New youth entrepreneurship school launches at MaRS

Future Design School will provide innovation-focused education

TORONTO, Apr 23, 2015 – Future Design School (FDS) launched today, a new institute focused on facilitating design thinking and youth entrepreneurship. The school, started by Canadian entrepreneur Sarah Prevette, will provide students with education that fosters creative problem solving and breakthrough ideas. The first campus will be based at MaRS in Toronto.

“FDS is a response to growing demand from parents who want to foster their children’s creativity and innovative mindset,” said Sarah Prevette, founder, FDS. “We want to empower youth through design experiences that equip them with the tools and knowledge to engineer innovative solutions.”

FDS will educate participants through real-world design challenges and startup experience. The school encourages students to pursue their individual passions, explore ideas and tackle serious issues affecting society. The school has multiple offerings for youth between the ages of 11 and 18, including summer camp, afterschool programs and workshops.

MaRS EVP of Ventures Salim Teja said the school is another extension of the centre’s mission to enable leading edge learning:

“Partnering with Future Design School expands MaRS youth innovation programming,” he said. “FDS has a great team of experienced product developers who have honed their approach by launching new products and scaling their own startups. This school gives them an opportunity to share their inventive approach with the rest of the world.”

The FDS team also includes education thought-leader Sandra Nagy, formerly of Pearson Canada, who has a Master’s Degree in Education from Harvard University and will serve as the school’s director of learning. The school will be expanding their team of facilitators and moving into other global startup centres in the coming months.

“We are passionate about encouraging unconventional thinking and greater imagination,” said Prevette. “Our future will depend on those who can creatively solve problems and turn their ideas into meaningful innovation. Our Toronto campus is just the beginning of what we have planned.”

Learn more at FutureDesignSchool.com

About Future Design School:
Future Design School (FDS) empowers innovation and creative problem solving. FDS facilitates design thinking and youth entrepreneurship through courses, workshops and camps as well as personalized design sprints and prototyping. FDS currently offers programming in Toronto, Waterloo and London.

About Sarah Prevette:
Sarah Prevette (@sarahprevette) has a long history of innovative product development. A serial entrepreneur, she was the founder of well-known online properties Sprouter and BetaKit, and the co-founder of BrandProject LP – an investment firm that invests in and works with early-stage startups. Inc Magazine named her one of North America’s top entrepreneurs and Canadian Business declared her one of the country’s top 20 “power elite.” Sarah launched Future Design School to empower youth to be creators and help turn great ideas into meaningful innovation.

About Salim Teja:
Salim Teja (@salimteja) is the EVP Ventures for MaRS, where he leads the overall strategic direction of MaRS’ three venture services areas: Health, ICT and Cleantech. He is an experienced entrepreneur and active early-stage technology investor with deep industry expertise in software and digital media.

About MaRS:
MaRS Discovery District (@MaRSDD) in Toronto is one of the world’s largest urban innovation hubs. MaRS cultivates high-impact ventures and equips innovators to drive economic and societal prosperity. MaRS provides expert advice and market research, and makes connections to talent, customers and capital. MaRS startup ventures have created 6,500 jobs and, in the last three years alone, they have raised $1 billion in capital and generated $500 million in revenue.

For more information:
Lara Torvi
Manager, Media & Community
ltorvi@marsdd.com
416.673.8152