"If you can dream it, you can do it"---Walt Disney

GSE exemplifies our strategy to create small businesses that will energize the economy of West Virginia, and we are attempting to foster that growth through fashioning an atmosphere of imagination, innovation, and creativity for our young potential entrepreneurs. Entrepreneurship among young people is not a new thing. Our country has a history of capitalizing on the fresh, new ideas of people who are willing to take a chance.

 

• One of the most successful entrepreneurs of all time, Benjamin Franklinwas only 26 when he published “Poor Richard’s Almanac”

• Madam C.J. Walker, founder of the Walker Hair Care System for hair of black women which made her a multi-millionaire was in her early 20s when she started her business, saying “If you recognize an unserved customer base, do something about it”

• William Harley was only 21 when he drew the plans for a motorized bicycle, and within five years he and his partner Arthur Davidson were in business with a factory producing what is now the only U.S. built motorcycle today

• …and Steve Jobs and Mark Zuckerberg and……

 

To share that dream-realizing experience, WVGSE offers high-school students the chance to dream about a new business or product and then make it happen.  Young innovators are thrown into an "accelerator" atmosphere where in three short weeks, they learn about business models, design thinking, and scaling new startup ventures.

 There are team competitions, a pitch competition, and the opportunity to actually launch a new business venture. In fact, every young innovator will be an entrepreneur by the end of GSE

 Read through the information provided in the links in the last column at the bottom of this page to see if you have the fire to become a West Virginia entrepreneur.