Entrepreneurship + AgricultureProgram

About the program:

The Entrepreneurship + Agriculture Program immerses students in real-world challenges facing local food systems. Through hands-on projects, they explore agricultural science, food supply chains, and innovations in sustainability. Students put their creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills into action as they research issues in agriculture, design solutions, and develop venture concepts that address community needs. They learn about ecosystems, business models, and careers from farm-to-table.

The program culminates in students pitching prototype concepts and solutions to panels of experts, applying the entire entrepreneurial process from ideation to market analysis.

Recommended for: Outside School Time – OST (afterschool, camps, summer, 21st Century Community Learning Centers – CCLC), camps, STEM classes, any enrichment and supplementary programs, or as stand-alone enrichment.

The Entrepreneurship + Agriculture program consists of:
Entrepreneurship plus Agriculture professional development

Professional Development

Close-up of business brainstorming worksheets titled "AG BUSINESS CHALLENGE BRAINSTORMING" with illustrations and text related to agriculture supply chains, including sections for ideas and challenges, ideal for teaching entrepreneurship in youth through a comprehensive K12 entrepreneur curriculum.

Curriculum Resources

A person in a purple shirt smiles while holding a large beetroot in a garden with greenery and other plants in the background, embodying the hands-on spirit of entrepreneurship education.

Culminating Event

A young girl with her hair in a bun, wearing a striped shirt, intently uses a laptop at a desk in a warmly lit room, participating in an agriculture entrepreneurship program.

Real Impact

Professional Development

Our training equips educators to facilitate meaningful agricultural learning experiences through an entrepreneurial lens.

The 3-hour virtual training introduces key mindsets like empathy, persistence and creativity that enable educators to be dynamic problem solvers in and out of the classroom.

Learn to leverage design challenges, business model simulations and user-focused projects to deepen students’ understanding of complex food systems.

Ongoing support includes:

  • Customizable training dates/times to fit your schedule
  • Digital resources and sample projects
  • Up to 4 personalized coaching sessions throughout implementation

Educators will gain strategies to invigorate STEM and CTE programs with entrepreneurship principles that boost critical analysis, solution design, and communication skills in their students.

“This program gives kids ideas of how they might end up in their future careers, and it will definitely give them the skills and mindsets they need for a successful life.”

Curriculum

Our Entrepreneurship + Agriculture curriculum provides educators with all the tools needed to facilitate immersive entrepreneurial projects tailored to their students’ grade level.

The Instructor Guide contains:

  • Detailed activity plans and facilitation guides
  • Tips for adapting activities to virtual or in-person learning
  • Learning objectives and student outcomes for each lesson
  • Ideas for connecting projects to your local community

Student-facing materials include:

  • Playbooks for upper elementary and high school levels
  • Interactive worksheets for each project phase
  • Design templates to document ideas and get creative
  • Journal prompts, discussions and self-reflections
  • Vocabulary lists and key concepts

Lessons cover essential entrepreneurial skills like prototyping, customer research, and persuasive communication while exploring agricultural challenges relevant to your region. Students will gain hands-on experience innovating solutions that have an authentic impact.

Cover of "agriculture entrepreneurship program: an innovation guide for grades 6-12" showing students engaged in discussion around a table.

Instructor Guide

Two business documents displayed side-by-side, focused on brainstorming and agriculture entrepreneurship program, with text and diagrams providing explanations.

Student Handouts

Culminating Event

Culminating Innovation Showcase

The program culminates in a pitch event where students present their agricultural solutions and venture concepts to panels of judges.

To help plan this capstone experience, our resources include:

  • Pitch Event Guide with planning timelines and promotion templates
  • Judge instructions, feedback forms and evaluation rubrics
  • Certificates and awards to recognize students
  • Press release template to engage media
  • Tips for inviting industry experts, parents and community leaders to attend

The Innovation Showcase provides a forum for students to share their entrepreneurial thinking applied to real-world issues. They gain public speaking skills while raising awareness of innovations that address needs in regional food systems and agriculture.

A woman in a garden tending to kale plants, wearing green overalls and gloves, as part of an agriculture entrepreneurship program, with sunlight highlighting her curly hair.

Real Impact

Track meaningful student outcomes and improvements through our integrated program surveys.

  • Entrepreneurial mindsets and capabilities
  • Interest in STEM and agriculture careers
  • Ability to apply critical thinking and problem solving
  • Confidence communicating ideas and solutions
  • Understanding of food production systems

Quantitative and qualitative data reports equip educators with insights to refine program delivery, demonstrate outcomes, and showcase impact.

Both student and instructor/facilitator perspectives are gathered to provide a holistic view of what knowledge and skills participants take away from the experience.

Bring Entrepreneurship + Agriculture to your youth:

Contact VentureLab to get started:

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