Thirty area high school students who demonstrate an aptitude in the areas of mathematics, science, technology and entrepreneurship will be selected to come to North Dakota State University during the week of June 6-11 to participate in the Entrepreneurship Academy. Organized by staff from the NDSU Research and Technology Park, the program serves as a youth entrepreneurship program for the Fargo-Moorhead community.

Staff from the NDSU Research and Technology Park with assistance from industry leaders and successful entrepreneurs will lead the academy. Students will work in teams on a simple business case to determine the best way for the business to compete, identify capital needs to start the business and devise a plan for managing the business successfully.

Participants are provided with two days of instruction and the necessary materials to assist them in successful completion of the program. On the final day, teams will give a 15-minute investor pitch to a panel of judges in a business plan competition setting. NDSU tuition vouchers will be awarded to the top two teams whose presentations are judged as having the most solid business strategy and promise for success.

The Entrepreneurship Academy serves as an example of the public and private partnership among Fargo Public Schools, West Fargo Public Schools, Moorhead Public Schools, South East Education Cooperative and the NDSU Research and Technology Park to create a youth entrepreneurship program in our community.

For more information, contact Paul Tefft, youth entrepreneurship consultant at the NDSU Research and Technology Park, at (701) 499-3628 or paul@ndsuresearchpark.com.