LAUNCHX ENTREPRENEURSHIP PROGRAM
LaunchX Entrepreneurship Program
About the Program
LaunchX launched its first program in 2013 at MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology), one of the world's leading universities, located in the Boston area of the United States. Today, LaunchX is an international youth entrepreneurship program that offers high school students from around the world the opportunity to experience every stage of transforming an idea into a real startup.
The program, which will be held in Türkiye for the first time, consists of three stages: a 10-week Bootcamp+, the LaunchX Entrepreneurship Camp in Istanbul led by LaunchX instructors and mentors from the United States, and Demo Day, where students present their projects to investors and professionals from the entrepreneurship ecosystem. Outstanding teams selected by LaunchX will have the opportunity to be invited to the international LaunchX program held in the United States in July, bringing together young entrepreneurs selected from countries around the world. Throughout the program, students will also have the opportunity to meet Forest Richter, CEO of LaunchX, and learn from his entrepreneurship and leadership experiences.
Program Outcomes
Starting with a real-world problem or need, students experience the processes of idea development, customer discovery, market research, and product-market fit. Through these activities, they develop entrepreneurial thinking, problem definition, and data-driven decision-making skills.
Through minimum viable product (MVP) and prototype development activities, students turn their ideas into tangible solutions. By evaluating user feedback, they gain experience in testing, improving, and refining their solutions. This process strengthens their innovative thinking, analytical problem-solving, and product development skills.
Through business model, revenue model, financial feasibility, pricing, and business planning activities, students develop financial thinking, strategic planning, and venture development skills. They learn that an idea must not only be creative but also feasible and sustainable.
Working with LaunchX instructors, mentors, and investors helps students develop teamwork, leadership, professional communication in English, networking, pitching, and effective presentation skills. Through the Demo Day experience, they learn to present and defend their ideas in a professional setting, answer questions, and make use of feedback, developing an entrepreneurial mindset.
TOP TEAMS GO TO THE USA!
Outstanding teams in the program
are invited to an exclusive, approximately
one-month LaunchX entrepreneurship program
held in the United States in July.
This exceptional experience, which brings
together
only 96 students
from countries around the world, offers
global networking, mentorship, and
new opportunities.
Program Structure
LEARN & DEVELOP
10-Week Bootcamp+
During the 10-week online preparation period, students learn the essential steps of taking a startup from the idea stage to market readiness and apply them to their own projects. They work on entrepreneurship and idea development, financial feasibility, customer discovery, product-market fit, MVP development, sales, pricing, and rapid prototyping.
- Idea Development
- Customer Discovery
- Market Research
- Product-Market Fit
- Financial Feasibility
Develop your idea and turn it into a startup.
TEST & MODEL
Students work with LaunchX instructors and mentors from the United States in an intensive startup environment. Teams conduct customer validation, develop their MVPs and prototypes, build business and financial models, and turn their startup ideas into compelling investor-ready pitches.
- Customer Validation
- MVP and Prototype Development
- Financial Modeling
- Business Plan Development
- Mentoring Sessions
- Pitch Preparation
Test, develop, and model.
PRESENT & MAKE AN IMPACT
At the end of the program, students present the startups they have developed at Demo Day to investors, jury members, and professionals from the entrepreneurship ecosystem. They answer real investor questions, receive professional feedback, and gain entrepreneurial experience in communicating their ideas effectively. Teams selected by LaunchX are invited to the international LaunchX program held in the United States.
- Investor Presentation
- Compelling Pitch
- Professional Feedback
- Entrepreneurship Ecosystem
- English Communication
- Networking
- LaunchX Certificate of Participation
- U.S. Program Opportunity
Bring your idea to the stage.
PROGRAM FLOW
WEEK 1
Entrepreneurship and
Idea Development
WEEK 2
Financial
Feasibility
WEEK 3
Defining
Success
Criteria
WEEK 4
Effective Presentation
and Pitching
WEEK 5
Customer
Discovery
WEEK 6
Product–Market
Fit
WEEK 7
MVP
Development
WEEK 8
Sales and
Pricing
WEEK 9
Rapid
Prototyping
WEEK 10
Post-LaunchX
Roadmap
Q&A
Simulation
Modeling
Session
Simulation
- Team gathering
- Program orientation
- Formation of working groups
- Meet the mentors
- Customer validation
- MVP development
- Prototyping
- Mentor meetings
- Financial modeling
- Business plan preparation
- Pitch presentation development
- Presentation rehearsals
- Investor and jury presentations
- Feedback
- Certificate ceremony and closing
Registration Process and Timeline
Registration Opens
Program registration opens
on September 10, 2026.
Application Deadline
The deadline for registration
and applications is October 26, 2026.
Program Dates
The program will take place
from April 22 to 25, 2027.
Program Fee & Service Details
LaunchX Entrepreneurship Program and service details.
LAUNCHX ENTREPRENEURSHIP PROGRAM
Services Included in the Program
- 10-week Bootcamp+ program
- 5 live LaunchX sessions
- 4-day, 3-night LaunchX Camp in Istanbul
- Opportunity to work with LaunchX instructors from the USA
- Entrepreneurship training and hands-on workshops
- Mentoring sessions and teamwork activities
- Customer validation and market research activities
- MVP and prototype development processes
- Participation in Demo Day
- LaunchX Certificate of Participation
- Student health insurance valid throughout the program
Services Not Included in the Program
- Personal shopping expenses
