'FamBiz' Entrepreneurship Simulation Game Released for Grade 7-12 Students

  • By Kate Lucariello
  • 03/21/24

Entrepreneurial nonprofit education organization Build has introduced "FamBiz CEO Simulation Game" for students in grades 7-12, designed to teach how to transform a family business into an entrepreneurship. The free game was co-designed with teachers and students and funded by a Comcast grant as part of its ProjectUP initiative.

FamBiz is accessible online, needing only a computer with internet access. In the game, students take the role of a CEO and try to turn a struggling family business, a cookie company, into a successful entrepreneurship. Students learn experiential skills while educators monitor their progress. Game components encompass:

  • Company tasks, including team-building, product development, marketing, consumer research, and community engagement;
  • Social and emotional learning, including problem-solving, self-management and determination, personal strengths and interests, and relationship navigation;
  • Decision-making situations, including real-time choices and critical thinking; and
  • Entrepreneurial mindset and growth tracking by educators, including student performance, feedback, and individual growth plans.

Educators are given a toolkit which includes lesson plans, discussion guides, assessment tools, and information on how to integrate the game into an existing curriculum. Game sessions can be tailored to anywhere from one hour to up to a weeklong venture.

"We're thrilled to unveil FamBiz, a simulation game that transforms entrepreneurship into an adventure. It not only ignites students' enthusiasm but also sparks the motivation to lead, innovate, and succeed in school and in life," said Thais Rezende, president of Build. "By partnering with Comcast's Project UP, we are ensuring every young person in America can develop digital skills and find pathways to economic mobility."

To learn more and sign up for a free account, visit Build's FamBiz game page.

About the Author

Kate Lucariello is a former newspaper editor, EAST Lab high school teacher and college English teacher.

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