Apprentice Membership

Full product development support in Shenzhen for foreign students

Three things we know from experience:

Students are equally able to develop and introduce new products to the market as other first-time founders. Therefore they deserve the same support.
Every founder taking their first steps in China needs extra care. Care is the premise TroubleMaker is built on.
Students learn more and have more impact as a founder than as an intern. This is why TroubleMaker has pivoted from accepting interns to offering apprentice memberships.

That being said, students need more help than regular founders.

with filling in university paperwork
with various advice
with apartment hunting
and more...

Following TroubleMaker practices, we are here to help you succeed. So all is included in your membership.

Also read: How we work together at TroubleMaker. It gives insight in our values and standards.

Success guidelines for Student Hardware Projects

Coming to Shenzhen

Complete all documentation required by your university
Prepare your project funding
Complete Battle 1 of the Conquer! Hardware Accelerator Program
Install WeChat on your phone and laptop
Install Alipay on your phone
Connect a credit card to WeChat and Alipay
Install a VPN that works in China

Optional: Complete Battle 2 of Conquer!

Staying in Shenzhen

Select an apartment to stay
Get a bank account
Connect your bank account to WeChat
Get your desk at TroubleMaker
Complete Battle 2 and 3 of Conquer!
Work actively on your project with TroubleMaker and the A-Team

Optional: Complete Battle 4 of Conquer!

After Shenzhen

Complete Battle 4 and 5 of Conquer!
Keep active communicating with your suppliers and support team
Launch your project and make the world a better place

Students join TroubleMaker as a Apprentice Member and get all the support they need to develop and produce their hardware product, while benefiting from the vast Shenzhen manufacturing ecosystem.

Unlike an internship, they work on their own, real-life project.