The era of the job seeker is over. We’re building a generation of job creators.
Molding Students Into Founders
Everywhere we turned this past year — students, parents, employers — we heard the same thing: graduates are leaving school wondering if their investment in college is going to translate to employable, real-world skills. Entry-level roles are shrinking. Wages feel flat. Student loans along with Inflation is crushing young adults.
Meanwhile, VC’s are chasing AI unicorns while countless $50M–$200M opportunities — the ones that create jobs and local prosperity — are, for the most part, ignored.
That’s why we built Foundry Innovations: a Public Benefit startup factory that turns students into founders and job seekers into job creators.
How Foundry works
Think: Incubator + Operator Guild + Seed Fund under one roof.
Student venture teams (“Sparks”) form, validate ideas, ship MVPs, and win paying customers.
Foundry centralizes non-core ops & tech so Sparks focus on product, sales, and customers.
Our model is efficiency-first: tiny teams (~10) scaling durable, profitable companies toward $100M revenue with only ~$1M outside capital.
Proof it works Our first cohort with South Puget Sound Community College (#SPSCC) launched Sound Gen Financials in January, only six months after a group of ten students came together and met each other for the first time. They already have secured customers and pulled their first seed cheque.
So we decided to keep going! This year, four new Sparks are launching – each with their own ideas and a new batch of students.
Why this matters now
Skills to work: Students graduate with revenue, leadership experience, and a portfolio — not just a résumé. AND a job!
Access & equity: Brilliant talent exists everywhere. Opportunity doesn’t. We widen the on-ramp.
Real jobs, real economy: Mid-market problems create steady jobs and resilient cash flows without financial sugar highs.
Join the movement
Colleges & Universities → Bring practical entrepreneurship to your campus.
Angels → Back Sparks solving overlooked $100M+ problems.
Philanthropists & Grantmakers → Fund access, scholarships, and durable job creation.
Mentors & Advisors → Guide students toward product-market fit and lighthouse customers.
If this resonates, connect with us. Comment “SPARK,” DM us, or share with someone who should be part of the journey.
Let’s graduate employers, not just employees — and prove disciplined, mission-driven companies can build wealth, dignity, and opportunity at scale.
Soumam Debgupta Omey Nandyal Samir Mehta Tom Willard, MBA
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