National Institute for Mentoring Business Leaders & Entrepreneurs
National Institute for Mentoring Business Leaders & Entrepreneurs
Startup Program
Design your startup from idea to pitch
As our society migrates to a creator economy, more than ever we need an entrepreneurial mindset and skills such as adaptability, inclusivity and creativity to thrive.
This fast-paced, hands-on two week-long summer program for engaged participants (ages 15-117 year old, 18-21 and recent grad teams) offers the transformative experience of designing a product or service and pitching to investors.
Participants start at innovation inception, learn and apply design thinking, develop a business plan and practice the art of the pitch with 1:1 input from Silicon Valley industry experts. The session culminates in a pitch competition to judges (investors, CEOs, other executives). With guidance from leading industry innovators, students will develop concept for products and services that fulfill an unmet need in their school, community or the world at large.
The program has a mix of participants from diverse backgrounds and regions, including nearly 45% female. Our program follows the UN Sustainability Goals for 2030.
This highly-rated program builds the successful mindset for work and life: Adaptability, creativity, empathy, inclusivity and problem-solving. Experiential skills in teamwork, self-assessment and communication are delivered in unexpected, fun ways such as improv, mindfulness and negotiation scenarios.
Tara P.
This camp has quite honestly changed my life. With all of the personalized support from Mariette and every other business figured who donated their time, I have the confidence, strategies, and enthusiasm to create a company. We learned everything from brain-swarming, design thinking, business models, to the art of the elevator pitch. I can not believe the deal I got by going to this camp (in terms of money, time, and energy)! I learned so much valuable information from this camp that could change a startup from a zero to a hero. I now have the foundation to pursue my dream career—one I built myself. I recommend this camp to ANYONE who wants to change the world, work for themselves, and create something out of nothing. This camp is the real deal.
Shalin Z.
I participated in the week-long summer start-up camp and had so many takeaways. I would recommend it to anyone who is interested in potentially creating their own product or company because the camp covers the process of going from an idea to pitching it in just one week. The camp is extremely interesting, educational, and fun, and there was not a moment where I felt bored (coming from someone who has a short-attention span). I learned so much about business, users, connections, and more while meeting many experienced entrepreneurs Mariette brought in. Mariette is so kind, engaged, and is dedicated to helping each individual learn more about start-ups. Her experience and wisdom is very special and everyone should have a chance to participate in the camp.
Kai L.
I really enjoyed the program that Mariette and the whole NIMBLE team put together. The camp was such an amazing opportunity that I was fortunate to be able to take part in. The program offers so much in such a short amount of time. Having industry experts helping and mentoring us through out the week on our projects was an invaluable experience. Everyone was super friendly, kind, helpful and knowledgable. I learned a lot from the week I participated in. I would recommend this to everyone, especially people who want to broaden their look on the world around them.
When
Jul 24 – Aug 4, 2023
9am–4pm, Mon–Fri
Where
Fenwick & West
801 California St
Mountain View, CA 94041
Fee & Payment
$999 by check or $1,010 through Venmo (@nimblemindset) if you register by March 31, 2023
Price for single registration after April 1:
$1,299 by check, $1,214 through Venmo.
Check payable to NIMBLE | PO Box 861 | Los Altos, CA 94023.
Contact payment@NIMBLEmindset.org for financial aid and discounts for multiple registrations and internships.
We are grateful to our partner!
FAQ
Do I need to have a startup idea to do the program?
Nope! Come ready to learn and we will guide you through the idea creation process. It is really fun and engaging, not scary.
What do you mean by hands-on and experiential learning?
Learning is more fun when you are doing things, rather than just listening to a lecture! Our programs give you the chance to apply what you are learning so you will be doing improv, practicing mindfulness, building prototypes and getting feedback on your ideas. It's super engaging and fun!
What if I don't know anything about business? What if I don't think I want to be an entrepreneur?
You are not expected to know anything about building or running a venture! And, it is ok if you are not planning to be an entrepreneur. You can still develop skills that will help you have an impact on your community through service or that you will use in your career (and in life! Self-awareness, teamwork and empathy are great life skills).
What if I I'm not in Silicon Valley?
No problem! Check out programs abroad. Want to see a program near you? Tell us!