Spend your summer building a real company.

Hustle with the best and brightest of the Cleveland startup scene.

Get real seed funding.

Each team will receive up to $300 in seed funding to kickstart their venture, no strings attached.

Learn applicable skills.

You'll learn about every aspect of business: accounting, operations, finance, marketing, legal, and more.

Make great friends.

Ignite your passions in a cohort of ten driven student entrepreneurs from all around Northeast Ohio.

Learn By Doing

RocketPad is a four-week entrepreneurial accelerator program for high school students. Our Cleveland program will take place in the summer of 2018. Students will get hands-on experience starting a company, while learning a tailored, proprietary curriculum on entrepreneurship principles. Students will also have access to a vast database of mentors, consultants, and other resources.

Whether you're starting a venture or working at a large company, entrepreneurship is everywhere. While traditional business frameworks can be useful, the real learning happens when you try, fail, and try again.

We are proud to have partnered with StartMart to offer office space to our entrepreneurs. We have also partnered with the Young Entreprenuer Institute at University School (www.YoungEntrepreneurInstitute.org) for curricular support.

Don't waste your summer on someone else's theories. Invest your summer at RocketPad.

Request the Application

Location

StartMart

We're proud to have partnered with StartMart, a startup and coworking community located in Tower City to host the program. StartMart is located in Suite #200 of Terminal Tower.

RocketPad CLE will give students access to the same workspace ($4500 value) and resources the renowned accelerator, Flashstarts, provides its entrepreneurs.

Student teams will be able to explore Tower City and the surrounding properties with friends and familiarize themselves with the Cleveland startup community, all while launching their very own business.

Tuition

Estimated cost for our 2018 program is $1950, including program materials and catered lunch on Fridays.

Need-based scholarships are available. If you stand out, we will make it possible for you to attend.

Dates

The program is from June 18th, 2018 until July 13th, from 9:30AM to 3:30PM each week day.

There will be optional work/free time within the space each day from 3:30PM-4:00PM.

Do you take any equity from the accepted companies?

Nope! Any and all funding you receive from RocketPad comes with no strings attached. You will own 100% of your company at the end of the program.

Do I need to have a business idea prior to applying?

You do not need to have a business idea or plan when you apply. Everybody has passions, and we will work with you to transform yours into a scalable venture.

What is the advantage of applying early?

We review applications on a rolling basis. The program is extremely competitive. With only 10 spots available, early applicants hear back sooner and have a better shot at getting in. Also, financial aid preference is given to earlier applicants.