SharkMakers Information

SharkMakers is where education meets industry and ideas become impact. We believe young people are capable of far more than they often realize. Sometimes they just need someone to believe in them, challenge them to think bigger, and give them the opportunity to discover what they can do. That’s SharkMakers! Students step into the arena and work alongside industry leaders to solve real-world problems, build real products and businesses, and take an idea from possibility to impact. What began more than a decade ago as Next Gen Tech 360 has grown into an industry-connected innovation and entrepreneurship accelerator for high school and collegiate students. Students learn by doing. They experience product development, entrepreneurship, human-centered design, technology, AI, business strategy, marketing, and pitching while building the skills that will carry them anywhere: communication, collaboration, critical thinking, problem solving, leadership, resilience, and true grit. Accessibility is at the heart of how we innovate. We challenge students to build with intention and create a better world for all abilities. And while students build products, we’re building something even bigger. Confidence. Courage. Belief. Leaders. More than 2,000 students have experienced the journey, $175,000+ has been awarded, and students have gone on to internships, leading universities, careers, and opportunities they once may not have imagined for themselves. We teach young people to believe in themselves, embrace the art of possibility, and have the courage to defy the script. We’re not just preparing the next generation for the future. We’re preparing them to build it!