Applications Open — Summer 2026

Build a Real Startup.
This Summer.

Inkling's 6-week virtual entrepreneurship program turns high school students into founders — with real mentorship, real investors, and real stakes.

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.

📅

Dates

Starts Mid-June 2026. 6 weeks, multiple cohorts available based on demand.

🕐

Time Commitment

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

💻

Format

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

💰

Tuition

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

🚀

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.

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.
02
Customer Discovery
Run real interviews and validate your assumptions.
03
MVP
Build and ship a product real users can interact with.
04
Business Model
Define revenue, strategy, and competitive positioning.
05
Growth
Build your brand and acquire your first real users.
06
Demo Day
Pitch your startup to a live panel of real investors.
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.

🔥

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.

💡

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 · Summer 2026
Apply Now

Limited to 30 students · 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 →

Limited to 30 students · Applications reviewed on a rolling basis