What if you launched your first company before you could vote?
That’s the kind of bold thinking behind Innovation Academy, a new high school entrepreneurship program developed by the Hill Institute at Furman University. It’s fast-paced, community-powered, and designed to give students the confidence, resources, and structure to take an idea from concept to pitch — all in just five days.
But more than that, Innovation Academy is an investment in the future of South Carolina’s entrepreneurial ecosystem — and the talent that will shape it.
According to Eric Cooperman, Senior Director of Entrepreneurship Programs at the Hill Institute, the decision to focus on high school students wasn’t random — it was strategic.
“First, we wanted to introduce students to Furman and what the Hill Institute has to offer,” he said. “But we also asked: how do we bring young entrepreneurs into our ecosystem and get them exposed to what’s happening in the Upstate?”
That question sparked a series of conversations with industry partners, many of whom expressed a growing interest in reaching talent earlier. Companies weren’t just looking to recruit college grads anymore — they wanted to start building relationships with high-performing students in high school. That corporate interest — combined with Furman’s commitment to cultivating entrepreneurial thinking across all age groups — laid the foundation for Innovation Academy.
The challenge was clear: how do you design a program that equips high schoolers to launch a company in just one week?
The answer? Start before they arrive.
Before Day 1, students were paired into co-founder teams and asked to complete a business model canvas — outlining their company’s name, purpose, and core assumptions. By the time they showed up on campus, they weren’t brainstorming — they were building.
“Day 1 wasn’t an orientation,” Eric said. “It was straight into pitching.”
The week kicked off with a visit to the Michelin Innovation Lab, where students pitched their ideas to the Michelin innovation team and received feedback from corporate leaders. The rest of the day was dedicated to customer discovery, where students called founders and executives across industries to validate their business models. Some pivoted entirely. Others doubled down. All left with stronger companies.
That evening, students had to pitch to the public for $1 investments — learning quickly how to engage an audience, adjust their messaging, and take rejection in stride.
Day 2 was hosted by EY, where students spent the day digging into business modeling and market research, which showed them the value of thinking through every angle of their venture.
Day 3 shifted to legal foundations. With help from NextGEN and Emily Bohan of Kim, Lahey & Killough Law, students explored topics like IP protection, entity formation, and what it means to be “investment-ready.” After lunch, Dale Thrush and Marty Osborn from By Design Advisors led an interactive session on leadership styles and team dynamics, helping students identify their own working genius and how to collaborate more effectively.
On Day 4, the focus turned to branding and storytelling. Jami Mullikin of Wonder walked them through the basics of brand positioning and how to craft a 60-second pitch. Then, students headed to 9/8 Central Studios, where they worked with Will Stewart and his production team to film high-quality commercials for their ventures — a rare opportunity at any age.
They closed the day with a pool party hosted by Furman’s President, Elizabeth Davis.
On Friday, students spent the morning with VentureSouth and Abundance Capital, learning what makes a company investable and how to position themselves to raise capital. With just two hours to finalize their pitch decks, they got to work.
That afternoon, parents, mentors, and program partners gathered for the final pitch. Each team pitched their company to a packed room, answered questions from the audience, and walked away with a new sense of confidence in what they’d built — and what they were capable of.
One of the most powerful aspects of Innovation Academy was the level of community involvement.
“We had 18 different partner organizations and over 30 mentors who gave their time and energy to help these students launch,” Eric said. “That’s what makes this region special — we really do show up for each other.”
The program offered students more than exposure; it gave them access to real mentors, real tools, and real opportunities. And, just as importantly, it reminded them that they belong in these spaces — now and in the future.
By reaching students early, the Hill Institute is helping shape the next generation of entrepreneurs — and giving them the confidence, context, and connections to stay rooted in the Upstate.
“If I had something like this when I was in high school, it might’ve changed the entire trajectory of my life,” Eric said. “That’s the kind of impact we’re aiming for.”
Several students have already asked to come back next year — this time as counselors and mentors for the next cohort. It’s a clear signal that the program is working, not just as a one-time experience, but as a stepping stone toward long-term engagement with Furman, Greenville, and the broader entrepreneurial community.
With the success of its first year, Innovation Academy is expanding. The Hill Institute plans to host two camps in the upcoming year, shifting from open enrollment to a school-based model. This will allow the team to tailor programming more specifically to each school’s culture, academic focus, and student needs.
As the program evolves, the goal remains the same: to equip young people with the skills, confidence, and perspective to pursue entrepreneurial thinking — wherever their paths may lead.
Every startup has a pitch. But not every pitch is actually working.
Too often, founders are walking around with a deck or a one liner that explains what they do, but does not land, connect, or clearly communicate the value of what they are building. That is the gap NextGEN’s brand new Fix My Pitch program is designed to address.
One of the best things about Greenville’s entrepreneurial community is that there is no single way in. Some founders come through accelerators. Some start as side hustles. Others begin with a class, a skill, or a moment of curiosity.
This Tuesday, February 10, Greenville Literacy Association is launching a brand new program that adds another meaningful entry point into the local startup ecosystem.
Greenville’s startup scene just got a little tastier! Hone, a shared kitchen space, has officially opened, giving local food entrepreneurs the tools, space, and community they need to grow their businesses. For food founders, access to commercial-grade kitchen space can be a big hurdle, and Hone is here to change that.