Thrive
SharkMakers youth accelerator to launch collegiate program
Once known as the Next Gen Tech 360 program, the effort was initially designed for high school students.
Robyn Mussler learned a lot during her time on the Pinellas Education Foundation’s career education board.
After judging a local tech competition, she realized that the experience was not “reflective of industry.” While students were creating innovations, the process was different in comparison to product development in the real world.
This led Mussler to create, more than a decade ago, the Next Gen Tech 360 high school program. The initiative connected participants with mentors and taught them how to identify problems and create meaningful solutions based on market and customer research.
SharkMakers, the current evolution of the effort, is expanding. Mussler and her team are introducing a collegiate cohort next month in partnership with the University of South Florida’s Nault Center for Entrepreneurship. College students across the Tampa Bay region, in teams of two to four, can register until Sept. 23.
Robyn Mussler. Photo: LinkedIn.
After identifying a problem and exploring the customer discovery process, participants will develop and refine a product. Then they will create a sustainable business model and go-to-market strategy. Finally, the students will pitch their innovations to a panel of industry experts.
Human-centered design and accessibility are key components of both the high school and college programs. “You are looking at your product and business from a whole 360 perspective,” Mussler explained. “You’re looking at 100% of the market.”
To do this, she believes, the participants need to consider everyone when developing a solution. Students can focus on a specific disability or create a product that addresses multiple conditions. Additionally, they can add features to an item to reflect inclusivity. For example, Mussler explained that backpack accessories could provide a better experience for individuals with certain health challenges.
“Many people hide their disabilities because of bias and judgement and we want to dispel that,” she said. “We have seen such an incredible difference in our young people at exposing this.”
Mussler added that “it’s just really opened their eyes in realizing that we all really want the same things: independence and freedom.”
For the SharkMakers founder, it’s personal. She had a younger sister who lived with Down syndrome. This profoundly impacted her life.
Mussler explained that “the fundamental concepts of the framework of how we think and how we work will always be the same.” However, the initiative will adjust “according to what is happening in the world and in industry.”
Initially, the Next Gen Tech 360 program was only offered in Pinellas County. Eventually, it expanded to Hillsborough and Pasco counties. More than 2,000 students have participated in the SharkMakers initiative. Alumni have received internships or jobs at companies such as Accenture, Apple and Amazon.
“We empower our young people to be the CEOs of their lives,” Mussler said. “They can step into their super powers and gain the skills, mindset and the professional network they need to succeed no matter what pathway they choose.”
The college program will take place over the course of three months. She added that it will be a hybrid experience. Participants are required to attend the kickoff and pitch events in-person. However, a majority of the educational components can be completed virtually.
“Now we can really push forward, even to a higher level,” Mussler explained. “Some of the high school kids have come up with multi-million dollar products or businesses but then all of a sudden, whether it’s social pressures or whatever, they end up going to college. I’m not criticizing college, but the point is that they gained this incredible background that helps them move forward, but they may not be as serious about taking their business to market.”
With the collegiate program, Mussler and the SharkMakers team can help teams go from “soup to nuts.” She is most looking forward to supporting participants as they launch their ideas into the real world.
“The expectation is that students have obviously a little bit more maturity, but also a little bit better understanding of business,” Mussler said. Like the high school program, the chosen young people will learn about a variety of concepts and work with mentors to help apply them.
“To me, entrepreneurship is really a mindset,” she added. “It’s all about how you adapt to change and your agility. Especially in today’s time with artificial intelligence and just all of these different emerging technologies, what I think people need to realize is that these are actually very valuable workforce skills.”
