by Mark D. Weinstein, Executive Director of Public Relations
What happens when high school students are given a week to complete a challenge that is bigger than themselves?
At Cedarville University's third-annual Entrepreneurship Camp, held June 16-19, students from across the country spent a week developing entrepreneurial skills and innovative solutions. The capstone event was a live pitch competition that featured student-created startup concepts. The event was livestreamed worldwide.
The camp’s purpose is to help students develop their entrepreneurial skillset: identifying problems, validating opportunities, creating value propositions, developing business models and communicating ideas effectively.
Cedarville University Entrepreneurship Camp Develops Future Business Leaders
"What we witnessed this week was far more than a pitch competition," said Dr. Kary Oberbrunner, director of Cedarville University's entrepreneurship program. "Students arrived with curiosity and left with confidence. They learned that entrepreneurship is not simply about creating businesses; it's about identifying needs, serving people and developing solutions that can make a meaningful difference in the world."
Entrepreneurship Students Learn Innovation and Startup Development
Before the competition, keynote speaker Tunji Adebayo, a holistic health practitioner for Rhyme LLC with a passion for people, nutrition and fitness, encouraged students to embrace their unique calling and potential for impact.
Student teams presented a variety of innovative concepts, including AI-powered learning glasses designed to help students study more effectively, mold detection technology intended to protect homes and institutions, and software aimed at preventing online scams for consumers and entrepreneurs.
Students also received instruction on intellectual property and protecting their ideas before presenting them publicly.
Student Startup Competition Highlights Social Impact Solutions
Five students, Claire Best, Michaela Snook, Noelle Bryant, Colter Bauman and Alex Baker, formed team Kinora, which won the competition by developing an application designed to connect children facing serious illnesses with other children experiencing similar challenges. Its focus on people was a deciding factor in its victory.
"The Kinora team demonstrated a key principle of entrepreneurship," Oberbrunner said. "The best entrepreneurs don't begin with products; they begin with people. They recognize challenges, listen carefully and create solutions that serve others."
Camp organizers noted that the event highlighted the creativity, leadership and problem-solving abilities of the next generation.
The fourth annual Cedarville University Entrepreneurship Camp is scheduled for June 2027.
About Cedarville University
Cedarville University, an evangelical Christian institution in southwest Ohio, offers undergraduate and graduate residential and online programs across arts, sciences and professional fields. With 7,265 students, it is among Ohio's largest private universities and is ranked among the nation’s top five evangelical universities in the Wall Street Journal’s 2026 Best Colleges in the U.S. Cedarville is also known for its vibrant Christian community, challenging academics and high graduation and retention rates. Learn more at cedarville.edu.
