Teen Entrepreneur Challenge helps students turn ideas into action

CENTER VALLEY, Pa. — For most high school students, summer break means sleeping in and scrolling through social media. But for 21 teens from seven states, the summer of 2026 meant something different: building a business from scratch, pitching it to a panel of judges, and walking away with the tools, confidence and connections to keep going.

The 2026 Teen Entrepreneur Challenge (TEC) Camp, a signature program of the Lehigh Valley LaunchBox powered by Penn State, brought students in grades 10 through 12 to the Penn State Berks campus from July 26 through Aug. 1 for a weeklong residential experience built around one central theme: community impact. Campers traveled from Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina, Delaware and as far away as Detroit, Michigan, all united by a shared drive to turn their business ideas into reality.

“Penn State has an important role to play in creating opportunities for people to learn, grow and contribute at every stage of their lives,” said Tina Q. Richardson, chancellor of Penn State Lehigh Valley and executive sponsor of TEC Camp. “From pre-college experiences like TEC Camp to undergraduate and graduate education, professional development and programs for adult learners, we are building pathways that allow people to engage with Penn State in ways that meet them where they are and help prepare them for what comes next.”

That commitment begins with a rigorous, faculty-led curriculum. Penn State Lehigh Valley faculty anchored the week's instruction, bringing academic expertise directly into the camp experience. Sandy Kile, assistant teaching professor of communication arts and sciences, opened the week with a session on public speaking and interpersonal skills. Colleen Krcelich, certified public accountant and assistant teaching professor of business, led a hands-on session in financial literacy and accounting. Justin De Senso, assistant teaching professor of English, guided students through design thinking and business writing. Maung Min, teaching professor of business and director of business programs, rounded out the faculty lineup with a deep dive into business sustainability.

Industry partners and entrepreneurs added real-world perspective throughout the week. Catherine Connelly, an award-winning entrepreneur and author who co-founded the social networking platform myYearbook at age 15, delivered a session on marketing and entrepreneurship. The company grew into the Meet Group and was eventually acquired for $500 million. Kwame Lewis, founder of TaskRipple, led a session on artificial intelligence and its applications in business. The Kutztown University Small Business Development Center (SBDC) worked closely with students throughout the week, facilitating Business Model Canvas workshops and returning on the final evening to provide tailored feedback to each of the five teams ahead of their pitch presentations.

“What is always so incredible to me is the entrepreneurial spirit these students demonstrate well before they arrive on campus,” said Cindy Evans, director of the Lehigh Valley LaunchBox. “They explore programs from across the country, but they see Penn State as a place where they can take their ideas to the next level, turning their creativity and ambition into actionable next steps.”

Students were organized into five teams and challenged to develop original business concepts with a community impact lens. Their ideas ranged from a fitness tracker and a personal safety device to Speak Up, an AI-powered public speaking coach, and "The Move," a teen-focused event discovery app with embedded friend-tracking and safety features.

The winning pitch came from the team behind Favors, a service-based app connecting users who need help with those willing to lend a hand. Pro Tec, a safety device concept, earned the runner-up spot. The Favors team has already developed a working version of the app, launched an Instagram page and plans to continue collaborating beyond camp to bring the business to market.

“In my role as chief impact officer of the mock startup, I helped brainstorm ideas about how we can make our startup focused on community impact and our sustainability,” said Virat Ram Ponugoti, a camp participant. “I am very grateful to the TEC team and especially Camp Director Patrice Dume. I had a wonderful time learning how to make a startup and pitching our idea to a panel of judges.”

The camp experience extended beyond the classroom and into the community. Students visited the GoggleWorks Center for the Arts in Reading, where they designed and created custom coasters featuring their own business logos, blending creativity with brand development in collaboration with the Berks LaunchBox.

Community partners and sponsors played a vital role in making the week possible. Phil Williams, founder of Game Face Grooming and a two-time TEC Camp sponsor, spent an evening sharing stories from his career working alongside Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls during their championship dynasty of the 1990s and speaking to the teens about the importance of hard work and preparedness.

Williams also introduced students to the concept of intrapreneurship, the practice of thinking and acting like an entrepreneur within an existing organization. The concept was new to most of the campers and sparked lively conversation. Williams showcased two Game Face Grooming products, including cooling wipes and Philadelphia 76ers official NBA sneaker wipes.

Additional sponsors Bosch and Crayola also contributed to the experience, with Crayola donating back-to-school erasable crayons for all campers. Rosalind Lucien, founder of The Thrive Hub, a Lehigh Valley nonprofit dedicated to helping underrepresented youth achieve academic and career success, donated gifts for all students and assisted with outreach efforts for the camp.

TEC Camp's impact does not end when the week is over. On Friday morning, Tina Luey, an admissions counselor for Penn State University, led a session that connected the entrepreneurial experience to the next chapter of students' academic journeys, reinforcing the camp's role as a meaningful recruitment pipeline for the University.

And it is already producing results: TEC Camp 2025 alum Arnav will begin his studies at Penn State Berks this fall, and his younger brother, Viraaj, a member of the 2026 cohort heading into his senior year of high school, has already been accepted to Penn State Berks for fall 2027.

“Parents make the decision to support the camp because they see the value, too,” Evans continued. “It's mom and dad who have to figure out the logistics and make the resources available. But time and again, parents tell us it was the best summer experience their child has ever had.”

TEC Camp 2026 was managed by Patrice Dume, program manager for the Lehigh Valley LaunchBox. The Lehigh Valley LaunchBox powered by Penn State is an Invent Penn State initiative.