The invention provides compositions and methods for manufacturing pluripotent cells. In particular, the invention provides improved culture platforms for manufacturing pluripotent cells with ground state pluripotency. In various embodiments, the invention contemplates, in part, a composition comprising: (a) a Wnt pathway agonist; (b) a MEK inhibitor; and (c) a ROCK inhibitor. In certain embodiments, the composition further comprises bFGF or LIF.