A two-week, real-world entrepreneurship experience in Lisbon for high school students ready to collaborate, take on responsibility, and grow.

Lisbon Summer Innovation Challenge

Location: Lisbon, Portugal
Dates: June 29-July 10, 2026
Schedule: Mon-Fri, 9:30am - 4:30pm
Ages: 14-18
Residential & Commuter Options

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The Innovation Challenges

In partnership with Unicorn Factory Lisboa

Lisbon is a growing European hub for innovation, entrepreneurship, and applied problem-solving. Through its partnership with Unicorn Factory Lisboa, Hudson Lab Ventures situates students inside a real innovation ecosystem shaped by startups, scale-ups, and established companies working across industries.

The Lisbon program is anchored by a real-world innovation challenge sponsored by leading Portuguese companies, with recent challenges supported by José de Mello and Sonae.

These organizations operate across sectors such as education, retail, telecom, healthcare, industry and technology. Their involvement gives students exposure to how large, complex organizations think about strategy, innovation, and long-term impact in practice.

Rather than working through a predefined case, students engage with open-ended questions grounded in real organizational contexts. They learn how to understand constraints, evaluate trade-offs, and develop ideas that respond to practical, real-world conditions.

Lisbon becomes both a setting and a learning environment, helping students understand how innovation takes shape within an interconnected European ecosystem.

Is This the Right Program for Your Child?

  • The program is designed for high school students (typically ages 14–18) who are curious, motivated, and ready to engage seriously with complex, real-world problems.

    Students do not need prior experience in entrepreneurship or business. They do need to be willing to participate actively, collaborate with peers, and take responsibility for their work.

  • Students who thrive often:

    • Enjoy collaborative problem solving

    • Are curious about how ideas turn into action

    • Are open to feedback and iteration

    • Are willing to speak up, even when unsure

    Introverted students often do very well, especially when given time to build confidence through practice and supportive facilitation.

  • Hudson Lab Ventures is not a simulation or a class.

    Students work on real challenges connected to real organizations, receive feedback from practitioners, and present their work to authentic audiences.

    Responsibility is real, expectations are high, and students are treated as capable young adults.

  • Students are expected to:

    • Participate fully in teamwork

    • Make decisions and explain their thinking

    • Manage their time and contributions

    • Learn from mistakes and revise their work

    Facilitators provide structure and support, but students are not micromanaged.

  • Students seeking a recreational summer are probably not the right fit. Students uncomfortable with ambiguity (often high-achievers) may struggle at first, but this program is exactly what you need.

Program Rhythm

A group of high school students are entering the Coupang corporate offices

Understand the Challenge
Meet the challenge sponsor, explore context, and build empathy for the problem.

A group of young people participating in a Design Thinking exercise with lots of colorful sticky notes, engaging in a discussion in a bright room with large windows showing the sunny urban landscape of Lisbon.

Reframe & Prioritize Problems
Dig into stakeholder needs, surface insights, and identify problems worth solving.

A young man in black shirt, presenting in front of a screen with a slide that reads "thirdEYE keep an eye open" and "Thank you."

Pitch & Form Teams
Students pitch ideas and form teams around the most compelling ones.

A woman with long dark hair is sitting at a desk in an office, looking at a hand-drawn comic strip on paper. There are two laptops on the desk, one pink and one grey, along with other office supplies. The office has large windows with blinds, and several chairs and desks are visible in the background.

Design & Develop Solutions
Teams research, iterate, and refine their solutions while preparing a persuasive pitch.

Four students presenting in a classroom with a large projection screen displaying a slide about ReForge, a program for attracting and nurturing talent in heavy industries.

Pitch to an Authentic Audience
Students pitch their work to challenge partners, executives and experts.

Lisbon

Lisbon is easy to love.

Students will spend time together exploring local neighborhoods taking riverfront walks, sharing meals, and discovering favorite spots. Conversations continue long after workshops end, whether over gelato, pastel de nata, or an evening walk through the city. The rhythm of Lisbon encourages students to slow down, notice their surroundings, and enjoy being part of a community.

Group of people on a wooden deck conversing in pairs, near a building with windows and a decorative doorway.

Living in Lisbon

Students participating in the Lisbon program live and learn in one of Europe’s most welcoming and accessible cities, supported by clear routines, close supervision, and experienced staff. The residential experience is designed to balance independence with structure, giving students space to grow while remaining well supported. Lisbon is treated as part of the learning environment rather than a sightseeing destination. Its scale, walkability, and strong sense of community provide daily context for understanding how innovation, business, and civic life intersect in practice.

Check-in: Sun, June 28
Check-out: Sat, July 11

  • Residential students live in supervised housing with live-in Resident Advisors (RAs) and Hudson Lab Ventures staff who are present outside program hours.

    RAs are responsible for:

    • Daily check-ins and established routines

    • Supporting student well-being

    • Enforcing expectations around safety and conduct

    • Serving as a consistent point of contact for students

    Students are not left to navigate the city independently. Movement, free time, and group activities are planned, structured, and supervised.

  • Students are housed in centrally located accommodations selected for safety, accessibility, and proximity to program activities.

    Lunch is provided Monday through Friday on program days. There are 2 planned group dinners each week, where students and staff come together for shared meals and conversation. These meals are intentionally designed to support connection, reflection, and a sense of belonging. On other evenings, students eat independently in small groups, with guidance from staff and clear expectations around timing, check-ins, and boundaries. Staff remain actively involved in evening supervision and are attentive to students’ routines, energy levels, and overall well-being.

    Students are also supported in managing daily routines such as punctuality, communication, and shared responsibilities.

  • The Lisbon program is designed for students who are ready to manage independence within clear structure.

    Students are expected to:

    • Follow program schedules and guidelines

    • Communicate responsibly with staff

    • Respect shared spaces and community norms

    • Represent Hudson Lab Ventures appropriately

    These expectations are communicated clearly at the start of the program and reinforced throughout.

  • Families receive clear pre-program information and know how to reach Hudson Lab Ventures staff with questions or concerns.

    Questions about housing, supervision, or student care are always welcome. Families are encouraged to attend an info session to learn more about the residential experience and daily routines.

  • Hudson Lab Ventures provides clear guidance to families in advance so travel expectations are well understood.

    For students traveling from the United States or other countries:

    • Families arrange flights independently based on provided arrival and departure windows

    • Program staff coordinate group arrival times and shared transportation where applicable

    • Staff are present to support students upon arrival in Seoul and during departure at the end of the program

    Detailed travel guidance, including recommended arrival dates, meeting points, and packing considerations, is shared with enrolled families ahead of the program.

    Students are not expected to navigate international travel logistics on their own.

More questions? Families are always welcome to reach out or attend an info session.

Group of diverse young people and an adult man smiling and posing for a photo indoors with windows and greenery in the background.

What Students Leave With

By the end of the program, students leave with:

  • Experience tackling a real, complex challenge with real expectations

  • Greater confidence communicating ideas and working in teams

  • Practice navigating ambiguity, feedback, and iteration

  • A clearer understanding of how ideas become action in the real world

  • Perspective gained from learning in a global city context

Ready to take the next step?

Applications are short and focused on fit and interest rather than prior experience.

Apply to Hudson Lab Ventures or join an info session to learn more.

Apply Now