How is UpStarts different from other entrepreneurship programs?
UpStarts brings in-depth engagement between rural youth and businesses to increase social connections and hands-on learning opportunities to both parties. In this reverse mentoring program, students become problem-solvers for local business clients who pose challenges for business growth. Students learn how to decompose business challenges and create STEAM-based solutions via the entrepreneurship process. Thus, youth gain entrepreneurship skills, STEAM knowledge (e.g., coding), and positive developmental outcomes (e.g., problem solving, sense of connection to others, sense of contribution).

How long is the program?
The program requires student participants to commit approximately 6 hours a week during a 12-week period for a rich learning environment. Official sessions include 3 hour-long weekly meetings with a facilitator and a business, along with 3 hour-long weekly team meetings among students themselves.

What is the appropriate age of student participants?
This program is appropriate for high school and college aged youth. We intend to develop contents for middle school aged students in the long run.

What type of program format is possible?
The format of the program is flexible and can work within many existing forms of education settings including credit courses, after-school sessions, clubs, and any other educational program formats. If your school or organization has an existing program that teaches such topics as business, technology, communication, leadership, citizenship, career readiness, etc. to youth, this program can be adjusted to work within such existing programs.

What are the program requirements for participants?
The program requires students to fully participate in Launch Day, weekly meetings, team meetings, and Pitch Day. The students are encouraged to take pre- and post- surveys in the beginning and the end of the program for program evaluation. The program requires business participants to work with the UpStarts team to define business challenges, attend Launch Day and Pitch Day in person, participate in the 30 minute- Zoom meeting with youth teams weekly, and provide necessary business information for youth research work.

What do Launch Day and Pitch Day look like?
During Launch Day, each recruited business owner describes the nature of their company and presents the pre-defined challenge to the students. The students can also ask questions to business owners. Students then have an opportunity to express their interest and discuss their individual strengths (e.g., “I’m a good communicator”), and form teams based on their interests and strengths. Pitch Day is the final day of the program. Student teams present solutions back to business owners and business owners (and other audience members) ask questions to students. Students will also have a small graduation ceremony. We suggest inviting community leaders, stakeholders, potential participants, parents, and local media to both Launch Day and Pitch Day. Both events often become a good starting point for the discussion among invited guests on the community’s long-term investment in youth.

How do we recruit participants?
The best way to recruit student participants is by partnering with schools and other educational organizations (i.e. 4-H clubs, local Extension offices). We provide recruiting materials for students that include student testimonial videos, posters, and letters to parents. Businesses can be recruited from the existing local business network or partnership with such agencies as economic development offices, SCORE, and county offices.

What are the criteria to recruit good business participants?
Ideal partners are local businesses whose owners have an intention to scale up their company and who can commit time (minimum 30 mins a week) to work with youth during the program period. Businesses can be any size (e.g., small local shops to large companies). We also recommend businesses to invite students to business sites (i.e. shops, offices) if possible for student motivation during the program. Some of the previous UpStarts business participants have actually been able to use the solutions that youth created through the program. Nonetheless, it is important for business partners to understand that UpStarts is primarily an educational program for youth. Thus, it is important for participating business owners to serve as role models and be committed to fostering youth and community development. The quality of the engagement between business and youth significantly impacts the quality of the student work.

Who defines the business challenges?
Once each site recruits and selects local business partners, the UpStarts team provides guidance and consulting to businesses to define the proper level of business challenge that would potentially benefit both students and businesses. Visit www.upstartsacademy.com/impact for the business challenge and solution examples.

Can this program be entirely online?
Launch Day and Pitch Day require in-person attendance. We recommend having business meetings via Zoom and team meetings in person.

What technology does the program require?
We recommend each hosting site to provide youth participants with an environment for Zoom conference meetings, online access to Canvas, Slack group messenger, and computer lab for student work (optional). UpStarts team provide Zoom conference meeting links, so participants can either attend the meeting via online or phone call.

Who has participated in this program so far?
The program has been implemented in the states of Nebraska, Wyoming, and California. The program worked with various businesses from big enterprises to small businesses including but not limited to Nelnet, Presage Analytics, Roots Ventures Group, Valentine One Beef, Wendy George Counselling, Kelly Integrity Safety Solutions, and many others.

I don’t know anything about entrepreneurship or technology. Can I facilitate this program in my communities?
Yes, the UpStarts team will provide all content expertise and necessary support. We love working with community leaders and educators who care about the future of their communities and youth.

What is the biggest challenge youth participants face during the program?
Many youth participants do not have prior experience working with actual businesses, holding professional meetings, leading projects with full ownership, and presenting their solutions to the public. Students can feel overwhelmed when they have difficulties foreseeing the project scope and planning ahead. Facilitators and mentors play critical roles to assure youth participants to make necessary decisions timely and complete the project with confidence.

What type of support the UpStarts team provides?
The UpStarts team provides all program contents, expertise, mentoring advice, consulting to define business challenges, business participant orientation, and any other required support.

Do I need funding to bring this program?
We welcome and accept business and community sponsors for the sustainability of the program and provide local communities with support to acquire external funding for the program operation and sustainability.

Who developed the program?
The program has been developed by four faculty at the University of Nebraska – Lincoln: Maria de Guzman (Youth Development Specialist and Associate Professor), Surin Kim (Entrepreneurship Specialist and Assistant Professor), Ashu Guru (STEM Teaching & Learning Specialist and Assistant Professor), and Claire Nicholas (Cultural Anthropologist and Assistant Professor).