In the local realm of education, technology, and extracurricular engagement, few individuals have had an impact like Kaleb Dschaak, the CEO and founder of Fenworks, a company that helps middle schools and high schools create their own esports and drone racing programs. Originally from Dickinson, ND, and now a resident of Grand Forks for the last nine years, Dschaak has been a trailblazer in the local esports industry, leveraging gaming as a powerful tool for communication, education, and student engagement.
The Beginning
Dschaak’s esports journey began long before Fenworks was established. Growing up, he used gaming as a way to connect with his autistic brother. This personal experience laid the foundation for his deep understanding of the esports landscape and how it helps to bring people together through a shared language and love for an activity.
Later, during his time at the University of North Dakota (UND), Dschaak played a pivotal role in bringing esports into the academic environment. As the student body vice president, he spearheaded the creation of UND’s first esports lab because he recognized the need for structured programs to support students who were passionate about competitive gaming.
“I was serving in student government and competing in esports,” Dschaak said. “This is something I had been passionate about since I was five years old— playing classic Nintendo and Atari games on my dad’s lap. At UND, I thought, ‘I love this so much; we need to do more of this.’ So we started a student-led initiative to bring esports to campus. And, ultimately, we did and it was successful.”
When things started at UND, the program was club-based.
“I had the opportunity to work with an incredible leader, Olivia Stenstad, who, I believe, founded the esports clubs at UND,” Dschaak said. “My game title in college was League of Legends— which now gets me called a ‘boomer’ since I’m not on Fortnite or Rocket League as much. But back then, we were the League of Legends club, and through it, I met some really great friends.”
“We quickly realized we needed more structure and foundation,” Dschaak said. “So we built a center and a program within the Wellness Center with the goal of integrating esports—an enormous part of so many young people’s lives—with health, wellness, mental health, social health, physical fitness, and nutrition. That was our first mission. From there, we launched the facility, created intramural programming at the Wellness Center, built a team, and watched it grow. Since then, UND has developed varsity esports programs, launched a major in the field, and we’ve seen higher education across North Dakota and beyond embrace esports. That momentum has trickled into the K-12 space as well.”
Did You Know?
Now, UND offers a varsity esports program on campus as well as an esports degree and intramural teams.
Shortly after graduating from UND, Dschaak began receiving calls from K-12 educators who were asking for his help. They knew there was a large percentage of their student population that would benefit from having an esports program, but they didn’t know where to start. This was part of a nationwide trend as schools across the country were searching for ways to integrate esports into their curriculums and afterschool programs but lacked the necessary resources and expertise to do so effectively. They needed help. So, Dschaak launched Fenworks in August of 2020.
Within three months, the demand was so overwhelming that he decided to go full-time.
“I didn’t really know exactly where everything was going to take off from,” Dschaak admitted. “But pretty quickly, it became clear that we needed to reprioritize—I needed to reprioritize—because the demand for what we were doing just kept growing.”
Starting a business is never easy, and Dschaak’s journey was no exception. Without immediate funding, he had to bootstrap Fenworks by taking on contracts to manage other companies’ social media accounts. He also helped companies create websites and produce digital content to sustain himself financially. His background in marketing and political science from UND proved invaluable in those early days.
“It was an enormous learning experience,” he said. “Because I went all in, I was able to learn and grow faster. It was exciting, honestly—even if, at certain points, I couldn’t even afford McDonald’s.”
Despite the financial struggles, Dschaak remained committed to his vision, understanding that he was building something much larger than himself. The perseverance paid off, and today, Fenworks has become a vital resource for schools across the country looking to establish competitive esports and drone racing programs.
With Fenworks, schools receive comprehensive training, guides, equipment recommendations, and ongoing support to ensure the long-term success of their esports and drone racing programs.
One of the key philosophies behind Fenworks is keeping esports competitions within state boundaries. Dschaak believes that creating relationships among students from the same region enhances their sense of community and belonging.
Unlike global online gaming, which often disconnects players from their real-world environments, Fenworks creates localized leagues where students can develop friendships, school
spirit, and peer-to-peer support networks while competing for state titles just like any other sport.
“Traditional extracurriculars have always done this,” Dschaak said. “And as times change, our activities need to evolve too. While adding sports like men’s volleyball or women’s wrestling is great, young people today are also looking for nontraditional activities.”
The impact has been significant. Students who may not have been involved in traditional sports now have an outlet where they can thrive, build confidence, and even branch out into other school activities.
The Future Of Fenworks And Esports
As Fenworks continues to grow, Dschaak remains focused on sustainability. The last thing he wants is for schools to adopt esports programs that fail due to a lack of longterm support. He wants to ensure quality over quantity by working closely with school districts to guarantee success.
“We keep getting asked to launch more activities,” he said. “And while we’re working on it, our approach is slow and steady—because quality is everything. When you’re innovating, especially in a space involving young people, moving too fast can lead to bad outcomes.”
Kaleb Dschaak’s Advice For Entrepreneurs
The most important principle—the North Star—should always be the customer. Consistently listening to your customers, having conversations to understand why they want what they do, and balancing that with your own expertise is critical.
If you’re healthy physically, mentally, and relationally, success in your professional life comes much easier. Finding mentorship and peer support in all of these areas is a powerful way to achieve your goals.
Through his work, Dschaak has not only legitimized esports in education but has also provided countless students with opportunities they never would have had otherwise. As Fenworks continues to grow, one thing is certain—Dschaak’s impact on the world of esports and education is only just beginning.
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