📣
Fuel the Future: Sponsor the CIS Children's Business Fair 2025! Empower young entrepreneurs and gain valuable community exposure. Learn more about our sponsorship packages today. Please contact us @ cismv.cbf@gmail.com
CIS Children's Business Fair
Saturday, April 26, 2025
1:00PM - 4:00PM
Applications are closed
Join mailing list
About the fair
Observe the opportunity for children to launch their very own startup business! Join us in our annual CIS Children's Business Fair in 2025.
We are looking for young entrepreneurs with creative business ideas, who loves to create, make, build and innovate to showcase their entrepreneurial spirit and skills. If that is you, come join us and let's have some fun!
Our young kid-preneurs will develop a brand, create a product or service, build a marketing strategy, and engage with customers at our one-day business fair marketplace.
- The kids (not parents) have to do everything from coming up with a business idea, marketing sales strategy, advertising and sales goal. This is not a fair for parents to promote their own business and or sell store bought products. All goods and services for each businesses must be made from scratch; not resalable or store bought items.
Registration:
Creative Imagination Schoolhouse students: $35
Early Bird Registration (February 15th): $45
General Registration (February 16th - March 26th*): $55 *subject to capacity
Deadline for booth registration (ages 5-15) is March 26th, 2025 or once we reach capacity.
A non-refundable fee is due to confirm booth registration. Fee covers event site rental fees, one 6 ft table and two chairs, marketing materials, set-up and clean-up fees.
* This event is hosted by Creative Imagination Schoolhouse and sponsored by Acton Academy, the Acton School of Business, and the generous support of our sponsors, donors and volunteers. We all believe that principled entrepreneurs are heroes and role models for the next generation.
Steps to Register and Apply:
Registration must be submitted online. Please submit one registration form per business. If your business is selected you will receive a Paypal invoice to pay the non-refundable fee. Children working as a group should submit one registration that includes each child’s information. No more than 3 participants per business.
Step 1: Complete application form online.*Must submit a photo of your business idea and products.
Step 2: Applications received will be reviewed by the CIS Children's Business Fair Team.
Step 3: If your business is selected to participate, a Paypal invoice will be sent and a link to pay the fee (space will be released after 24 hours and offered to the next applicant).
Step 4: Once payment is complete, a confirmation email will be sent to all participating business, together with detailed information and helpful resources for the event.
Registration must be submitted online. Please submit one registration form per business. If your business is selected you will receive a Paypal invoice to pay the non-refundable fee. Children working as a group should submit one registration that includes each child’s information. No more than 3 participants per business.
Step 1: Complete application form online.*Must submit a photo of your business idea and products.
Step 2: Applications received will be reviewed by the CIS Children's Business Fair Team.
Step 3: If your business is selected to participate, a Paypal invoice will be sent and a link to pay the fee (space will be released after 24 hours and offered to the next applicant).
Step 4: Once payment is complete, a confirmation email will be sent to all participating business, together with detailed information and helpful resources for the event.
We welcome donations and sponsors: It is a lot of hard work and money to plan, host and make this event happen for all of our young entrepreneurs. The fees collected are used to offset all expenses incurred from planning this fair and making it happen. If you, your business or company would like to partner with us and donate to or help sponsor our business fair event to ensure that we can provide a memorable experience to your children and all our aspiring young entrepreneurs, consider donating.
Your donation will help us cover some of the cost of renting the venue for the fair. Fill out the sponsorship form to get started.
In return, we will add your name and/or businesses to our promotional and marketing materials. There are also opportunities for sponsor tables/booth. Please email us at cismv.cbf@gmail.com for more information.
We welcome volunteers to join our team and help us promote and support our event!
- volunteer leaders
- set-up and tear-down tasks
- registration table
- ushers
- photographer
All inquiries for in-kind donation, sponsorship and volunteer opportunities, please email us at: cismv.cbf@gmail.com
Hosted by
Maricar Abaya-Antonio
🗓️ Started hosting in 2021
✅ Identity verified
🚀 Has hosted 3 fairs
At Creative Imagination Schoolhouse, we believe in nurturing the unique passions and interests of each child. We foster a learning environment where children lead their own learning journeys, guided by caring adults through group discussions, open-ended activities, and interest-based projects. We cultivate a growth mindset, empowering every child to discover their voice, passion, and joy.
We are collaborating with a dedicated community of families, local businesses, and organizations who share our vision of supporting children's entrepreneurial spirit. Together, we are making the Children's Business Fair a reality, where young entrepreneurs can showcase their creativity and business acumen.
We invite you to join our team of passionate educators, mentors, and parents in supporting this inspiring event.
Frequently asked questions
What does CIS stands for?
CIS stands for Creative Imagination Schoolhouse. We are a home based preschool / homeschool program for children ages 3 to 6 years. We are a progressive approach play based program inspired by Reggio Emilia philosophy. We strive to bring out the heart of the child and focus on Social Emotional Learning and Growth Mindset Learning.
What is the Acton Children’s Business Fair?
CIS stands for Creative Imagination Schoolhouse. We are a home based preschool / homeschool program for children ages 3 to 6 years. We are a progressive approach play based program inspired by Reggio Emilia philosophy. We strive to bring out the heart of the child and focus on Social Emotional Learning and Growth Mindset Learning.
What is the Acton Children’s Business Fair?
The Acton Children’s Business Fair inspires children to discover their inner entrepreneur. The largest entrepreneurship event for kids in North America, this one-day market gives children the opportunity to showcase their very own businesses.
How many businesses will you accept?
We will host up to 45 businesses at our annual CIS Children's Business Fair event on April 26th, 2025.
Where should I begin?
Start with our resources page. Read inspiring stories about other young entrepreneurs and play games to hone your business skills.
How do I apply? Can I apply as part of a group?
Application must be submitted online. Please submit one application for each category business (arts n crafts, food, themed product or service). Children working as a group should submit one application that includes each child’s information. No more than 3 participants per business. Only one kind of business type.
Registration:
Creative Imagination Schoolhouse students: $35
Early Bird Registration (February 15th): $45
General Registration (February 16th - March 26th*): $55 *subject to capacity
Deadline for booth registration (ages 5-15) is March 26th, 2025 or once we reach capacity. ALL SPOTS FILLED!
Where do I pay the fee to join the event?
Registration:
Creative Imagination Schoolhouse students: $35
Early Bird Registration (February 15th): $45
General Registration (February 16th - March 26th*): $55 *subject to capacity
Deadline for booth registration (ages 5-15) is March 26th, 2025 or once we reach capacity. ALL SPOTS FILLED!
Where do I pay the fee to join the event?
Once your business is selected, you will be sent a payment link to confirm your business participation.
What is on the application?
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?
Can parents help out in business ideas, plans and sales?
- The business fair is solely for and by the kids only. Parents can provide support with the application process, but are not allowed to help create the business plan or promote their own personal business or ideas. We want the children to experience the whole process of entrepreneurship.
What if someone else has the same business idea?
Two jewelry & accessories 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.
Can we sell homemade food at the fair?
If and when venue site permits, we will open the sale of food items. Please make sure to check-in if you are planning to sell food items prior submitting an application.
How will the fair be set up?
Each business will be given a booth with a 6.x2.5 ft. table and 1-2 chairs. Table cloths will not be provided. We are not able to accommodate businesses requiring electricity.
Will electricity be available?
Unfortunately, we are not able to provide electricity to the booths.
What are the rules?
This event is designed to give children the opportunity to experience a one day market for their business idea.
Parents of younger children may sit in the booth, but the children should be responsible for set up, customer interaction, and sales. This event is for the children and not the parents. We want to encourage, support and inspire children as young as 5 years old to 15 years old to be young entrepreneurs.
Parents may help their child fill out the application, but we expect the children to do as much as possible by themselves. This is how they develop their skills and talents in entrepreneurial business.
Will there be business judges at the fair?
Parents of younger children may sit in the booth, but the children should be responsible for set up, customer interaction, and sales. This event is for the children and not the parents. We want to encourage, support and inspire children as young as 5 years old to 15 years old to be young entrepreneurs.
Parents may help their child fill out the application, but we expect the children to do as much as possible by themselves. This is how they develop their skills and talents in entrepreneurial business.
Will there be business judges at the fair?
Yes, there will be judges at the fair who will be visiting each booth and asking questions about the participants business. Awards and recognitions will be given at the end of the fair.
Are there any help and resources provided to the entrepreneurs?
Yes, each accepted and confirmed business will receive an invitation to join a zoom orientation before the event date. We will have special guest speakers and a brief introduction to the fair judges, and a mini entrepreneurial workshop to help you plan for the event.
Are there any help and resources provided to the entrepreneurs?
Yes, each accepted and confirmed business will receive an invitation to join a zoom orientation before the event date. We will have special guest speakers and a brief introduction to the fair judges, and a mini entrepreneurial workshop to help you plan for the event.
How did the Acton Children’s Business Fair get started?
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.
