A business program for teens on a university campus in Ann Arbor

From day one, students break into teams to brainstorm and develop an original business idea, which they will build into a full venture throughout the program. Using an experiential learning approach, students tackle real-world challenges such as creating marketing strategies, building financial projections, and understanding core business functions like operations, sales, and finance. As they work through these elements, instructors introduce key concepts and theories that help deepen their understanding. The program culminates in a final pitch, where teams present their ventures to a panel of expert investors and receive insightful feedback.

In addition to classroom learning, students gain exposure to real startup environments through immersive excursions. For example, past participants have visited a cutting-edge maker space, where they explored how innovative startups operate and witnessed product creation firsthand. They also hear directly from entrepreneurial founders and industry veterans, learning about the challenges and successes of launching and running a business. Through these hands-on experiences and direct mentorship, students leave the program with a well-rounded understanding of what it takes to turn an idea into a viable business.