14 Entrepreneurship Programs in Washington, D.C. for High School
If you're serious about building startups or exploring business, entrepreneurship programs in Washington, D.C., for high school students offer one of the most practical ways to start early. Washington, D.C., stands out because it combines entrepreneurship with policy, global organizations, and social impact, giving you exposure you won't get in most cities.
What entrepreneurship programs are available for high school students in Washington, D.C.?
You'll find a mix of university-led summer intensives, nonprofit fellowships, and national competitions with a strong D.C. presence. Because D.C. is a hub for government and global organizations, you also get access to social entrepreneurship and policy-driven innovation opportunities alongside more traditional startup-building programs.
Why pursue entrepreneurship programs in D.C.?
By joining entrepreneurship programs in Washington, D.C., you can move beyond theory and actually test ideas, work in teams, and present solutions. These programs often include mentorship, pitch competitions, and case studies that mirror how real startups operate, while also strengthening your college applications and demonstrating initiative.
Here is a list of 14 entrepreneurship programs for high school students in Washington, D.C. For related opportunities, check out our guides onIvy League entrepreneurship summer programs and12 free business programs for high school students.
Quick Look
1 free program: Koa Academy Online Entrepreneurship Challenge (open to ages 9-16, 5-week virtual format)
2 fully virtual programs open to all high school students: Young Founders Lab and Ladder Internship Program, both with financial aid available and multiple cohorts year-round
Paid in-person programs: range from $1,000 (Catholic University Startup Venture Challenge) to $6,465 residential (Georgetown's Summer Hoya High School Sessions)
3 programs with prize money or scholarship rewards: Catholic University Startup Venture Challenge ($5,000 in prizes), Howard University SEEP, and YFL (financial aid-based)
Earliest deadlines: Wharton Future of the Business World (January 28), KWLI (March 20), and George Washington's Caminos al Futuro (March 1)
14 Entrepreneurship Programs in Washington, D.C. for High School
1. Georgetown University Entrepreneurship Academy (Summer Hoya High School Sessions)
Location: Georgetown University School of Continuing Studies, Washington, DC
Cost: $6,465 (residential, includes meals) / $5,075 (commuter)
Acceptance rate: Not specified
Dates: June 7 - 19
Application Deadline: Rolling until full
Eligibility: High school students
This two-week pre-college program introduces you to the fundamentals of entrepreneurship through a mix of lectures, hands-on projects, and collaborative work. You’ll explore topics like design thinking, market research, prototyping, and global business while working in teams to build a startup idea. The program emphasizes practical skill-building, including communication, networking, and leadership, alongside core business concepts such as risk management and ethical decision-making. You’ll also hear from guest speakers who are experienced entrepreneurs across industries, giving you real-world insight into starting and managing ventures.
2. Young Founders Lab
Location: 100% virtual, with live interactive workshops
Cost: Varies as per program; financial aid available
Acceptance rate: Selective
Eligibility: Open to all high school students
Program Dates: 4-week program starting June 5th, tentatively
Application Deadline: Early Decision: March | Regular Admission 1: April | Regular Admission 2: May
The Young Founders Lab is a real-world startup bootcamp founded and run by Harvard entrepreneurs. You will work towards building a revenue-generating startup that addresses a real problem, mentored by established entrepreneurs and professionals from Google, Microsoft, and X. Alongside building your startup, you'll participate in interactive classes on business fundamentals and ideation, workshops, skill-building sessions, case studies, and panel discussions. The program gives you a structured space to explore both theoretical and practical frameworks for building a successful business. You can check out the brochure here and access the application here.
3. American University Kogod School of Business – Entrepreneurship Program
Location: American University, Washington, DC
Cost: $5,995
Acceptance rate: Not specified
Dates: July 5 - 16
Application Deadline: Not publicly specified
Eligibility: High school students
You’ll learn core concepts like business models, customer discovery, and value creation while analyzing real-world case studies. The program includes hands-on activities and exposure to guest speakers connected to Washington, D.C.'s startup ecosystem, helping you understand how businesses operate in practice. Working in teams, you’ll develop a startup concept and build essential skills such as collaboration, decision-making, and pitching. The experience culminates in presenting your venture idea, giving you a practical understanding of how entrepreneurs launch and grow organizations.
4. Ladder Internship Program
Location: Remote, work from anywhere in the world
Cost: Varies as per program
Acceptance rate: Not specified
Application Deadline: Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September), Winter (November)
Program Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year
Eligibility: Students who can work 10–20 hours/week for 8–12 weeks. Open to high school students, undergraduates, and gap year students!
Ladder Internships is a selective startup internship program for ambitious students. You'll work with a high-growth startup on real projects across industries, including tech, AI/ML, health tech, marketing, journalism, consulting, and more. Ladder's startups are high-growth companies on average raising over a million dollars — past founders include YCombinator alums and former employees of Microsoft, Google, and Facebook. You'll work closely with your manager and a Ladder Coach and present your work to the company at the end of the internship. You can apply here.
5. Tilting Futures Take Action Lab Accelerator
Location: Online + global cohort (remote program)
Cost: Tuition-based program; financial aid available (no stipend)
Acceptance rate: Not publicly reported
Dates: June 15–August 14
Application Deadline: Applications closed for Summer term (check site for future cycles)
Eligibility: Enrolled college or university students ages 17–22 (not applicable to current high school students unless post-high school/dual-enrolled status applies)
This is a structured global leadership program centered on systems thinking, civic innovation, and applied social impact. You complete an online Foundations curriculum and work through frameworks related to stakeholder mapping, root-cause analysis, and community-centered problem design. The program includes apprenticeship-style work with partner organizations and emphasizes project execution over classroom-style instruction. You engage with topics such as food security, education, migration, and sustainability while producing applied outputs tied to a defined issue area. The curriculum also incorporates reflection models, agency-building exercises, and collaborative problem-solving methods. Because eligibility is limited to post-high school participants, this is generally not a direct option for traditional high school students.
6. Howard University Pre-Business Program (PBP) – Summer Entrepreneurship & Experiential Program (SEEP)
Location: Howard University School of Business, Washington, DC
Cost: $2,000
Acceptance rate: Max 50 students
Dates: July 18 - 24, and July 25 - 31
Application Deadline: Early: March 16, Regular: April 3
Eligibility: High school students (current sophomores and juniors; rising juniors and seniors)
This one-week entrepreneurship track is part of a broader pre-business summer program designed to introduce you to core business concepts and college-level learning. You’ll explore the entrepreneurial process, including idea generation, feasibility analysis, business model development, and funding strategies. The program combines classroom instruction with case studies, site visits, and collaborative projects to provide practical exposure to how businesses are built. You’ll also develop skills in customer discovery, risk evaluation, and pitching through hands-on activities.
7. Babson College Summer Study for High School Students
Location: Online
Cost: Fully online option $6,295; in-person $9,295 for day students; $12,995 for residential students
Acceptance rate: Not specified
Dates: July 8 - 28
Application Deadline: March 13
Eligibility: High school students (rising juniors and seniors)
This three-week pre-college program focuses on developing an entrepreneurial mindset through a college-level course, Introduction to the Entrepreneurial Experience. You’ll explore social, economic, and environmental challenges aligned with global frameworks like the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals while learning core concepts in entrepreneurship, leadership, marketing, and finance. The program includes both structured class time and significant independent and team-based project work, totaling around 40 hours per week.
8. Business & Entrepreneurship Summer Program (Georgetown Session)
Location: Georgetown University, Washington, DC
Cost: $5,798
Acceptance rate: Not specified
Dates: June 21 - July 3
Application Deadline: Not publicly specified
Eligibility: High school students (typically grades 9–12)
This program uses an experiential learning approach to teach entrepreneurship by having you build a business from scratch in teams. From the first class, you’ll develop an original idea and refine it over the course into a complete venture with marketing plans and financial projections. You’ll learn how different business functions, such as operations, sales, marketing, and finance, work together while applying tools like the Business Model Canvas. The curriculum includes guest insights from founders and exposure to real startup environments through site visits and excursions.
9. The Catholic University of America Startup Venture Challenge (Pre-College Business Program)
Location: Maloney Hall (Busch School of Business), Washington, DC
Cost: $1,000
Dates: June 9 - August 13
Acceptance rate: Not specified
Application Deadline: April 15
Eligibility: High school students (current high schoolers)
This 10-week virtual program guides you through launching a business or social venture from idea to execution. You’ll participate in weekly live sessions and complete structured challenges that walk you through stages like identifying a problem, building a business model, and testing your solution. The curriculum includes input from faculty, mentors, and guest speakers, along with peer collaboration in a cohort setting. You’ll gain experience in core entrepreneurial skills such as ideation, product development, and market validation.
10. Koa Academy Online Entrepreneurship Challenge
Location: Virtual
Cost: Free
Dates: 5 weeks (exact start not specified)
Acceptance rate: Not specified
Application Deadline: May 10
Eligibility: Students aged 9–16 (middle and early high school range)
This short-term virtual challenge guides you through building a business idea from identifying a real-world problem to presenting a final pitch. You’ll participate in weekly live sessions with entrepreneurs, along with independent coursework that introduces tools for developing and refining your venture. The program emphasizes practical skills such as problem-solving, financial thinking, communication, and leadership while you iterate on your idea. Mentors and guest speakers provide feedback throughout, helping you improve your business strategy and presentation.
11. Harvard Student Agencies Virtual Business: Entrepreneurship Academy (The Academies)
Location: Virtual
Cost: $529
Dates: June 1 - 5; July 20 - 24
Acceptance rate: Not specified
Application Deadline: April 12
Eligibility: High school students (Grades 9–12)
This short virtual program focuses on the fundamentals of entrepreneurship by guiding you through building a startup idea from concept to pitch. You’ll learn key topics such as business planning, financial literacy, market research, and product-market fit while applying them to your own venture. The curriculum includes case studies, SWOT analysis, and structured exercises to develop analytical thinking. Led by Harvard undergraduate mentors, the program combines lectures with interactive activities and collaborative work.
12. Wharton Global Youth Program Future of the Business World (Online)
Location: Online
Cost: $4,099
Dates: June 15 - 26 or July 6 - 17
Acceptance rate: Not specified
Application Deadline: January 28
Eligibility: High school students (Grades 9–12)
This two-week online program introduces you to core business concepts while focusing on how the global business landscape is evolving. You’ll explore topics such as entrepreneurship, design thinking, market research, and scenario planning to understand how businesses respond to change and uncertainty. The curriculum includes interactive simulations and collaborative projects that allow you to apply concepts to real-world challenges. You’ll also develop skills in leadership, communication, and teamwork while working with peers in a structured academic setting.
13. Indiana University Kelley School of Business Kelley Women’s Leadership Institute (KWLI)
Location: Virtual
Cost: Not publicly specified
Dates: April 22 & 29
Acceptance rate: Not specified
Application Deadline: March 20
Eligibility: High school students (current sophomores, juniors, and seniors; minimum GPA ~3.5)
This short program introduces you to business concepts and leadership through a focused, case-based experience. You’ll attend lectures led by business faculty and work on a real-world case project that requires analysis and problem-solving. The program emphasizes leadership development, communication skills, and understanding different areas within business. You’ll also interact with peers who are interested in business careers, creating a collaborative learning environment.
14. University of Southern California Pre-College Online Course – Entrepreneurship: Exploring What It Takes to Create Your Own Business
Location: Online
Cost: $1,990 tuition + $35 application fee
Dates: Multiple start dates (e.g., June 8, June 22, July 6, July 20; 4 weeks, self-paced)
Acceptance rate: Not specified
Application Deadline: Rolling; typically 5 days before each start date
Eligibility: Students aged 14+ enrolled in high school (exceptions possible for older students)
This self-paced online course introduces you to the fundamentals of entrepreneurship, focusing on how to develop and launch a business idea. You’ll study topics such as market analysis, competition, customer value, and small business finance through recorded lectures and case studies. The curriculum also explores how entrepreneurs raise funding, build teams, and pitch ideas effectively. You’ll learn from industry professionals and faculty while completing assignments that reinforce key concepts.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Are there free entrepreneurship programs for high school students in Washington, D.C.?
Koa Academy's Online Entrepreneurship Challenge is the only fully free program on this list, open to students as young as 9 through age 16. Most other D.C.-based programs charge tuition, though several offer financial aid, including Ladder and Howard University's SEEP. If you want a free, fully virtual alternative with mentorship from professionals at Google, Microsoft, and X, the Young Founders Lab offers need-based financial aid and is open to all high school students.
2. Which D.C. entrepreneurship programs are fully virtual?
Three programs on this list are entirely online. Young Founders Lab is a virtual startup bootcamp with multiple cohorts throughout the year. Ladder Internship places you remotely with a real high-growth startup. The Catholic University of America's Startup Venture Challenge runs as a 10-week virtual program with weekly live sessions and mentor support. All three are accessible regardless of whether you can travel to D.C.
3. Which D.C. entrepreneurship programs are best for students who want to build something they can keep working on after the program ends?
The Catholic University of America's Startup Venture Challenge is the strongest option here, since it is structured around building a minimum viable product you actually own at the end of the program, rather than a one-off pitch exercise. Howard University's SEEP and Georgetown's Summer Hoya sessions are shorter and more introductory, better suited if you want exposure to entrepreneurial concepts without necessarily continuing the specific venture afterward. If you want a fully virtual option with ongoing mentorship as you keep developing your idea, Young Founders Lab is built around the same principle: you leave with a real venture and a relationship with mentors who can continue advising you beyond the program itself.