High School Fellowship

Begin your entrepreneurial journey today!

 

About the fellowship:

A 8-week masterclass giving budding entrepreneurs the tools and mindset needed to develop or contribute to a successful startup!

Are you a high school student?

Become a YES high school fellow!

What you’ll gain:

  • Learn from Yale School of Management Professors and Undergraduate Entrepreneurs

  • Understand the skills and mindset needed to succeed in start-up ventures

  • Necessary qualities to create and present a company pitch deck

  • Information about the Yale Entrepreneurial Society and the culture of entrepreneurship at Yale

  • A Network of like-minded high-school and college innovators and inventors from around the world

Our Syllabus:

Week 1: Ideation and Building Teams

Objective: Understanding the market and validating the startup idea.

Topics: Introduction to YES HS Fellowship program & structure, market analysis techniques, and customer discovery process.

Week 2: Business Model and Planning

Objective: Developing a sustainable business model.

Topics: Business Model Canvas overview, revenue models and financial planning basics for startups and introduction to business plan writing.

Week 3: Product Development and Minimum Viable Product (MVP)

Objective: Understand product development and creating a MVP

Topics: Agile and Scrum methodologies, how to build an MVP, user Experience (UX) design principles, and prototyping tools and techniques.

Week 4: Marketing and Customer Acquisition

Objective: Strategies for marketing and acquiring customers.

Topics: Digital marketing fundamentals, content marketing and SEO, social media strategies, customer acquisition channels and metrics.

Week 5: Sales and Networking

Objective: Sales strategies and building a professional network.

Topics: Effective sales techniques and pipeline management, networking and relationship building, elevator pitch development.

Week 6: Break

Week 7: Legal and Financial Aspects

Objective: Understanding legal and financial implications.

Topics: Startup legal basics (e.g., incorporation, IP). fundraising and investment landscape, and financial management for startups

Week 8: Pitching and Presentation Skills

Objective: Mastering the art of pitching.

Topics: Crafting a compelling pitch, storytelling and presentation skills, handling Q&A sessions, investor pitch formats

Week 9: Pitch Day

Pitch day:

  • Pitch your idea to VC managing directors and veteran serial entrepreneurs

  • Win a cash prize to invest towards bringing your startup to fruition!

Who you are:

  • A motivated high school student passionate about the world of entrepreneurship

  • A problem solver who loves to think outside the box

  • A team player willing to work closely with others to grow together

Cost:

  • The full program cost for one, 8-week session is $175

  • YES offers Need-Based Financial Aid that covers the full-cost of the program for all domestic and international students

Apply:

  • Applications for the Spring 2025 cohort have opened! They will be open until January 25th, but will be viewed on a rolling basis. This means that the earlier you apply the better chance you have of getting into the program!

    Apply Here:

Are you a yale student?

Join the YES HS fellowship operations team!

What you’ll do:

  • Help develop an exciting and engaging curriculum for the upcoming program

  • Become a lecturer for a class, teaching a cohort of 10-15 high school students

  • Gain access and priority to other YES events, programs, and opportunities

Who you are:

  • A motivated Yale student with some entrepreneurship experience and an interest in start-ups

  • A leader who is excited to help others begin their journey in entrepreneurship

  • A fun and social person looking to be a part of the YES community

Apply:

  • Applications to be a High School Fellowship Leader for the Spring 2025 cohort are open! Please contact charlie.stemerman@yale.edu and luyao.guo@yale.edu for more information.

    Apply Here!!