WORLD'S #1 ACCELERATOR PROGRAM FOR TEENS
10 months
10 months
Ages 13-17
Ages 13-17
San Francisco
San Francisco
Weekends only
Weekends only
The launchpad for curious minds shaping Silicon Valley’s future
The launchpad for curious minds shaping Silicon Valley’s future
The launchpad for curious minds shaping Silicon Valley’s future
For 10 months, teenagers aged 13–17 work on real problems, learn from the people already solving them, and build alongside the most driven peers they've ever had. Ten years ago, TKS started in Silicon Valley.
For 10 months, teenagers aged 13–17 work on real problems, learn from the people already solving them, and build alongside the most driven peers they've ever had. Ten years ago, TKS started in Silicon Valley.
Today, its alumni are at the world's best universities, building companies, and solving problems that matter. All it takes to be one of them is curiosity and the drive to do something real.
Today, its alumni are at the world's best universities, building companies, and solving problems that matter. All it takes to be one of them is curiosity and the drive to do something real.
Global Partnerships
Hear what the world’s top organizations say about the impact of TKS.
Hear what the world’s top organizations say about the impact of TKS.
Hear what the world’s top organizations say about the impact of TKS.
“The Knowledge Society (TKS) was designed to mirror the environments of major technology companies, exposing learners to the most cutting-edge innovations.”
“The Knowledge Society (TKS) was designed to mirror the environments of major technology companies, exposing learners to the most cutting-edge innovations.”
“Kids who apply to TKS are evaluated on their curiosity, ambition, and passion and most TKS students enter the program without a tech or science background.”
“Kids who apply to TKS are evaluated on their curiosity, ambition, and passion and most TKS students enter the program without a tech or science background.”
“Ordinary teenagers being recruited into an elite program designed to give them the
power to do extraordinary things, and
maybe even save the world.”
“Ordinary teenagers being recruited into an elite program designed to give them the power to do extraordinary things, and maybe even save the world.”
“Ordinary teenagers being recruited into an elite program designed to give them the power to do extraordinary things, and maybe even save the world.”
What is TKS
A decade of building the future
A decade of building the future
A decade of building the future
From breakthrough moments to life-changing opportunities, hear directly from the students, parents, and alumni who experienced the program firsthand.
From breakthrough moments to life-changing opportunities, hear directly from the students, parents, and alumni who experienced the program firsthand.
From breakthrough moments to life-changing opportunities, hear directly from the students, parents, and alumni who experienced the program firsthand.
80+
80+
Countries represented across the global student body
Countries represented across the global student body
80+
Countries represented across the global student body
7,000+
7,000+
Alumni
globally
Alumni
globally
7,000+
Alumni
globally
6,000+
6,000+
Student-built projects created globally
Student-built projects created globally
6,000+
Student-built projects
created globally
200+
200+
Industry mentors actively guiding students
Industry mentors actively guiding students
200+
Industry mentors actively
guiding students
PLAY
Alumni outcomes
Where TKS alumni
go next
Where TKS alumni
go next
Where TKS alumni
go next
Before most people finish high school, TKS students are
already building startups, raising funding, and working at
places like OpenAI, DeepMind, and SpaceX. This is what
happens when you give ambitious teenagers a real head start.
Before most people finish high school, TKS students are already building startups, raising funding, and working at places like OpenAI, DeepMind, and SpaceX. This is what happens when you give ambitious teenagers a real head start.
San Francisco
TKS is the top accelerator for the most ambitious teenagers in the Bay Area
TKS is the top accelerator for the most ambitious teenagers in the Bay Area
TKS is the top accelerator for the most ambitious teenagers in the Bay Area
We are inviting young dreamers and builders to join us for 10-months to build and ship projects to solve the world's hardest problems.
We are inviting young dreamers and builders to join us for 10-months to build and ship projects to solve the world's hardest problems.
Why join us in San Francisco:
The Silicon Valley Network
The Silicon Valley Network
The Silicon Valley Network
By joining the SF hub, you plug directly into the heart of global tech. Our local alumni are deeply embedded in the ecosystem, launching venture-backed startups, raising early-stage capital, and working alongside elite engineering teams.
Learn how the world’s smartest models actually work. Students don’t just write simple prompts, they unpack the underlying tech, analyze datasets, and build their own functioning neural networks from scratch
Learn how the world’s smartest models actually work. Students don’t just write simple prompts, they unpack the underlying tech, analyze datasets, and build their own functioning neural networks from scratch
Hosted in Downtown San Francisco
Hosted in Downtown San Francisco
Hosted in Downtown San Francisco
Our sessions take place in Downtown San Francisco. Students build, debate, and collaborate inside a modern, high-velocity downtown space designed to mirror the fast-paced environment of top tech companies.
Our sessions take place in Downtown San Francisco. Students build, debate, and collaborate inside a modern, high-velocity downtown space designed to mirror the fast-paced environment of top tech companies.
Our sessions take place in Downtown San Francisco. Students build, debate, and collaborate inside a modern, high-velocity downtown space designed to mirror the fast-paced environment of top tech companies.
The Ultimate Launchpad for YC
The Ultimate Launchpad for YC
The Ultimate Launchpad for YC
San Francisco is where the world’s defining tech revolutions are born and scaled. Being right here places you in the highest density of frontier tech on the planet. This environment is exactly why our alumni go on to get accepted into Y-Combinator (YC) to launch their own companies.
San Francisco is where the world’s defining tech revolutions are born and scaled. Being right here places you in the highest density of frontier tech on the planet. This environment is exactly why our alumni go on to get accepted into Y-Combinator (YC) to launch their own companies.
San Francisco is where the world’s defining tech revolutions are born and scaled. Being right here places you in the highest density of frontier tech on the planet. This environment is exactly why our alumni go on to get accepted into Y-Combinator (YC) to launch their own companies.
TKS Framework
How we train the
next generation
How we train the
next generation
How we train the
next generation
Traditional school trains you to memorize subjects. TKS trains you to build real-world solutions. Here is the framework we use to bridge the gap:
Traditional school trains you to memorize subjects. TKS trains you to build real-world solutions. Here is the framework we use to bridge the gap:
01
Build a portfolio of real work before you turn 18.
We don't do tests or exams. Instead, you use what you learn to build real applications, standalone products, and corporate case studies so you leave with a concrete portfolio instead of just a transcript.
02
Get mentored by people who've actually done it.
Learn directly from founders, researchers, and industry leaders, not teachers. These aren't just guest speakers showing up once a semester; they are people invested in where you're going and honest about what it takes.
03
Build a lifelong global network.
Tackle challenges and grow alongside a hand-picked cohort of ambitious teens who match your drive. By constantly pushing each other to think bigger, you learn to collaborate across borders and solve problems at a completely different scale.
04
Learn the technologies actually shaping the future.
Learn the technologies actually shaping the future. Not surface-level, under the hood. AI, quantum computing, biotech, and what's coming next. Enough depth to see where the world is going before most people realize it's moving.
05
Built for your existing schedule.
The program runs entirely on weekends across ten months. It is intensive enough that you will feel the challenge, but it is structured carefully around your life so you never have to choose between TKS and school.
06
Develop the thinking behind the thinking.
First-principles reasoning. The ability to stay steady under pressure. The confidence to back yourself when the outcome isn't guaranteed. These aren't soft skills; they're what separates people who attempt hard things from people who finish them.
01
Build a portfolio of real work before you turn 18.
We don't do tests or exams. Instead, you use what you learn to build real applications, standalone products, and corporate case studies so you leave with a concrete portfolio instead of just a transcript.
02
Get mentored by people who've actually done it.
Learn directly from founders, researchers, and industry leaders, not teachers. These aren't just guest speakers showing up once a semester; they are people invested in where you're going and honest about what it takes.
03
Build a lifelong global network.
Tackle challenges and grow alongside a hand-picked cohort of ambitious teens who match your drive. By constantly pushing each other to think bigger, you learn to collaborate across borders and solve problems at a completely different scale.
04
Learn the technologies actually shaping the future.
Learn the technologies actually shaping the future. Not surface-level, under the hood. AI, quantum computing, biotech, and what's coming next. Enough depth to see where the world is going before most people realize it's moving.
05
Built for your existing schedule.
The program runs entirely on weekends across ten months. It is intensive enough that you will feel the challenge, but it is structured carefully around your life so you never have to choose between TKS and school.
06
Develop the thinking behind the thinking.
First-principles reasoning. The ability to stay steady under pressure. The confidence to back yourself when the outcome isn't guaranteed. These aren't soft skills; they're what separates people who attempt hard things from people who finish them.
01
Build a portfolio of real work before you turn 18.
We don't do tests or exams. Instead, you use what you learn to build real applications, standalone products, and corporate case studies so you leave with a concrete portfolio instead of just a transcript.
02
Get mentored by people who've actually done it.
Learn directly from founders, researchers, and industry leaders, not teachers. These aren't just guest speakers showing up once a semester; they are people invested in where you're going and honest about what it takes.
03
Build a lifelong global network.
Tackle challenges and grow alongside a hand-picked cohort of ambitious teens who match your drive. By constantly pushing each other to think bigger, you learn to collaborate across borders and solve problems at a completely different scale.
04
Learn the technologies actually shaping the future.
Learn the technologies actually shaping the future. Not surface-level, under the hood. AI, quantum computing, biotech, and what's coming next. Enough depth to see where the world is going before most people realize it's moving.
05
Built for your existing schedule.
The program runs entirely on weekends across ten months. It is intensive enough that you will feel the challenge, but it is structured carefully around your life so you never have to choose between TKS and school.
06
Develop the thinking behind the thinking.
First-principles reasoning. The ability to stay steady under pressure. The confidence to back yourself when the outcome isn't guaranteed. These aren't soft skills; they're what separates people who attempt hard things from people who finish them.
MENTOR FOR LIFE
Personalized Mentorship From Industry Leaders
Personalized Mentorship From Industry Leaders
Personalized Mentorship From Industry Leaders
Every TKS city is led by a Director who comes directly from industry. These are people who have started companies, led research, and navigated the exact spaces you are aiming for. They don't grade assignments or lecture from a textbook; they work alongside you to accelerate your growth.
Every TKS city is led by a Director who comes directly from industry. These are people who have started companies, led research, and navigated the exact spaces you are aiming for. They don't grade assignments or lecture from a textbook; they work alongside you to accelerate your growth.
Your progress is their full-time job.
Your progress is their full-time job.
Your progress is their
full-time job.
They are personally evaluated on your growth, meaning they are just as invested in the doors you open as you are.
They are personally evaluated on your growth, meaning they are just as invested in the doors you open as you are.
They are personally evaluated on your growth, meaning they are just as invested in the doors you open as you are.
They pass down tactical execution, not theory.
They pass down tactical execution, not theory.
Because they have actually built products in the real world, they teach you how to launch things that work instead of just passing a test.
Because they have actually built products in the real world, they teach you how to launch things that work instead of just passing a test.
Because they have actually built products in the real world, they teach you how to launch things that work instead of just passing a test.
They give you personalized, one-on-one guidance.
They give you personalized, one-on-one guidance.
They track your progress week to week to understand your goals, know exactly when you need a push, and help you whenever you get stuck.
They track your progress week to week to understand your goals, know exactly when you need a push, and help you whenever you get stuck.
They track your progress week to week to understand your goals, know exactly when you need a push, and help you whenever you get stuck.
They hold you to a higher standard than school.
They hold you to a higher standard than school.
If you are taking the easy way out or coasting, they will call you on it and push you to see what you are actually capable of achieving.
If you are taking the easy way out or coasting, they will call you on it and push you to see what you are actually capable of achieving.
If you are taking the easy way out or coasting, they will call you on it and push you to see what you are actually capable of achieving.
Industry Mentors
We believe the best learning comes from experience
We believe the best learning comes from experience
We believe the best learning comes from experience
That's why our students learn directly from leaders at MIT, NASA, Coinbase, Shopify, Microsoft, and more.
Before most people finish high school, TKS students are already building startups, raising funding, and working at places like OpenAI, DeepMind, and SpaceX. This is what happens when you give ambitious teenagers a real head start.
Global Challenges Partners
Solve real problems for real companies
Solve real problems for real companies
Solve real problems for real companies
At TKS, students don't just study problems, they solve them. Every year, they take on global challenges alongside world-class organizations. Recently, they partnered with the United Nations and Lovable, spending weeks exploring pressing issues, building real solutions, and presenting their ideas directly to the leaders behind each challenge.
At TKS, students don't just study problems, they solve them. Every year, they take on global challenges alongside world-class organizations. Recently, they partnered with the United Nations and Lovable, spending weeks exploring pressing issues, building real solutions, and presenting their ideas directly to the leaders behind each challenge.
With global climate and education gaps widening, UN representatives tasked our students with designing and presenting comprehensive policy frameworks aimed at creating scalable, systemic change.
Retail is changing fast. To help Walmart stay ahead, students developed and pitched digital strategies designed to completely reimagine the next generation of physical storefronts.
Legacy brands often struggle to connect with Gen Z. Students dug into the problem for IKEA’s innovation teams, building proposals to completely overhaul physical retail engagement for younger demographics.
The clean energy transition is one of the hardest engineering challenges on earth. Students tackled it head-on, building carbon-reduction models and strategic frameworks to help Shell navigate its sustainability goals.
To address the challenge of sustainable youth job creation across Africa, students developed macroeconomic frameworks and presented their models to the foundation's leadership team.
As banking shifts entirely online, CIBC needed to look five years ahead. Students mapped out future-proof strategies and new consumer applications to prepare the bank for the next era of digital finance.
Tasked with creating a scalable way to reach underserved U.S. communities with tech education, students designed a nationwide STEM educational program blueprint from scratch for the Amazon team.
Voice technology is standard, but how do we make it truly intuitive? Working with the Alexa team, students designed and prototyped entirely new product ecosystems to elevate everyday consumer voice interactions.
Global data centers draw massive amounts of power. Microsoft executives challenged students to optimize their infrastructure, resulting in new strategies to manage sustainability and power metrics at scale.
In an age of constant cyber threats, digital transaction security is everything. Students collaborated with Interac teams, developing and presenting product initiatives to safeguard the future of digital payments.
Launching a $100M competition requires a flawless operational blueprint. Students worked directly with XPRIZE executives, building the strategic roadmaps used to structure their massive carbon removal challenge.
Focused on creating more natural user-experience interfaces between humans and AI, students researched new UX paradigms and proposed their product concepts directly to Samsung's product teams.
Bridging the gap between plastic bricks and the digital world is a constant creative challenge. Students designed entirely new hybrid physical-and-digital product lines, pitching them directly to LEGO’s creators.
Corporate strategy requires high-level, adaptive thinking. Working through real-world briefs, students helped Deloitte’s innovation teams build out advanced, cutting-edge corporate strategy playbooks.
Bringing new life-saving drugs to market takes years. Students utilized machine learning to model applications aimed at helping BenchSci drastically accelerate timelines for drug discovery.
With global climate and education gaps widening, UN representatives tasked our students with designing and presenting comprehensive policy frameworks aimed at creating scalable, systemic change.
Retail is changing fast. To help Walmart stay ahead, students developed and pitched digital strategies designed to completely reimagine the next generation of physical storefronts.
Legacy brands often struggle to connect with Gen Z. Students dug into the problem for IKEA’s innovation teams, building proposals to completely overhaul physical retail engagement for younger demographics.
The clean energy transition is one of the hardest engineering challenges on earth. Students tackled it head-on, building carbon-reduction models and strategic frameworks to help Shell navigate its sustainability goals.
To address the challenge of sustainable youth job creation across Africa, students developed macroeconomic frameworks and presented their models to the foundation's leadership team.
As banking shifts entirely online, CIBC needed to look five years ahead. Students mapped out future-proof strategies and new consumer applications to prepare the bank for the next era of digital finance.
Tasked with creating a scalable way to reach underserved U.S. communities with tech education, students designed a nationwide STEM educational program blueprint from scratch for the Amazon team.
Voice technology is standard, but how do we make it truly intuitive? Working with the Alexa team, students designed and prototyped entirely new product ecosystems to elevate everyday consumer voice interactions.
Global data centers draw massive amounts of power. Microsoft executives challenged students to optimize their infrastructure, resulting in new strategies to manage sustainability and power metrics at scale.
In an age of constant cyber threats, digital transaction security is everything. Students collaborated with Interac teams, developing and presenting product initiatives to safeguard the future of digital payments.
Launching a $100M competition requires a flawless operational blueprint. Students worked directly with XPRIZE executives, building the strategic roadmaps used to structure their massive carbon removal challenge.
Focused on creating more natural user-experience interfaces between humans and AI, students researched new UX paradigms and proposed their product concepts directly to Samsung's product teams.
Bridging the gap between plastic bricks and the digital world is a constant creative challenge. Students designed entirely new hybrid physical-and-digital product lines, pitching them directly to LEGO’s creators.
Corporate strategy requires high-level, adaptive thinking. Working through real-world briefs, students helped Deloitte’s innovation teams build out advanced, cutting-edge corporate strategy playbooks.
Bringing new life-saving drugs to market takes years. Students utilized machine learning to model applications aimed at helping BenchSci drastically accelerate timelines for drug discovery.
With global climate and education gaps widening, UN representatives tasked our students with designing and presenting comprehensive policy frameworks aimed at creating scalable, systemic change.
Global data centers draw massive amounts of power. Microsoft executives challenged students to optimize their infrastructure, resulting in new strategies to manage sustainability and power metrics at scale.
Retail is changing fast. To help Walmart stay ahead, students developed and pitched digital strategies designed to completely reimagine the next generation of physical storefronts.
In an age of constant cyber threats, digital transaction security is everything. Students collaborated with Interac teams, developing and presenting product initiatives to safeguard the future of digital payments.
Legacy brands often struggle to connect with Gen Z. Students dug into the problem for IKEA’s innovation teams, building proposals to completely overhaul physical retail engagement for younger demographics.
Launching a $100M competition requires a flawless operational blueprint. Students worked directly with XPRIZE executives, building the strategic roadmaps used to structure their massive carbon removal challenge.
The clean energy transition is one of the hardest engineering challenges on earth. Students tackled it head-on, building carbon-reduction models and strategic frameworks to help Shell navigate its sustainability goals.
Focused on creating more natural user-experience interfaces between humans and AI, students researched new UX paradigms and proposed their product concepts directly to Samsung's product teams.
To address the challenge of sustainable youth job creation across Africa, students developed macroeconomic frameworks and presented their models to the foundation's leadership team.
Bridging the gap between plastic bricks and the digital world is a constant creative challenge. Students designed entirely new hybrid physical-and-digital product lines, pitching them directly to LEGO’s creators.
As banking shifts entirely online, CIBC needed to look five years ahead. Students mapped out future-proof strategies and new consumer applications to prepare the bank for the next era of digital finance.
Corporate strategy requires high-level, adaptive thinking. Working through real-world briefs, students helped Deloitte’s innovation teams build out advanced, cutting-edge corporate strategy playbooks.
Tasked with creating a scalable way to reach underserved U.S. communities with tech education, students designed a nationwide STEM educational program blueprint from scratch for the Amazon team.
Bringing new life-saving drugs to market takes years. Students utilized machine learning to model applications aimed at helping BenchSci drastically accelerate timelines for drug discovery.
With global climate and education gaps widening, UN representatives tasked our students with designing and presenting comprehensive policy frameworks aimed at creating scalable, systemic change.
Global data centers draw massive amounts of power. Microsoft executives challenged students to optimize their infrastructure, resulting in new strategies to manage sustainability and power metrics at scale.
Retail is changing fast. To help Walmart stay ahead, students developed and pitched digital strategies designed to completely reimagine the next generation of physical storefronts.
In an age of constant cyber threats, digital transaction security is everything. Students collaborated with Interac teams, developing and presenting product initiatives to safeguard the future of digital payments.
Legacy brands often struggle to connect with Gen Z. Students dug into the problem for IKEA’s innovation teams, building proposals to completely overhaul physical retail engagement for younger demographics.
Launching a $100M competition requires a flawless operational blueprint. Students worked directly with XPRIZE executives, building the strategic roadmaps used to structure their massive carbon removal challenge.
The clean energy transition is one of the hardest engineering challenges on earth. Students tackled it head-on, building carbon-reduction models and strategic frameworks to help Shell navigate its sustainability goals.
Focused on creating more natural user-experience interfaces between humans and AI, students researched new UX paradigms and proposed their product concepts directly to Samsung's product teams.
To address the challenge of sustainable youth job creation across Africa, students developed macroeconomic frameworks and presented their models to the foundation's leadership team.
Bridging the gap between plastic bricks and the digital world is a constant creative challenge. Students designed entirely new hybrid physical-and-digital product lines, pitching them directly to LEGO’s creators.
As banking shifts entirely online, CIBC needed to look five years ahead. Students mapped out future-proof strategies and new consumer applications to prepare the bank for the next era of digital finance.
Corporate strategy requires high-level, adaptive thinking. Working through real-world briefs, students helped Deloitte’s innovation teams build out advanced, cutting-edge corporate strategy playbooks.
Tasked with creating a scalable way to reach underserved U.S. communities with tech education, students designed a nationwide STEM educational program blueprint from scratch for the Amazon team.
Bringing new life-saving drugs to market takes years. Students utilized machine learning to model applications aimed at helping BenchSci drastically accelerate timelines for drug discovery.
Testimonials
The stories behind the TKS experience
The stories behind the TKS experience
The stories behind the TKS experience
PLAY
PLAY
PLAY
PLAY
PLAY
PLAY
PLAY
PLAY
PLAY
PLAY
PLAY
PLAY
PLAY
PLAY
PLAY
PLAY
PLAY
PLAY
PLAY
PLAY
PLAY
PLAY
PLAY
PLAY
Photo Gallery
Life at TKS
Life at TKS
How to Apply
The Admissions Process
The Admissions Process
The Admissions Process
Our application is designed to understand how you think and what drives you. Its fair, transparent, and focused on potential over perfection.
Our application is designed to understand how you think and what drives you. Its fair, transparent, and focused on potential over perfection.
1 / Submit Your
Application
Complete three short written questions about your interests and ideas. Takes 20–30 minutes. There are no right or wrong answers, we look for curiosity over perfection.
2 / Group
Interview
Shortlisted candidates are invited to a 30-minute small group conversation with a TKS Director (via Zoom or in-person by city). This is an active discussion, not a test, to see how you explore new perspectives.
3 / Receive
Your Offer
Final decisions are delivered within 72 hours of your interview. Selected students receive a formal invitation to choose their preferred cohort and officially enroll for the 2026-2027 program.
4 / Official
Enrollment
Secure your place in the program by selecting your preferred cohort day and time, reviewing your financial aid allocation (if applicable), and submitting your deposit to finalize your enrollment.
1 / Submit Your
Application
Complete three short written questions about your interests and ideas. Takes 20–30 minutes. There are no right or wrong answers, we look for curiosity over perfection.
2 / Group
Interview
Shortlisted candidates are invited to a 30-minute small group conversation with a TKS Director (via Zoom or in-person by city). This is an active discussion, not a test, to see how you explore new perspectives.
3 / Receive
Your Offer
Final decisions are delivered within 72 hours of your interview. Selected students receive a formal invitation to choose their preferred cohort and officially enroll for the 2026-2027 program.
4 / Official
Enrollment
Secure your place in the program by selecting your preferred cohort day and time, reviewing your financial aid allocation (if applicable), and submitting your deposit to finalize your enrollment.
Applications are open. Not for long.
Applications are open. Not for long.
Rounds
Deadline
Status
Decade 1 Admissions
Feb 28
Closed
Round 1
March 31
Closed
Round 2
April 30
Closed
Round 3
May 31
Closed
Current Round
June 30
Applications Open
(9 Seats left)
Final Round
July 31
Subject to Availability *
Decade 1 Admissions
Deadline:
Feb 28
Status
Close
Round 1
Deadline:
March 31
Status
Closed
Round 2
Deadline:
April 30
Status
Closed
Round 3
Deadline:
May 31
Status
Closed
Current Round
Deadline:
June 30
Status
Applications Open
(9 Seats left)
Final Round
Deadline:
July 30
Status
Subject to Availability *
*Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis.
*Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis.
Please note: As we enter the final application windows for the upcoming cohort, slots fill up rapidly. The application portal will close early if all remaining seats are filled before July 31st.
Please note: As we enter the final application windows for the upcoming cohort, slots fill up rapidly. The application portal will close early if all remaining seats are filled before July 31st.
Please note: As we enter the final application windows for the upcoming cohort, slots fill up rapidly. The application portal will close early if all remaining seats are filled before July 31st.
1. Tangible Proof of Your Skills
You walk away with formal program certification alongside a public portfolio of deployed projects, and real-world case studies. It's undeniable, concrete proof of your capability that you can use for university applications, internships, and funding.
2. Become Technically Fluent
You’ll leave completely ahead of the curve in the fast-moving world of tech and AI. You'll get hands-on access to cutting-edge tools and build your own projects in areas like Generative AI and modern development, giving you the skills to build whatever you want.
3. A Network of Ambitious Peers
Get connected to a global network of driven teenagers who are building companies, running research, and pushing each other to level up. These are the people you'll trade ideas with, co-found things with, and still call years from now. This community stays with you for life.
4. Hands-On Industry Experience
By the end of the program, you've worked on high-stakes corporate problems. Your portfolio has real strategic work you built for some of the world's biggest companies and organizations. The kind of experience that makes your resume stand out from the rest.
5. High-Agency Mindsets
The technical skills get you started, but the mindsets and self-belief are what stay with you. Over ten months, you will learn to think clearly under pressure, tackle difficult challenges with comfort, and build the confidence to act before you feel ready.
6. Access to Global Stages
Get into the exclusive rooms, industry conferences, and premier tech events that most teens cannot access. Top-performing students receive the preparation needed to network with leaders and pitch ideas at international events like Web Summit, TEDx, and C2.
1. Tangible Proof of Your Skills
You walk away with formal program certification alongside a public portfolio of deployed projects, and real-world case studies. It's undeniable, concrete proof of your capability that you can use for university applications, internships, and funding.
2. Become Technically Fluent
You’ll leave completely ahead of the curve in the fast-moving world of tech and AI. You'll get hands-on access to cutting-edge tools and build your own projects in areas like Generative AI and modern development, giving you the skills to build whatever you want.
3. A Network of Ambitious Peers
Get connected to a global network of driven teenagers who are building companies, running research, and pushing each other to level up. These are the people you'll trade ideas with, co-found things with, and still call years from now. This community stays with you for life.
4. Hands-On Industry Experience
By the end of the program, you've worked on high-stakes corporate problems. Your portfolio has real strategic work you built for some of the world's biggest companies and organizations. The kind of experience that makes your resume stand out from the rest.
5. High-Agency Mindsets
The technical skills get you started, but the mindsets and self-belief are what stay with you. Over ten months, you will learn to think clearly under pressure, tackle difficult challenges with comfort, and build the confidence to act before you feel ready.
6. Access to Global Stages
Get into the exclusive rooms, industry conferences, and premier tech events that most teens cannot access. Top-performing students receive the preparation needed to network with leaders and pitch ideas at international events like Web Summit, TEDx, and C2.
The Grand Finale
Showcase 2025-2026
Showcase 2025-2026
Showcase 2025-2026
Every year, TKS students spend months building ambitious projects we call moonshots. They tackle real-world challenges, develop innovative solutions, and present their work to founders, investors, industry leaders, friends, and family. This year, over 500 projects took the stage.
Every year, TKS students spend months building ambitious projects we call moonshots. They tackle real-world challenges, develop innovative solutions, and present their work to founders, investors, industry leaders, friends, and family. This year, over 500 projects took the stage.
1,000+
1,000+
Global Graduates This Year
Global Graduates This Year
500+
500+
Deep-Tech Projects Showcased
Deep-Tech Projects Showcased
PLAY
The toolkit of the world's best builders
From Day 1, students learn
to leverage AI as a tool to build real-world projects
From Day 1, students learn
to leverage AI as a tool to build real-world projects
Master Advanced AI Models
Master Advanced AI Models
Learn how the world's most advanced AI models work under the hood, analyzing real datasets, understanding the underlying architecture, and building neural networks from scratch.
Learn how the world’s smartest models actually work. Students don’t just write simple prompts, they unpack the underlying tech, analyze datasets, and build their own functioning neural networks from scratch
Bring Technical Ideas to Life
Bring Technical Ideas to Life
Go from a concept to a real, working application or website. Students learn to use modern developer stacks to build and launch functional prototypes, turning them from passive consumers into active builders.
Go from a concept to a real, working application or website. Students learn to use modern developer stacks to build and launch functional prototypes, turning them from passive consumers into active builders.
Work 10x Faster
Work 10x Faster
Master the AI workflows used by elite engineering teams, combining advanced tools, deep research techniques, and focused execution to turn complex ideas into finished work in hours instead of weeks.
Master the AI workflows used by elite engineering teams, combining advanced tools, deep research techniques, and focused execution to turn complex ideas into finished work in hours instead of weeks.
The toolkit of the world's best builders
From Day 1, students learn to leverage AI as a tool to build real-world projects.
Master Advanced AI Models
Learn how the world’s smartest models actually work. Students don’t just write simple prompts, they unpack the underlying tech, analyze datasets, and build their own functioning neural networks from scratch
Bring Technical Ideas to Life
Go from a concept to a real, working application or website. Students learn to use modern developer stacks to build and launch functional prototypes, turning them from passive consumers into active builders.
Work 10x Faster
Master the AI workflows used by elite engineering teams, combining advanced tools, deep research techniques, and focused execution to turn complex ideas into finished work in hours instead of weeks.
pricing
San Francisco’s next generation of builders starts here
San Francisco’s next generation of builders starts here
San Francisco’s next generation of builders starts here
In-Person Program
In-Person Program
Weekly 3-hour in-person sessions on weekends. You will join a fixed cohort to build deep relationships and momentum.
Program Fees
$639 USD
/month
+ $1,000 USD deposit payment
$639 USD
/month
+ $1,000 USD deposit payment
Address
Address
140 Geary St., 10th Floor, San Francisco, CA 94108
140 Geary St., 10th Floor, San Francisco, CA 94108
Duration
Duration
10 months
(Sep 2026 to Jun 2027)
10 months
(Sep 2026 to Jun 2027)
Financial aid is avalable
Our Investment in You
Our Investment in You
Tuition goes directly into hiring full-time program directors and staff who are 100% dedicated to supporting our students and alumni. This ensures you have world-class mentorship and guidance, both during the program and long after you graduate.
Tuition goes directly into hiring full-time program directors and staff who are 100% dedicated to supporting our students and alumni. This ensures you have world-class mentorship and guidance, both during the program and long after you graduate.
Financial Aid & Accessibility
Financial Aid & Accessibility
Our commitment is to support ambitious students regardless of their financial situation. Accepted students can apply for financial support by demonstrating their financial need, ensuring assistance goes to those who need it most. Please do not let your financial situation stop you from applying.
Our commitment is to support ambitious students regardless of their financial situation. Accepted students can apply for financial support by demonstrating their financial need, ensuring assistance goes to those who need it most. Please do not let your financial situation stop you from applying.
Inside our community
See what we’ve been up to
See what we’ve been up to
See what we’ve been up to
Behind the scenes of sessions, projects launching, demo days, and the moments that never make it into the formal recap. If you want to know what TKS actually feels like day to day, this is where to look.
Want more?
Catch us on YouTube
Want more?
Catch us on YouTube
Want more?
Catch us on YouTube
Watch full sessions, student presentations, director talks, and program walkthroughs to see TKS in action. Hear directly from students, understand what ten months produces, and explore podcasts and thought leadership on the technologies and ideas behind the program.
Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
01
How long does the TKS program last?
The TKS program runs for 10 months, from September to June. Students participate in weekly sessions, mentor-led workshops, moonshot projects, and a capstone presentation at the end of the year.
01
How long does the TKS program last?
The TKS program runs for 10 months, from September to June. Students participate in weekly sessions, mentor-led workshops, moonshot projects, and a capstone presentation at the end of the year.
02
What is the time commitment?
02
What is the time commitment?
03
Do I need a background in tech or science to join?
03
Do I need a background in tech or science to join?
04
What kinds of things do students actually do in TKS?
04
What kinds of things do students actually do in TKS?
05
How much does it cost, and is financial aid available?
05
How much does it cost, and is financial aid available?
06
How many students get accepted into TKS?
06
How many students get accepted into TKS?
07
What do students go on to do after TKS?
07
What do students go on to do after TKS?
"My experience at TKS has been truly transformative. It has pushed me to think beyond traditional learning, tackle real-world problems, and develop the confidence to pursue ambitious ideas. I am grateful for the opportunities, mentorship, and experiences TKS has provided."
Agam Kohli
"My experience at TKS has been truly transformative. It has pushed me to think beyond traditional learning, tackle real-world problems, and develop the confidence to pursue ambitious ideas. I am grateful for the opportunities, mentorship, and experiences TKS has provided."
Agam Kohli
"Thank you for this opportunity! I'm heading to Duke with a full merit scholarship this year and TKS has definitely helped me shape who I am now."
Eunchan Hwang
"Thank you for this opportunity! I'm heading to Duke with a full merit scholarship this year and TKS has definitely helped me shape who I am now."
Eunchan Hwang
"This whole project changes how I see the world, meeting so many cool guys that are different than normal students. What’s most important is that I actually learn the ability to dream 10X bigger with all the skill I get here."
Samuel Su
"This whole project changes how I see the world, meeting so many cool guys that are different than normal students. What’s most important is that I actually learn the ability to dream 10X bigger with all the skill I get here."
Samuel Su
"TKS has genuinely changed how I approach learning... Through my focus project, I learned that building, testing ideas, and sharing imperfect work teaches you far more than waiting until you feel ready. Overall, TKS has pushed me to think bigger, take more initiative, and turn ideas into things that actually exist in the real world."
Mahnoor Fahim Khan
"TKS has genuinely changed how I approach learning... Through my focus project, I learned that building, testing ideas, and sharing imperfect work teaches you far more than waiting until you feel ready. Overall, TKS has pushed me to think bigger, take more initiative, and turn ideas into things that actually exist in the real world."
Mahnoor Fahim Khan
"TKS has truly become like a second family to me. This place gave me the safe space I needed to overcome my fears and discover entirely new sides of myself. It’s been a real turning point for me, and I’m incredibly thankful for this journey."
Zarema Seraly
"TKS has truly become like a second family to me. This place gave me the safe space I needed to overcome my fears and discover entirely new sides of myself. It’s been a real turning point for me, and I’m incredibly thankful for this journey."
Zarema Seraly
"Thank you for building something that fundamentally changed the way I see my future. What you've created is much bigger than an educational program—it's an environment that convinces young people that they can meaningfully shape the future rather than simply inherit it. This year gave me the confidence to pursue ambitious problems at a much higher level."
Ahumuza Cornelius
"Thank you for building something that fundamentally changed the way I see my future. What you've created is much bigger than an educational program—it's an environment that convinces young people that they can meaningfully shape the future rather than simply inherit it. This year gave me the confidence to pursue ambitious problems at a much higher level."
Ahumuza Cornelius
"TKS has truly become like a second family to me. This place gave me the safe space I needed to overcome my fears and discover entirely new sides of myself. It’s been a real turning point for me, and I’m incredibly thankful for this journey."
Zarema Seraly
"TKS has truly become like a second family to me. This place gave me the safe space I needed to overcome my fears and discover entirely new sides of myself. It’s been a real turning point for me, and I’m incredibly thankful for this journey."
Zarema Seraly
"It was genuinely life-changing. I have to thank you (Navid) and Nadeem and everyone else at TKS for genuinely changing the trajectory of my life."
Mohammad Ali Khan
"It was genuinely life-changing. I have to thank you (Navid) and Nadeem and everyone else at TKS for genuinely changing the trajectory of my life."
Mohammad Ali Khan
"TKS was great; it was really helpful because it was the first time I actually started building real, practical projects... I learned skills I was never taught in high school. Navid and my director helped me a lot in completing my Focus project, which focused on AI."
Abdullah Ali
"TKS was great; it was really helpful because it was the first time I actually started building real, practical projects... I learned skills I was never taught in high school. Navid and my director helped me a lot in completing my Focus project, which focused on AI."
Abdullah Ali
"I am so grateful I got a chance to take part in this program. I got to meet amazing, like-minded, and talented people. All the mindsets I learned in TKS were really helpful both throughout my journey in TKS and in life."
Miroslava Pylova
"I am so grateful I got a chance to take part in this program. I got to meet amazing, like-minded, and talented people. All the mindsets I learned in TKS were really helpful both throughout my journey in TKS and in life."
Miroslava Pylova
"The only thing I’d share was this was the best 10 months of my life."
Hussain Bizenjo
"The only thing I’d share was this was the best 10 months of my life."
Hussain Bizenjo
"This is really something unique. I always wanted to do something unique like this program. I have gained a lot of knowledge from TKS... Kudos for creating one of the best programs in the world and letting me be a part of it."
Vignesh Balamurugan
"This is really something unique. I always wanted to do something unique like this program. I have gained a lot of knowledge from TKS... Kudos for creating one of the best programs in the world and letting me be a part of it."
Vignesh Balamurugan
"TKS pushes children to think beyond adults. Going beyond is what drives progress... Realization of a new technology world does not come from reading books but actually going deep into INSANE solutions, where TKS of course comes into play."
Aslan Kuanbayev
"TKS pushes children to think beyond adults. Going beyond is what drives progress... Realization of a new technology world does not come from reading books but actually going deep into INSANE solutions, where TKS of course comes into play."
Aslan Kuanbayev
"This program really helped me realize that I don’t need to wait for opportunities, I can create them myself, and do what I’m passionate about on my own."
Nehasri Guntupalli
"This program really helped me realize that I don’t need to wait for opportunities, I can create them myself, and do what I’m passionate about on my own."
Nehasri Guntupalli
Be a part of
Be a part of
Be a part of
the 2026 - 2027
the 2026 - 2027
the 2026 - 2027
cohort
cohort
cohort
Get notified about special events, opportunities, and announcements.
© 2026 TKS All right reserved
Get notified about special events, opportunities, and announcements.
© 2026 TKS All right reserved
Get notified about special events, opportunities, and announcements.
© 2026 TKS All right reserved