1. What Is the Brand Overview for Club SciKidz?

About the Brand

Founded in 1997 by educators Bob Hagan and Sue Hagan, Club SciKidz began as a science summer camp and has grown into a comprehensive STEM enrichment program offering camps, after-school programs, school workshops and birthday parties for children ages four to 15. The brand began franchising under the Club SciKidz name in 2016.

Mission: To spark a lifelong passion for science and technology through hands-on, inquiry-based learning experiences.

Vision: To become the nation’s most trusted provider of interactive STEM enrichment experiences for children.

Unique Selling Points (USPs)

  • 60 themed science camp options and 30+ weeks of after-school programming.
  • Hands-on science aligned with National Science Standards.
  • Engaging formats that include summer camps, field trips, after-school clubs and birthday parties.
  • Designed for kids ages four to 15, with real experiments and project take-homes.
  • Over 250,000 children served since inception.

2. What Are the Franchise Opportunity Details?

Why Franchise With Club SciKidz?

  • Home-based business model with low overhead.
  • Turnkey systems, including curriculum and staff training.
  • Virtual training and onboarding.
  • Proprietary registration software.
  • Protected territories with large populations.
  • Ongoing support, curriculum updates and program innovation.

Available Territories

Club SciKidz territories are based on ZIP codes and counties with populations of 450,000 - 1,000,000. Visit the brand’s franchise page to explore available areas.

Investment Overview

Initial Costs: The estimated initial investment required to begin operation of a Club SciKidz franchise ranges from $74,400 to $88,500. The 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD) breaks these costs down as follows:

Type of Expenditure

Min

Max

Initial Franchise Fee

$45,000

$45,000

Initial Program Inventory & Equipment

$10,000

$15,000

Initial Marketing Materials & Introduction Program

$10,000

$15,000

Office Computer & Software

$1,500

$2,000

Initial Office Inventory Supplies

$1,000

$1,500

Insurance (12 Months)

$3,000

$4,000

Professional Services

$500

$1,000

Miscellaneous Opening Costs

$1,500

$2,500

Additional Funds (3 Months)

$1,900

$2,500

Initial Franchise Fee: The initial fee required to begin operation of a Club SciKidz franchise is $45,000, which is due upon signing the franchise agreement. Club SciKidz offers a discounted franchisee fee of $25,000 on each territory after the first for those who sign an area development agreement.

Ongoing Fees: According to the 2025 FDD, Club SciKidz franchisees are responsible for the following ongoing costs and fees:

Type of FeeAmount
Royalty Fees7% of gross revenues/month
Brand Fund Contribution3% of gross revenues/month
Local Advertising Expenditures$10,000 - $15,000 (first year); $10,000/year thereafter
Optional Employee Training$10/employee/year
Technology Fee$240/month

ROI Potential: According to the 2025 FDD, Club SciKidz had 15 franchises that operated for the entirety of 2024 — 11 that operated for one or two summer program periods and 4 that operated for four or more summer program periods. These locations reported the following sales numbers for FY 2024.

Summer Program Periods

Average

Median

High

Low

1 or 2 (11)

$98,396

$61,588

$217,466

$42,705

4+ (4)

$808,090

$667,608

$1,682,711

$176,355

3. What Franchisee Support Does Club SciKidz Provide?

Training Programs

  • 30 hours of virtual training across five modules
  • Covers business management, curriculum execution, marketing, registration software and hiring

Operational Support

  • Site selection guidance for school and community venues
  • Detailed operating manual with over 300 pages
  • Approved supplier lists and equipment guides

Technology and Tools

  • ACTIVE Network registration software (required)
  • Club SciKidz mobile app for messaging and scheduling
  • Recommended use of QuickBooks for accounting
  • Technology fee covers support, Intranet and software updates

4. What Are the Franchise Requirements for Club SciKidz?

Eligibility Criteria

  • No formal education background required, but teaching, child care or management experience is helpful
  • Must designate an operating principal to run the day-to-day business
  • All owners must sign personal guarantees

Operational Commitments

  • Semi-absentee ownership is not permitted; the operating principal must be actively involved
  • Minimum number of camps and field trips must be run each year to maintain territory rights

Funding Assistance

The brand does not offer direct financing, but it does have partnerships with organizations that specialize in franchise financing. Franchisees are responsible for securing funding independently.

5. Are There Franchisee Success Stories?

"Having worked full time for the company, we saw the value it brought to the kids in our area. This was something we were passionate about and we thought a Club SciKidz franchise would be a good investment for our future. We are very happy we made that decision."

Jason and Sarah McMullen, Franchise Owners — Dallas

6. What Is the Market Potential for STEM and Enrichment Programs?

The global STEM education market is expected to exceed $168 billion by 2032, driven by increased emphasis on 21st-century skills and early science literacy. Specifically, the K-12 STEM education market is expected to reach this figure, growing from $51.42 billion in 2023, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 14.17% from 2024 to 2032. Parents are increasingly seeking high-quality extracurricular programs that provide enrichment beyond the classroom, especially in subjects like coding, robotics, and engineering.

Competitor Analysis

What Sets Club SciKidz Apart:

  • Broader age range (4–15)
  • National Science Standards-aligned curriculum
  • Multiple revenue streams: camps, clubs, field trips, birthday parties

Primary Competitors:

7. What Is the Application Process for Club SciKidz Franchisees?

1. Overall Brand Review: Connect with David Deutsch, Franchise Development Manager. In this initial call, you’ll explore the Club SciKidz brand, discuss your background, personal and professional goals, and share your ideal timeline for launching your business.

2. Financial Model Call: Dive deeper into the business opportunity with David Deutsch. You’ll review the essential components of the Club SciKidz financial model, receive the FDD, sign the FDD receipt, and complete the Request for Consideration form.

3. Virtual Business Deep Dive: Meet with Bob Hagan, CEO. This three-hour Discovery Day session provides an in-depth look at the FDD and the operational systems that support franchisees, including the Intranet, Hiring, and Learning Management Systems. You’ll also receive a list of franchisees to contact and discuss territory analysis and funding options.

4. Validation Calls: Speak with current franchisees. Gain firsthand insight into what it’s like to own and operate a Club SciKidz franchise.

5. Post-Validation Call and Q&A: Connect again with Bob Hagan. After your validation calls, we’ll answer any remaining questions you may have about the business model, FDD, or operations.

6. Sign Franchise Agreement: Make it official. Once you're confident and ready to move forward, you’ll sign the franchise agreement and pay the initial fee.

7. Start Training and Operations: Begin onboarding and launch preparation. You’ll complete a combination of virtual and in-person training, supported by our Learning Management System, Operations Manual, Intranet, and Help Desk. Welcome to Club SciKidz!

Reach out to the Club SciKidz team to start the process here

Want to learn more about franchise opportunities on 1851 Franchise? Be sure to visit our Power Rankings to read more on brands making moves. 

Every great franchisee had help buying a franchise. Want to learn more about how 1851 helps franchisees find the right franchise opportunity? Visit www.1851growthclub.com and start your journey.

Disclaimer: This content is for information only. You should not construe any such information or other material as legal, tax, investment, financial, or other advice. Nothing contained on this site constitutes a solicitation, recommendation, endorsement, or offer to buy or sell any franchises, securities, or other financial instruments in this or in any other jurisdiction in which such solicitation or offer would be unlawful under the franchise and/or securities laws of such jurisdiction. 

All content in this article is information of a general nature and does not address the detailed circumstances of any particular individual or entity. Nothing in the article constitutes professional and/or financial advice, nor does any information in the email constitute a comprehensive or complete statement of the matters discussed or the law relating thereto. You alone assume the sole responsibility of evaluating the merits and risks associated with the use of any information or other content in this article before making any decisions based on such information or other content.

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Luca Piacentini

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Luca Piacentini

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1851 Managing Editor