15 Entrepreneurship Programs in Boston for High School Students
If you're a high school student interested in entrepreneurship, entrepreneurship programs can help you explore what it actually takes to turn an idea into something real.
What do entrepreneurship programs cover?
In entrepreneurship programs, you'll learn how startups are built, how business decisions are made, and how different areas, including marketing, finance, product development, and social entrepreneurship, come together in practice. Along the way, you'll develop entrepreneurial soft skills, including leadership, communication, problem-solving, adaptability, and decision-making.
Why consider entrepreneurship programs in Boston?
Boston is home to a wide range of organizations and institutions, many of which offer entrepreneurship programs specifically for high school students. These programs help you work on your own startup idea, create a business plan, and even pitch your venture to investors.
If you’re also interested in entrepreneurship programs abroad, check here, or go here for entrepreneurship extracurricular ideas for high school students.
We've curated a list of the top 15 entrepreneurship programs in Boston for high school students. The selection is based on factors such as the strength of the curriculum, access to mentorship opportunities, and overall learning.
15 Entrepreneurship Programs in Boston for High School Students
1. Babson Summer Study
Location: Virtually or in person at New England Innovation Academy, MA
Cost/Stipend: Online format $6,295; in-person day student $9,295; in-person residential $12,995; application fee applies
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive
Dates: July 8-28
Application Deadline: Applications processed on a rolling basis
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors and seniors who are at least 16 by the start date; English proficiency required if not native language
Babson Summer Study is an experiential program for high school students interested in exploring entrepreneurship and business-related fields. During the program, you'll learn how to build a sustainable startup by understanding the socio-economic and environmental problems outlined in the UN Global Goals and considering how business ideas can address them responsibly. You'll also receive mentorship from entrepreneurs and entrepreneurial leaders who'll share their experiences and lessons.
2. Young Founders Lab
Location: This program is 100% virtual, with live, interactive workshops
Cost: Varies according to program; need-based financial aid available
Dates: Varies by the cohort
Application Deadline: There are three application deadlines to choose from; more details are available in the brochure
Eligibility: Open to all high school students
The Young Founder’s Lab is a start-up-focused boot camp founded and run by Harvard entrepreneurs. The program is designed for students who want to explore what it takes to build a startup while still at school. In this program, you will work towards building a revenue-generating start-up that addresses a complex problem. You will also have the opportunity to be mentored by entrepreneurs and professionals from Google, Microsoft, and X. Apart from building the start-up itself, the program also includes interactive classes on business fundamentals and business ideations, workshops and skill-building sessions, case studies, and panel discussions. You can check out the program brochure here.
3. Northeastern University Experiential Entrepreneurship
Location: Northeastern University Boston Campus, Boston, MA
Cost/Stipend: Tuition $7,095 (includes housing, meals, and course materials; financial aid available)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: July 12-24
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: High school students
Northwestern University offers an experiential entrepreneurship program for high school students that focuses on learning by doing. The program allows you to learn through experience by working on your own startup idea, gaining an understanding of the various stages of venture creation from ideation to pitching your concept to a panel of entrepreneurs. You will receive mentorship from industry professionals who will help you at different stages of your startup, including identifying your target audience, business planning, conducting market research, negotiation, product development, growing your audience, and pitching to investors. You will also have the opportunity to develop your professional skills, including teamwork, systems thinking, and an entrepreneurial mindset.
4. Ladder Internship Program
Location: Remote (work from anywhere in the world)
Cost/Stipend: Starting at $2,490 (financial aid available)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Acceptance rate is around 10%
Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year, including Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter
Application Deadline: Deadlines vary depending on the cohort – Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September), and Winter (November)
Eligibility: High school students, undergraduates, and gap year students who can work for 8 - 12 weeks, devoting 10 - 20 hours/week
Ladder Internships place you inside a real startup, where you work on projects that actually matter to the company. You are matched with a fast-growing startup in fields such as tech, AI, health, marketing, journalism, or consulting, depending on your interests. You work directly with founders and managers, contribute to active projects, and get regular guidance from a Ladder Coach who helps you stay on track. Many of the startups are early-stage but well-funded, often led by founders with prior industry or startup experience. The program ends with you presenting your work to the company, giving you a clear sense of how startups operate and what it feels like to be part of a small, fast-moving team.
5. Boston University AIM: Business
Location: Boston University Summer Term, Boston, MA
Cost/Stipend: Tuition applies (varies by year)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: June 28-July 17 | July 19-August 7
Application Deadline: Rolling admissions until filled
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors and seniors; personal statement required; one letter of recommendation required
Boston University offers a three-week-long business course that introduces high school students to core business and entrepreneurship concepts. The program will help you explore essential business and entrepreneurship topics, including marketing, operations management, finance, human resources, and stakeholder management. You will learn these concepts through a mix of case studies, collaborative projects, and field trips to local businesses. Along the way, you'll work on your own product development business plan under the mentorship of faculty members. The program also focuses on soft skills such as leadership, business writing, communication, and teamwork. The program concludes with you presenting your business plan to faculty, alumni, and peers.
6. Suffolk University Summer Entrepreneurship Program
Location: Suffolk University, downtown Boston, MA
Cost/Stipend: Free; offered at no cost to participating students
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: July 7-24
Application Deadline: Not specified (registration typically opens in January annually)
Eligibility: High school seniors; minimum GPA 2.7; rising juniors may be considered on a space available basis
Suffolk University offers a summer entrepreneurship program for high school students that takes you through how entrepreneurs launch new startups from ideation through pitching to investors. The program takes place over three weeks, during which you will learn about entrepreneurship through team projects and visits to entrepreneurial organisations in the Boston area. You will also receive guidance from business executives and entrepreneurs who will share their learnings and perspectives on how to approach problems and risks in the real world. Alongside group work, you'll develop your own startup idea during the present it at the end of the program.
7. Tufts University Entrepreneurship and Innovation Bootcamp
Location: Tufts University, Somerville, MA (15-minute drive from Boston)
Cost/Stipend: Commuter $4,225; residential $5,750; limited need-based scholarships available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: July 5-17
Application Deadline: May 1
Eligibility: Students entering grades 10-12
Tufts University offers an entrepreneurship and innovation boot camp for high school students who want an introduction to how new ventures are created. The program takes place over two weeks, during which you will learn about the basics of venture creation by understanding all stages, including design, ideation, building, and launching a startup. You will also work on professional skills such as leadership, communication, collaboration, and developing an entrepreneurial mindset. Furthermore, you will have opportunities to learn from entrepreneurs, faculty, and alumni who will share their own experiences and help you connect to entrepreneurship resources.
8. TiE Young Entrepreneurs (TYE)
Location: TiE Young Entrepreneurs Academy, Cambridge, MA (15-minute drive from Boston)
Cost/Stipend: Program fee $1,650; need-based scholarships available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: October-April (exact dates not specified)
Application Deadline: September 30
Eligibility: High school students in grades 9-12
The TiE Young Entrepreneurs (TYE) is an entrepreneurship-based program for high school students who want to understand how startups are built from the ground up. During the program, you'll study concepts such as customer feedback, business models, and iteration, skills that are essential to real entrepreneurship work. You'll practice what you've learned by working on your own startup and gaining a firsthand understanding of the challenges that entrepreneurs face. The program includes mentorship opportunities where you'll learn directly from startup founders and industry experts. The program concludes with an opportunity to pitch your startup, with select teams competing for seed funding of up to $5000.
9. CATS Academy Boston Young Business Leaders Program
Location: CATS Academy Boston, Braintree, MA (20-minute drive from Boston)
Cost/Stipend: Tuition $4,460; accommodation with meals included
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; typically small class size
Dates: June 28-July 12 | July 12-26
Application Deadline: Application timelines vary by session
Eligibility: High school students aged 14-17
Cats Academy Boston offers a Young Business Leaders program for students interested in entrepreneurship. During the program, you'll explore various concepts in entrepreneurship through case studies, workshops, and discussions. You'll learn about entrepreneurship in practice through field trips to local businesses and attend lectures by guest entrepreneur speakers who will share their experiences with you. You'll gain practical experience by working on projects such as product design, new-business ideation, and company creation. Along the way, you'll develop your professional skills in areas such as communication, collaboration, and presentation. The program culminates in a final presentation where you'll pitch a business idea to faculty and alumni.
10. Boston Leadership Institute STEM Entrepreneurship
Location: Boston Leadership Institute STEM Entrepreneurship, Greater Wellesley, MA
Cost/Stipend: Tuition $2,500; residential fee $2,097
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive
Dates: June 29-July 17
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: Students entering grades 8-12
The Boston Leadership Institute offers a three-week-long summer business program for high school students interested in entrepreneurship within STEM-related fields. The program takes an experiential approach, where you'll learn to launch your own business by generating product ideas, exploring market opportunities, and refining your concept. You learn how to write a sales pitch and develop a business plan, and understand how startups raise capital and manage finances. You will also build skill sets in areas such as presentation, data analysis, business analysis, critical thinking, and communication. By the end of three weeks, you'll have a clear understanding of how STEM ideas can be turned into businesses.
11. Bentley University Pre-College Social Entrepreneurship
Location: Bentley University Pre-College, Waltham, MA (25-minute drive from Boston)
Cost/Stipend: Tuition applies (amount not specified)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: July 13-17
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: High school student; students 16 or older can opt for the residential program; younger students are eligible for commuter or virtual sessions
Bentley University offers a social entrepreneurship program for high school students who want to explore how businesses can be used to address social and environmental challenges. The program focuses on helping you understand how mission-driven ventures are built and whether they center on sustainability, social justice, or community impact. You will experience creating your own social startup by brainstorming ideas, designing a business plan, and learning to pitch your venture. You will receive mentorship from faculty and professional entrepreneurs who have worked on their own non-profits or social startups. You'll also explore topics such as business ethics, impact measurement, stakeholder analysis, and business metrics. Along the way, you'll develop crucial entrepreneurial skills such as leadership, teamwork, and communication.
12. BUILD Explore Entrepreneurship
Location: BUILD Boston partner schools, Boston, MA (Greater Boston area schools and community organisations)
Cost/Stipend: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; cohort size varies by participating school or partner organisation
Dates: Varies by school or partner implementation
Application Deadline: Varies
Eligibility: Middle school and early high school students; enrolled in BUILD Boston partner schools or organizations
The Explore Entrepreneurship program is a year-long program that helps high school students explore the basics of entrepreneurship during the academic year. In the program, you will explore fundamental concepts in entrepreneurship, including root cause analysis, prototyping solutions, design thinking, and evaluating social problems. You'll also work on building business models, think through cost and revenue, and understand how individual strengths come together to form teams. Moreover, the program helps you build practical skills such as communication, presentation, and teamwork. You'll practice these skills by working on pitch decks and competing with peers at a national level.
13. Boston Public Schools Trading Spaces
Location: Madison Park Vocational & Technical High School, Boston, MA
Cost/Stipend: Tuition-free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Moderate
Dates: July 7-August 1
Application Deadline: Registration varies by session availability
Eligibility: High school students enrolled in Boston Public Schools
Boston Public Schools offers a week-long career exploration program that allows high school students to learn about entrepreneurship and related skills through focused tracks such as marketing and entrepreneurship. You can also take part in the Young Wall Street program, which is focused on leadership, communication, and entrepreneurship. This track will help you gain a better understanding of finance and entrepreneurship basics, such as investing, trading, budgeting, and more. You will learn about entrepreneurship through real-world projects and case studies, and also get to participate in a Shark Tank-style pitch competition. These programs also let you explore various career pathways, network with professionals, and learn new concepts through workshops and seminars.
14. Possible Zone Experiential Business and Career Readiness
Location: The Possible Zone Innovation Center, Boston, MA
Cost/Stipend: Tuition-free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: Programming runs year-round with multi-week modules and summer offerings scheduled annually
Application Deadline: Varies by program
Eligibility: High school students from Boston Public Schools and surrounding communities
The Possible Zone offers an experiential program for high school students interested in developing entrepreneurial skill sets. During the program, you will be part of a cohort of like-minded peers, explore different fields, and learn new skills through projects and activities. You will explore a range of career paths in industries such as manufacturing, healthcare, information technology, construction, infrastructure, and energy. Mentorship is a central part of the experience. You'll work with mentors who will guide you through career exploration and help you map your academic pathway.
15. JA Company Program
Location: Junior Achievement of Greater Boston programs (various in-school or after-school settings, Boston, MA)
Cost/Stipend: Tuition-free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: Runs during the academic year or after-school period
Application Deadline: Varies by school
Eligibility: High school students in grades 9 - 12
The JA Company Program is an entrepreneurship and financial literacy-based program for high school students who want to understand how businesses are created and run. During the program, you'll learn to identify a problem within your own community and think through how an entrepreneurial approach can help address it. As you progress through the program, you'll learn core startup concepts from ideation to raising capital, pitching to investors, product development, and audience targeting. You'll also work on projects that will help you collaborate with peers, make crucial business decisions, communicate better with stakeholders, and develop overall entrepreneurial skills.
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