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TeenBiz Virtual Entrepreneurship Program
Now enrolling curious and innovative students 13-19 years old interested in business and entrepreneurship. This program meets on Zoom on 12 Saturdays between January 25- May 3, 2025.
No prior entrepreneurship experience or start-up ideas are required.
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From Think Tank to Shark Tank
Join us and Create and Pitch your Business!
Now enrolling teens in middle and high school
Is your teen interested in entrepreneurship?
Would they like to learn how to ideate and create a business?
Are they interested in business as a future career, and excited to participate in a hands-on program and gain experience?
Enroll in Project ECHO's Virtual TeenBiz Program!
Meeting on Saturdays, your teen will be guided in a virtual classroom by a master entrepreneurship educator. Following a formal curriculum in entrepreneurship, your student will be guided through the ideation process and will work toward developing a formal business plan, in preparation for participation in Project ECHO's Teen Entrepreneur Business Plan Competition.
Launching Saturday, January 25, 10:00 am - 12:00 pm, PT
(full schedule is listed below)
Culminating Capstone Event: Teen Entrepreneurs' Business Plan Competition
Tentatively scheduled for:
Sunday, May 4, 2025 in person in Los Angeles and on Zoom for those who cannot participate in person.
Fee: $650
Early Bird Coupon: Save $100 with coupon code: startup!
Helping Teens Elevate
Enrolling your teen in a high school entrepreneurship program can provide them with invaluable skills that extend beyond the classroom. These programs foster creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving abilities, preparing students for real-world challenges. By participating, your teen can gain practical experience that will benefit them in their future careers and personal endeavors.
Teen Entrepreneurs' Business Plan Competition
At the conclusion of the program, these emerging entrepreneurs will pitch their start-up at the Teen Entrepreneurs' Business Plan Competition. More than $7,500 will be awarded in cash start-up funds (aka college scholarships). Participants are invited to attend in person in Los Angeles, or virtually via Zoom.
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Participants will also receive a Certificate of Accomplishment, and an excellent experience to refer to on employment, internship, and college admission applications and essays.
Overiew Of Program
This program follows a coordinated curriculum intended for budding entrepreneurs to ideate a business and dive into all of the operations of creating, researching, developing, prototyping, and marketing a business. In addition, students will understand the financial investment needed to launch a business and calculate future income, expenses, and profits.​
Students will get creative and design a full presentation deck and will pitch (Shark Tank-Style) at the capstone. Parents and friends are invited to watch the competition.
Frequently Asked Questions
Program Fee
$650
Save $100 with coupon code: startup
(early bird discount will be available through 12/31/2024)
Steps to Enrolling:
1) Complete the enrollment application below
2) During the checkout process, enter your coupon code
3) You and your student will both receive a confirmation email identifying your next steps and how to prepare for the launch of the program.
Since 1996, Project ECHO, a Santa Monica based nonprofit, has created a myriad of entrepreneurship programs and activities to help teens find their path to college and career.
VIRTUAL CLASS SCHEDULE
Sessions are scheduled on Saturdays, from 10am to 12PM PT
January 25
February 1, 8, 15
March 1, 8, 15, 29
April 5, 12, 26
May 3
Competition: May 4!
OFFICE HOURS FOR STUDENT SUPPORT
We offer office hours for to support student learning.
Office hours are intended to support classroom based learning, provide assistance after a missed class and for general assistance in developing student presentations.
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Office hours will be available immediately after class, and must be requested by students at least 24 hours in advance.
The Entrepreneurship Program Gets Teens to Solve Real
Problems Through the Creation of a Product or Service.
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Utilizing design thinking, the core entrepreneurship curriculum will lead students
through entrepreneurship as building an asset for one’s community.
This program will provide a solid foundation for students to ideate, create and pitch a start-up. The program will cover:
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Business concepts and development: Introducing students to for-profit, not-for-profit, and intrapreneurship
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​Ideation: What's a problem in your community and what product or service can be created to solve it?
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Industry and market analysis: Identifying target markets and segments
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Competitive analysis: Conducting online research and analyzing a competitor grid
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Marketing: Determining price points for goods sold, identifying one’s value proposition
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Product or service development: Prototyping one’s product or service
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Financial plan: start-up costs, expenses, break-even points, and profit margins
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Communications: Writing an executive summary, creating a fast pitch, problem solving with peers
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​Presentation skills: Creating a 10-12 slide presentation and narrating the information precisely in an 8-minute pitch
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Critical thinking: Learning to take feedback in a positive manner and turn it into gold
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Teamwork and peer support: Working with and supporting others as they develop their business
Students will prepare for the High School Entrepreneurs' Business Plan Competition throughout the course. Members of the winning team will be awarded cash start-up funds and medal lanyards.
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Students will participate in a formal business plan competition in the spring. Winning teams will be awarded with cash star-up funds, medal lanyards and major bragging rights!
Upon successful completion of the program, students will receive a Certificate of Accomplishment, and an excellent experience to refer to on future internship, employment, and college admission applications and essays.