Year-Round Entrepreneurship Programs for High School Students

Summer programs get the most attention, but the reality is that most entrepreneurial learning happens during the school year — in classrooms, after-school clubs, and virtual programs that fit around your existing schedule.

These year-round programs let you build real ventures, earn academic credit, and develop skills without waiting for June.

School-Based Programs

NFTE (Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship)

NFTE has been teaching entrepreneurship to underserved students since 1987 and has reached over a million young people. Their curriculum is delivered through partner schools and covers everything from ideation to business plan execution.

• Programs offered: Entrepreneurship Essentials, Startup Tech, Entrepreneurship 1 & 2, BizCamp (summer intensive), and Start it Up!
• Eligibility: Middle school, high school, and postsecondary students. Primarily serves school districts where 50%+ of students qualify for free or reduced lunch.
• Cost: $0-$1,200 per student depending on the program
• Credential: ESB (Entrepreneurship and Small Business) Certification
• Competition pathway: Local showcases leading to U.S. semifinals and world finals against teams from 20+ countries
• How to access: Check if your school offers NFTE programs, or ask your administration to partner with NFTE

INCubatoredu (by Uncharted Learning)

INCubatoredu is a full-year high school course where students develop real product or service startups, get coaching from real entrepreneurs, and pitch for actual funding in a Shark Tank-style format.

• What makes it different: This is not a simulation. Students launch real startups with real mentors and compete for real money.
• Second year: ACCELeratoredu, for students who want to take their startup further
• Impact: Nearly 100,000 students have participated to date
• Cost: Free (offered as a school course)
• How to access: Enrolled through school registration at participating high schools
• Why it matters: Having a full academic year to build a startup, with weekly mentor check-ins, produces dramatically better outcomes than a two-week summer intensive. The time to iterate is what makes this program exceptional.

BUILD

BUILD embeds entrepreneurship into the school curriculum for students in under-resourced communities, teaching them to build and run real businesses while developing communication, collaboration, problem-solving, innovation, and grit.

• Eligibility: Grades 7-12 in under-resourced communities
• Cost: Free (nonprofit)
• Locations: San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles, Boston, Pittsburgh, Metro DC, New York City
• Duration: Multi-year (embedded in school curriculum)
• Why it matters: BUILD's multi-year approach means students are not just learning entrepreneurship — they are developing the underlying skills (communication, resilience, critical thinking) that make entrepreneurs successful in any field.

DECA

DECA is the largest student business organization in the world, with chapters in thousands of high schools. While it covers all areas of business, its Entrepreneurship Series is specifically designed for students interested in launching ventures.

• What you get: Competitive events (role-plays, case studies, business plan presentations), leadership development, and a pathway from district to state to international competition
• Cost: Membership fees vary by chapter (typically $20-$30)
• How to access: Join your school's DECA chapter, or start one
• Why it matters: DECA's competitive structure gives you deadlines, feedback, and external validation that most school clubs cannot match. The ICDC (International Career Development Conference) is a serious credential.

FBLA (Future Business Leaders of America)

FBLA is similar to DECA but with a broader business focus. Their competitive events include Future Business Leader, Organizational Leadership, and other tracks relevant to entrepreneurial students.

• What you get: State and national competitions, leadership conferences, networking with peers and business professionals
• Cost: Membership fees vary by chapter
• How to access: Join your school's FBLA chapter
• Why it matters: The National Leadership Conference is a four-day event that connects you with ambitious students from across the country. The network you build lasts well beyond high school.

Virtual and Independent Programs

BizWorld YES! (Young Entrepreneur Success)

BizWorld YES! is a free, 12-week virtual program where teens launch real businesses with expert mentorship and one-on-one coaching. Participants have collectively generated over $3 million in revenue.

• Eligibility: Ages 16-22
• Cost: Free
• Format: Virtual, cohort-based
• Duration: 12 weeks
• How to access: Watch for upcoming cohort announcements on their website
• Why it matters: $3M+ in real revenue generated by program participants is not a vanity metric. This program produces real businesses, not just business plans.

Young Entrepreneurs Academy (YEA!)

YEA! is a full academic year program run through local Chambers of Commerce where students generate ideas, conduct market research, write business plans, pitch to real investors, and launch actual companies.

• Eligibility: Ages 11-18
• Cost: Varies by location; need-based scholarships available
• Next cycle: Applications available May 2026 for the 2026-27 year
• Competition pathway: Local Investor Panels leading to the Saunders Scholars National Competition (college scholarships and startup funding)
• Why it matters: The Chamber of Commerce connection means your mentors are actual local business owners, not academics. The investor panel uses real investment criteria.

CEOs of Tomorrow

CEOs of Tomorrow offers five hands-on entrepreneurship programs for teens, plus an internship program (90-144 hours working alongside a local entrepreneur plus 40 hours of in-class job-readiness training).

• Eligibility: High school students
• Credential: High school and college credit, plus digital learning badges
• Cost: Need-based scholarships available
• Why it matters: The internship component — actually working alongside an entrepreneur — provides a kind of learning that no classroom can replicate.

Kiva U

Kiva U lets students run microfinance clubs at their high schools, making real microloans to entrepreneurs worldwide through Kiva's platform. Over 3,200 school-based teams are registered.

• Eligibility: Any high school student (start or join a club)
• Cost: Free (students fundraise lending capital)
• Format: School-based club + Kiva's online platform
• Why it matters: Students learn about global economics, financial inclusion, and real-world impact by making real lending decisions with real money. It is one of the most tangible ways to engage with entrepreneurship without leaving your school.

How to Choose

If your school already offers a program: Start there. NFTE, INCubatoredu, DECA, FBLA, and BUILD are all excellent, and accessing them requires nothing more than signing up.

If your school doesn't have options: YEA! (through your local Chamber of Commerce), BizWorld YES! (virtual), and Kiva U (start your own club) are all accessible independently.

If you want to build a real business: INCubatoredu, YEA!, and BizWorld YES! are the strongest options. All three are structured around launching actual ventures, not simulations.

If you want competitive experience: DECA and FBLA provide the clearest pathway from local to national competition, with scholarships and recognition at every level.

If you are interested in building for impact: NFTE (focused on underserved communities), BUILD (entrepreneurship curriculum), and Kiva U (global microfinance) all have explicit missions to drive real change.

The best time to start is now. Most of these programs run on the academic calendar, and the ones accepting applications for 2026-27 will open soon. Pick one that fits your situation and start building.

Loona's programs are designed for year-round and summer participation, with flexible formats that work alongside your school schedule. If you already have a project idea, our article on building your first product provides a practical roadmap to get started.