Business INCubator

Believed to be the first of its kind in the nation, the Business INCubator course was started at Barrington High School during the 2013-14 school year. The innovative class is an authentic learning experience that teaches entrepreneurship to high school sophomores through seniors. It is now in more than 100 high schools nationwide. This course is designed to get students excited about becoming true entrepreneurs. Students have the opportunity to create and fully develop their own product or service. Real-world entrepreneurs and business experts serve as coaches and mentors guiding student teams through the process of ideation, market research, and business plan development. Over the course of the year, student teams learn about marketing, accounting, human resources, as well as the legal aspects of running a business to get them geared up for Pitch Week. Pitch Week helps to further fire the entrepreneurial spirit by putting student teams in front of actual investors to pitch their innovative idea and possibly win funding to turn their business plans into reality during the summer and following school year.

Regardless of what field students eventually decide to pursue after high school, INCubatoredu provides them with the opportunity to develop their communication, problem-solving, and collaboration skills. These skills are essential in today's workforce.