Governor’s School for Entrepreneurs Summer Startup, Collegiate Pitch accepting applications
Published 12:35 pm Monday, October 12, 2026
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LOUISVILLE — The Governor’s School for Entrepreneurs (GSE) is now accepting applications for its Summer Startup program for high school students and its Collegiate Pitch competition for college-age entrepreneurs. In 2027, GSE will once again partner with the University of Kentucky Gatton College of Business and Economics to host the Summer Startup program, while its Collegiate Pitch competition will take place for the first time at Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory.
Kentucky high school and college students can apply for these life-changing, free programs at www.kentuckygse.com.
“The Governor’s School for Entrepreneurs helps open doors for Kentucky students by giving them the opportunity to turn their ideas into real businesses, products and services,” said Gov. Andy Beshear. “I’m excited to see what Kentucky’s bright young minds come up with this year.”
Kentucky 9th-, 10th-, and 11th-grade students interested in entrepreneurship can apply for the 2027 GSE Summer Startup program. Applications will be accepted until 11 p.m. on Feb. 1. GSE does not consider grade-point averages or standardized test scores in its application.
During the immersive three-week program, students will live on campus at the University of Kentucky in Lexington from June 20 to July 11. The intensive, nontraditional learning experience develops entrepreneurial skills with a lifelong impact. The goal of GSE is to help foster economic growth across the commonwealth by supporting the business dreams of students who have the drive and passion to be entrepreneurs and create jobs that support economic growth in Kentucky.
GSE’s Collegiate Pitch program is Kentucky’s largest intercollegiate pitch competition, with thousands of dollars in funding awards. The program provides students valuable feedback from entrepreneurial experts and fosters innovation and entrepreneurship by enabling college students to develop and pursue their business ideas, which ultimately supports jobs and economic opportunity across Kentucky.
The competition will take place March 6, at Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory in Louisville. As a first step in the application process, interested students must submit the required Intent to Compete form by Dec. 12. The form and more information about Collegiate Pitch can be found at www.kentuckygse.com. Funding awards range from $3,000 to $12,000.
“GSE is proud to champion Kentucky’s student entrepreneurs at every stage of their journey,” said Anne Jewell, president and CEO of GSE. “From high school through college and beyond, GSE helps students build the skills, confidence, and connections they need to turn bold ideas into ventures that can thrive in communities across the commonwealth.”
Kentucky was one of the first states in the nation to create a Governor’s School for Entrepreneurs. A total of 1,405 high school students have graduated from GSE’s Summer Startup program since it began in 2013. Each year, millions of dollars in scholarships are available to GSE graduates from colleges and universities across Kentucky. More than 70 businesses have been launched in Kentucky by Summer Startup graduates. Through GSE’s Collegiate Pitch, hundreds of student entrepreneurs at 24 colleges, representing more than 50 Kentucky-based businesses, have won hundreds of thousands of dollars in funding since 2019.
