School-Embedded Creator Economy
Press Start Creator Hub is a complete ecosystem that teaches students creative skills, entrepreneurship, publishing, and monetization—while building portfolios that travel with them beyond graduation.
The Vision
Press Start Creator Hub is a school-embedded creative production ecosystem designed to prepare students for modern careers in creative technology, media, and entrepreneurship.
Unlike traditional programs where student work ends with a grade, Press Start creates a closed-loop system where students move from learning to real-world outcomes — all within a safe, supervised, education-first environment.
We teach with forward-thinking AI integration — preparing students for the careers of tomorrow, not yesterday. Students learn to use AI as a creative collaborator and productivity tool, understanding both its power and its limitations. This isn't about replacing creativity; it's about amplifying it responsibly.
This is not a club. This is not a one-off program. This is infrastructure for future-ready education.
Built on the foundation of the Press Start Game of Life book series — using gaming metaphors to unlock personal development and strategic thinking.
The Challenge
Students are creative, capable, and motivated — but current systems often fall short.
Creative skills are scattered across disconnected classes with no unified pathway or portfolio system.
Student work disappears at the end of the semester instead of building toward something lasting.
Students lack clear routes from classroom learning to publishing, careers, or entrepreneurship.
Programs don't reflect how modern creative industries actually function and create value.
The Complete Pipeline
Press Start connects everything students create into one ecosystem. Nothing lives in isolation. Nothing gets "lost at the end of the semester."
Tools & Labs
Students use Press Start creation tools and Creator Hubs to build real production assets, not practice files.
Visibility & Purpose
Student work doesn't end at "turn it in." It goes public, building accountability and pride of ownership.
Education-First & Safe
Press Start introduces structured, supervised monetization pathways that teach real entrepreneurship.
Every Student Leaves With One
Students graduate with a living portfolio — not just a transcript. Ready for college, internships, and jobs.
Print, Showcases & Festivals
Students experience real-world creative industry events and professional presentation.
Student Creator Economy
Teaching entrepreneurship through real, supervised experience.
Students bundle their creations into asset packs and sell them within the Press Start ecosystem to other creators.
Published content on the streaming platform and comic app can earn engagement-based revenue.
Why It Works
For Students
For Schools
For Districts
California Schools
Press Start Creator Hub is a perfect fit for California's Expanded Learning Opportunities Program. Use your ELOP funding to bring future-ready creative education to your students.
Expanded Learning Opportunities Program (ELOP) provides significant per-student funding for before school, after school, and summer programs.
ELOP can pay for vendors, partners, instructors, curriculum, software, and equipment. That's where we come in.
We're not a club. We're not a one-off workshop. We're an ELOP Partner Vendor — a district-approved enrichment provider delivering turnkey creative technology programs.
Our ecosystem checks every ELOP requirement while delivering something no other program offers:
"Students don't just learn — they PUBLISH, BUILD PORTFOLIOS, and ENTER THE CREATOR ECONOMY."
Game design, storytelling, digital media literacy, and cross-curricular project-based learning.
Real creator economy experience, industry-standard tools, and professional workflows.
Identity development, teamwork, purpose-building, and creative confidence.
Design thinking, technology fluency, entrepreneurship, and project management.
Original IP creation, published comics, games, and student-owned creative work.
Professional-grade tools and opportunities students wouldn't otherwise access.
Turnkey programs designed for 2-3 days/week, 2-3 hours/session, 10-12 week cycles
Students design, develop, and publish interactive games and experiences using industry-standard tools and workflows.
Visual storytelling, comic creation, and narrative design for all skill levels. Students publish real comics.
Video production, animation, and content creation with real publishing outcomes and festival submissions.
SEL-focused personal development using gaming metaphors and creative expression for self-discovery.
We maintain clear separation between funded learning time and optional creator opportunities.
(Paid by School)
(Student Choice)
This makes it education-first, not labor exploitation. Districts feel safe. Parents feel good. Students still win.
ELOP builds the pipeline → Press Start + MADMixedMedia power what comes next.
MADMixedMedia serves as the professional studio arm — the industry-facing brand that connects student creators to real opportunities.
"We run a turnkey ELOP program that combines academic enrichment, career exploration, and creative technology. Students learn game design, comics, film, and digital media while building real portfolios aligned to creative industry careers."
Then the secret sauce:
"Students can optionally continue their work beyond the ELOP program through our Press Start platforms, festivals, and creator marketplace."
Ready to use your ELOP funding for something students will actually remember?
Let's Talk ELOPTheaters • Venues • Schools • Cultural Organizations
Press Start and MADMixedMedia partner with theaters, schools, cultural spaces, and creative venues to activate immersive creator hubs, showcases, screenings, and live experiences across games, comics, film, animation, and interactive media.
Live playable showcases of student-created games and interactive experiences.
Gallery-style displays of original comics, graphic novels, and visual narratives.
Premiere screenings of student films, animations, and episodic content.
Industry mentors and student creators share insights and techniques.
Curated displays of digital art, character designs, and concept work.
Connect creators, educators, industry professionals, and families.
Co-produced exhibitions and events featuring student work alongside professional presentations.
Extended creator-in-residence programs at partner venues with ongoing programming.
Hub activations connected to expanded learning programs at partner schools.
Annual festivals and showcases produced in partnership with venues and sponsors.
Corporate and foundation-sponsored creative technology labs at partner sites.
Temporary activations at libraries, community centers, and public spaces.
All partnerships are governed by formal written agreements. Press Start Gaming Inc. and MADMixedMedia LLC retain ownership of all platforms, curriculum, workflows, and intellectual property. Partner venues do not acquire ownership rights through participation. Student creators retain ownership of their original work.
Interested in activating a Press Start Hub at your venue?
Contact Partnershipspartnerships@pressstartgaming.com
Create • Print • Sell • Earn
Turn original artwork into real products. Students design, we produce, they earn. From digital to physical — comics, apparel, prints, and more.
T-shirts, hoodies, hats featuring original character art and designs via DTF printing.
Physical copies of digital comics, manga, and graphic novels.
High-quality prints of digital artwork, concept art, and illustrations.
Collected works, sketchbooks, and professional portfolio books.
Character stickers, trading cards, and collectible prints.
Game assets, templates, brushes, and digital downloads.
School-embedded creator shops within the Press Start Hub platform. Students set up storefronts, list products, and earn from sales — all supervised and education-first.
Students build professional portfolio websites with integrated shop functionality on Wix. Their work, their brand, their earnings — hosted on industry-standard platforms.
Live merchandise sales at PressPlay Festivals, showcases, hub activations, and partner events. Real market experience.
Design original artwork using Press Start tools
Upload designs for review and approval
DTF printing, comic printing, product creation
Products go live in creator shops
Creators receive revenue from sales
Students own their original designs. Revenue sharing is transparent and education-first. All merchandise sales outside of ELOP hours are optional creator economy participation. Parents/guardians have full visibility into earnings and transactions.
The Two-Part Creator Experience
A unique two-part festival experience. Meet, collaborate, and learn — then create for 6 months — then showcase your work to the world.
Launch Event
Creators come together to meet, network, and form collaborative teams. Learn the Press Start ecosystem, tools, and workflows. Get inspired by industry mentors and fellow creators.
Teams collaborate remotely and in-person to build their projects. Regular check-ins, mentorship, and support throughout the creation phase.
6 Months Later
The grand reveal. Creators return to showcase everything they've built. Live presentations, playable demos, screenings, merchandise sales, and celebration of creative achievement.
K-12 and college creators from Press Start programs
Teachers and mentors guiding creative projects
Guest artists, developers, and studio representatives
Parents and community members celebrating creators
Ready to create something amazing?
Join the Next PressPlayPowering the Next Generation of Creators
Press Start is built on relationships with industry-leading companies who share our vision of empowering young creators with professional-grade tools and real-world opportunities.
Game Engine & Development
Unreal Engine powers our game development curriculum, giving students access to the same tools used by AAA studios worldwide.
Character Animation & Motion
iClone, Character Creator, and Cartoon Animator enable students to create professional character animations and real-time motion content.
Digital Drawing & Input
Industry-standard drawing tablets and displays power our digital art, comics, and illustration programs with professional precision.
Procedural VFX & Simulation
Houdini brings Hollywood-level visual effects and procedural generation to our advanced animation and game development tracks.
3D Modeling & Motion Graphics
Cinema 4D and ZBrush provide professional 3D modeling, sculpting, and motion graphics capabilities for our creator programs.
Animation Studio
Emmy-winning animation studio providing mentorship, industry insights, and real-world pipeline experience for aspiring animators.
Portfolio & E-Commerce
Students build professional portfolio websites with integrated shops on Wix, establishing their online presence and creator storefronts.
Studio & Distribution
Our studio arm connects student creators to professional pipelines, festivals, screenings, and industry distribution channels.
Professional-Grade Tools
Industry Curriculum
Mentorship Access
Career Pathways
Industry Recognition
Interested in joining our ecosystem? We're always looking for industry partners who want to invest in the next generation of creators.
Partner With Uspartnerships@pressstartgaming.com
Education • Technology • Storytelling • Culture
Press Start and MADMixedMedia offer immersive summer study abroad and global exchange programs that combine education, technology, storytelling, and cultural exchange.
The birthplace of gaming, manga, and anime culture
Game Design & Interactive Media
Comics, Manga & Visual Storytelling
Digital Art & Character Design
Animation & Media Production
Cultural Immersion & Creative Cities
Online preparation covering cultural context, language basics, and project planning.
Fully chaperoned travel with structured daily itineraries and 24/7 adult supervision.
Hands-on sessions at studios, schools, and cultural institutions in Japan.
Visits to iconic creative destinations: Akihabara, Ghibli Museum, game studios, and more.
Student work published and exhibited on Press Start platforms and at home venues.
Not just tourism — structured learning outcomes aligned with academic standards.
Real industry exposure and connections to creative professionals worldwide.
Students own everything they create during the program.
Every participant returns with published work and documented experience.
Replicable model designed for expansion to multiple countries.
Following successful Japan programs, Press Start Global will expand to:
Canada
United Kingdom
France
South Korea
Additional Global Creative Hubs
Study abroad and global exchange programs are offered through formal agreements and are subject to eligibility, safety requirements, and availability. Participation is voluntary and requires signed consent from guardians for all minor participants. No specific outcomes are guaranteed. Programs are subject to change based on global conditions, travel advisories, and institutional partnerships.
Built for Schools
All activities are supervised by trained educators and program staff.
Participation guidelines are explicit, documented, and parent-approved.
All published content is reviewed before going public.
Earning is completely optional and never required for participation.
Regular reports to administration on all program activities.
All activities map to educational standards and learning objectives.
"Students learn how creative economies work — responsibly, ethically, and safely."
The Rollout
Foundation
Launch Creator Hub on campus, integrate into existing structures, and build the documented playbook.
Capacity Building
5-day intensive teacher training that builds internal capacity and sustainability.
Expansion
Month-long rotations at additional campuses with co-teaching and coaching support.
Optional Scale
Multi-campus collaboration with shared showcases, festivals, and district-wide visibility.
Professional Services
Press Start offers flexible engagement models for schools and districts ready to transform creative education.
Entry
per site
Flagship
per site
Scale
district-wide
Strategic pilot sites may qualify for free implementation. No licensing fees, no long-term obligation. The district retains full control over continuation or expansion.
K-12 Ready
Press Start integrates across CTE, Arts, ELA, Media, and Technology. All tools are designed for classroom use with full curriculum alignment.
Multi-panel layouts, speech bubbles, text formatting, and image import.
Storytelling • Sequencing • History • Documentation
Trading card templates with stats, character profiles, and custom designs.
Vocabulary • Character Analysis • Science • Math
Book and magazine covers with professional layout tools.
Book Reports • Portfolios • Design • Presentations
Branching narratives with decision trees and consequence mapping.
Ethics • Historical Scenarios • Science • SEL
Character dialogue, scene building, and story progression.
Creative Writing • Languages • Social Scenarios
Brushes, shapes, colors, layers, and freehand illustration.
Art Class • Diagrams • Scientific Illustration
Transform education from a temporary experience into a launchpad for opportunity. Position your school as a leader in future-ready creative education.
District-Safe • Grant-Safe • Youth-Safe
Press Start is built on a foundation of safety, transparency, and protection — for students, educators, schools, and creators.
Platform usage rules, user eligibility, content standards, and legal framework.
Read Policy →Data collection practices, student data protections, COPPA & FERPA compliance.
Read Policy →Two-adult rule, safe communication protocols, reporting procedures, AI safety.
Read Policy →Respectful behavior standards, anti-harassment policies, enforcement process.
Read Policy →Creators own their work. Non-exclusive licensing. Credit requirements.
Read Policy →Allowed and prohibited content, collaboration rules, reporting misuse.
Read Policy →Our commitment to inclusive design and accessible experiences for all users.
Read Policy →Contact options, anonymous reporting, and incident response procedures.
Report Now →Downloadable resources for administrators, instructors, and families. All downloads require acknowledgment.
Staff policies, expectations, and procedures
Teaching guidelines and program delivery
Program overview for families
Education-first monetization guidelines
Safety response protocols
The following agreements are required for staff, partners, and participants. All agreements are logged with timestamped consent.
Required for staff, partners, and mentors with access to proprietary information.
For contracted creators and curriculum developers.
Clarifies student ownership and non-exclusive showcase rights.
Permission for photography, video, and work showcasing.
Required for program participation and events.
No-guarantee acknowledgment for educational programs.
Children's Online Privacy Protection
Student Data Privacy
Expanded Learning Aligned
California Standards
Get Started
Fill out this form and we'll get back to you within 48 hours to discuss how Press Start Creator Hub can transform your school.