Entrepreneurship

IMSA Entrepreneurship

The IMSA Entrepreneurship Program is a collection of applied learning experiences designed to inspire entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial thinking. Using design thinking and Lean Startup methodologies, the program provides participants with experiences that inspire and challenge them to explore and create inventive solutions to real-world problems facing their communities.

TALENT

Youth-led/Lean Start-up based program for participants to incubate their ideas and meet business mentors.

Power Pitch

Annual student business idea pitch competition held in April each year.

ABOUT
IMSA Power Pitch is a Business/Idea Pitch Competition for students in grades 9 through 12. Young entrepreneurs from across the United States are encouraged to apply to what is considered one of the best business/idea pitch competitions in the region. The competition is hosted by the Steven and Jamie Chen Center for Innovation & Inquiry (IN2) at the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy (IMSA) in Aurora, Illinois.

Project Teams

Industry partner dedicated business projects, student-independent projects and professional business mentors for students.  Apply here to be a project team (IMSA students only).

TALENT Ignite Summer Entrepreneurship Program

The TALENT (Total Applied Learning for Entrepreneurs) Ignite Summer Camp teaches students from 7th-9th grade the fundamental concepts of entrepreneurship, to equip students with the necessary mindset and skills to develop their own product ideas. The concepts taught include: ideation, branding, market research, pitching, and much more. Modules are a mixture of lecture and activity-based learning; this interactive approach promotes active participation from students, encouraging deeper understanding of the material. The camp will culminate with a pitch competition judged by experienced entrepreneurs.

This camp is led by student facilitators from the IMSA TALENT (Total Applied Learning for Entrepreneurs) program who are experienced and knowledgeable guides in the creation of marketable ideas.  For more information about this program contact Steve Goldblatt at sgoldblatt@imsa.edu

Summer 2024 Program offerings:

Lifecycle of a Startup, $200
June 9-13, 2025, 8:30am – 11:30am
July 14-18, 2025, 8:30am -11:30am
Grades 7th through 9th, 24 participants
Experience the first three months of a Start-Up in just one week. This business incubator boot camp is an action-packed entrepreneurship simulation for teams. We’ll help you form a team that identifies a new product to develop, then research its market and earning potential, design a prototype and pitch it to potential investors. This creative challenge fosters collaboration, communication and problem-solving to overcome unexpected obstacles that occur during the growth of a new business. Participants may use this experience as a springboard to enter contests like IMSA’s Power Pitch competition.  This camp is presented by the original developer, Carl Heine along with IMSA TALENT (Total Applied Learning for Entrepreneurs)
Applicants must answer the following question and submit BOSI survey results with the answer in order to attend this summer program.
  1. “As an entrepreneur, if you were able to raise enough money from investors, what problem would you try to solve and how would your new business idea do that?”
  2. Students must take the BOSI survey and report their Primary and Secondary letters with the answer to the above question.   https://bosidna.com/assessment?s=t&view=website
TALENT Ignite Summer Program, $200
July 7-11, 2025, 8:30am – 11:30am
Grades 7th through 9th, 24 participants
The TALENT Ignite Summer Program teaches students from 7th-9th grade the fundamental concepts of entrepreneurship, to equip students with the necessary mindset and skills to develop their own product ideas. The concepts taught include: ideation, branding, market research, pitching, and much more. Modules are a mixture of lecture and activity-based learning; this interactive approach promotes active participation from students, encouraging deeper understanding of the material. The camp will culminate with a pitch competition judged by experienced entrepreneurs. This camp is led by student facilitators from the IMSA TALENT (Total Applied Learning for Entrepreneurs) program who are experienced and knowledgeable guides in the creation of marketable ideas.
Questions?  Email sgoldblatt@imsa.edu

Contact

Steve Goldblatt

Program Manager Entrepreneurship and Innovation
sgoldblatt@imsa.edu
630.907.5800