Entrepreneurship Program & Lab
To help develop the skills and resilience our Upper School students will need to meet the challenges of today’s fast-paced world, our brand new Entrepreneurship Program & Lab will allow students to:
- Identify a business or service need in the market and/or world.
- Build a product or create a service to satisfy that need that is uniquely their own.
- Develop a business plan to bring it to life.
This is a three or four-year program, depending on which grade students start the program in. The first cohort of students entering the program will be taught by Head of School Bill Kuhn, who holds a Masters in Business Administration (MBA) from Columbia Business School. The program will also be advised by three experienced entrepreneurs.
2023-2024 Program Advisors
Maggie Sprenger
NYU Stern Adjunct Professor and Partner at Audere Capital LLC
Brian Lancaster
Columbia Business School Professor of Finance and Economics, Founder and President of The Minot Group LLC
Jayesh Punater
Founder and CEO of Nucleus DNA, Founder and CEO of Gravitas
Program Structure
Year One & Year Two
In the first two years of the program, students will:
- Learn core business disciplines, including:
- Finance and accounting
- Sales and marketing
- Business Management
- Business Operations
- Economics
- Develop an awareness of what to expect as a burgeoning entrepreneurs, including challenges they will face and opportunities for collaboration.
Year Three & Year Four
In the second two years of the program, students will:
- Learn advanced business skills, such as:
- Writing business plans
- Product development
- Fundraising
- Work in teams in a business “incubator” as BWL provides a full scale range of services and training to make each idea a reality.
- Present their business to a panel of experienced entrepreneurs (serving as their final project).
Questions About the Program
What are the eligibility requirements?
All rising 9th Grade and 10th Grade students are eligible to participate in the Fall of 2023. Students must have achieved at least a B average across all of their classes from last year.
If students do not have a B average, they may still apply for the program by supplying two teacher recommendations and writing a statement covering why they should be admitted to the program and how they will manage the increased workload to maintain a healthy GPA (in addition to the program application).
When will it begin?
Students who apply and are accepted will begin their coursework in either 9th or 10th grade, in the Fall of 2023.
Where does the Program take place?
The Program is housed in our new Entrepreneurship Lab located on the 9th floor. An initial Phase 1 of the Lab build-out was completed in September 2023. A more in-depth Phase 2 will begin in June 2024.
How do students apply?
Students should send a one-page Statement of Interest with their desire to join the program to Head of School Bill Kuhn. Include responses to the following questions:
- Why do you want to become an entrepreneur, or what about entrepreneurship interests you?
- What are your interests and how do you envision turning them into a company, non-profit or product?
- How do you think you can manage the workload of an additional class on top of your regular schedule?
- Is there a business topic you are especially interested in learning more about?