Regular Decision closes May 15. Apply now.Apply Now β†’
Applications Open - Summer 2026

Build a Real Startup.
This Summer.

Inkling Labs is a 6-week remote accelerator for high school students. You'll build a product, find real customers, and pitch to investors on Demo Day.

6
Weeks
30h
Per Week
Demo
Day w/ Investors
Mid-Jun
2026 Start

Everything you need to launch
your first venture

Inkling isn't a classroom simulation. It's the real thing, compressed into six intense, unforgettable weeks.

Real-World Experience

Build a real startup from scratch. Validate an idea, talk to customers, and ship a product - not a school project.

Expert Mentorship

Learn directly from startup founders, YC alumni, and venture capitalists who've been in the trenches.

College App Edge

Stand out in admissions with a real venture on your resume. Demonstrate initiative, leadership, and grit.

Future-Ready Skills

Master pitching, product thinking, team leadership, and financial modeling - skills that last a lifetime.

The Program

Not a class. An accelerator.

We modeled Inkling after real startup accelerators, so you leave with more than a certificate.

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Dates

Starts mid-June. 6 weeks, multiple cohorts staggered by one week based on demand.

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Time Commitment

6 hours/day, Monday–Friday. Live sessions plus async team work.

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Format

100% virtual. Work with teammates from across the country in teams of 2–4.

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Tuition

$4,999 per student. Includes all curriculum, mentorship, and Demo Day access.

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Investment Potential

Inkling may invest in standout startups from the cohort at the end of the program.

🎀

Demo Day

Pitch your startup to a panel of real investors on the final day of the program.

Apply Now β€” Limited Spots
Curriculum

6 weeks. Real skills.

Every week builds on the last, from raw idea to investor pitch.

01
Ideation
Find a problem worth solving and form your team. A mentor helps you sharpen your idea from day one.
02
Customer Discovery
Run real interviews and validate your assumptions with mentor feedback.
03
MVP + Agentic Coding
Use agentic coding tools to build and ship a working product. Your mentor guides every build sprint.
04
Business Model
Define revenue, strategy, and competitive positioning with your business mentor.
05
Growth
Build your brand and land your first real users. A Growth mentor joins this week.
06
Demo Day
Pitch to a live investor panel. Mentor rehearsals lead up to Demo Day.
What People Say

Don't take our word for it.

Hear from students and parents who've been through the program.

Inkling taught me more about building a real product in six weeks than I learned in two years of business club. I walked into Demo Day with a working app and actual users.
A
Alex R.
Student, Class of 2025
My daughter came home every day excited about her startup. The mentors pushed her to think bigger, and she ended up pitching to real investors. It was transformative.
M
Maria T.
Parent
I had zero coding experience when I started. By week three, I had built a working prototype using AI tools. The Manifest Bootcamp is the real deal.
J
Jordan K.
Student, Class of 2026
Start Your Application β†’

What about the technical side?

You do not need to know how to code.

Two weeks of the program are a hands-on building track we call the Manifest Bootcamp. Students use AI tools - the same ones working founders use today - to turn their business idea into a working prototype. The focus is on what to build and why, not on memorizing syntax.

By Demo Day, every student has something live to show investors, something they built themselves over six weeks.

  • Use AI tools to generate and test working software
  • Build the technical layer of their startup idea
  • Ship a working prototype in time for Demo Day
Demo Day

Pitch to real investors.

Your startup. Their capital.

On the final day of the program, you'll present your startup to a panel of investors. The best teams may receive actual investment from Inkling, turning your summer project into something real.

Live Investor Panel Q&A with VCs Investment Opportunity Certificate of Completion
About Inkling

We're builders who believe the next generation of founders is in high school right now.

Inkling Labs was built to give ambitious high schoolers the same tools, network, and mindset that top founders get, without waiting for college.

We don't teach entrepreneurship from a textbook. We run a real accelerator for real teenagers with real ambitions.

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Intensity by design

30 hours a week isn't for everyone, and that's the point. We select students who mean it.

🀝

Real mentorship

Founders and operators who've actually built things will guide you, not just lecture you.

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Your idea, your company

You own what you build. We're here to help you build it better.

Investment

One program. One price.

$4,999
per student Β· Summer 2026
Apply Now

Limited to 30 students Β· Applications reviewed on a rolling basis

$4,999 / full program
Apply

Ready to build something?

Applications for Summer 2026 are now open. Spots are limited - rolling admissions.

Start Your Application β†’

Limited to 30 students Β· Applications reviewed on a rolling basis

Apply Now β€” Limited Spots