Summer Springboard
Business & Entrepreneurship
ON THE CAMPUS OF UC SAN DIEGO
BUILD YOUR OWN VENTURE FROM IDEA TO INVESTOR PITCH AT UC SAN DIEGO
Business & Entrepreneurship @ UC San Diego
- Learn how entrepreneurs generate ideas and turn them into business ventures.
- Study key business functions including operations, marketing, sales, finance, and strategic planning.
- Read and analyze financial statements to understand business performance.
- Develop a comprehensive sales and marketing plan for your team’s venture.
- Pitch your business idea to a panel of judges in a Shark-Tank style finale.
- Visit startups and local firms to connect classroom learning with real business environments.
Summer Springboard
Business & Entrepreneurship
About This Course
This two‑week Business & Entrepreneurship course at UC San Diego is designed to immerse high school students in the entrepreneurial journey from brainstorming ideas to launching a viable startup.
Through team-based work, students explore how core functions like operations, marketing, sales, and finance interrelate in a growing business. Participants develop their own venture concept, conduct financial analysis, and craft strategic plans under expert guidance.
The experience concludes in a Shark‑Tank style pitch to industry judges. Field visits and guest sessions with startup professionals and local business leaders reinforce lessons by offering real-world context and inspiration.
TOPICS YOU'LL EXPLORE
Hands-on Learning
Students will examine best practices in Research and Development (R&D), Operations, Marketing, and Finance. Understand the mechanics of scaling a business while maintaining quality.
Students become part of a new company and configure themselves into teams working on various aspects of a business. The program culminates in a shark tank environment with professional investors.
Career Exploration
Meet with range of business people, from small business owners, mid-level managers and execs from Goldman Sachs, McKinsey consultant, and CEO.
From creative marketers to hard-nosed financial analysts, there are myriad careers you may not have heard of. Together we will discuss the career options and the academic paths to get there.
RESOURCES
Course Infosheet
Click here to view or download the printable infosheet for this course.
Program Catalog
Click here to request our catalog to learn more about our summer programs and courses.
Campus Page
Click here to view the website page for this campus and learn more.
“I had a great time! I was able to get a lot of freedom as a rising sophomore in high school. I was able to meet people from all over the world, network and cultivate long lasting friendships. Showed a lot of interesting things about myself and future career and college plans. Thanks SSB @ UCSD!”
– Remy K. | Alumni Student
Summer Springboard
Business & Entrepreneurship
Meet Your Instructor
Greg Horowitt is Founding Partner of T2 Venture Creation and a co-author of ‘The Rainforest: The Secret to Building the Next Silicon Valley’.
He presently serves as the Director of Innovation Design at the University of California, San Diego. He is a consultant to development organizations including the World Bank, OECD, USAID, Aspen Institute, and the National Academies of Science. In addition, he is a Kauffman Fellow and a Senior Fellow with the Global Federation of Competitiveness Councils.
He previously served as an executive with a Berkshire Hathaway operating company for nearly twenty years. Greg has also been a founder, investor, and board member in many leading organizations.
VICKI NIENABER-MEADOWS, PH.D.
“Overall this is one of the best camp experiences I have had! I’ve learned so much from this 2 week course (at UC San Diego) and made so many new connections with many different people!!”
– Naveen N. | Alumni Student
Summer Springboard
Business & Entrepreneurship
Dates & Tuition
| 2025 Dates |
|---|
| Session 1: June 29 – July 11, 2025 |
| Session 2: July 13 – July 25, 2025 |
| Session 3: July 27 – August 8, 2025 |
Click here to enroll in this course using our online enrollment form.
| Tuition |
|---|
| Residential Tuition: $5,698 |
| Commuter Tuition: $3,298 |
Tuition Protection Plan: Allows for cancellation for any reason up until the day of the program.
| Location |
|---|
| City: San Diego |
| State: California |
| Campus: UC San Diego |
Summer Springboard programs are not run by our campus partners (with the exception of Cal Poly and NYSID which are run in partnership with SSB). Universities and their affiliated departments and partners do not control and are not responsible or liable in any manner for any part of the Summer Springboard program.