GEMS Family InnovationChallenge x Startopia
Your child leads as CEO. You support as their advisor.
Startopia is the world's first venture-building platform designed to empower the next generation of entrepreneurs through hands-on innovation, creativity, and real-world problem solving.
The Startopia Family First Initiative is an exciting new innovation experience created exclusively for GEMS Education families, where students step into the role of aspiring founders and CEOs while parents become trusted advisors throughout the journey.
This free programme encourages young people to identify real-world challenges, develop creative solutions, build confidence, and think like future innovators and changemakers. Through guided workshops, practical challenges, and collaborative family participation, students develop entrepreneurial thinking, leadership, communication, and problem-solving skills designed to prepare them for the future world of work.
Participants will also have the opportunity to apply for five fully funded scholarships to the prestigious Startopia Unity Showcase, where selected students will receive the opportunity to further develop their ideas, work alongside mentors and founders, and present their concepts on a larger stage alongside other emerging young innovators from across the UAE.
The winner of the Startopia Unity Showcase will be awarded a cash prize of AED 25,000 by GEMS Education.
More than just a competition, the programme is designed to bring families together through creativity, collaboration, and innovation while inspiring the next generation of leaders, builders, and entrepreneurs.
What is Family First?
GEMS Family Innovation Challenge x Startopia is more than just an innovation challenge, it is an opportunity for GEMS families to learn, create, and grow together. Designed to inspire the next generation of young entrepreneurs and leaders, the programme gives students the chance to step into the role of a CEO while parents support as trusted advisors.
Through a fun and guided journey, families will develop valuable real-world skills including creative problem-solving, leadership, teamwork, and communication, by exploring innovative ideas, building confidence in presenting solutions, and experiencing what it feels like to think like a founder.
Along the way, students gain hands-on experience in innovation and public speaking, while families strengthen collaboration and shared learning at home.
No cost to families
Fully free for all participating GEMS families.
Parent-child participation
Designed to be completed together as a family.
Four application gates
Self-paced, complete in a weekend or spread flexibly over 4 weeks.
30-45 minutes per gate
Manageable alongside school and family life.
5 families selected
Top families earn fully-funded places in the Unity Showcase.
Real problem-solving
Children identify genuine problems from their own world.
2026 Cohort Results
What 44 GEMS families told us.
Every family who completed the programme was surveyed. The figures below come directly from those responses. No rounding, no estimates.
GEMS Family First · the GEMS edition of Kitchen Table CEOs · 2026 family survey
- Average likelihood to recommend
- 9.3/10Average likelihood to recommend
- Average experience rating
- 4.6/5Average experience rating
- Agreed the experience felt child-led
- 96%Agreed the experience felt child-led
- Said their child was more confident explaining an idea
- 92%Said their child was more confident explaining an idea
Engaged families, n=25. 29 rated responses received in total.
GEMS Family First · 2026 family survey
- Said the child's idea came from a problem they had personally noticed
- 88%Said the child's idea came from a problem they had personally noticed
- Of children reported feeling more confident explaining their idea
- 88%Of children reported feeling more confident explaining their idea
- Agreed the programme helped connect the idea to people in the UAE
- 88%Agreed the programme helped connect the idea to people in the UAE
- Want to stay connected to Startopia
- 84%Want to stay connected to Startopia
Engaged families, n=25. 29 rated responses received in total.
Families selected
Five families won fully-funded scholarship places in the Unity Showcase.
Ideas submitted
Families submitted org charts, problem statements, founder cards and video pitches.
Self-paced journey
The four-gate application completed at their own pace, alongside school and family life.
What families told us.
Because of Family First, my child has discovered that age is not a limitation to making a difference. She has become more confident, responsible, and motivated to use her talents to help others and contribute to a better future.
Because of Family First, Ayra has discovered that her ideas matter. Watching her step into the role of CEO, confidently share her vision for Find A Friend, and lead our family on this journey has been incredibly inspiring.
Because of the Family First program, my child became more confident in sharing ideas, thinking about real-world problems, and creating solutions. He learned how to turn an idea into a business concept and present it clearly.
Because of Family First, my child gained the confidence to share her creativity with others, created a screen-free family board game, and experienced the joy of seeing people enjoy something she designed herself.
Family First in action
Families building real ideas, together.
Photos from the 2026 GEMS Family Innovation Challenge - see more on Instagram.
01 · Week 1
Form Your Team
The child takes the role of CEO. A parent or guardian becomes the advisor. Together they create their org chart and company name.
02 · Week 2
Find Your Problem
The CEO identifies a real problem from their own world. Who is affected? Why does it matter? A one-page problem statement is the deliverable.
03 · Week 3
Build Your Founder Card
A 5-slide deck: cover, problem, first financial model, solution idea, and why your family deserves a place. Designed by the child, reviewed by the advisor.
04 · Week 4
Record Your Pitch
A 90-second video pitch recorded at home. The child presents to camera - the parent sits off-screen. Real judges watch every submission.
How It Works
Six stages from registration to the Unity Showcase
Mission 1
Register Your Family
Sign up below, the programme is open for registration throughout the entire application window. You can join at any point. Once registered, you receive your onboarding pack and kickoff webinar access immediately.
Mission 2
Attend the Kickoff Webinar
A 45-minute live session hosted by Louis from Startopia that introduces the challenge, walks through every application gate, and gives your child their first CEO briefing. A recording is sent to all families who cannot attend live.
Mission 3
Complete the 4-Gate Application Journey
Self-paced, complete in a weekend or spread over 4 weeks, whatever works best for your family. Each gate builds on the last: forming your team, finding a real problem, building your founder card, and recording your pitch.
Mission 4
Submit Your Full Application
Once all four gates are complete, submit your application pack, org chart, problem statement, founder card, financial model, and video pitch. Every complete submission receives written judge feedback.
Mission 5
Scoring and Selection
Judges score every submission across four categories: Completion (25 pts), The Idea (30 pts), UAE Relevance (25 pts), and Family Journey (20 pts). The 5 highest-scoring families are awarded fully-funded scholarship places.
Mission 6
Unity Showcase, Your Scholarship Place
Selected families enter the 5-week Startopia Unity Showcase, a full innovation programme where students develop their ideas further, work with mentors, and present on a larger stage alongside young innovators from across the UAE.
The Application Journey
Self-paced, complete in a weekend or spread over 4 weeks, flexibility for you and your family.
This is an active simulation. Your child is the CEO. Each gate is a business milestone they must complete as the leader of their venture, with you as their trusted advisor.
Gate 1
Form Your Team
- Child listed as CEO
- Parent/guardian chooses advisory role
- Team name created
- Org chart submitted
Gate 2
Find Your Problem
- Who is affected
- What problem they face
- Why it matters
- One real example the child has observed
Gate 3
Build Your Founder Card
- Cover slide
- Problem slide
- First financial model
- Solution idea
- Why your family deserves a place
Gate 4
Record Your Pitch
- Up to 2-minute video pitch
- Org chart
- Problem statement
- Founder card
- Full application pack submitted
Resources Hub
Every walkthrough video, template, cheat sheet, and guide for all four gates - ready the moment you sign up.
No waiting, no passwords. Everything below is open to all registered families from day one. Bookmark this page and come back to it as you work through each gate.
All gates, templates, cheat sheets and guides in one place
Kickoff Webinar Recording - Watch First
FULL WALKTHROUGHLouis walks through all four gates live - scoring rubric, Family Journey guide, submission tips, and everything your family needs to know before starting. Watch this before diving into the templates.
Programme Announcement
Watch on YouTubeIntro to Family First
Watch on YouTubeStart with the Kickoff Event
All registered families are invited to a live 45-minute kickoff session hosted by Louis from Startopia. The session introduces the journey, explains each application gate and helps your child take their first step as CEO.
Event Details
DATE
Friday, 22nd May 2026
TIME
1:00 PM - 2:00 PM GST
HOST
Louis from Startopia
FORMAT
Live webinar
RECORDING
Sent afterwards to registered families
Agenda
- 1Welcome to GEMS Family Innovation Challenge x Startopia
- 2Why young problem-solvers matter
- 3How the application journey works
- 4Live "child becomes CEO" activity
- 5Past participant story
- 6Q&A
- 7Next steps
What Families That Participate in the GEMS x Startopia Family First Initiative Receive
Everything you need to complete the journey
What Your Child Will Gain
Skills, confidence and experience that go far beyond the classroom
For children, Family First is a chance to step outside the traditional classroom environment and experience what it feels like to lead, create, and think independently. Students are encouraged to identify real-world challenges they care about and transform their ideas into solutions through hands-on activities and guided support. The programme builds entrepreneurial thinking, self-expression, and the confidence to present ideas clearly, skills that serve them in school, university, and beyond.
The Unity Showcase
The 5 selected families continue into the Startopia Unity Showcase, a 5-week innovation programme where students build, test, validate and pitch their ideas alongside young innovators from across the UAE. For more information click here
Mission 1
Problem Discovery
Mission 2
Solution Mapping
Mission 3
Build
Mission 4
Validate
Mission 5
Showcase and Prizes
Selected families receive platform access, a showcase brief and onboarding guidance.
Selection Process & Judging Criteria
Every submission is scored across four categories. The 5 highest-scoring families win fully-funded places in the Unity Showcase. There are no surprises, what judges look for, families know in advance.
Completion
All gates submitted with clear effort and child's voice throughout.
The Idea
Real problem, clear solution, strong personal understanding from your child.
UAE Relevance
Clearly rooted in UAE life, community, school, or local challenges.
Family Journey
How your family built the idea together, judged on what you submit.
Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know
Have a question not covered here? Contact help@startopia-edu.com
Join as a Late Participant
You can still register, access all resources, complete the challenge, and receive written feedback - just without prize eligibility.
After registering, you'll receive your onboarding email with the kickoff webinar recording, application pack, and everything you need to begin.
Questions about GEMS Family Innovation Challenge x Startopia? Contact help@startopia-edu.com