Now Enrolling Schools for Summer 2025

Start-Up Summer is a School-Based Middle and High School Program

Empower our next generation with solution-based skills through an engaging summer program. Inspire them to become future changemakers as they develop solutions to the challenges of tomorrow.

Project ECHO's Start-Up! Summer is a plug-and-play entrepreneurship program that focuses on core academics, creativity, and personal interactions.

ENROLL

Program Summary:

Flexible multi-week activity-based entrepreneurship program
Project-based program engages students in small groups as they ideate and create a start-up
Students take part in problem-solving, discussion, active listening, and creativity through teamwork
Program outcomes include leadership skills, public speaking and presentations, research, prototyping, finance, marketing, and business writing
Summer programs culminate in a classroom-based showcase event, where business teams pitch their start up ideas to panels of judges, just like the entrepreneurs on Shark Tank!
Students may compete in additional weekly competitions to include elevator pitch, logo challenges and PSA promotions. Prizes awarded to winners!
Start-Up! Summer is a great way to engage your community stakeholders as event judges and interact with your students in a learning environment
Project ECHO provides teacher professional development, which includes ongoing teacher training, resource portals, guest speakers, and will even help your team recruit and train volunteers who'll serve as judges.
Teachers are encouraged to embrace their new role as business coaches and interact with students in a noisy, interactive, and robust classroom

Start-up! Summer is more than a curriculum;
It's a robust and fully supported program that includes:

Start-Up! Events

Showcase Events
Classrooms will conclude with a pitch competition.

Virtual Elevator Pitch Contest
Week one event where students will have one minute to share the problem they are solving and their solution.

Virtual Logo Contest
Week two event where students will share their unique logo and what they are trying to convey through their design.

PSA Contest
Week 3 event where students will share a video public service announcement up to one minute in length, or poster, demonstrating positive messaging.

National Pitch Events (tbd)
Teams are invited to compete in our national competitions against teams from other schools and school districts.

Certificates
Students will be awarded a Certificate of Accomplishment for completing the program.

Guest Speakers

Guest Speakers
Teachers and students are invited to log into our Zoom and join our featured entrepreneur chat. Speakers will be added throughout the summer.

Join the ZOOM

Join our Zoom and broadcast the presentation onto your whiteboard, or have students join from their personal devices. Each presentation is scheduled for 30 minutes followed by a Q&A.

Previous Chats included:

Ahdee Abramson
Dog Treat Entrepreneur

Mike Catania
Coupon King!

Mark Lipps
Ripe Choice Farm Fresh Catering

Eric P. Rose
Technology Innovator

Teacher Resources

Video: The Perfect Pitch
8 minutes. Provides instruction on the information and graphics to include on a winning pitch deck.

VIDEO: The Marketing Plan
3 minutes: Solid overview of the "4 P's of Marketing: Product, Price, Place & Promotion"

Sample Team Pitches
The following presentations won a previous competition!

High School Pitch

Middle School Pitch

Professional Support

Administrative Office Hours
Office hours are available for program teachers via Zoom for help with program implementation and best practices.

Virtual Site Visits
Schedule a team member to visit your classroom and support your program implementation.

More than a curriculum, Project ECHO offers:

Professional Development and support
Activity-based curriculum
Student workbooks
On-line teacher resources portal
Virtual events and opportunities
Showcase event planning, judge recruitment, and training
And much more! Reach out for more information

Sample Showcase Event

Event Schedule

Presentations

Team Presentation Schedule

Presentation Schedule