Governor's School for Entrepreneurs

The Governor's School for Entrepreneurs (GSE) empowers Kentucky's up-and-coming innovators with lifelong entrepreneurial skills and support for their enterprises.  We operate interrelated high school, college, and alumni programs that build upon one another and encourage our students to make their business dreams come true in the Bluegrass.  

During GSE's Summer Startup program, teams of high school students develop a business model, a prototype, and pitch their company to a large audience and a panel of judges. Students learn a great deal about themselves and others as they live in a community, developing long-lasting connections and skills. Educators, business leaders, experienced entrepreneurs, and other mentors work closely with the students in experiential, non-traditional learning sessions and cocurricular activities.  Students learn what it takes to create a successful company and are eligible for millions of dollars in college scholarships. They also learn from GSE's Collegiate Pitch alums and are introduced to Collegiate Pitch as a next step in their entrepreneurial journey in Kentucky. 

GSE's Collegiate Pitch program is Kentucky's largest intercollegiate pitch competition and provides access to thousands of dollars in funding, along with valuable feedback from entrepreneurial experts. The competition encourages innovation and entrepreneurship by providing opportunities for students to develop and purse their business ideas, and rewards businesses judged to be the most likely to produce successful ventures that create jobs for Kentuckians. Collegiate Pitch is part of the Summer Startup curriculum, as those high school students learn from Collegiate Pitch participants and are encouraged to apply for Collegiate Pitch with all of the opportunities it offers for their ongoing business development.  

GSE's Ecosystem is a support network for the alumni of Summer Startup and Collegiate Pitch. The Ecosystem works to help promote alumni businesses, provide networking and development opportunities, along with ongoing educational offerings. 

Since launching in 2013, GSE has impacted the lives and communities of more than 1,100 high school and college students. More than 110 businesses have been launched in the Bluegrass by our alums and/or received funding to further their enterprises. We've served students in 101 counties across Kentucky.

"GSE has been the best experience I could ever ask for. It has changed my life for the better and I can't wait to see in a couple years where all of the relationships I've made take me."  - Carolina Keeton, Morgan County, Summer Startup Alum

"The quality of my experience was great. I learned a lot and I'm grateful for the opportunities provided here. I feel like I can go start my own business more confidently now." - Ryan Hawkins, Oldham County, Summer Startup Alum

"This allowed me to view my business from someone else's perspective, and I was able to take the constructive criticism and apply it to make my business better."  - LaShay Calvin, Sullivan University, Collegiate Pitch Alum

All of our programs are free for students. Invest in the future of Kentucky with GSE! Thank you!