The UpStarters Virtual Discovery Camp for summer 2020 is a very unique opportunity for high school students within the Inland Empire to get a taste of entrepreneurship from the battle-tested faculty of a Top 35 Globally Recognized Entrepreneurship program.

Starting June 22 until June 25, the free camp is a four-day virtual experience with the CSUSB Entrepreneurship program to learn and explore the fundamentals of entrepreneurship from the university’s globally recognized program. It will feature live sessions with entrepreneurs and guided experiences.

And new for 2020 is the “Improv Workshop” and “Entrepreneur Insider Interviews in the Hot Seat.” 

​​​​​​The UpStarters Virtual Discovery Camp is for all Inland Empire upper grade level, junior and senior class high school students.

“When you have such great supporters and incredible, successful influencers and entrepreneurs from the across the Inland Empire ready and willing to mentor our future generations in exploring entrepreneurship, it makes producing an event such as this a BIG win-win,” said Mike Stull, academic director of CSUSB Entrepreneurship and director of the Inland Empire Center for Entrepreneurship (IECE). “This type of program, geared towards high school students, plays an important role in developing our future leaders of the region!” 

Who is the program for?

The program is for all Inland Empire upper grade level, junior and senior class high school students. The format of this intense insight into entrepreneurship is a four-day virtual camp filled with video instruction, guided experiences and live interactive sessions.

Students will get 20 hours of entrepreneurial insights, develop skills to learn to Think Like an Owner™, discover how to launch their dream venture and what it means to live and breathe innovation.  

“The future of San Bernardino County lies in the innovation and strength of its local workforce. For the young people throughout our county, learning experiences and programs such as this that help to propel career growth, discovery, and lifelong learning are vital,” said Curt Hagman, chairman of the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors. “That is why it is so important to encourage entrepreneurship so that the youth in our county can create a future that is full of new ideas and great potential.”  

Students will get 20 hours of entrepreneurial insights, develop skills to learn to Think Like an Owner™, discover how to launch their dream venture and what it means to live and breathe innovation.

What can participants expect? 

Through the live virtual sessions, camp participants will meet current CSUSB students and alumni, hear about their college experiences, and learn some insider tips for getting the most out of their future collegiate adventure. They will also have the opportunity to engage with real, local successful entrepreneurs from different industries. Camp participants have an opportunity to hear about their startup stories, ask them directly about their success methods, and soak up their influence – not something they would get every day! 

Is this STEM related? 

Students who have experience or are considering a STEM-focused education can expect to gain an advantage with the UpStarters Virtual Discovery Camp delivered by the CSUSB Entrepreneurship program. The power to innovate – to use technical skills and knowledge to generate unique solutions – happens through the power, mindset and implementation of entrepreneurship. Establishing real-world advances from science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) is a powerful catalyst for endless enterprising applications. Students must learn the skills necessary in how to bring those advanced STEM concepts from imagination to reality by means of innovative solutions – that is entrepreneurship. 

Register for the camp at the UpStarters Virtual Camp 2020 webpage.

Also visit IECE’s  UpStarters Virtual Discovery Camp 2020 webpage to learn more.

Program Supporters 

The UpStarters Virtual Discovery Camp 2020 is presented by the Inland Empire Center for Entrepreneurship (IECE), and is generously sponsored in partnership with the San Bernardino County Economic Development Department in support of its dedicated San Bernardino Countywide Vision 2 Succeed initiative. The UpStarters Virtual Discovery Camp 2020 is also supported by the San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools Alliance for Education. 

About San Bernardino County

Located at the heart of Southern California, an economy of 23 million people, San Bernardino County is the largest county in the United States. Its vast borders stretch from the greater Los Angeles area to the Nevada border and the Colorado River encompassing a total area of 20,160 square miles. Comprised of 24 cities, San Bernardino County encompasses more than two million residents with a workforce of nearly 900,000. Its assets include an innovation corridor of close to two dozen colleges and universities supporting a strong, diverse workforce along with an unparalleled collection of roadways, runways and railways that lead to regional, national and international business centers. Visit www.SelectSBCounty.com.

About the Inland Empire Center for Entrepreneurship (IECE)

Established in 1999, the Inland Empire Center for Entrepreneurship supports and celebrates entrepreneurship and small business through innovative programs and educational resources. IECE is based at the Jack H. Brown College of Business & Public Administration at CSUSB and coordinates academic programs that lead to business degrees in entrepreneurship for undergraduate and graduate students as well as delivering experiential learning and student support programs. In the local community, IECE offers existing and aspiring entrepreneurs a wide array of business advisory, mentoring services and entrepreneurial training programs that help them achieve greater levels of success in their business ventures. The top four service segments of IECE are the CSUSB Entrepreneurship program (both San Bernardino and Palm Desert campuses), the Women’s Business Centers (IEWBC.org) (CVWBC.org), the Small Business Development Centers (IESBDC) (IEsmallbusiness.com) and the State Trade Expansion Program (STEP) (californiaexport.org). To learn more about IECE and all of the programs available visit entre.csusb.edu.

For more information contact:

Stacey Allis, assistant director, Inland Empire Center for Entrepreneurship (IECE), at (909) 329-4515 or stacey.allis@csusb.edu.

Michael Stull, director, Inland Empire Center for Entrepreneurship (IECE), (909) 537-3708 or mstull@csusb.edu.

UpStarters Discovery Camp sign-up sheet.