Young Billionaires Club prototype lets students research and trade virtual shares in real businesses founded by their peers.
HOUSTON, TX / ACCESS Newswire / November 10, 2026 / The Sanders Hand, a Houston-based youth development nonprofit, today introduced the YBC Stock Market Exchange, an educational simulation in which students research and trade virtual shares in real businesses owned by their peers. Developed through its flagship program, the Young Billionaires Club (YBC), the platform now runs as a working prototype for classroom use. All trading uses virtual currency. No real money or securities are involved.
In many classrooms, entrepreneurship students write business plans while personal finance students paper trade large public companies they have never dealt with. The two subjects rarely meet. On the YBC Stock Market Exchange, student founders list their ventures and classmates act as analysts who research those listings and allocate virtual capital.
Current listings include Carefor2, founded by Madeline Medrano, and Bessie’s Cute Surprises, founded by Bessica Hinton. Each listing carries a description and a company value in virtual YBC dollars.
“For years, we’ve taught young people how to start and operate businesses,” said Sebastian Sanders, Founder and CEO of The Sanders Hand. “The next step is helping them understand how businesses are valued and how financial markets work. This exchange brings those experiences together so students learn through businesses built by their own generation.”
How the YBC Stock Market Exchange works
Built for Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs and business classrooms, the prototype works in six steps.
- A student founder submits a business through the online form with the founder’s name, school, a starting YBC value, and a short description. An administrator reviews each submission before it appears publicly.
- Participants register a user profile with their school or occupation and receive a starting wallet in YBC dollars.
- A registered user opens a listing, enters an amount in YBC dollars, and confirms the simulated trade. Company values move with demand, and the home page shows each listing’s current value and percentage change.
- Student founders post updates and earnings-style reports to their school audience, which gives classmates new information to price in.
- Schools and organizations register on the platform and create sub-markets, so a single class or YBC chapter runs its own exchange. Registered businesses can join any sub-market.
- Educators use the activity to discuss business fundamentals, supply and demand, valuation, and risk.
Technology roadmap
The prototype runs on Google Sheets and Google Apps Script. The Sanders Hand is developing a browser-based platform to replace it. Planned features include:
- Secure student accounts with access controls and virtual ledger balances
- A listing directory for approved student-owned businesses
- Portfolio dashboards that track simulated gains and trade histories
- Educator portals with adjustable market parameters and grading rubrics
- Responsive design for classroom hardware such as Chromebooks and tablets
None of the planned features is available yet. The platform prohibits real-money transactions, cash payouts, securities issuance, and the transfer of equity.
Texas Career and Technical Education
The Young Billionaires Club operates as a Career and Technical Student Organization (CTSO) recognized by the Texas Education Agency (TEA) within the entrepreneurship program of study. Since 2017, The Sanders Hand reports reaching more than 10,000 young people across Texas and through international programs. Its programs for ages 12 to 25 include the YBC Online Campus, pitch competitions, vendor markets, and school chapters.
“We’re building a platform where students study real young entrepreneurs and make simulated market decisions,” Sanders added. “They see how business and finance connect. Our goal is to take what we’ve started in Houston and build a learning experience schools across the country can use.”
For more details visit:
Website: www.sandershand.org
Instagram www.instagram.com/sebastianjsanders
Founder video with Bessica Hinton: www.youtube.com/watch?v=-y5E8JaFPVk
About Sebastian Sanders
Sebastian Sanders is the Founder and CEO of The Sanders Hand and the creator of the Young Billionaires Club. His career spans corporate management, nonprofit administration, youth advocacy, and higher education instruction. He holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Texas at San Antonio and a Master of Business Administration from Lamar University.
About The Sanders Hand
Founded in 2017, The Sanders Hand is a Houston-based nonprofit organization dedicated to expanding economic opportunity for young people through entrepreneurship, financial literacy, career readiness, and leadership development. Its flagship initiative, the Young Billionaires Club (YBC), serves youth and young adults ages 12 to 25 through hands-on programs, school partnerships, competitions, and digital learning. Recognized in Texas as a Career and Technical Student Organization within the entrepreneurship pathway, YBC connects classroom learning with real-world business experiences. Through local and international initiatives, The Sanders Hand works to close knowledge and opportunity gaps and equip the next generation to build financially informed futures.
Media Contact
Company: The Sanders Hand
Contact Person: Sebastian Sanders, Founder and CEO
Email: ssanders@sandershand.org
Website: https://www.sandershand.org
SOURCE: The Sanders Hand
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