.
Verbatim. Unedited. The words of students who have experienced BFA's Ignite Program.
Working with Ruth honestly felt so natural. I loved how our values aligned and how easy it was to brainstorm with her. I always left our chats feeling inspired and encouraged and I'm so grateful for everything she shared with me.
— Mal, Former Mentee · Ignite Program
Ruth's entrepreneurial spirit was inspiring. Learning about her startup journey encouraged me to embrace my own entrepreneurial ideas, sparking newfound confidence. Her encouragement empowered me to overcome my hesitations and pursue new ventures.
— Ketsia, Former Mentee · Ignite Program
My experience being mentored by Ruth has been really great. From our very first meeting, she was intentional, kind, and genuinely cared about helping me grow. She supported me through every stage of my project, starting with ideation.
— Anonymous Mentee · Ignite Program
"Throughout my time as one of Ruth's mentees, I have been fortunate to take away many meaningful life lessons from her. She is incredibly relatable and has a genuine kindness that is evident to anyone who meets her. Ruth was always flexible when scheduling appointments, and I never once felt rushed as our meetings often ran over because she truly cared. I will always be appreciative of the time she took to create a detailed plan with me around my goals and ensure my actions aligned with them, and helping me adjust when they didn't. Her guidance set me on the right path for my final two years of undergraduate studies and played a key role in helping me secure internships during that time and build meaningful relationships."
— Kylee, Former Mentee · Ignite Program
There's a place for you
in this mission.
BFA works with students, schools, mentors, corporate partners, and investors — each playing an essential role in building the next generation of entrepreneurs.
See How to Get Involved →The data confirms
what we already knew.
Post-workshop survey · Fall 2025 · n=7 college students · Ignite Program
surveyed college students said high school did not prepare them to think entrepreneurially
would have participated in a hands-on entrepreneurship program if one existed in high school
identified: ideation · execution · pitching · collaboration · ethical AI decision-making — directly shaped LaunchLab's curriculum design
Every dollar empowers
a young entrepreneur.
501(c)(3) · EIN: 33-3710280 · All contributions tax-deductible · Monthly giving available
Ready to join
Bold Futures Academy?
Whether you're a student, school, mentor, corporate partner, or donor — there's a seat at this table for you.
admin@boldfuturesacademy.org · 153 Turner Road, Rockland MA 02370
Two pathways.
One mission.
BFA operates two complementary programs united by one belief: mentorship-driven, relational learning changes outcomes — at any age.
What makes this program
genuinely different.
Most high school entrepreneurship programs cover the basics. LaunchLab goes deeper — equipping students with the analytical, ethical, and forecasting skills to navigate an economy still being built.
Students study major economic and technological shifts in history — the Industrial Revolution, the Digital Age, and the AI era. They learn who adapted, who didn't, and why. This analytical foundation turns every student into a sharper pattern-recognizer before they ever write a business plan.
Role-based team simulations run every week — students inhabit real leadership roles (CEO, CMO, CTO, Ethics Advisor) as they work through each challenge. Each week also features blind case studies: students analyze a real business scenario without knowing whose story it is, then we reveal the actual entrepreneur (Mikaila Ulmer, Tristan Walker, Natalie Warne, Jewel Burks Solomon) — letting students compare their approach directly against how real founders solved the same problem.
Each cohort includes live guest speaker sessions with working entrepreneurs. Students hear real stories — the failures, pivots, and breakthroughs — and ask questions directly. This isn't recorded content; it's live, relational, and unforgettable.
Students learn to read real economic and workforce data, then apply it to forecast where industries and opportunities are heading over the next decade-plus. This future-orientation skill is almost entirely absent from standard high school curricula — and is increasingly valued by universities and employers alike.
Through structured exercises and case studies, students develop the empathy and listening skills needed to truly understand the people a product or service will affect — before designing anything. This is design thinking in practice, not as a buzzword.
Every major decision in LaunchLab is examined through an ethical lens. Students build ventures that are not only viable but responsible — developing the moral reasoning and accountability that define leaders who earn and keep long-term trust. This includes AI ethics and emerging technology considerations.
Six weeks. One idea.
One real plan.
10 seats per cohort. Every student works on their own individual venture — not a team project, not a hypothetical. From Week 1, it's your actual idea. Fall 2026 applications opening soon.
Entrepreneurship in the
Age of AI:
The Human Advantage.
Each LaunchLab cohort is built around a focused theme. Our pilot cohort centers on one of the defining challenges of our time — what does it mean to build and lead in a world being reshaped by AI?
Students study historical industrial transitions, examine how AI is affecting society right now, and use real data to forecast the skills and industries that will matter most in the next 10–15 years. Then they build ventures with all of that in mind.
This is not a technology program. It is a human program — one that asks: given everything that is changing, what problems are worth solving, and what does it take to lead well through it?
Historical industrial revolutions — what changed, what stayed constant, and what became more human, not less
How AI is reshaping work, creativity, and human connection today — what it is accelerating vs. what it makes more essential
Real data forecasts — which industries will grow, which skills will be critical, and what infrastructure students must build for
Each future cohort will have its own theme — gathering students around a specific lens, challenge, or emerging sector to build together with shared context and purpose
Workshops · Guest Speaking · 1:1 Coaching
UConn Werth Institute — 3 years
Ignite Program
Three years of mentorship-driven entrepreneurship support for college students — through workshops, guest speaking, and one-on-one coaching in partnership with UConn's Werth Institute for Entrepreneurship.
"Working with Ruth honestly felt so natural. I loved how our values aligned and how easy it was to brainstorm with her."
— Mal, Former Mentee · Ignite Program
Ready to get involved
in a BFA program?
Students, schools, mentors, and partners are all welcome. Find your place in our mission.
The people behind
Bold Futures.
Powered by a passionate team of leaders, educators, entrepreneurs, and community volunteers committed to expanding access to entrepreneurship education.
Board of Directors
BFA's Board brings expertise across education, finance, community engagement, marketing, and entrepreneurship — with 4 standing committees overseeing governance, program quality, finance, and marketing & outreach.
Four standing committees.
Overall governance, leadership direction & organizational strategy
Fundraising, grants, donor engagement & financial sustainability
Brand, partnerships & recruitment
Curriculum quality, student experience & program evaluation
The People Behind the Work
BFA is powered by a dedicated team of staff and volunteers — grant writers, co-facilitators, program managers, talent recruiters, and communications designers who make the work possible every day.
Want to join the BFA team?
We welcome mentors, guest speakers, facilitators, grant writers, and volunteers. Reach out — there's a role for you here.
Support the future of
young entrepreneurs.
Your donation directly supports BFA's mission to equip young innovators with the tools, mentorship, and resources they need to turn ideas into impact.
Where your donation goes.
100% of program contributions go directly to student programming, mentorship, and curriculum delivery.
Curriculum & Materials
Workbooks, case studies, simulation materials, and digital tools that make BFA's distinctive curriculum come alive for every student.
Mentorship
One-on-one and cohort mentoring by Ruth Gay and guest entrepreneurs — the most impactful component of our model.
Guest Entrepreneurs
Honorariums for current entrepreneurs who speak live to students — making real-world connection possible for every cohort.
Outreach & Access
Marketing, school partnerships, and recruitment efforts that ensure every willing student — regardless of background — can find BFA.
Make your impact last all year.
Monthly giving creates the predictable funding BFA needs to plan for future cohorts, hire facilitators, and reach more students. Starting at just $10/month, you can sustain the mission year-round — and cancel anytime.
- ✓ Cancel anytime — no commitment lock-in
- ✓ 501(c)(3) tax-deductible — annual receipt provided
- ✓ Monthly donors are recognized in our annual report
Find your level of impact.
501(c)(3) · EIN: 33-3710280 · All contributions tax-deductible · Monthly giving available · $250+ donors receive receipt
Tax Information
Bold Futures Academy is a 501(c)(3) Nonprofit Organization (EIN: 33-3710280). All contributions are tax-deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law. Donors giving $250 or more will automatically receive a receipt for tax purposes.
Your Privacy Matters
We never sell or share donor information. Your privacy is our priority. Donor information is used solely for acknowledgment and reporting purposes.
Send a Check
Bold Futures Academy Foundation
153 Turner Road
Rockland, MA 02370
Checks payable to Bold Futures Academy Foundation.
Your donation transforms dreams into action.
Join us in shaping the next generation of leaders and changemakers.
Donate Now →Contact
Bold Futures.
Have questions about our programs? Interested in partnering? Want to mentor the next generation? We'd love to hear from you.
admin@boldfuturesacademy.org
boldfuturesacademy.org
Bold Futures Academy Foundation
153 Turner Road · Rockland, MA 02370
EIN: 33-3710280
Find your place in our mission.
Students
Apply for LaunchLab (Grades 10–12). Fall 2026 — 10 seats available. Applications opening soon.
Schools
Partner through our School Host, Referral, or Corporate Sponsor model. BFA handles the rest.
Mentors
Mentor a cohort, guest speak in a session, or commit to one-on-one ignite program mentorship.
Partners & Donors
Sponsor a cohort, provide mentors, or fund operations. All contributions are tax-deductible.
A belief that young people deserve more.
Bold Futures Academy was created out of a simple but important belief: young people have far more potential than they are often given the chance to explore.
So many students are full of ideas, creativity, leadership, and insight — but they are rarely given the support, mentorship, or practical opportunities needed to develop those things early. Too often, students are taught how to follow instructions, but not how to think boldly, solve meaningful problems, or build something of their own.
Bold Futures Academy was founded to help change that. We exist to create spaces where students can grow in confidence, strengthen their judgment, develop entrepreneurial thinking, and begin to see themselves as thoughtful builders of the future.
Our work is rooted in the belief that entrepreneurship is not just about starting businesses. It is about learning how to identify problems, think creatively, make wise decisions, lead with integrity, and move ideas into action.
The world young people are entering
is changing fast.
Technology is evolving. Career paths are shifting. The skills that matter most are no longer just technical skills — they are deeply human ones: critical thinking, discernment, creativity, ethical judgment, communication, leadership, and adaptability.
Yet many students are still moving through school without enough opportunities to develop those skills in meaningful, applied ways.
That gap is where Bold Futures Academy comes in.
The Gap We Close
Most students move through school without the chance to practice real leadership, ethical decision-making, or entrepreneurial thinking. BFA closes that gap — before it calcifies.
Mentorship Matters
Confidence is built through experience and relationship. Every BFA student is connected with mentors who have actually built things — and who take their ideas seriously.
Future-Ready Learning
We equip students to navigate the economy they are entering — not the one that existed ten years ago. That means forecasting, data literacy, AI ethics, and applied judgment.
Students don't just learn concepts.
They actively practice them.
Our approach combines mentorship, entrepreneurship, future-readiness, and applied learning in a way that is designed to stretch both how students think and how they act.
Weekly role-based simulations — CEO, CMO, CTO, Ethics Advisor
Blind case studies — analyze first, then compare to the real entrepreneur's approach
Problem discovery, ideation, prototyping, and testing exercises
Live entrepreneur guest speakers — real stories, real access
Signal reading — real data forecasts, trend drivers, and future implications
Business plan, storytelling, and final pitch presentation
Our students are not just learning to build ideas. They are learning how to think — and that skill follows them into every area of their future.
Young people are not empty vessels
waiting to be filled.
They already carry insight, creativity, questions, instincts, and potential. What they often need is the right environment to draw it out.
The Right Environment
Learning happens best in spaces where students feel challenged, supported, and taken seriously — all at once.
Meaningful Challenge
Students rise when they are given real problems to wrestle with — not simplified, not hypothetical, but genuinely hard and genuinely worth solving.
Real Mentorship
Confidence is built through relationship. The mentors in our programs don't just teach — they invest, listen, and walk alongside students through the process.
Earned Confidence
Confidence is not given — it is built through practice, feedback, and experience. Our programs are designed to create those moments, week by week.
Structured learning.
Real outcomes.
Our programs are designed to help students build practical entrepreneurial skills and the deeper human qualities they will need in any future path — regardless of whether they start a business.
A 6-week virtual entrepreneurship program for students in Grades 10–12. 10 seats per cohort. Virtual, Saturdays. Fall 2026 — now recruiting.
Apply Now →Mentorship-driven entrepreneurship support for college students — workshops, guest speaking, and one-on-one coaching. UConn Werth Institute partnership.
Learn More →Students who are curious,
creative, and ready to grow.
BFA's programming is especially valuable for young people who:
Have ideas but don't know where to start
Want to build confidence in leadership and communication
Are interested in entrepreneurship, innovation, or solving real problems
Want mentorship from people with real-world experience
Are looking for a space where they can be both challenged and supported
Students do not need to have everything figured out to begin. They simply need a place to start building.
A generation of thoughtful
builders who shape the world
with wisdom and courage.
We envision a future where more young people are equipped not just to succeed in the world they inherit, but to shape it — with wisdom, creativity, and courage.
We want to help raise a generation of thoughtful builders — young people who know how to recognize problems, lead with integrity, think independently, and create solutions that serve others well.
Our vision is not just to expose students to entrepreneurship. It is to help them develop the confidence, judgment, and sense of purpose that will strengthen every area of their future.
"Bold Futures Academy grew out of my own belief that young people deserve more spaces where they are taken seriously, challenged thoughtfully, and given real opportunities to grow."
"Over the years, through mentoring students and building my own entrepreneurial journey, I kept seeing how much potential students already carry — and how often that potential goes underdeveloped simply because no one created the right environment for it to be drawn out."
"BFA was built to be one of those environments. My hope is that every student who encounters our work leaves stronger, clearer, and more confident in their ability to build, lead, and contribute meaningfully in the world around them."
Background in math, statistics & economics · Startup founder (Fairy) · Youth entrepreneurship educator
Join the Bold Futures story.
Whether you are a student, parent, educator, mentor, or supporter — there is a place for you in the work we are building.
Apply to
Bold Futures Academy.
Choose the program that fits where you are right now. Both programs are built on the same foundation — mentorship, real-world application, and a genuine belief in your potential.
Ready to build something real?
LaunchLab is a 6-week virtual entrepreneurship program for students in Grades 10–12. There are no right answers in this application — we are looking for authenticity, curiosity, and effort.
We review your application within 5–7 business days
If selected, you and a parent/guardian will receive an acceptance email
Orientation details and program materials will be sent before the start date
Fall 2026 Cohort · Grades 10–12 · 10 seats available
Got questions? We've got answers.
Not at all. LaunchLab is designed for students at all starting points. We are looking for curiosity, effort, and a genuine interest in learning — not a business background.
Yes. LaunchLab is delivered entirely online, every Saturday. This means students from anywhere in the country can participate — all you need is a computer and a good internet connection.
The program runs 6 weeks, with sessions on Saturdays from 11:30 AM to 3:00 PM EST. Students should also expect some light work between sessions as they develop their venture concept.
Bold Futures Academy is a nonprofit. We work to make our programs as accessible as possible. Reach out to us directly if cost is a barrier — we do not want that to prevent any student from participating.
We review all applications and aim to respond within 5–7 business days. Accepted students and their parent or guardian will receive an email with next steps and orientation details.
We are happy to help. Reach out to us at admin@boldfuturesacademy.org and we will get back to you.
There's a place for you
in this mission.
Bold Futures Academy works because different people show up in different ways. Whether you're a student with an idea, a school looking to serve your students better, a mentor who's built something, a company building a pipeline, or a donor who believes in the work — there is a meaningful role for you here.
Your idea is
worth building.
LaunchLab gives you the tools, mentorship, and structure to turn a real idea into a real plan — before the confidence gaps that stop most people have a chance to form. You don't need to have everything figured out. You just need to show up.
Work on your own individual venture concept from Week 1 — not a hypothetical, not a group project, your idea
Learn to analyze historical trends and read real forecasting data to understand where the world is going
Practice real leadership roles through weekly role-based simulations and blind case studies
Hear directly from current entrepreneurs in live guest speaker sessions — real stories, real access
Graduate with a complete business plan, a professional mentor relationship, and the confidence to act on what you've built
10 seats · Virtual · Saturdays · Grades 10–12
Cohort theme: Entrepreneurship in the Age of AI: The Human Advantage
Analytical and forecasting skills most high schools never teach
A complete, researched, and pitched business plan
Experience with ethical and human-centered decision-making
A professional mentor relationship with someone who has built something
Confidence that your ideas are worth pursuing — backed by real work, not just encouragement
"Ruth's entrepreneurial spirit was inspiring. Learning about her startup journey encouraged me to embrace my own ideas, sparking newfound confidence."
— Ketsia, Former Mentee · Ignite Program
Ready to take the next step?
Reach out and tell us how you want to get involved. Whether you're applying, partnering, mentoring, or donating — we'll point you in the right direction.