Mad Science is a territory-based service-delivery franchise. The franchisee sells approved live science programs to parents and institutions, schedules trained instructors, prepares required program kits and take-home products, delivers at client sites or approved premises, and records each transaction by program category for franchisor reporting and audit.
The unit is an office-and-equipment base for selling and coordinating hands-on programs, not a conventional walk-in retail outlet. Local account development and staffing sit with the franchisee; Mad Science Group Inc. controls the curriculum, branded inputs, supplier approvals, online presence, data access, quality standards and required operating systems.
What does a Mad Science franchise sell, and who buys it?
The franchise sells scheduled, instructor-led science education and entertainment rather than shelf inventory. Its primary demand comes from parents, schools, preschools, recreation providers, camps, scouting organizations, libraries, community groups and corporate or institutional event buyers.
Recurring and curriculum-linked programs
After School Programs use multi-session enrichment and associated take-home products. Workshops supplement classroom or group learning. The official after-school program page and workshop page show the customer-facing format: hands-on content, trained instructors and school or organization delivery.
Event and break-period programs
Birthday Parties, Camps and Special Events turn approved demonstrations and activities into booked occasions. The official pages describe parties at homes or chosen venues, camp registration and delivery, and school shows and activity booths.
The Franchise Agreement expressly requires the franchisee to offer Birthday Parties, Special Events, Camps, After School Programs and Workshops. Item 1 also names Pre-School Programs. The 2025 agreement identifies the NASA Program as a required supplemental program, while Schoolhouse Chess and Brixology are optional programs governed by separate addenda and their own required equipment or branded products.
The same Territory can support business-to-consumer party bookings and business-to-institution school, camp or event accounts. The sales cycle, payer and scheduling pattern differ, but the franchisee must fulfill each service with approved content, trained instructors and the designated program materials.
Evidence: 2025 FDD, Item 1, pp. 8–10; Item 16, pp. 44–46; Franchise Agreement definitions of “Mad Science Franchise” and “System,” agreement pp. 8–10; §§10.1 and 16.4. See also the official Mad Science U.S. consumer site.
How does work move through the unit?
Work moves from local account development or a brand-routed inquiry to an approved booking, staff and kit preparation, live delivery, payment and customer follow-up, then category-level accounting and franchisor reporting. The precise booking script and job allocation are not disclosed, so the sequence below maps only verified dependencies.
Generate demand inside the Territory
The franchisee develops parent and institutional demand using approved campaigns, local relationships and the franchisor-controlled web presence.
- Actor
- Owner, managing owner, approved manager or assigned sales function.
- Required system or asset
- Approved marketing materials, specified domain/webpage, Mad Science email and any required CRM.
- Output
- A local inquiry, referral or institutional account opportunity.
Qualify and book an approved program
The franchisee confirms the authorized program, age group, venue, date, participation needs and any approved add-ons or take-home items.
- Actor
- Franchisee scheduling, customer-service or management function.
- Required system or asset
- Customer list/contact software and, where offered, the brand’s online registration portal.
- Output
- A confirmed booking or enrollment that can be staffed and equipped.
Assign instructors and prepare kits
Management assigns trained personnel, verifies legally required background screening, stages the prescribed equipment and branded products, and arranges movement to the delivery site.
- Actor
- Franchisee or approved manager; instructors receive the assignment.
- Required system or asset
- Original Equipment Package, program manuals, carrying cases, approved supplies and designated take-homes.
- Output
- A delivery-ready instructor, program kit and site schedule.
Deliver the live customer promise
Instructors perform the scripted hands-on activity at an approved franchise premises or off-site school, camp, library, home or event venue.
- Actor
- Franchisee-trained Mad Science instructors.
- Required system or asset
- Approved curriculum, equipment, safety procedures and program-specific branded product.
- Output
- A completed party, class, workshop, camp session or special event.
Collect, record and follow up
The franchisee bills or collects from the parent or institution, secures payment-card data where applicable, updates customer records and manages repeat booking or enrollment follow-up.
- Actor
- Franchisee administration, bookkeeping or management function.
- Required system or asset
- Approved contact tools, Mad Science email, payment process and PCI DSS controls.
- Output
- A completed customer transaction and current customer/activity record.
Report the business by category
All sales and expenses are entered in compatible accounting tools; monthly Gross Revenue statements and required reports feed royalty, marketing and technology processes.
- Actor
- Owner, manager, bookkeeper or accountant retained by the franchisee.
- Required system or asset
- Specified computer setup, QuickBooks-compatible accounting, electronic reporting and EFT.
- Output
- An auditable operating record accessible to Mad Science Group Inc.
Evidence: 2025 FDD, Items 6, 8 and 11, pp. 13–25 and 27–36; Item 15, pp. 43–44; Franchise Agreement §§11–17, agreement pp. 21–33. The official camp page states that sign-ups can be managed through an online registration portal; the Franchise Agreement still controls approval of online sites and selling.
Can the franchise be manager-run, and who performs each function?
A trained, competent full-time manager may replace the franchisee or managing owner in daily supervision only with Mad Science Group Inc.’s written approval. The owner remains responsible, and an entity franchisee normally must have at least one active managing owner primarily devoted to operating the business.
Owner and management responsibility
The default model is active supervision, not contractually supported absentee ownership.
- The franchise must remain under direct, on-premises supervision of the franchisee or managing owner.
- A business entity must normally have one owner personally supervise and work in the franchise unless written approval says otherwise.
- For multiple franchises, at least one trained, competent employee must act as a full-time manager under the notification and approval process.
- The franchisee remains ultimately responsible for System compliance even when a manager is approved.
Unit-level functions
The FDD does not mandate headcount or separate sales, scheduling and bookkeeping titles.
- Account development and local marketing.
- Inquiry handling, booking and scheduling.
- Instructor recruiting, training and deployment.
- Program preparation and live instruction.
- Billing, customer records and accounting.
The franchisee hires, compensates, manages, disciplines and terminates all unit employees. Instructors must be trained to franchisor standards, and the franchisee must conduct criminal record checks or fingerprinting as applicable law requires. Staff records and confidentiality agreements are mandatory; Mad Science Group Inc. can prescribe qualifications, appearance and System staffing guidance without becoming the employer.
“Manager-run” means an approved management substitution with continuing owner oversight and liability for compliance. The 2025 FDD does not establish a right to passive or absentee operation.
Evidence: 2025 FDD, Items 1 and 15, pp. 8–10 and 43–44; Franchise Agreement §§6.1, 16.10–16.14 and 17.2, agreement pp. 15 and 29–33. The official franchise opportunities page also describes a full-time commitment and support for daily operations, HR, accounting, technology and website management.
Which suppliers and operating systems are mandatory?
The franchisee cannot freely substitute curriculum, branded take-homes, equipment or marketing materials. Mad Science Group Inc. and its designees may act as sole, exclusive or approved suppliers, while non-branded consumables may come from another source only when specifications are met and no supplier has been designated.
Franchisee controls
- Local account relationships, scheduling and day-to-day labor.
- Hiring terms, compensation and employment practices.
- Local legal compliance, permits, insurance and workplace controls.
- Prices where no franchisor limit, direction or mandatory discount applies.
- Undesignated vendors for compliant non-branded consumables.
Franchisor controls
- Authorized programs, scripts, demonstrations and branded products.
- Manuals, Approved Suppliers List and Approved Supplies List.
- Marketing approval, required promotions and online presence.
- System specifications, data access, inspections and audits.
- Required technology, upgrades, reporting and record formats.
Third-party dependencies
- Schools, camps, libraries and venues that provide program access.
- Designated or approved equipment and supply vendors.
- Accounting, contact-management, payment and e-order providers.
- Background-check services and government licensing authorities.
- Parents and institutional accounts that approve dates and participation.
The franchisee may propose an alternative product or supplier, but must submit requested specifications or samples, pay review charges and await approval. Approval can later be revoked. Mad Science Group Inc. may inspect without prior notice during normal business hours, observe service delivery, speak with employees or customers, and test equipment, products and supplies.
Evidence: 2025 FDD, Item 8, pp. 23–25; Item 11, pp. 27–36; Franchise Agreement §§7.5, 8, 9.2, 10, 12–13, 15 and 16.3–16.8, agreement pp. 17–31.
What protection does the Territory provide?
The Territory is non-exclusive but contains a limited protection: during the agreement term, the franchisor will not license another Mad Science Franchise or open a franchisor-owned Mad Science Franchise inside it. The protection does not cover every product, brand, account or distribution channel.
Inside the Territory
The franchisee may promote and operate the authorized Mad Science Franchise, subject to the approved office location, System standards and Schedule B boundaries.
Reserved channels
Mad Science Group Inc. and related entities may use other channels, serve Corporate Accounts, sell branded products or services online, and develop other concepts without paying territorial compensation.
The franchisee may not actively solicit clients or conduct promotional activity outside the Territory. Internet, catalog, telemarketing and direct-marketing activity cannot be used to solicit outside it, and online sites require franchisor control or prior approval. Corporate Accounts can include multi-territory organizations, hotels, resorts, cruise programs, theatrical productions and national or international customers.
The stated Standard Territory population is 400,000–500,000, yet Item 12 also reserves a right to split a Territory when population exceeds 400,000. The signed Schedule B, reserved-account rules and any renewal redrawing matter more than the headline population range.
Evidence: 2025 FDD, Item 12, pp. 36–39; Franchise Agreement §§4.2–4.7 and 13.1, agreement pp. 10–12 and 24–25.
What does Item 20 show about the U.S. network?
At March 31, 2025, Item 20 reported 58 franchised and 12 company-owned U.S. “outlets,” for 70 total. Here, an outlet means a sold franchise territory—not a retail storefront—so the chart measures contractual territory units rather than physical consumer locations.
U.S. territory-based outlet composition, fiscal year-end
Exact Item 20 counts for years ended March 31; bars show franchised and company-owned territories.
The total increased from 66 to 70 in fiscal 2025: franchised territories rose by one and company-owned territories rose by three.
Source: 2025 FDD, Item 20, Table 1, p. 64; reporting dates March 31, 2023, 2024 and 2025. Reconciliation: 59+8=67; 57+9=66; 58+12=70.
Item 20 also reported five franchise transfers to new owners during fiscal 2025 and one franchised territory opening. These counts describe system structure, not customer demand or unit economics. Multi-territory ownership, territory consolidation and territory splitting mean one operator, one agreement and one Item 20 outlet are not always interchangeable concepts.
What remains the franchisee’s decision, and what should a buyer verify?
The franchisee controls local execution—people, schedules, customer relationships, legal compliance and daily service management—but does so inside a tightly prescribed program, supplier, marketing, technology, data and territory framework.
Operating-model synthesis. Mad Science earns customer revenue through fees and charges for approved live programs and related merchandise sold to parents and institutional accounts. The franchisee’s central responsibility is converting local demand into safely staffed, correctly equipped delivery and complete records. The strongest dependencies are franchisor control of curriculum, branded inputs, systems, data and marketing. Territory protection does not cover alternative channels or Corporate Accounts. The largest remaining verification issue is the current program-and-technology stack applied to the specific Territory.