University of Kentucky will host GSE’s high school Summer Startup; Thomas More University will host GSE’s Collegiate Pitch

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (Oct. 24, 2024) – 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 2025, GSE will 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 at Thomas More University. Kentucky high school and college students can apply for these transformational, free programs at kentuckygse.com.

“Our home-grown entrepreneurs are essential for Kentucky as we continue to grow our economy, and we’re already benefiting from the businesses and patents that have developed from GSE alums since it started over 10 years ago,” said Gov. Andy Beshear. “With the help of experts and other entrepreneurs, this program offers today’s high school and college leaders the opportunity to turn their dreams into a reality.”

GSE Summer Startup
Applications are now being accepted for the 2025 GSE Summer Startup from all Kentucky 9th-, 10th-, and 11th-grade students interested in entrepreneurship. Applications will be accepted until 11 pm EST on Jan. 21, 2025. 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 22 to July 13, 2025. 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 Collegiate Pitch
GSE’s Collegiate Pitch program is Kentucky’s largest intercollegiate pitch competition with thousands of dollars in funding awards, along with valuable feedback from entrepreneurial experts. The competition encourages innovation and entrepreneurship by providing opportunities for college students to develop and pursue their business ideas and rewards businesses judged to be most likely to produce successful ventures that create jobs for Kentuckians.

The competition will take place March 1, 2025, at Thomas More University in Crestview Hills. As a first step in the application process, interested students must submit the required Intent to Compete form by Dec. 6, 2024. The form and more information about Collegiate Pitch can be found at kentuckygse.com. Funding awards range from $3,000 to $15,000. “We want students to know Kentucky and GSE are here to support their entrepreneurial enterprises in the Bluegrass State,” said Anne Jewell, president and CEO of GSE. “Starting in high school, continuing through college, and after that as alumni, GSE is a consistent resource to help their businesses succeed in communities across the commonwealth. We’re delighted to partner with the University of Kentucky Gatton College of Business and Economics and Thomas More University in this exciting mission.”

Kentucky was one of the first states in the nation to create a Governor’s School for Entrepreneurs. To date, 1,099 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 all across Kentucky. Dozens of businesses have been launched in Kentucky by Summer Startup graduates and several patents have been filed. Through GSE’s Collegiate Pitch, student entrepreneurs at 19 colleges, representing more than 40 Kentucky-based businesses, have been funded since 2019.

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The Governor’s School for Entrepreneurs
The Governor’s School for Entrepreneurs (GSE) identifies, inspires and empowers Kentucky’s future innovators. GSE’s Summer Startup program develops entrepreneurial skills in high school students and qualifies them for college scholarships. GSE’s Collegiate Pitch program is Kentucky’s largest collegiate pitch competition, offering thousands of dollars in prizes. More than 100 businesses have been launched in Kentucky by GSE alums and/or received funding to further their enterprises. Because of strong partnerships with entities like the Kentucky Education and Labor Cabinet and the Cabinet for Economic Development, along with private and public supporters, students chosen for GSE participate in the programs at no cost. For more information, visit kentuckygse.com.

The University of Kentucky
As the state’s flagship, land-grant institution, the University of Kentucky exists to advance the commonwealth. UK does that by preparing the next generation of leaders – placing students at the heart of everything the university does – and transforming the lives of Kentuckians through education, research and creative work, service and health care. UK is proud of being a catalyst for breakthroughs and a force for healing, a place where ingenuity unfolds. It’s all made possible by UK’s people – visionaries, disruptors and pioneers – who make up 200 academic programs, a $476.5 million research and development enterprise and a world-class medical center, all on one campus. In 2022, UK was ranked by Forbes as one of the “Best Employers for New Grads” and named a “Diversity Champion” by INSIGHT into Diversity, a testament to the university’s commitment to advance Kentucky and create a community of belonging for everyone. While UK’s mission looks different in many ways than it did in 1865, the vision of service to the commonwealth and the world remains the same. UK is the University for Kentucky: uky.edu

Thomas More University
Founded in 1921, Thomas More University stands as a beacon of academic excellence and innovation, challenging students to Make It More. Deeply rooted in the Catholic Intellectual Tradition, this timeless foundation supports a transformative educational experience as students looking to Be More are guided in the pursuit of knowledge, ethical leadership, and the integration of faith and reason. Through the high-quality, liberal arts education provided at Thomas More, students examine the ultimate meaning of life, their place in the world, and their responsibility to others which leads to the ability to think critically and contribute meaningfully to the world. Serving more than 2,300 students, Thomas More takes its place as the premier Catholic university in the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky region, being named one of the 2025
Best Colleges in the U.S. by the Wall Street Journal. For more, visit thomasmore.edu

THOMAS MORE UNIVERSITY MEDIA CONTACT: Kristen Gallagher, director of communications & PR, [email protected], 859-344-3309