Last Updated on August 4, 2012 by DeanR
The Mad Science Group Franchise Information
The Mad Science Group is a franchise for a business providing science activities for children. It was founded in 1985 by Ariel and Ron Shlien.
It all started when these brothers enjoyed putting up a show of science experiments to children in their community. At a young age of 12, Ariel spent $300 of his savings from delivering papers for him to be able to buy a helium-neon laser light that he used for shows of local DJ’s. It was in 1986 when the brothers were hired by a science teacher to present a grand finale for his class in a Montreal YMCA with a laser light show. It was a success and they were hired to run a science enrichment program on a weekly basis. That was when Mad Science was born.
During the following years, they discovered that children’s curiosity is best stimulated with interactive science activities. They expanded and started offering the program to other communities. They started offering workshops, after-school programs, science themed events, and in birthday parties and they called it “edu-taining” Mad Science Birthday Party. It was in 1993 that they registered their name “The Mad Science Group”. In 1994, they were invited to do science shows for young passengers of the Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines. It was in 1995 that they started franchising and the first offices were opened in Toronto and in Miami in the United States. They now have 120 locations in the United States, 20 in Canada, and 33 locations in other countries.
What programs do The Mad Science Group offer?
Their after-school program last for one hour and present activities and have themes like magnets, rocketry, science toys, and polymers. They will watch demonstrations and get the chance to create or conduct the experiments themselves. The workshops are presented as an in-class field trip. It is structured with lesson plans and designed for preschoolers up to grade six students. They have more than a dozen topics specifically designed for workshops. For summer camps and vacation programs, they have activities like building a bridge with other “engineers”, dig a dinosaur, or even launching a model rocket ship. These are available as an hour session, a week, or a full summer program. For the Preschool programs, it is offered to children aged three to five years old with topics such as animal friends, butterflies, or about nature like air and water.
Costs and requirements on running The Mad Science Group franchise
You need to have a net worth of $50,000 and a total liquid asset of at least $23,500. Expect to be investing about $49,000 to $81,000. The Mad Science Group franchise fee is $15,000 to $23,500 with an on-going royalty fee of 8%. This is for a renewable 25 year term agreement. You will need about three to 30 employees to run one location. This franchise can be run from home. They do not allow absentee ownership.
What is included in the franchise package?
There will be five days training at the headquarters in Montreal, Canada and five days at your location. You will be receiving newsletters and a toll free phone number. You will be given access to the internet. You may also expect to be attending meetings and receiving occasional field evaluations. For marketing support, there will be co-op advertising and regional advertising.
The Mad Science Group Contact Details
You may reach them at;
Address: 8360 Bougainville St., #201 Montreal, Quebec H4P 2G1
Phone: (800)586-5231 or (514)344-4181