The Children’s Business Fair inspires children to discover their inner entrepreneur. This is the largest entrepreneurship event for kids in North America, This one-day market gives children the opportunity to showcase their very own businesses.

Start with our resources page. Read inspiring stories about other young entrepreneurs and play games to hone your business skills.

Application must be submitted online. Please submit one application for each business. Children working as a group should submit one application that includes each child’s information. No more than 3 participants per business. Please understand that this is for the children, applications are expected to be filled out by the children participating.

You must be between the ages of 6 to 14 as of January 1, 2019. There is a $25 application fee as well as a mandatory meeting required prior to the event to review rules and to meet your mentor. Once accepted you will be assigned a local mentor. Failure to attend the mandatory meeting (arranged with your mentor) will result in disqualification from the event.

The application asks kids to think through some simple, but important elements of their business:

What product or service do you plan to sell?
What price will you charge for each product/service? How much will each product/service cost you?
How will you pay for your startup costs? If someone is helping you with your startup costs, how will you pay that person back?
How will you advertise/market your business before the fair?
At the end of the fair, how will you determine if your business was a success?

Two cupcake businesses? Not a problem. In general, we will let market forces play out, though we will let later entries know if another applicant has a similar idea so the later entrant can decide what to do.

The fair will be an indoor and outdoor event (if weather permits) with booths. Each business will be given a booth with half of an 8-foot table (to share with one other business) and 1-2 chairs. Table cloths will not be provided. We are not able to accommodate businesses requiring electricity.

This event is designed to give children the experience of selling a product or service. If a parent is found selling or promoting a child’s product or service, their child’s business will be disqualified from the fair.

Parents are NOT allowed to sit with their child. Each child is assigned a mentor to help them at their booth. There will also be volunteers available to help any young children.
Parents may help their child fill out the application, but we expect the children to do as much as possible by themselves.

Jeff and Laura Sandefer and a few other families wanted to spark a sense of wonder and entrepreneurship in their children so they created the first Acton Children’s Business Fair in Austin, Texas, in 2007. That year, there were seven entrepreneurs and around 25 attendees. Now, there are over 115 entrepreneurs and 1,500 attendees at the Acton Children's Business Fair in Austin.