Because life is not multiple choice
Hosted at the
London School of Economics & Political Science
Education without the grid:
Business, Money, Value
Build a business with real money. Journey from generating ideas to earning profits. In small teams, you:
Conduct market research at King’s College London
Pitch to an audience in a university lecture theatre
Learn finance with your own money and experience
Build your product: everything from coding games to designing fashion lines
Sell your product at a live market
It’s early exposure to how the real world of business works – before grades, CVs and careers even start...
Parents receive a video compilation of their child’s work each session
Gridless isn’t about creating mini CEOs.
It’s about teaching students how to think.
They spot problems.
They question limits.
They test ideas, fail, and try again.
They learn that money is a tool, not magic.
No grades. No mark schemes. No multiple choice.
Students don’t study industries — they enter them.
They meet real people, build real things, and learn what happens when theory hits reality.
Gridless replaces passive learning with experience.
Not memorising answers, but practising judgment.
The concept.
What makes gridless different?
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Gridless is built around direct exposure to universities. Sessions are hosted on university campuses, supported by current university students, and enriched through conversations with professionals. University is treated not as a distant goal, but as a familiar and motivating part of learning from an early age.
For Grades 4–5, this creates early inspiration. Being on campus and working with university students helps children see higher education as real, achievable, and exciting.
For Grades 6–8, Gridless sparks early thinking around interests, subject choices, and meaningful extracurriculars, helping students explore pathways with intention.
For Grades 9–11, the programme becomes a strong supercurricular experience, supporting academic curiosity, networking, and high-quality material for personal statements and interviews.
Across all ages, Gridless helps students move towards university with clarity, confidence, and purpose.
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Gridless is led and supported by current university students who are handpicked from the top global universities and relevant degree courses. Close enough in age and experience to genuinely connect, they bring energy, authenticity, and credibility into every session.
Students are naturally more engaged when learning from people they find inspiring and approachable. University tutors make advice feel real, current, and achievable - not distant or abstract.
Beyond teaching, they act as mentors and connectors, sharing honest experiences and opening students’ eyes to what’s possible next.
The result is a learning environment that feels aspirational, energising, and genuinely motivating.
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Work in one of the UK's most prestigious universities. Pitch your product in a lecture theatre. Sell in central London: The heart of the UK's business
Why gridless matters
“My motivation for creating gridless comes from my experience transitioning into university. Like many students, I followed a linear path: working towards exams, aiming for the next credential, and deferring bigger questions about direction and purpose. While that system teaches discipline and knowledge, it often teaches students what to learn more than why to learn it.
The development of AI has sharpened this concern for me - as systems become increasingly good at producing correct answers, the human risk is no longer getting a question wrong, but failing to notice when the question itself is wrong.”
— Samara Mahmood, founder of gridless
Frequently Asked Questions
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We offer programmes across three age groups:
Age 9–11: Grades 4–5 (US/IB), Years 5–6 (UK)
Age 11–14: Grades 6–8 (US/IB), Years Age 7–9 (UK)
Age 14–16: Grades 9–11 (US/IB), Years 10–11 (UK) -
May 10–June 14 (Every Sunday)
Grades 4-5: 9:00–12:30
(also Saturday: May 23 & June 13)
Grades 6–8: 13:30–17:00
(also Saturday: May 23 & June 13)
Grades 9 - 11 will soon be confirmed
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Our pricing reflects the structure of the programme as a six-week, small-cohort incubator.
Fees cover the full experience, including guided mentoring, two public-facing events, and a working budget of £50 per team, which students manage, earn back, and spend as they choose. Pricing varies by age group to reflect increasing levels of responsibility and independence.
Grade 4-5: £1,260
Grade 6-8: £1,400
Grade 9-11: £1,680
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Each course is capped at 20 students. Throughout the programme, students work in small teams of 4 to 5.
This structure allows us to maintain a high level of quality, recognise individual learning styles, and ensure every student is actively supported. Working in multiple teams also creates healthy competition, encouraging students to test ideas, learn from others, and push their thinking further.
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Week 1 acts as a trial period. While the programme is designed to adapt to different learning styles, we understand it may not be right for every student. After the first session, families can decide whether to continue and pay in full. From that point, commitment is important to maintain the quality of the experience for all students.
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Safeguarding is a top priority at Gridless. We have a designated safeguarding lead, NSPCC-aligned policies, DBS-checked instructor, risk assessments, and full supervision throughout every session.
Please take a look at our other pages on the website for more detailed information
Want to know more?
Thank you for your interest in Gridless. If you have any questions or feedback, please complete our enquiry form and a member of our team will respond with the information you need. If you would prefer to speak directly, submitting the form is also a convenient way to arrange a phone call with us (just mention your preference!)