Bring the largest, most-loved early-childhood STEM camp in NYC and Boston to your community. We're looking for mission-driven entrepreneurs to build an iconic STEM education platform in select cities.
My boys (ages 6 and 7) have been attending NORY for 2 years and absolutely love it.
Lauren · Mom of two NORY campers, NYCFor the first time ever, he's asked to stay longer. He used to insist on being picked up at noon, but now he's happily attending 9am to 3pm.
Holly · Mom of Finnley, NYCThey kept saying that this is the BEST camp ever! They were asking me if they could continue for next week.
Marisa · Mom of Timmy & Teddy, NYCGriffin told me on our way to drop-off — 'I never want this week to end!' Woodworking is his dream come true.
Serena · Mom of Griffin, NYCLouie has come home with the most amazing projects. I can tell that NORY is a truly nurturing place.
Louie's mom · NYC9.2 NPS · 100% CSAT · 4,000+ campers in 2025 · Camps in NYC and Boston
Four reasons mission-driven operators say yes — and run a business with year-round revenue.
Campers build life-size forts, program working robots, and design smart cities. The kind of camp parents talk about all winter.
Most-loved early-childhood STEM camp in NYC and Boston. 9.2 NPS, 100% CSAT, word-of-mouth growth. You're not building awareness from scratch.
Summer is the engine. Holiday camps, afterschool enrichment, birthday experiences, and school partnerships keep your business running 12 months a year.
Proprietary tools, refined curriculum, operational playbooks. Designed so first-time owners can launch confidently and multi-unit owners can grow.
NORY isn't a camp. It's a movement to raise purposeful changemakers — the kids who will solve the next decade's hardest problems. Now we're opening the movement to mission-driven owners in select cities.
NORY franchise owners gain access to the platform we've built over nine years — refined through real campsites, real children, and real customer feedback. It's what lets you launch faster and operate with confidence from day one.
Our proven strategy for finding venues that fill — refined across 10+ locations.
Lifetime access to award-winning weekly themes and the projects parents rave about.
Our Arduino Shield and project tech make advanced robotics accessible to 3-year-olds. You can't get this anywhere else.
Our 3%-acceptance training program — your team gets the same rigor as our flagship sites.
The CRM, the parent communications, the daily newsletters. The CX framework that earned us our 9.2 NPS.
Launch campaigns, school partnership playbook, word-of-mouth engine, brand asset library.
Hiring, ratios, daily flow, safety protocols. The SOPs that keep camps running smoothly.
Your launch team, then your franchise success manager. You're never alone.
When you sign on with NORY, you launch with our full training and support behind you. You can run the business from a 200–400 square-foot home office; campsites themselves are seasonal third-party venues you rent — no expensive retail real estate required.
Per our 2026 Franchise Disclosure Document.
| Item | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Total startup investment | $91,219 – $158,279 | One territory, with unlimited campsites inside it. |
| Initial franchise fee | $45,000 | 5% discount for U.S. Military Veterans and certified Pre-K / K / elementary educators. Multi-unit owners: 50% off each additional territory. |
| Ongoing royalty | 8% of gross sales | Paid monthly. |
| Brand development fund | 2% of gross sales | Plus an additional 2% on local marketing. Begin with $12,000 in year one. |
| Grand opening support | $3,000 – $6,000 | Included in the startup range. |
All NORY franchise owners join us in New York for 2.5 weeks of in-person training, plus in-territory launch support.
Daily flow, ratios, parent communication, safety, materials prep, the morning huddle.
Curriculum delivery, venue selection, teacher recruiting and certification, technology, financial oversight, business development.
Once you're home, our launch team comes to you for opening prep and grand-opening week.
Take our 3-minute pre-qualification check (no credit pull) with our third-party finance partner.
NORY was founded in 2016 in a corner of the Columbia University library with a single mission: to nurture purposeful changemakers.
To nurture purposeful changemakers by fostering resilience, inquisitiveness, and empathy through STEM education.
To serve society as a lighthouse that guides the direction of education for Generation Alpha.
Fail and dream fearlessly.
Ask 'Why' relentlessly.
Connect with others authentically and make a positive impact in their lives.
Peter (Pillwon) Seo is the founder and CEO of NORY. Since launching the first summer camp in 2017, he has grown NORY into one of the largest early-childhood STEM camp providers in the U.S. — serving 4,000+ children annually across NYC and Boston. Before NORY, Peter founded BRIDGE, a social-innovation nonprofit recognized by the BMW Foundation's Global Fellowship. He is married, lives in NYC with his family, and is the dad of one young inventor-in-training.
Earlier in his career, Peter served as Chief New York Correspondent for Business Magazine Korea, covering major economic and political events including the 2012 National Conventions and Presidential Inauguration. He worked as a Risk Analyst at MBIA and as a Consultant with the National Executive Service Corps. He also served as Assistant Advisor to the Korean Consulate General during the 66th United Nations General Assembly and was a Global Fellow with the Taproot Foundation. He launched CampaignMatch, a national corporate pro bono initiative in partnership with the Korean Ministry of Government Administration and Home Affairs.
Operations Director
Owns campsite operations and franchise launch support. Eight years building NORY's operational backbone.
To be named
Designs the projects families rave about. Leads our proprietary curriculum and project pipeline.
To be named
Runs the certification program only 3% of teacher applicants pass. Will train you and your team.
Most candidates open within 2 to 3 months.
Fill the form. We reply within one business day.
20-min intro call with our franchise team.
Complete the Confidential Questionnaire and receive the FDD.
Visit us in NYC. Meet the team. See a camp in action.
Final review with leadership. Sign the franchise agreement.
2.5 weeks of NYC training. In-territory launch support. Open your NORY.
You've seen your own kids fall in love with STEM. You want a business that does the same for thousands of children — and earns alongside its impact.
Former teacher, principal, or ed-tech operator ready to own the program rather than work inside someone else's. You get our 5% educator discount on the franchise fee.
One handles operations, one handles community. Both lead the camp culture.
If three or more sound like you. Let's talk.
Owner-operators. Our philosophy is that NORY owners lead and inspire their team — not absentee owners. You won't teach every class, but you'll be the cultural heartbeat of your camp.
Most candidates open within 2 to 3 months, depending on how quickly you complete pre-opening steps and training.
Total startup investment is $91,219–$158,279 for one territory. That covers the initial franchise fee, third-party professional fees, insurance, equipment and camp materials, initial marketing, and three months of working capital. See the table in §3.
We share our Financial Performance Representation (Item 19) in the Franchise Disclosure Document. It highlights affiliate performance and gives you a real basis to evaluate revenue potential. Request the FDD to see the numbers.
Yes. We expect some owners to run multiple territories. Existing franchisees receive a 50% discount on the initial franchise fee for each additional territory.
You can run NORY from a home office of 200–400 sq ft for materials storage and admin. Campsites are typically third-party venues (schools, community centers) rented for the season. No standalone retail location required.
You'll hire seasonal, part-time staff scaled to enrollment. As a benchmark: five campsites need five site directors plus one teacher per six children (to meet our ratios). As you scale, add year-round back-office support.
No. You need to be a builder, a leader, and someone who cares about kids. Our curriculum, training, and proprietary tech do the technical lift. Many of our best teachers came in with no STEM background.
You can absolutely be a great NORY owner. What matters is your empathy for kids and families, and your commitment to leading a quality program.
Yes — owner-operators must live in their territory. NORY is deeply local: school partnerships, parent relationships, and word-of-mouth are how the brand grows.
Not through launch. The first 90 days require your full attention. After year one, many owners pull back to a 30–40 hour week.
Summer is the anchor, but most owners build year-round revenue through holiday camps, school-year birthday parties, and school partnerships. Seasonal-only is possible — but you're leaving money on the table.
Take our 3-minute pre-qualification check (no credit pull) with our third-party finance partner. Start the pre-qualifier →
Tell us a little about yourself. We'll be in touch within one business day.
Or call (917) 521-6630
or email franchising@nory.co
or book a 20-min intro call →
A NORY franchise team member will reach out within one business day. To fast-track, call (917) 521-6630 or book a 20-minute intro call now.
Schedule a 20-Min Call →Opens in Google Calendar. We'll send a confirmation email and a calendar invite.
