For students

How Openground works.

One year. One real business. Your name on it.

Open to Year 12 students at Westlake Boys High School in 2027. Learning together at the B:HIVE, Smales Farm.

The year

Term by term.

Term 1

Learn the fundamentals

How business actually works: spotting opportunities, market research, and building an MVP. You finish the term with an idea worth chasing, ready for mentor matching.

Steve Anderson talking the cohort through a session at the B:HIVE

Term 2

Get your mentor. Make your first sale.

You are paired with a mentor with genuine real-world business experience. Together you build the thing, take it to market, and make your first real sale.

A student talking through his business one-on-one with his mentor

Term 3

Grow it. Hear from guest speakers.

More customers, more revenue, a sharper pitch. Guest speakers run right through the year: founders, investors and innovators who have walked the path before you.

A guest speaker presenting to the cohort at the B:HIVE

Term 4

Showcase Night and prize giving

Showcase what you have built over the year to a full room, hear from a guest speaker, and celebrate at the prize giving. Parents welcome.

Students and guests meeting after Showcase Night

Joining

Getting started.

There is an application process. You give a business idea in each of three areas, pick one, and pitch it in a 60 to 90 second video. Your idea can and often does change later.

Accepted students are invoiced a $1,500 fee for the year. Limited scholarships are available for genuine financial hardship. A parent or guardian can email admin@openground.co.nz by Sunday 8 November to ask.

Apply now →

Full details on the Get Involved page →

ApplyApplications for Year 12 in 2027 are open now and close Sunday 8 November 2026. Apply here.
Your ideas and a video pitchA business idea in each of three areas. Pick one and pitch it in a 60 to 90 second video. No polish needed.
Hear back by Friday 20 NovemberOffers go out by Friday 20 November, and accepted students are invoiced.
Start in 2027Weekly sessions at the B:HIVE, before or after school, from Term 1.

Questions

What students and parents ask.

What is Year 12 Openground?

A weekly programme where you start and run a real business, with a real mentor, from a real office. Openground has run at Westlake Boys since 2022. In 2027 Year 12 students work together as one cohort at the B:HIVE at Smales Farm.

Who can apply?

Students at Westlake Boys High School who will be in Year 12 in 2027.

Do I need a business idea already?

To apply, yes. It can and often does change in your first term, but it is important to apply with an idea, or several, of what you want to do.

How do I apply?

Through the online application form. It takes about 30 minutes of written answers. You give a business idea in each of three areas, pick one, and pitch it in a 60 to 90 second video that you submit as a link. It also asks which weekly session times suit you. A parent or guardian co-signs the application with a declaration. Applications close Sunday 8 November 2026, and offers go out by Friday 20 November. Apply here.

When and where does it run?

At the B:HIVE, Smales Farm, Takapuna. You come once a week and book your own session in advance. Sessions run before school (7:00 to 8:30am, Monday, Wednesday, Thursday or Friday) or after school (3:30 to 5:00pm, Monday to Thursday). The application asks which times suit you, and we choose the session times from the answers.

What does it cost?

$1,500 for the year, invoiced on acceptance. It covers the full programme. Limited scholarships are available for genuine financial hardship. A parent or guardian can email admin@openground.co.nz by Sunday 8 November to ask.

Are there scholarships?

Limited scholarships are available for genuine financial hardship. A parent or guardian can email admin@openground.co.nz by Sunday 8 November with the student’s name to ask.

Is the money students make real?

Completely. Students sell to real customers and keep building from there. Many ventures have grown into companies that outlasted school.

How do students get there? (For parents)

Students make their own way, by walking, bus, bike or a parent drop-off. Openground does not arrange transport. Morning sessions finish at 8:30am, in time to walk to school. Afternoon sessions finish at 5:00pm.

What if my child needs to withdraw?

Email admin@openground.co.nz and we will work through it with you, case by case.

What comes after Year 12?

Year 13 Openground runs as a course during school time at Westlake Boys, with full details announced during 2027.

Apply now →

Year 13 is currently only available at Westlake Boys High School. It runs as a course during school time, with full details announced during 2027.

The course

Step by step.

Step 1

Start Learning

Create a business plan, conduct market research, and develop an MVP (minimum viable product). You’ll take real, actionable steps to bring your business idea to life.

A Year 13 student building his business plan at a laptop

Step 2

Get Paired With a Mentor

You’ll be matched with a mentor who has genuine real-world business experience. They’ll guide you through the ups and downs of building your business and help you navigate challenges along the way.

Students and mentors meeting in the Year 13 classroom

Step 3

Hear From Expert Guest-Speakers

Throughout the programme, you’ll hear from leading entrepreneurs, investors, and innovators who have walked the path before you. These sessions will inspire you, expose you to new industries, and give you valuable insights that most students never get while still in school.

A guest speaker presenting to the Year 13 class

Step 4

Pitch For Funding In The Dragon’s Den

Put your ideas to the test in front of real investors, business leaders, and mentors. The Dragons’ Den is your chance to pitch for real funding to take your business to the next level, just like the entrepreneurs you see on TV.

The Dragon's Den judges listening to a pitch

Step 5

Go to Market

Once your product or service is ready, it’s time to launch. You’ll take your business to market, start making sales, and experience what it’s really like to run something of your own. This is where everything you’ve learned comes together: strategy, communication, resilience, and entrepreneurial thinking in action.

A notebook of business ideas, ready to take to market

Get involved →

Alumni

In for good.

Openground does not end at graduation. Alumni events run all year, and as our alumni grow, many give back: the founders on our success stories page all came back as mentors.

Meet the alumni →