Student testing out the flight simulator in Silicon Valley's Microsoft Campus
Group photo inside the NVIDIA campus
Class of 2022 at the Microsoft Campus
Student testing out the flight simulator in Silicon Valley's Microsoft Campus
The Ultimate Launchpad for Young Innovators
The Entrepreneur Academy (TEA) isn’t a typical program. It’s an immersive, hands-on incubator where Middle and High School students build actual businesses from scratch. Guided by elite business leaders, our students don’t just study entrepreneurship—they live it.
-
Hands-On Incubator: Students walk through the entire lifecycle of a startup, from initial brainstorming to an investor-ready business plan.
-
Global Competition Pipeline: Local winners advance to a "Shark Tank-style" global competiton, opening doors to international networks.
-
Elite Corporate Treks: Students participate in private tours of major corporate campuses, observing innovation firsthand at top-tier companies.
What is TEA?
The Entrepreneur Academy (TEA) is a premier startup incubator and training program specifically designed for ambitious middle and high school students. Over several months, students don't just study business theory—they actually build real companies from the ground up. Working in teams, participants identify real-world problems, design prototypes, and build functional business models. TEA culminates in an internal pitch competition judged by real entrepreneurs and investors. The top-performing team represents San Diego on the international stage at the TYE Global Final Competition, competing against chapters from all over the world for prizes and global recognition.
Why Join
Joining TEA gives students a monumental competitive advantage that extends far beyond the classroom. For parents, it is a strategic investment in their child's future, equipping them with the resilience, leadership, and public speaking skills that traditional schooling rarely covers. For students, it is an exciting, high-energy environment where they can turn their passions into tangible assets. The connections made here with CEOs, venture capitalists, and industry professionals often turn into lifelong mentorships and future career opportunities.
-
College Application Distinction
-
Unparalleled Corporate Tour Access
-
High-Value Incentives
-
Real-World Acumen
About Us
We are a San Diego-based non-profit organization powered by a passionate community of seasoned executives, successful entrepreneurs, and dedicated industry volunteers. Our mission is to empower and inspire the next generation of global innovators through immersive, hands-on entrepreneurship education. We believe that young people possess boundless potential and that the strategic thinking, resilience, and problem-solving skills learned through entrepreneurship are transformative tools for lifelong success.
Get to Know Us
"This Type of Real World Experience is Unmatched! I urge you to invest your children’s time and effort in these programs because the outcome is incomparable. My son didn’t have much direction on what to do in terms of the future and this program gave him a strong business direction and taught him life long lessons regarding his relationships within team members. This type of real world experience is unmatched and will have an incredibly positive lasting impact on your children as well."
Craig Banner, Parent