STARBASE Robins Summer Camps brings STEM and entrepreneurship to life for Georgia youth

VentureLab Idea to Pitch Summer Program with Starbase Robins

Through a scholarship to VentureLab’s Idea to Pitch Program, facilitated by the Georgia Statewide Afterschool Network, STARBASE Robins’ annual STEM Summer Camps became a transformative experience. One educator noted, “I am just overall proud of myself for completing the process and getting students excited about entrepreneurship.” This partnership has fostered confidence, creativity, and leadership in students and staff alike.

Three strategies to make your classroom entrepreneurial AND run smoothly

Three strategies to make your classroom entrepreneurial AND run smoothly

Incorporating entrepreneurial thinking in education can transform the way students approach learning. Discover three essential strategies to make your classroom entrepreneurial, fostering creativity, collaboration, and critical thinking. From setting expectations together to modeling entrepreneurial mindsets, these strategies equip students with the skills they need to succeed in our ever-changing world. Explore our innovative approaches to engage and empower the next generation of innovators.

VentureLab’s May 2023 Youth Pitch Event Recap and Replay

virtual youth pitch event May 2023

In the world of entrepreneurship, ideas are only the beginning. The cultivation of an entrepreneurial mindset is what truly sets apart those who can turn their ideas into reality. VentureLab’s May 2023 Youth Pitch Event highlighted this in a profound way, showcasing the creativity and determination of young entrepreneurs, each of whom demonstrated key entrepreneurial mindsets.

The virtual event was run by Scott Mann, VentureLab’s Director of Education, while our new Executive Director, Desma Deitz, introduced the esteemed panel of judges: Kelly Weaver, Regional Director of the Small Business Development Center; Mary Scott, award-winning filmmaker, founder of BusinessRiff, and author of the St. Louis Startup Resource Guide; and Doug, CEO of Bold Xchange.

Watch the replay:

What stood out about these young entrepreneurs was not just their innovative ideas, but their ability to embody and articulate the importance of the entrepreneurial mindset. They showed curiosity, courage, adaptability, resilience, and persistence – traits that are vital for entrepreneurship.

The participants, Ali, Ibraheem, and Husayn of VIB (Very Industrious Brothers), demonstrated curiosity and adaptability in their lawn care business, diversifying their services based on customer needs and feedback.

Abdullah, of Happy House of Desserts, highlighted the mindset of embracing failure when his homemade snow cones didn’t turn out as planned. However, he persisted and adjusted his strategy until he achieved the desired results.

Mikayla of Krafty Creations by Kayla showcased her courage in the face of doubt and adversity, and her creativity in creating and selling her paintings, abstract letter blocks and candles.

Natalie, who offers customizable family and pet photography through Pawsome Portraits, exhibited the power of persistence and grit in juggling her business with other commitments.

Mady of SMART Laser Designs emphasized her journey of embracing failure as she encountered difficulties in engraving and designing. Her experience was a testament to the importance of resilience and a positive attitude towards failure in the entrepreneurial journey.

This event was more than just a showcase of innovative business ideas. It was an inspiring display of the entrepreneurial mindset in action, providing valuable lessons for both young and seasoned entrepreneurs.

As we look forward to the next Youth Pitch Event, we invite you to get involved and learn more about our mission to nurture entrepreneurial mindsets in youth of all ages. If you’re an educator, a professional, or someone who believes in the power of entrepreneurial education, your support has made an impact.

Let’s continue fostering the entrepreneurial mindsets towards creating the next generation of diverse innovators and changemakers by making entrepreneurship education accessible to ALL youth.

Meet our panelists from June’s Youth Virtual Pitch night

Youth pitch event volunteer panelists June 2022

Meet our panelists from June’s Youth Virtual Pitch night. We appreciate them taking the time to volunteer their time to give feedback and mentoring for this event.
Our next pitch event is August 4th from 5-6pm Central time. Register here to participate as an audience member. 
Register to be a panelist.
If you know a kid age 6-18, you can register them to pitch their idea!

More information about our Youth Virtual Pitch Events

June’s Youth Virtual Pitch panelists were:

Dr. Ali Zicker is the account director for the Caravel Group, which works with pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies supporting drug development and clinical trial efforts. Previously she has been a senior scientist at Thermo Fisher Scientific, Worldwide Clinical Trials Drug Development Solutions, and Life Technologies. Dr. Zicker received her B.S in Biology and BA in Political Science from the University of Arizona and her PhD in Molecular Biology from the University of Texas at Austin.

Catherine Jhung is a Senior Managing Director at Hercules and leads origination, venture relationships, and business development for the fund’s Technology and Sustainable/Renewable Groups. Before joining Hercules, Catherine spent over 10 years in senior operational roles within startup companies, including sales, business development, research and product management. Catherine received an MBA from the Haas School of Business at UC Berkeley, a BS in Agricultural Economics and a minor in Computer Information Systems from UC Davis.

Julie Shannan is our executive director at VentureLab. She brings over 20 years experience managing nationally recognized informal STEM programs for girls, parents and educators across the nation and is passionate about engaging kids as creative problem solvers in a world filled with so many challenges.

We appreciate and are deeply grateful to our audience participants, volunteer panelists, donors and young entrepreneurs!

More information about our Youth Virtual Pitch Events

 

Venture Forward with an Entrepreneurial Mindset

Venture forward like an entrepreneur

Entrepreneurship is more than starting a business, it’s a way of thinking and acting. It’s about identifying opportunities, finding ways to solve problems, and taking calculated risks. It is the process of creating solutions, ideation, design, and iteration. It’s about creating, delivering, and capturing value. Entrepreneurship is also a very personal journey of self-exploration and … Read more

Starting with a Feather: Free-Range Curiosity (Excerpt from VentureGirls)

Curiosity can inspire incredible new ideas, and practicing curiosity doesn’t have to be done in a structured setting. For an example of everyday curiosity encouraged and explored, dive into this excerpt from VentureGirls, written by VentureLab’s founder, Dr. Luz Cristal Glangchai: A curious girl can be comfortable and confident in environments of uncertainty. She has … Read more

Home School Resources: Teaching A Youth Entrepreneurship Curriculum

Teaching A Youth Entrepreneurship Curriculum

Looking for comprehensive Home School Resources: Teaching Youth Entrepreneurship Curriculum? VentureLab offers an array of tools, activities, and strategies tailored for homeschool educators. Empower your young learner with entrepreneurial skills, right from the comfort of home.

Learning the VentureLab Way: Raising Questions and Inspiring Curiosity

Curiosity is a natural human instinct - VentureLab.org

When you encourage children’s curiosity, you’re actually enabling learning at a profound level. Take the case of Sue Kolby, a single mother: “My friend salvaged a flat panel television that someone had left beside a dumpster and brought it over to me,” she said, thinking her kids might enjoy having a larger monitor for TV … Read more

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