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SparkLab
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Birmingham, Michigan · Serving the Midwest

  Spark.   Light.

An immersive 8-week entrepreneurship program where high school students in Michigan build a real business, work with industry mentors, and pitch for $15,000 in cash prizes.

Students Impacted
Students Impacted
Partner Schools
Partner Schools
Week Program
Week Program
Video Modules
Video Modules

Built in partnership with

  • Michigan partner schools
  • Detroit metro businesses
  • Industry mentors
  • Competition sponsors

Real partner & sponsor logos coming soon. Want to be listed? Get in touch.

What is SparkLab

A real startup accelerator, built for high schoolers.

SparkLab is not a textbook. It is hands-on entrepreneurship: students work in teams of five to take a business from idea to pitch in eight weeks, learning from people who've built and run companies.

Real-world skills

Marketing, finance, branding, and public speaking taught by people who've actually done the work — not from a textbook.

Team collaboration

Five students per team, just like a real startup: a builder, a marketer, a finance lead, a designer, and a presenter.

Compete for cash

$15,000 total prize pool split between the top three teams, distributed directly to the students who win.

See it in action

Real cohorts. Real pitches.

Photos from past SparkLab cohorts across Michigan. Students researching markets, building decks, and competing on stage.

SparkLab students pitching their business on stage at the final competition
Students collaborating with an industry mentor during a SparkLab session
Industry judges evaluating SparkLab pitch presentations
SparkLab teams presenting in a Michigan high school lecture hall

Who SparkLab is for

One program. Four roles.

Students, schools, volunteer mentors and judges, and sponsors — SparkLab connects all four to make every cohort run.

I'm a high schooler

Students

Build a real business with 4 teammates. Work with industry mentors. Compete for cash prizes. Discover what you're capable of.

Explore
I run programs

Schools

Drop-in ready. Fits any class period.

Explore
I'm an operator

Mentors & Judges

Two flexible ways to give back — mentor a team through the cohort or judge the final pitch competition.

Explore
I want to back this

Sponsors

Back the prize pool. Get your brand in front of entrepreneurial teens across Michigan.

Explore

The Program

Eight weeks to ship a real business.

masterclass video modules, weekly facilitation guides, student workbooks, and a final pitch competition — all designed to drop into a standard semester schedule.

  1. 1Week 1–2Ideation & market research
  2. 2Week 3–4Business model & strategy
  3. 3Week 5–6Branding & marketing
  4. 4Week 7–8Financials & pitch prep
See the full curriculum
A SparkLab team presenting their business plan
Total prize pool
Modules

The Competition

Pitch. Compete. Win.

SparkLab culminates in an in-person pitch competition where teams present to a panel of working entrepreneurs, investors, and operators. Top three teams win cash distributed directly to students.

2nd Place
1st Place
3rd Place

Prize amounts may vary by competition and sponsorship. Prize money is distributed directly to winning team members.

See the 2025 winners

Serving Michigan & the Midwest

Built in Birmingham. Open to schools across the region.

SparkLab launched with schools in Detroit metro area and is actively expanding across Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, and Wisconsin.

MichiganOhioIndianaIllinoisWisconsinDetroit metro areaOakland CountyWayne CountyMacomb County
Bring SparkLab to your school
Applications open now

Ready to ignite your spark?

Whether you're a student, a school, a mentor, or a sponsor — there's a way in.

I'm a Student
I represent a School
I want to volunteer
  • No business background required
  • Works during class time
  • Cash prizes for the top teams