Young students, between 14 and 18 years old, ideated six ventures using an international methodology. They received training in marketing, finance, prototype design and soft skills through the EPIC program (Entrepreneurship Program for Innovators and Change Makers) of Babson College, the world's leading university in entrepreneurship education.
These entrepreneurships provide solutions for issues in our environment, contracting services, and monetary transactions, among others.
Daniel Allen, General Director of Lincoln School, explained that an alliance between Lincoln School and Babson College was established 5 years ago to promote entrepreneurship thought and action in Costa Rican society to boost community development.
“For us it is very important that society begins to train in entrepreneurship and that it can participate in the economic reactivation the country needs. It is through these camps and other projects that we are building that we sow the entrepreneurial knowledge seed in Costa Rica”, said Allen.
To encourage inclusion in this initiative, Lincoln School gave full scholarships to 6 public school students to participate in the Ingenious Lab, as a reward for their excellent performance and academic commitment.
What businesses do young people think about?
The initiatives proposed by the students are linked to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and seek to positively impact the social environment.
Most of the initiatives are developed on a digital level, taking advantage of smartphones and social networks features to spread the word about their proposals easily to the masses. Here is a brief description of each project:
- Tutum Pay: an app that provides money transaction services to other countries quickly and at a lower cost.
- Squareit: A new way to reuse your clothes, this business creates new styles with your old clothes.
- SporTena: an app that connects the Costa Rican sports community. Feel like going for a walk, but don't know who to go with? In this space you can find people willing to share their favorite sport.
- Mejengüiemos: a campaign that seeks to raise awareness about a second use of sports implements. This is a purposeful donation of sporting goods so that those under 18 and with limited resources can take advantage of shirts, tennis shoes and sporting goods in good condition.
- Conexus: An app that offers a virtual catalog and seeks to associate customers with services. Are you going to have a party and hire a DJ? Do you have a sick pet and are you looking for a vet? Here you find all the options easy and fast.
- Alta voz: an app that offers users the possibility of evaluating the management of public and private companies to empower citizens in solving community problems.
A different experience
Learning outside the classroom and having fun in the process awakens interest in young people... even more when it brings a change of perspective.
afet Diaz, a 11th grade student at Kamuk School, commented that he has understood that an entrepreneur is more than a businessman, it is someone who offers creative solutions to problems.
According to Diaz, it is important that people lose their fear of being an entrepreneur from an early age. "It seems to me that there is a general fear of this idea of entrepreneur something (...) the methodology of this camp conveys security and the possibility of breaking the mold to help others."
Julián Cañas, an 11th grade student at Lincoln School, stated that during the camp he was able to develop innovative ideas through new knowledge in economics and finance that was useful to apply to the projects they devised.
“This will help me with my resume and to make a decision about my college career,” Cañas said.
Andrea Colmenares, a 10th-year student at the San Sebastian CTP, mentioned that the Ingenious Lab represents a great opportunity to learn teamwork and acquire emotional intelligence, as well as new topics that were unknown to her, such as finance.
By participating in the Ingenious Lab, students visited universities and innovation centers to inspire their analytical and teamwork skills necessary to create entrepreneurial projects. The students visited Universidad Véritas, Texas Tech and GS1 Costa Rica facilities.
Students from Lincoln School, Kamuk School, Country Day School, Whitman School, Saint Anthony, Saint Francis, CTP San Rafael, CTP Santa Ana, CTP San Sebastián and CTP Educación Comercial y Servicios participated in this Ingenious Lab.
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