15 Teen Entrepreneurship Programs Worldwide
Entrepreneurship programs can help you move beyond classroom business concepts and understand what it actually takes to build, test, and present an idea.
What do teen entrepreneurship programs involve?
Many teen entrepreneurship programs worldwide involve market research, customer discovery, budgeting, pitching, product design, teamwork, and mentor feedback. These experiences can also strengthen your college applications by showing initiative, problem-solving ability, and a willingness to work on projects outside school.
Why pursue a teen entrepreneurship program?
As you compare teen entrepreneurship programs worldwide, pay attention to cost, eligibility, time commitment, and whether the program involves building an actual venture or mainly learning business concepts. The strongest option is usually the one that gives you a realistic role, clear deliverables, and enough support to learn from the process.
This list focuses on USA-based programs, internships, and competitions that are relevant for high school students. For related opportunities, check out our guides on ivy league entrepreneurship programs and startups offering internships for high school students.
Quick Look
1 fully virtual bootcamp focused on building a real venture: Young Founders Lab, the first entry on this list, standing out for taking an idea through actual startup development rather than only studying entrepreneurship concepts.
4 free programs: Innovation, Entrepreneurship, and the Science of Smart Cities at NYU (NYC residents only), Diamond Challenge, Technovation Girls, and University of Kansas Summer Venture in Business.
1 girls-specific program: Technovation Girls, open globally to girls and young women.
Highest-cost program: Wharton's Essentials of Entrepreneurship, at $8,299 for the two-week on-campus experience.
Most programs conclude with a pitch competition or presentation, whether to faculty, investors, or a live audience.
15 Teen Entrepreneurship Programs Worldwide
1. Young Founders Lab
Location: 100% virtual, with live interactive workshops
Cost/Stipend: $2,900; need-based financial aid available
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Selective
Program Dates: 4-week program starting tentatively June 5
Application Deadline: Early Decision: March | Regular Admission 1: April | Regular Admission 2: May
Eligibility: Open to all high school students
The Young Founders Lab is a real-world startup bootcamp founded and run by Harvard entrepreneurs. In this program, you work toward building a revenue-generating startup that addresses a real-world problem. You are mentored by established entrepreneurs and professionals from organizations such as Google, Microsoft, and X. Alongside your startup work, you participate in interactive classes on business fundamentals, ideation, workshops, skill-building sessions, case studies, and panel discussions. The program gives you a structured way to explore both theoretical and practical frameworks for building a business. Among teen entrepreneurship programs worldwide, this option is especially focused on taking an idea through startup development rather than only studying entrepreneurship concepts.
2. Ladder Internship Program
Location: Remote; you can work from anywhere
Cost/Stipend: $2,990; financial aid is available
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Selective
Program Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year; internships typically run 8–12 weeks
Application Deadline: Spring: January | Summer: May | Fall: September | Winter: November
Eligibility: High school students, undergraduates, and gap year students who can work 10–20 hours/week
Ladder Internships is a selective startup internship program where you work with a high-growth startup on a defined project. You can explore fields such as technology, AI/ML, health tech, marketing, journalism, consulting, and other business-related areas. The program pairs you with a company manager and a Ladder Coach, which gives you both workplace supervision and structured guidance. Depending on your project, you may help with research, operations, growth strategy, product work, content, or market analysis. At the end of the internship, you present your work to the company, which helps you practice professional communication and project ownership. This is one of the more career-facing teen entrepreneurship programs worldwide because your work takes place inside an active startup environment.
3. Wharton Global Youth Program: Essentials of Entrepreneurship
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Cost/Stipend: $8,299; scholarship opportunities may be available
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Selective
Program Dates: June 7–June 19 | June 21–July 3 | July 12–July 25 | July 26–August 8
Application Deadline: Priority: January 28 | Final: March 18
Eligibility: High school students currently enrolled in grades 9–11; no formal business background required
Wharton’s Essentials of Entrepreneurship is a two-week on-campus program for high school students interested in startup fundamentals. You learn about innovation, opportunity identification, customer discovery, business model generation, marketing, entrepreneurial financing, tech entrepreneurship, and social entrepreneurship. The program includes lectures, hands-on activities, business simulations, group work, and a final pitch competition. You also receive feedback on your startup idea and learn how to communicate a problem, solution, and business model through a pitch deck. The program includes access to Wharton’s academic environment and speaker series, which can expose you to broader business topics beyond entrepreneurship. If you are comparing teen entrepreneurship programs worldwide by academic structure, this is a rigorous university-based option.
4. Babson Summer Study for High School Students
Location: Fully online or in person at New England Innovation Academy, near Boston, MA
Cost/Stipend: Not specified
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Selective
Program Dates: July 8–July 28
Application Deadline: Early Bird and financial assistance deadline: February 13 | Standard/online format deadline: March 13
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors and seniors who are at least 15 by the program start date
Babson Summer Study is a three-week experiential program where you develop an entrepreneurial mindset while earning college credit. You enroll in EPS1110: Introduction to the Entrepreneurial Experience, which uses entrepreneurship to examine social, economic, and environmental problems connected to the U.N. Global Goals. You work individually and in teams, applying concepts in leadership, marketing, finance, business communication, and venture creation. The program includes academic mentors, faculty support, and exposure to entrepreneurial leaders through panels and presentations. You should expect a significant time commitment, with class time and additional project work built into the schedule. This program can be useful if you want a college-credit entrepreneurship experience with structured academic expectations.
5. UC Berkeley Business Academy for Youth: High School Startup Launchpad
Location: Virtual Gold Cohort or in-person Oski Cohort at UC Berkeley Haas, Berkeley, CA
Cost/Stipend: Not specified on the accessible official page
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: 10% acceptance rate
Program Dates: Fall semester: September 6–December 5; spring semester dates not specified on the accessible page
Application Deadline: Round 1: June 7 | Round 2: August 9
Eligibility: High school students; additional requirements vary by track
The UC Berkeley Business Academy for Youth offers business and entrepreneurship programming through Berkeley Haas. The High School Startup Launchpad is a two-semester incubator-style program for students who want to become founders. You can choose a virtual cohort that meets twice a week or an in-person cohort that meets on Saturdays at the Haas campus. The program is designed around ideating, testing, and building business ideas while learning from faculty and mentors. You develop critical thinking, leadership, and professional skills connected to entrepreneurial opportunity. Since the program is longer than many summer options, it may be a good fit if you want sustained work on a venture idea over multiple months.
6. Innovation, Entrepreneurship, and the Science of Smart Cities at NYU Tandon
Location: New York, NY
Cost/Stipend: Free
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Selective
Program Dates: July 5–August 4
Application Deadline: Early Admission: March 10 | Final: April 14
Eligibility: NYC residents currently enrolled in 8th, 9th, or 10th grade with a strong academic record
Innovation, Entrepreneurship, and the Science of Smart Cities is a summer program at NYU Tandon that combines engineering, technology, entrepreneurship, and urban problem-solving. You explore smart city challenges while learning about design, prototyping, communication, and business pitching. The program is useful if your entrepreneurship interests overlap with STEM, sustainability, infrastructure, or civic innovation. You may work in teams to develop solutions for real-world urban problems and present your ideas in a structured format. Because the program is free and restricted to eligible NYC students, it can be a strong local option if you meet the residency and grade requirements. It stands out among teen entrepreneurship programs worldwide by connecting venture thinking with engineering and city-focused innovation.
7. Diamond Challenge
Location: Virtual submission option; live pitch events vary by location
Cost/Stipend: Awards are available
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Competitive, team-based competition
Program Dates: Competition cycle varies; final event timing is typically in spring
Application Deadline: Typically January
Eligibility: Teams of 2–4 high school students ages 14–18, with one adult advisor age 21 or older
The Diamond Challenge is a high school entrepreneurship competition run by Horn Entrepreneurship at the University of Delaware. You and your team develop an original business innovation or social innovation concept and submit it for review. The competition asks you to choose a track, prepare a pitch, and present your idea through either a live event or virtual/pre-recorded format. Your concept cannot have generated more than $100,000 in revenue before the submission deadline, which keeps the competition focused on early-stage ideas. The process helps you practice market research, problem definition, business modeling, social impact thinking, and pitch communication. If you already have a venture idea, this can be a useful way to test it in a structured competition setting.
8. Technovation Girls
Location: Global virtual participation, with optional local chapters and clubs
Cost/Stipend: Free
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Open participation; judged competition structure
Program Dates: Exact team timeline depends on registration and submission milestones
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: Girls and young women; age division details should be verified on the current competition page
Technovation Girls is a technology and entrepreneurship program where you build a tech-based solution to a real problem in your community. You can work with mentors, parents, ambassadors, and local chapters or clubs, though connecting with a local chapter is not required. The program emphasizes coding, AI, teamwork, leadership, problem-solving, product development, and pitching. You identify a community problem, create an app or AI-based project, and develop the business thinking needed to bring the solution to users. The experience can be especially relevant if you are interested in social impact, technology entrepreneurship, or STEM leadership. Among teen entrepreneurship programs worldwide, Technovation is notable for combining technical product creation with venture-style presentation.
9. NFTE Startup Summer
Location: Available through NFTE regions including Mid-Atlantic, Midwest, South, and West
Cost/Stipend: Not specified in the accessible overview; many NFTE programs are delivered through partner schools and regions
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Limited space; application required
Program Dates: 6-week summer program
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: Recommended for high school juniors or above; you must complete NFTE Entrepreneurship Essentials, Entrepreneurship 1, or BizCamp first
NFTE Startup Summer is an advanced entrepreneurship experience for students who have already completed a qualifying NFTE entrepreneurship course. You refine your business model, develop a product or service, and build marketing and management skills. The program gives you the option to create a minimum viable product and prepare a detailed pitch deck with a financial plan. At the end of the program, you present to an investment panel, which gives you practice explaining your venture to outside reviewers. This is a stronger fit if you already have some entrepreneurship foundation and want to deepen an existing idea. It is also useful if your school or region already works with NFTE and you can access the required prerequisite programming.
10. Junior Achievement Company Program
Location: School-based and community-based programs; availability varies by local JA area
Cost/Stipend: Usually delivered through schools or local JA partners; cost not specified nationally
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Varies by school or local JA chapter
Program Dates: Varies by local implementation
Application Deadline: Varies by local JA chapter or school
Eligibility: High school students; local availability and grade requirements vary
Junior Achievement’s Company Program model gives you a practical introduction to entrepreneurship through team-based venture creation. You work with peers to develop a product or service, finance the idea, market it, deliver the finished product, and learn how a business operates. JA programs are often volunteer-led, so you may receive guidance from business professionals in your community. The structure is useful if you want to understand entrepreneurship through a school-year activity rather than a short summer program. Depending on your local JA chapter, you may also participate in showcases, competitions, or sales events. Because access varies by region, you should check your local Junior Achievement office for exact dates, eligibility, and application steps.
11. University of Kansas Summer Venture in Business
Location: University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS
Cost/Stipend: Free; offered at no cost to participants
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Selective
Program Dates: July 19–July 24
Application Deadline: February 13
Eligibility: Rising 10th, 11th, and 12th grade students from underrepresented backgrounds and/or potential first-generation college students
The University of Kansas Summer Venture in Business is a pre-college academy hosted by the KU School of Business. You explore business majors, college resources, and the experience of living and learning on a university campus. The program includes exposure to business topics such as management, marketing, entrepreneurship, finance, supply chain, and international business through sessions and activities. You also receive support related to college applications and preparation for future academic pathways. Because it is free and residential, it can be especially valuable if cost is a major factor in your search. This is a broader business program, but it still fits a list of teen entrepreneurship programs worldwide because it includes entrepreneurship exposure and early business-career exploration.
12. Drexel LeBow Rising Starters Summer Camp
Location: Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA; commuter/non-residential
Cost/Stipend: $500
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not specified
Program Dates: July 14–July 18
Application Deadline: June 30
Eligibility: High school eligibility should be verified on the current application page
Drexel LeBow’s Rising Starters Summer Camp is a short entrepreneurship bootcamp focused on social and environmental problem-solving. You participate in hands-on workshops, hear from social entrepreneurship leaders, and learn how to develop innovative solutions to global challenges. The program also introduces topics such as AI-powered marketing and influencer strategies, which can be relevant if you are interested in digital entrepreneurship. Because the camp is one week long, it may be a manageable option if you want exposure without committing to a full multi-week program. You will work on entrepreneurial thinking, communication, and solution design in a university setting. It is best suited for students who want an introductory, project-based experience with a social-impact angle.
13. Michigan Ross Summer Business Academy
Location: University of Michigan Ross School of Business, Ann Arbor, MI
Cost/Stipend: $5,500; scholarship opportunities may be available
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Up to 72 students accepted annually
Program Dates: June 7–June 17 | June 21–July 1
Application Deadline: Typically mid-January; verify on the current application page
Eligibility: Current high school juniors; additional application requirements apply
The Michigan Ross Summer Business Academy is a two-week program for high school students who want to study business decision-making in a university environment. You explore business fundamentals while learning how organizations approach leadership, strategy, and problem-solving. The program includes speakers, course materials, and structured learning activities connected to the Ross academic community. You may build skills in analysis, teamwork, communication, and professional presentation. While it is broader than a pure startup incubator, it can help you understand the business context entrepreneurs operate within. It can be useful if you are comparing entrepreneurship with other business pathways before choosing a college major.
14. Washington University in St. Louis Gateway to Business
Location: Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO
Cost/Stipend: $1,800; limited need-based scholarship assistance available
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Selective
Program Dates: July 12–July 17
Application Deadline: March 6
Eligibility: High school students; application requires a resume, unofficial transcript, and teacher recommendation
Gateway to Business at WashU Olin is a pre-collegiate business program that introduces you to business, leadership, teamwork, and career preparedness. The curriculum includes creative problem-solving, experiential learning, professional communication, and a professional development plan. You also get exposure to different business fields, which can help you decide whether entrepreneurship, management, marketing, finance, or another area interests you most. The program is useful if you want a broad business foundation rather than a single venture-building track. You should expect a structured application process with academic materials and a teacher recommendation. It can be a practical option if you want a short residential business experience with leadership development built in.
15. ASU Fleischer Scholars Program
Location: Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ
Cost/Stipend: Free for admitted students
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Limited spots
Program Dates: June 1–June 5
Application Deadline: Priority: February 15 | Late consideration: March 15 | Final: May 6
Eligibility: Current Arizona high school juniors; application considers academics, involvement, leadership, community service, and financial need
The ASU Fleischer Scholars Program is a free pre-college business program for Arizona high school juniors. You learn how to think like an entrepreneur while developing a strategic mindset for college, business, and leadership. The program includes college-credit exposure, business learning, and activities designed to help you set goals and prepare for future academic opportunities. You also gain early access to ASU staff, alumni connections, and college success resources. Because the program is designed with economically disadvantaged students in mind, it can be especially useful if you want a no-cost business experience with college preparation built in. This is one of the more accessible teen entrepreneurship programs worldwide for eligible Arizona students because admitted participants do not pay a program fee.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Which program is best if I want to build a real, revenue-generating business rather than study entrepreneurship concepts?
Young Founders Lab is designed specifically for this, pairing you with mentors from Google, Microsoft, and X as you build an actual startup over a 4-week program, fully virtual with need-based financial aid available.
2. Are there free teen entrepreneurship programs?
Yes. Diamond Challenge, Technovation Girls, and the University of Kansas Summer Venture in Business are all free, though eligibility and selectivity vary.
3. Is there a program open specifically to girls or young women?
Technovation Girls is built specifically for girls and young women, challenging you to create a tech-based solution to a real-world problem alongside mentorship and pitch preparation.