Florence, a new accelerator program from the tech education platform for kids and teens Xelaris, aims to bridge the gap between learning to code and launching real-world products. Targeted at standout students ages 13 to 17, Florence offers $500 microgrants and dedicated mentorship from experienced software engineers, helping young builders take their ideas from concept to launch.
For years, students have followed a familiar path: taking courses, watching tutorials, and building projects. Yet many never experience the impact of shipping a product to actual users. Florence is designed to change that.
“We saw that students could build websites or understood APIs,” said Sam Eseyin, co-founder of Xelaris. “But most had never launched a product or felt the excitement of real users relying on their work.”
Founded by Sam Eseyin and Malik Gwandu, Xelaris teaches kids and teens cutting-edge technologies like software engineering, AI, and blockchain. Florence, however, goes further, selecting a small cohort of top students from its core programs and challenging them to tackle real-world problems with tech-driven solutions.
Action over theory
Florence isn’t a course with modules or badges. Instead, it’s an accelerator focused on action. Students identify a problem, build a solution using skills in AI/ML, web development, or blockchain, and launch it to real users.
Each participant receives a $500 grant to cover essentials like domain names, hosting, or design software, plus a one-on-one mentor-an engineer who has shipped real products. These mentors guide students through product design, scalable code architecture, and the challenges of debugging, user feedback, and meeting deadlines.
“We’re not chasing unicorns,” Malik added. “We’re looking for students who can identify genuine problems, ones they care deeply about, and tackle them with thoughtful, tech-driven solutions. The foundation in AI, software engineering, or blockchain gives them powerful tools, but the real skill is knowing how to apply them.”
Invite only for impact
Florence is currently invite only, not to exclude, but to ensure every participant is ready for the challenge. “It’s about giving the right students the best shot at building something real,” said Sam Eseyin.
Participants showcase their work at live demo days, receive feedback from industry experts, and often continue developing their products beyond the program.
Looking ahead
Xelaris plans to expand Florence beyond its initial invite-only cohorts. In the coming year, the team aims to open applications to a wider pool of teen coders and introduce new tracks in emerging technologies.
“We want Florence to be the launchpad for the next generation of teen builders,” said Malik. “Not just students who know how to code, but those who know how to create things that matter.”
