15 Virtual Entrepreneurship Programs for High School Students
If you are in high school and thinking about starting a venture of your own, joining a virtual entrepreneurship program can be a great way to understand how businesses work. These programs help you learn what goes into building a business from the ground up, things like planning, budgeting, and managing a team. Most virtual entrepreneurship programs are built around short projects where you come up with a business idea, research your target audience, and create a plan to present it.
Some programs include online workshops, small group sessions, or mentorship from professionals who guide you step by step. Taking part in a program like this also helps you understand whether business is something you want to study in college or pursue later. To help you explore the options, here is a list of 15 virtual entrepreneurship programs for high school students!
15 Virtual Entrepreneurship Programs for High School Students
1. Ladder Internship Program
Location: This program is 100% virtual, with live, interactive workshops
Cost: Varies according to program. There is need-based financial aid
Application Deadline: Varies according to cohort.
Dates: Vary according to cohort
Eligibility: Open to all high school students
Ladder Internships is a selective program that places you in a high-growth start-up, including those focused on education, nonprofits, and social impact. As an intern, you’ll work directly with managers on real-world projects, ranging from outreach and communications to program design and operations. You’ll receive guidance from a Ladder Coach and participate in one-on-one training in skills like communication, time management, and project execution. You’ll also attend group workshops with your cohort, giving you the chance to work with peers and share ideas. Many start-ups involved are founded by leaders with ties to Y Combinator or companies like Google and Microsoft, ensuring you gain insight into professional, fast-paced environments.
2. The Academies by Harvard Student Agencies: Entrepreneurship Academy
Location: Virtual
Cost: Free
Acceptance rate: Selective
Dates: Multiple sessions available throughout the year
Application Deadline: Varies according to session
Eligibility: High school students
The Academies by Harvard Student Agencies: Entrepreneurship Academy is a hands-on program that guides you through the full process of launching your own business. You’ll explore essential startup concepts like market research, customer discovery, business planning, product-market fit, and startup finance. Throughout the program, you’ll analyze case studies and apply what you learn to your own business idea. You’ll get the chance to build and refine your venture, develop a persuasive pitch, and present it to a panel of judges on the final day, just like pitching to investors.
3. Young Founders Lab
Location: This program is 100% virtual, with live, interactive workshops
Cost: Varies by the program. There is need-based financial aid.
Program Dates: Vary according to cohort
Application Deadline: Varies according to cohort
Eligibility: The program is currently open to all high school students
The Young Founder’s Lab is a real-world start-up boot camp founded and run by Harvard entrepreneurs. In this program, you will work towards building a revenue-generating start-up that addresses a real-world problem. You will also have the opportunity to be mentored by established entrepreneurs and professionals from Google, Microsoft, and X. Apart from building the start-up itself, you will also participate in interactive classes on business fundamentals and business ideations, workshops and skill-building sessions, case studies, panel discussions, and more. You can check out the brochure for the program here. You can access the application link here!
4. Venture Validator
Location: Virtual
Cost: Free
Acceptance rate: Selective
Dates: Fall Cohort: October 23, 30, November 6, 13, 20 (weekly sessions over 5 weeks)
Application Deadline: Applications processed on a rolling basis
Eligibility: Open to all, including high school students (the program recommends that students under 17 be joined by their parents/guardians)
The Venture Validator is a virtual program open to people of all backgrounds interested in pursuing entrepreneurship. The program takes place over five weeks and helps aspiring entrepreneurs test and refine their business ideas. You’ll get guidance on starting your own venture in a collaborative setting, including working on customer discovery, market research, business modelling, and prototyping. You’ll receive mentorship throughout the program and have the opportunity to engage in customer interviews, test products, and conduct competitor analysis. All sessions are led by coaches from the Institute for Entrepreneurship, and you can receive additional support through office hours.
5. Colorado State University | More Spark!
Location: Virtual
Cost: Free
Acceptance rate: Selective
Dates: Not specified
Application Deadline: Not specified (Registration opens early fall)
Eligibility: Open to middle and high school students; You must complete Spark! (one-day student conference) First for eligibility
More Spark! is a virtual program for middle and high school students to develop entrepreneurship skills and work on their own ideas. You will attend interactive sessions on entrepreneurial basics such as Business Model Canvas, marketing, and project management. You will also learn about business best practices and gain access to resources and networks to start your own venture. You will also have the opportunity to attend more entrepreneurship-focused events hosted by the Institute for Entrepreneurship, the College of Business, and Colorado State University.
6. USC Pre-College Entrepreneurship: Exploring What It Takes to Create Your Own Business
Location: Virtual
Cost: $1,990
Acceptance rate: Selective
Dates: Multiple sessions available throughout the year
Application Deadline: Varies based on session
Eligibility: Students must be at least 14 and enrolled in a high school or secondary program
USC’s Pre-College Entrepreneurship: Exploring What It Takes to Create Your Own Business is a summer program designed for students who want to understand how startups are built and what it really means to be an entrepreneur. You’ll go beyond business basics to explore the traits and mindsets that drive successful ventures. You’ll learn about startup finance, competitive analysis, finding your unique selling proposition (USP), and how to pitch and manage a business. The program uses a mix of lectures, readings, assignments, case studies, and industry spotlights to help you build a strong foundation in entrepreneurship.
7. Babson Summer Study
Location: Virtual
Cost: $6,295. Financial aid is available
Acceptance rate: Selective
Dates: July 8–28
Application Deadline: March 13
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors and seniors
Babson Summer Study is a 3-week entrepreneurship-focused experiential program for high school students. The course is designed to help you develop practical skills and the ability to create entrepreneurial opportunities out of real-world challenges. The program has project work that tests your problem-solving and teamwork skills across various sectors. You will gain clarity on key concepts such as entrepreneurship, leadership, marketing, finance, and business communication.
8. Berkeley Business Academy Academic Year
Location: Virtual
Cost: Application Fee: $85 | California Resident: $5450 | Out of State Resident: $6450. Needs-based scholarships are available.
Acceptance rate: Selective
Dates: Multiple sessions available
Application Deadline: August 27
Eligibility: Rising 10th – 12th grades and gap year students
Berkeley Business Academy Academic Year is a program for high school students interested in exploring entrepreneurship and business. The program takes place over the academic year and helps you prepare for college if you are interested in studying business. You will get the opportunity to explore various concepts at the intersection of business, innovation, and technology through lectures and workshops by scholars, academics, and industry experts. You’ll get to put your knowledge to use working on various business entrepreneurship and business-related project work as you progress through the program.
9. Columbia Pre-College | Entrepreneurship & Innovation: Changing the World via Venture Creation
Location: Virtual
Cost: Not specified
Acceptance rate: Selective
Dates: Multiple sessions throughout the year
Application Deadline: Varies based on session
Eligibility: High school students
The Entrepreneurship & Innovation program is intended for students who are interested in starting their own venture. The course takes you through the entire process of creating a new business or social venture, such as business model development, customer discovery, product-market validation, in-depth industry and market analysis, product innovation, brand development, profit models, and legal considerations. You will learn about key entrepreneurial concepts through lectures, short case studies, and collaborative projects. You will have assignments that correspond with each phase of venture planning. You will also have the opportunity to work on your venture and tweak your business plan, investor pitches, and documents under the mentorship of your instructors.
10. Georgetown University Pre-College | Becoming an Entrepreneur: An Inside Look at Innovation
Location: Virtual
Cost: $1,895
Acceptance rate: Selective
Dates: Multiple dates available throughout the year
Application Deadline: Varies according to the session
Eligibility: Open to students aged 13 and up
Becoming an Entrepreneur takes you through the process of creating and launching your own business. You will learn everything it takes to start your venture, including identifying target customers, creating a product story, working on your business pitch, and testing your brand concept. You will have access to a mentor during the course, who will provide direction on your assignments and guide your project work. For the capstone project for this program, you’ll have to work on your own business ideas and explain your business components, such as value proposition, ideal customers, revenue model, and business story.
11. Wake Forest University | Business: Strategy & Innovation
Location: Virtual
Cost: $1,595
Acceptance rate: Selective
Dates: Multiple 1-, 2-, and 4-week sessions (check program page for nearest dates)
Application Deadline: Varies according to program
Eligibility: Students ages 13 and up
The Business: Strategy & Innovation course teaches you how to operate a business successfully through an effective strategy. You’ll study the blueprints of successful companies and learn how businesses create products and operate. The program combines lectures with interactive projects where you’ll learn how to create business strategies, business plans, and conduct performance analysis. You’ll have the opportunity to present what you learn during the program in a final capstone project.
12. UCLA Social Entrepreneurship Summer Institute
Location: Virtual or Residential (on UCLA campus)
Cost: $1,850 (for the virtual program)
Acceptance rate: Selective
Dates: Virtual Session: June 23 – July 4 | August 4 – August 15
Application Deadline: Session A: June 13; Session D: July 25
Eligibility: Must be in grades 10-12 in Spring
The Social Entrepreneurship Summer Institute aims to introduce interested high school students to social entrepreneurship, including starting their own non-profit. During the program, you’ll learn the basics of designing your own social enterprise, including planning, starting, building, and running a successful non-profit or social impact business. In the program's second half, you will have the opportunity to put your knowledge to use and work on your social enterprise idea, which you’ll pitch to a panel of entrepreneurs and investors for feedback.
13. Rice University Precollege | Entrepreneurship: From Ideas to Impact in Fintech
Location: Virtual
Cost: $1,795
Acceptance rate: Selective
Dates: Course available throughout the year; check program page for info
Application Deadline: Applications processed on a rolling basis
Eligibility: Students ages 13 and up
Rice University offers this entrepreneurship program to students interested in the intersection of startups, financial markets, and fintech. The program will take you through how financial technologies such as cryptocurrencies and blockchain are revolutionizing investing, financial services, and payments. Some companies you will analyze during the course include PayPal, Lending Club, Square, and others. Through case studies, you’ll understand how these fintech companies operate, their business models, and their impact.
14. Brown Pre-College | Leadership in Changing Business: Social Entrepreneurship
Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: $5,314
Acceptance rate: Selective
Dates: June 23 – July 18
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: Students completing grades 9 through 12; ages 14 to 18
Leadership in Changing Business is a program for students interested in exploring social entrepreneurship. You’ll understand the impact of social entrepreneurship in fields such as health, education, and the environment while considering community-based needs. You’ll explore various opportunities and challenges associated with social enterprise businesses through discussions, readings, and presentations. You will get to work on your own social enterprise by working on a capstone project, where you’ll develop a business plan and an elevator pitch.
15. Stanford Pre-College | Innovation and Entrepreneurship
Location: Virtual
Cost: $3,080
Acceptance rate: Selective
Dates: Session One: June 16 – June 27; Session Two: July 07 – July 18
Application Deadline: March 20
Eligibility: Students in grades 9-11
Innovation and Entrepreneurship is a program for students who want to explore innovation through entrepreneurship. The program will teach you how to use design thinking to identify problems and build profitable businesses. Through case studies on Silicon Valley companies, you’ll study a range of fundamental business concepts such as customer insight, marketing, product development, and business models. You’ll have the opportunity to explore various career paths in business and work on skills such as leadership, creative thinking, and teamwork.
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