Two Dubai based entrepreneurs behind one of Kickstarter's most successful thermos campaigns are turning their playbook into a classroom for teenagers, launching a 12 week accelerator that puts young founders through the same process that built a record breaking crowdfunding run.
Founder Mode Bootcamp, created by Ankita Garg and Harsh Garg, opens its first cohort on 26 September 2026 at Dubai Knowledge Park. The program is open to students aged 13 to 20 and caps each cohort at 15 to 20 participants. Applications close on 20 September 2026, with a live pitch scheduled for Demo Day.
Unlike traditional youth business programs built around case studies, Founder Mode Bootcamp has students develop their own ideas from the start. Participants speak with real customers, test demand and build a working prototype over the course of the program. Crowdfunding sits at the center of the curriculum, with students learning to shape a product narrative, price rewards and launch a live campaign page, mirroring the approach the Gargs used to raise more than 400,000 dollars for their Golchi travel bottle from over 5,000 backers.
Ankita Garg, Founder and Program Director, said teenagers do not need to wait until university to start building, and that the program gives them the tools, mentorship and accountability to test ideas and pitch with confidence.
Both mentors remain active in the startup world. Ankita Garg draws on her experience with BauBax, another notable crowdfunding success, while Harsh Garg contributes a background in strategy, mergers and consulting. Students gain access to the same networks of operators, backers and early customers the Gargs rely on in their own ventures.
The program costs AED 7,999 per student.
News Source: Waffle Communications
