Side Hustle Challenge

Challenge Overview

Subject area: Business/Commerce 
Year level: Freshman & Sophomore 
Teams: 3-5 students 
Dates: 15th April - 28th May 2026

This challenge invites student teams to design, cost, promote, and pitch a summer side hustle that creates value in their community while making money and raising funds for a charity they care about.

It gives students the opportunity to explore entrepreneurship by working in teams to design and pitch their idea for a summer side hustle that not only generates money but also raises funds for a charity they care about. It is made up of 4 parts:

• Part 1 – Identify a problem/opportunity

• Part 2 – Solution ideation

• Part 3 – Costing, pricing, & profit

• Part 4 – Advertise & pitch your idea

Along the way, they develop critical skills including creativity, teamwork, financial literacy, problem-solving, and confident communication.

Key concepts 

Key concepts addressed in this challenge include -

• Solution ideation: is all about brainstorming cool & creative ideas before narrowing to a final decision.

• Revenue: the total money the side hustle would generate.

• COGS (Cost of Goods Sold): this is the unit price to make or deliver one item.

• Pricing strategies: the ways a business decides how much to charge for its products or services. Students will consider cost-plus pricing, value-based pricing, and competitive pricing as they decide on a price to charge for their product/service.

• Profit: the money left over after all costs are paid. Students will decide how to allocate their profit, choosing how much to keep and how much to donate to a charity they care about.

• Advertising: the methods used to promote the side hustle, attract attention, and encourage people to take action.

How it works

If a class wants to participate, the teacher registers via the link provided. This takes the teacher to a secure platform, where they will access the challenge materials (presentation slides and teacher notes).

The teacher will provide team names and details within the platform (there is no student login throughout the challenge).

The presentation slides and teacher notes provide guidance for teachers and students to progress through the challenge. Note: The challenge has been designed for flexible use; you could either run this in class, or teams can work independently, depending on your curriculum and time requirements.

Final submission is done by the teacher, on behalf of each student group. Submissions are recorded videos (2-5 minutes long). The videos are uploaded directly to the Ripyl platform. An external panel will judge submissions.

About the challenge

Students remain in the same team throughout the challenge to support deeper collaboration.

The challenge has been designed for flexible use; you could either run this in class, or teams can work independently, depending on your curriculum and time requirements. 

The Challenge Board is central – it supports organisation, scaffolds thinking, and helps students track their progression across the four parts. Encourage teams to use this to capture and consolidate their ideas throughout the challenge.

• An example of a side hustle is included to help guide you and your students, as needed.

• Additional tips & guidance will be provided on the platform, and live sessions will be available.

• Guidelines for structuring the pitch are included in the slide deck.