Many summer programs promise to turn teenagers into founders. It’s an exciting pitch, but it rests on a hard assumption: that a 16-year-old can invent a business idea that solves a real problem. Most adults can’t do that on demand.
Hudson Lab Ventures takes a different approach. Students don’t launch their own ventures. They learn the entrepreneurial mindset and process by working on problems that already exist at real companies and organizations.
What is an innovation program?
An innovation program teaches students how to find, frame and solve problems, the same skills that sit behind entrepreneurship and business strategy. Instead of starting from a blank page, students start with a real challenge from a partner organization. Their work is shaped by real constraints: who the customer is, what the company can do, and what would make a difference.
How is it different from a startup bootcamp?
A startup bootcamp usually asks students to invent a product or business and pitch it. An innovation program asks students to understand a situation that already exists, work out what matters most, and propose ideas that respond to it. The first rewards a great idea. The second builds judgment, curiosity and the ability to work in a team, and those skills carry over to college, to work and to any business.
What do students actually do?
Students move through a five-step process:
Understand the challenge. They meet the sponsor, explore the context and build empathy for the problem.
Reframe and prioritize problems. They dig into stakeholder needs and identify which problems are worth solving.
Pitch and form teams. Students pitch ideas and form teams around the strongest ones.
Design and develop solutions. Teams research, iterate and refine while preparing a persuasive pitch.
Pitch to an authentic audience. Students present to challenge partners, executives and experts.
Where does it happen?
The challenges depend on the city:
New York City: Students work at Columbia University and have worked with Etsy, Brightline and Harvard GSE’s Making Caring Common project.
Lisbon: Students work with Unicorn Factory Lisboa and Portuguese companies such as Sonae and José de Mello.
Seoul: Students have worked on a real challenge for Coupang.
Programs are small, with low student-to-educator ratios, and have residential and commuter options.
Who is it for?
It fits students who are curious, ready to take responsibility for their work and willing to collaborate. It’s not a good fit for students who want a lecture-based course.
What do students leave with?
Students gain experience tackling a real, complex challenge, more confidence communicating ideas and working in teams, practice with ambiguity and feedback, and a clearer sense of how ideas become action in the real world. They also have work they can talk about in college applications and future jobs.
Next steps
Learn more on the NYC, Lisbon and Seoul pages, see Admissions and Cost & Aid, or attend an info session.
