Do Greater Charlotte Foundation

Creative Lab Uptown (CLU) is a groundbreaking 20,000-square-foot innovation and entrepreneurship hub housed in a historic 1921 automobile showroom in Uptown Charlotte, NC. Operated by the Do Greater Charlotte Foundation, this facility serves as an engine for opportunity for youth from underestimated neighborhoods, offering multiple specialized spaces including a youth-powered coffee shop, entrepreneurial support center, innovation & tech lab with AI and design thinking instruction, creative digi Creative Lab Uptown (CLU) is a groundbreaking 20,000-square-foot innovation and entrepreneurship hub housed in a historic 1921 automobile showroom in Uptown Charlotte, NC. Operated by the Do Greater Charlotte Foundation, this facility serves as an engine for opportunity for youth from underestimated neighborhoods, offering multiple specialized spaces including a youth-powered coffee shop, entrepreneurial support center, innovation & tech lab with AI and design thinking instruction, creative digital studio for storytelling and podcasting, screen printing hub with income opportunities, and a maker space for prototyping. The mission is to build cross-class connections that power economic mobility and connect youth to mentors, innovators, and industries. The camp offers a diverse portfolio of after-school and summer programs designed for middle and high school students. Spring 2026 programs include Start Upward Ideator (an 11-week program for high school students to develop and launch business ideas), Design to Dollars (for grades 7-10 to design and sell products), Start Upward Essentials (a foundational 10-week program for teens to transform passions into action), and Make for Good (an 11-week program for grades 9-12 working with real nonprofit clients on marketing challenges). Additional offerings include specialty workshops like Art of DJing (in partnership with Backspinz), Design-a-thon (a free weekend design thinking event), and summer programs like Start Upward: Apparel and Brand Camp. All programs emphasize hands-on learning, real-world application, and mentorship from local entrepreneurs and industry professionals. Students engage in team-based project work, prototyping with advanced equipment (3D printers, cutting machines), business development, customer testing, and community collaboration. Many programs culminate in pop-up markets, presentations to nonprofit partners, or product launches where students keep revenue from sales, providing authentic entrepreneurial experience and economic opportunity.