THE CHALLENGE

“QUEST EDITION”

Creation meets Adventure

Forget applying.

Forget waiting around.

This summer, you’re running The Quest.

You’ll forge your crew. Bring your idea to life. Go on an adventure.

No lectures. No grades. No “programs.” No pretending.

Just you, your crew, and a summer that actually means something.

SNAPSHOT:

• Cross the Threshold: In person kick-off. Solve riddles, forge your crew, enter the Quest

• Fuel your Passion: Claim up to $250 each to fuel your individual passion  

• Navigate the Map: Guide your crew through challenges and missions

• Gear up: Elite status gear and tools you didn’t know you’d needed

• Unlock the Final Gate: Only the bold make it 

This isn’t a summer program. This is a summer legend in the making—yours to write.

YOUR JOURNEY

🔥 BECOME A GUIDE 

You gain first access. Then, you invite 4 friends who are down to go all in. You name your crew. You name the idea/passion you will bring to life. Your adventure starts now.

🗺 CROSS THE THRESHOLD (Day Zero)  

You and your full crew meet in person for the five trials of Day Zero. This real-world mission kicks off your journey. Grab your backpack, solve riddles, forge friendships, face mini-challenges, and cross the Threshold. Find medallions, tools, and a top secret box (The Vault) along the way. 

💯 FIRST DROP CHALLENGE (Weeks 1–2)  

Each crew member creates something real. Follow your passion. Bring it to life. Maybe a custom drone design, a neighborhood clean-up plan, a zine, a mini pop-up shop. By day 14, each crew member drops a 90-second video showing what you created. Now you unlock “The Vault.”

🏰 UNLOCK THE VAULT (Week 3) 

Time for that top secret box—The Vault. A map, $150 per person Founder’s Fund, and a mentor. Throw in some tools you didn’t know you needed and twists you didn’t see coming. Ready to accelerate? Will your crew make it past The Vault?

⚡ THE WILD MIDDLE (Weeks 4–9) 

Your turf, your leadership, our support. In-person missions with your crew, boost funding ($100 per person), and earn your 3rd map to the Final Gate. Watch for The Dispatch to unlock secret allies or side quests you didn’t expect.

🔐 FULL SEND (Week 10)  

Final 90-second showcase videos (Simple videos. Real progress). Successful Crews unlock access to the Final Gate in-person event. Meet the other Crews. Elite Status now unlocks future roles and opportunities. Celebrate your epic summer. 

WHY IT’S WORTH DROPPING YOUR OTHER SUMMER PLANS

As a Guide:

- You’re the architect, guiding a crew of your friends.

- You earn visible recognition from the start (prizes, exclusive merch).

- You unlock “next-level access”—Next Great Adventure (passion meets profession)

- Your summer is a fun and meaningful leadership adventure, not another “program.”

- You enter a new community of teenagers - full of passion and drive

For Your Friends:

- A real community of doers.

- No application—they’re in because YOU chose them.

- $250 and a whole summer to pursue what matters.

- An experience that’s actually meaningful, and memories for a lifetime.

“This wasn’t just a highlight. I’ll be telling stories for years.” —Crew Member

Some summers are unforgettable. 

Will this be one of them? 

Build Your Crew!

Only 30 crews will run The Quest Edition this summer. 

8 crews are already in, including

Orbolos, Fishy Business, and The Warriors.

Who's next? Click… 

I AM READY NOW!

Your Quest. Your Crew. Your move.

“This summer, I stopped waiting. Remember, The Quest is starting, with or without you.” —Alumni Guide

FAQ: YOU’VE GOT QUESTIONS, WE’VE GOT CLUES

I thought GripTape was an individual thing?

Not this summer. Quest edition combines individual pursuits with a team (crew) experience. You have both the individual Challenge that you pursue (an idea you bring to life), and the Quest as a crew of 5 friends. You have complete control over your individual idea and what you do, while having the support, fun, and experiences with your crew.

Who can be a Guide?

Preference to GripTape alumni. Consideration of others if recommended by an alumni. Need to be 15 through 19 years old (can’t be 20 years old). 

Who can be on the Crew?

People who are not GripTape alumni, and are ages 15 through 19 (can’t be 20 years old)

Do I build my own Crew?

Yes! If you are the Guide. You create the crew. You choose them, invite them, welcome them. You can do it! You and your crew will bring your individual passions to life and make memories for a lifetime. 

What if I can’t find 4 friends for the Crew?

Then unfortunately, you will miss out on this opportunity. 

As the Guide, do I get $250 to pursue my individual idea, or just my crew members?  

You get it too! Every member of the crew (that means you) qualifies for $250 to bring their idea to life—whether that’s starting a business, producing music, launching a cooking vlog, publishing a tech zine, or building a community garden. Your idea. Your pursuit!

Is there a catch? Why would you give me money?

No catch. We are a non-profit organization. This is our mission. We believe young people deserve the opportunities and resources to do, learn, and create things that matter to them. We invest in you because we've seen what happens when young adults get the chance to direct their own passions and learning, bringing their ideas to life. 3900 alumni. Years of Cornell Univ Research supporting us. We are legit. www.griptape.org/impact

What kinds of ideas can we pursue?

Almost anything that brings your passion to life. Past participants have:

- Published novels

- Designed culturally inspired streetwear

- Built tech to help local small restaurants

- Created mental health spaces for teens

- Launched community gardens

- Built prosthetics for pets

Do I need to be good at making videos for First Drop and Full Send?

NO! Not at all. We'll give you a simple template to follow and examples to guide you. You can do it with a phone. The focus is on your story and what you've created, not your video production skills! Want to see some cool Full Send examples (thanks to Buildspace) - Music Creation, College Community, Software Creation, Cosmetology, Tech Hardware, Video Game Development 

Can I work with others on my idea?

Of course. But this is not a group project. You and your crew aren’t pursuing one idea. You don’t pool your money together. This is your idea, your passion project. 

What if I don’t know what I want to create yet?

Have an idea or a dream. A passion to bring to life. Don’t join without one. This is for those ready to act. But you can start simply. The first two weeks are all about exploring your idea and beginning to build.

Do I design the in-person Crew part of it? 

Nope. You will lead and shape, but we’ll provide the guides, mysteries, and games. You don’t have to plan it all—just bring your crew to life.

Do I have to pay for crew sessions or snacks or anything?

Nope. We’ve got you. You’ll receive a Crew Card to help cover snacks or supplies for gatherings. You lead—we support.

How many in-person sessions are there?

Over the 10 weeks, you’ll have four required crew meetups: 

1. Crossing the Threshold (Day Zero)

2. Unlocking the Vault (week 3)

3. The Boost (week 6)

4. Final Gate (end of week 10). 

Scheduling will depend on your location. Your crew will decide dates for at least 2 of the 4. Along the way, there will also be optional surprise missions. These are in-person opportunities for you and your crew to show up, earn rewards, unlock secret tools, and level up.

Can my friends drop out halfway?  

They could. But that’s why you choose carefully. You have to finish with at least 4 out of 5.

What do I get for being a Guide? 

First access. Custom gear. GripTape Gold (you’ll see 👀). Legit recognition, bragging rights, and first dibs on what’s next. Priority access to future GT roles and “Next Great Adventure” (your ideas and passions aligned with your professional pursuits). And the chance to literally shape what comes next for The Quest and GripTape.

What happens after Full Send?  

To remind you, Full Send is the final showcase video of your creation and accomplishment. If you and your crew complete it, you unlock the Final Gate—an in-person event with VIP guests, exclusive fall opportunity previews, awards, and more. You join the alumni community! Finish strong, and doors open.

You are talking about “alumni” and “community.” What does that mean?

For years, we didn’t do very much with alumni. But that has changed. We have over 70 alumni in leadership positions with GripTape right now. We are now offering programs to alumni to continue to pursue their passions. We gave out over $750,000 last year to youth… including alumni. We have held 6 events for alumni in the last 3 months alone. And we offered more than a dozen program and job opportunities through other organizations in the last six months. In short, our alumni community is expanding! 

But first, The Challenge!

You keep mentioning Next Great Adventure (NGA). What is that?

NGA is a program with GripTape. It is a trajectory of experiences over a couple of months. It ends with a Declaration Talk, where you are declaring your next professional chapter in life, with the possibility of a Fellowship and funding.