Graduate A Millionaire Or Get A Refund? Inside Founders High School’s Bold Promise

A new private school in the United States is making a bold promise: students who complete their four year programme will either build a business worth $1 million by the time they graduate or their families will receive a refund of the school fees.

The Alpha School's new Founders High School, led by entrepreneur and writer Nat Eliason, is designed for students who start at around 14 years old and finish at 18. Instead of following a traditional classroom model, it uses AI powered learning, allowing students to complete their main academic lessons in three hours each morning.

The rest of the day is dedicated to starting businesses, learning practical skills and working with experienced entrepreneurs, investors and business leaders. According to the school, this approach gives students more than 1000 extra hours each year to focus on building companies and gaining real world experience.

The high school promises students will “learn to think, sell, and ship, harnessing AI to futureproof [their] skills and career. Learn to build with AI from day one, not as a novelty, but as a core skill. Vibe coding, AI agents, automation. Master them at 14.”

According to the Founders High School website, students will get the chance to learn directly from successful entrepreneurs through apprenticeships, real business projects and weekly mentoring sessions. By the end of their first year, the school expects students to build a business that earns more than $50,000 in revenue.

At the same time, they are expected to achieve strong academic results, including a SAT score above 1400, complete one AP course and rank among the top 1% in tests. The school also promises that by their final year, students will either create a business valued at $1 million or receive a full refund of their tuition fees.