iHeartSTEM Teen Business Incubator
Are you a 9th or 10th grader with big ideas, a passion for innovation, or dreams of starting your own business? You've come to the right place! With this program you will learn to discover and validate startup ideas using real-world frameworks used by successful founders.
Gain the skills to pitch your business and learn to apply for startup accelerator programs.
Why Join?
Learn from a successful teen founder
Boost your college applications
Turn your ideas into reality with expert help
Build confidence to make a real impact
Program Details:
Format: Virtual (Join from anywhere)
Schedule: 5 days over two weeks: July 8, 10, 14, 16, 17
Cost: Free
Eligibility: For students in grades 8, 9, and 10 only
Agenda / Curriculum
Day 1 - Discover how real-world problems can transform into innovative startup ideas. You will engage in a thought-provoking take-home exercise to identify and explore the specific problem you want to solve in your community or the world.
Day 2 - Who are you building for? This day involves an in-depth exploration of the problem you identified previously. You will map out the user journey and create a detailed persona that represents your target audience. Your assignment will focus on various methods to enhance clarity surrounding your problem, ensuring you truly understand the needs of those affected.
Day 3 - Explore potential solutions and learn how to effectively test your ideas. You will gain valuable insights into the concepts of “Minimum Viable Product (MVP)” and “Minimum Lovable Product (MLP).” You’ll also discover techniques on how to test hypotheses before building anything, all while ensuring you won't spend a single dollar in the process.
Day 4 - Embrace the mindset of a founder. During this day, you will learn how to utilize a lean canvas model. Discussions will include identifying competition, understanding stakeholders, identifying potential customers, creating business moats, and planning for scalable growth.
Day 5 - Sharing and communicating your vision effectively is crucial. You will learn essential pitching techniques tailored for incubators, accelerators, and investors, equipping you with the skills necessary to grow and advance from this program.
Invitation to go Further: Less than 5% of participants will receive an exclusive opportunity for a 1:1 session with the teen founder and CEO of SipSafe. Additionally, you will be invited to join a vibrant network of students who are actively building the future and making a difference through their initiatives.