The School Project That’s Not a Project – It’s a Brand.

An entrepreneurial learning experience that offers real skills, real results, and full CAS recognition – with no risk and no limits.

Many studies indicate that a large majority of students desire to learn more about entrepreneurship and business topics at school.

Recognizing this trend, the YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS CLUB – founded by an IB alumnus – was created to bridge the gap by offering a hands-on project called NEVER ESTABLISHED where students can gain real-world experience, one-on-one coaching, practical knowledge, and the guidance they need to start shaping their own career paths.

WE EMPOWER THE NEXT GENERATION OF ENTREPRENEURS AND FUTURE BUSINESS LEADERS

MORE INFO FOR SCHOOLS

MORE INFO FOR STUDENTS

CLUBS

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0 TIMELINE for the School year

AUGUST – END OF SEPTEMBER

REGISTRATION PERIOD & TEAM-BUILDING

Program introduction (kick-off with mentors/teachers)
Team registration and formation
Role distribution within the team (marketing, finance, design, etc.)
Definition of work & creating the internal team work-flow (e.g. regular meetings, communication, feedback) and decision-making processes
First creative icebreaker tasks (innovation method)
Set-up of website and eMail

LEARNING TOPICS
“Know YOURself: Team Dynamics & DISC Profiles”

Understanding team personalities with DISC
How to build a complementary team (e.g. creative + organized + analytical)
Self-awareness in leadership and collaboration

AUGUST – END OF SEPTEMBER

SEPTEMBER – END OF OCTOBER

RESEARCH, BRAND STRATEGY & PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT

RESEARCH: Market and target group(s)
Development of brand identity, vision & mission
First product concepts (what products are the students selling & first design concepts with print-on-demand suppliers)
Receiving/ordering Test products
Building the online presence (website development, shop, socials, content plan)
Preparing for launch

LEARNING TOPICS
“Blue Ocean Thinking vs. Red Ocean Reality”

Explanation of Blue/Red Ocean concepts
How to define new spaces or subcultures in a crowded market
Case studies from fashion/streetwear
Timing drops and campaigns around school life, seasons, or social trends
How to learn from competitors and pivot wisely
Drop culture, hype cycles, and momentum

LEARNING TOPICS
“Strategic Positioning: What Kind of Brand Are You?”

Short brand analysis matrix: B2B vs. B2C, luxury vs. mass-market
Choosing the right product & price point for your audience
How to avoid being “everything for everyone”

SEPTEMBER – END OF OCTOBER

NOVEMBER- MAY

LAUNCH & SALES PHASE

Official launch of brand “drops”
Active sales phase across multiple weeks
Execution of marketing campaigns (TikTok, Insta, UGC, etc.)
Customer service & response to feedback
Live tracking: sales, reach (leaderboard)

LEARNING TOPICS
“Building a Castle: Castle Moat Strategy in Clothing”

What makes a brand defensible?
Storytelling, community-building, unique design principles
Brand examples with strong “moats” (e.g. Patagonia, Corteiz, etc.)

NOVEMBER- MAY

JANUARY

MID-SEASON REVIEW & COACHING SESSIONS

Interim reporting & team reflection
Exchange with other teams
Masterclasses: resilience, campaign analysis, storytelling deep dive
Optimization before the final phase

Mid-Season Coaching sessions

Hands-on Coaching Sessions

JANUARY

FEBRUARY – MAY

Revision & optimization

LEARNING TOPICS
“Marketing Psychology & Authentic Selling”

TikTok/UGC tactics that don’t feel cringe or forced
Scarcity, storytelling, and community as tools
Sales without discounts – building true demand

FEBRUARY – MAY

JUNE

THE FINALS – CLOSING & REPORTING

Submission of final business report (revenue, story, impact, etc.)
Judged evaluation in categories
Digital award show or local celebration event
CAS reflection and documentation

JUNE

… REPEAT.

LEGACY & TRANSFER to New School Year

Handover to new teams (knowledge transfer, mentoring)
Optional: brand continuation in “alumni mode”
Planning for the next school year / community growth
International collaboration / publication of highlight cases

… REPEAT.

FAQ

What is NEVER ESTABLISHED?

NEVER ESTABLISHED is a global entrepreneurship experience where IB students create and run their own fashion micro-businesses – all under one umbrella brand. It’s hands-on, competitive, and fully CAS-compliant.

The business concept is based on Print-on-Demand (POD) services. So there is no need for investing money upfront. But on the other hand the student teams are competing in the real world and will be able to gain real life experiences in the filed of business.

The teams must design, market, and sell products that stand out in a highly competitive market. They compete with other IB schools globally to create the most impactful, profitable, or innovative brand line under the “NEVER ESTABLISHED” umbrella.

Students will:

Reflect and document for CAS validation.
Conduct market research and develop customer personas.
Learn how to create a value proposition in a red ocean market.
Gain financial literacy: cost structure, pricing, profit margins.
Understand brand identity and storytelling.
Set up and run marketing campaigns (e.g. TikTok, Instagram, UGC, email).
Execute real-world sales, from product page to customer service.

At the end of the academic year the best teams will be awarded in several categories.

Who can participate in the project?

Does this count for CAS?

Do students need prior business experience?

How does the competition work?

What support do students receive?

Do students need to invest money or manage inventory?

What kind of products do students create?

How long does the program run?

What happens with the profits?

Is it permitted to raise additional funds?

MAKE AN APPOINTMENT

The School Project That’s Not a Project – It’s a Brand.

WE EMPOWER THE NEXT GENERATION OF ENTREPRENEURS AND FUTURE BUSINESS LEADERS

CLUBS

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STUDENTS

0

PRODUCTS

0

TIMELINE for the School year