Build your own business
Nova Entrepreneurship is a structured 12-week program that guides students from ideation to launch as they create their own business or nonprofit. Our mentors are exclusively from Stanford, Harvard, and Yale and include former Y Combinator founders and nonprofit leaders who have positively transformed tens of thousands of lives.
Why start your entreprenuership journey in high school?
The most successful founders begin with early projects before reaching their peak. Even Bill Gates sold traffic data and payroll software in high school, way before launching Microsoft. In the same way, we help you achieve early successes and build a strong foundation for future accomplishments.
From developing sanitary products for underserved areas internationally to launching innovative apps that solve problems for real-world customers, students can address real needs and create lasting change through their business or nonprofit.
Your network gives you access to a valuable circle of mentors, sponsors, and even potential future customers. Building these connections in high school provides a support system that can guide and champion you throughout your career.
Many universities, like Stanford, seek future leaders and founders who demonstrate initiative and the ability to create real impact. Pursuing entrepreneurial projects highlights your drive, resilience, and vision—qualities that resonate strongly with admissions committees.
How we help future entreprenuers
Building a business or nonprofit is hard. From ideation to launch, we help you build something sustainable with real, numerical outcomes—whether it's reaching a target number of users, achieving sales goals, or making a tangible impact on lives through your organization.
Co-founder matching
We pair you with like-minded, skilled individuals to form a balanced and effective founding team. Together, you’ll collaborate to align your skills and shared vision from the very start.
Customer Discovery and Validation
We help you engage directly with potential customers to validate your business assumptions. By iterating on real feedback, you’ll build a more accurate and impactful solution.
Value Prop and Product-Market Fit
We work with you to validate that your product meets actual market demand and fits well with audience needs. This step ensures your offering has a strong foundation for growth.
Business Model Development
We help you develop a scalable, sustainable business model aligned with your target customers and product goals. This foundation is critical for achieving long-term success.
MVP Development
We support you in creating a Minimum Viable Product that tests your core concept and gathers essential user feedback. This allows you to refine and improve your product before a larger launch.
Sales and Marketing
For businesses, we teach you practical strategies for attracting, engaging, and retaining customers from day one. These techniques prepare you to build a strong customer base from the start.
Funding
For nonprofits, we guide you through exploring how to get corporate sponsorships and grants.
Logistics and Operations
We cover the operational essentials for registering your business, scaling, and sustaining your new business effectively. This includes hiring, setting up financial systems, and implementing efficient workflows for a smooth transition as you grow.
Example Nova organizations
Students and mentors have successfully launched nonprofits and businesses with measurable, tangible results. Our mentors work with students to shape and prepare their ventures for a fast launch. We're focused on helping students found organizations that are likely to see measurable outcomes.
Interested? Lets talk more.
Starting a business or nonprofit takes time, energy, and grit. It requires vision, resilience, and a readiness to face challenges head-on. But for those who persevere, the rewards are unmatched: meaningful impact, real change, and building something of their own. That’s why our program is selective. Instead of an application form, we invite you to connect with the Nova team to talk about your previous experiences and future ambitions.