Dream. Build. Launch.
For 7 years, Boom has partnered with school districts to help students launch startups. Our goal is to provide opportunities for all students to create opportunities for themselves.
Trusted by 50+ Kentucky school districts · Expanding nationwide
A proven path from idea to income
Dual-credit. Major-agnostic. Built for every student in every community.
Dream
Every student, every pathway, every industry.
All students — no matter the CTE pathway or industry they choose — can identify real problems and imagine solutions worth pursuing. Entrepreneurship is not a major. It is a mindset available to everyone.
Students earn
Entrepreneurial Mindset Certification
Build
Turn ideas into MVPs with real structure.
Students develop their concept into a minimum viable product, organizing sales, marketing, and operations. Boom Launchpad courses are dual-credit and major-agnostic — every CTE pathway qualifies.
Students earn
Dual College Credit + Industry Badge
Launch
Compete for capital. Enter the market.
Students pitch at regional Boom events for no-strings-attached startup funding. Top founders enter the Boom Residency — gaining access to Amazon capital, proven mentors, and subject matter experts to help them scale.
Students earn
Residency Program Eligibility
Why Boom
Every community needs this. Most don't have it yet.
Families, educators, community leaders, and employers across America are hungry to make student learning more relevant. It is also true that comprehensive economic development must start with a proven method for helping young people become the new drivers of our local economies. This is true in every American community — especially our most disadvantaged ones.
Rural Communities
Need a proven method to retain their most talented youth.
Energy Communities
Need new models for economic resilience after industry shifts.
Urban Centers
Need to compete for talent, jobs, and the next generation of founders.
College Towns
Need to make classroom learning applicable in the real marketplace.
Boom addresses all of these concerns by training 16–24 year olds how to launch MVP businesses that address market-based problems. Boom students earn college credits, industry credentials, and employability skill badges while developing an entrepreneurial mindset, competing for no-strings-attached startup funding through regional pitch competitions, and potentially graduating into our residency program — where they access Amazon capital, coaching from proven founders, and expert guidance to help them scale.
“The next generation of local economic drivers is already in your school. Boom just gives them a runway.”
Regional Pitch Events
Where student founders compete and win
12 regional pitch events across Kentucky. $2,000 in seed capital per site. A State Championship for the best of the best.
Students pitch their startup
Boom students present their MVP to a panel of judges including investors, founders, and community leaders.
Regional winners receive $2,000
The top pitch at each of the 12 regional events wins $2,000 in no-strings-attached startup capital.
Regional winners advance to State
Every regional winner earns a spot at the State Championship — competing for significant scaling capital and Residency entry.
$2,000 Seed Capital per Site
Immediate non-dilutive funding awarded to the winner at every regional location.
Advance to the State Championship
Every site winner earns a spot to compete at the statewide level for significant capital awards.
Bourbon City Bins
$2,500 — State Champion
Beef FR Jerky
$500 — Regional Winner
Dual Credit Partners
The Boom Launchpad course
The Boom Launchpad is a 200-level dual-credit entrepreneurship course delivered through Kentucky's Work-Ready Dual Credit program — a state initiative that funds college-level courses for high school students at zero cost to schools or families. It's offered in partnership with Kentucky State University, Eastern Kentucky University, University of Kentucky, and KCTCS community colleges. Any Kentucky high school student can take it — regardless of their CTE pathway.
No prerequisites. Credits transfer across Kentucky's higher education landscape through articulation agreements. Entrepreneurship is not a separate track — it's the skill that multiplies every other skill a student develops.
Dual College Credit
Count toward a college degree before graduation
Industry Credential
Recognized by employers across every sector
Employability Badge
Verified skills in entrepreneurial thinking
Works across every CTE pathway
University Partners
Boom partners with universities to continue momentum after high school — collaborating on student success and keeping founders on their path.
The Student Experience
Guiding students to solve problems and take solutions to market
This is what it looks like to go through Boom — from first idea to real market traction.
Launch MVP
Students take their idea to market with a real minimum viable product.
Organize Operations
Build out sales, marketing, and operational systems with real structure.
Run Campaigns
Launch campaigns to gain customer validation and real market feedback.
Measure Data
Track results and make data-driven decisions about the business.
Adjust & Pivot
Iterate based on what the market tells them — just like real founders do.
Partnership with Amazon
Residency founders access real capital
Startups that graduate into the Boom Residency program unlock a direct path to Amazon capital — funded through a first-of-its-kind revenue sharing model.
The Boom Residency
Top founders from regional pitch events enter the Boom Residency — where they receive ongoing capital access, coaching from proven founders, and subject matter experts to help them grow their startups beyond the classroom.
- ✓Capital access through Amazon partnership
- ✓Mentorship from proven founders
- ✓Subject matter expert network
- ✓Ongoing operational support
Boom Dealz powered by Amazon
An Amazon storefront operated entirely by Boom student founders. Students run day-to-day operations — managing product listings, fulfillment, customer service, and marketing — as a live business inside the residency program.
Who runs it
Boom residency student founders
Where revenue goes
Funds the Boom Residency program and student startup capital
Impact Goals
Economic development starts in the classroom
Boom's model works in every American community. Our goal is to make student entrepreneurship the foundation of local economic strategy — not an afterthought.
50+
Partner Schools
School districts engaged across Kentucky since 2020
$50K+
Capital Deployed
Equity-free funding awarded directly to winning student founders
7
Years of Impact
Proven track record building the K-12 entrepreneurship pipeline
12
Regional Events in 26/27
Pitch events across Kentucky — $2,000 seed capital per site
Our Commitment
Deploying $5 Million in startup capital by 2030
Powered by the Boom Dealz Amazon partnership — 50% of gross profit reinvested directly into student startups.
National Expansion
Proven in Kentucky. Expanding across America.
The model is actively replicating across state lines. The physical infrastructure is ready — the digital infrastructure now matches its pace.
Active
Kentucky — fully operational with 50+ partner schools
Final Stages
University of Tennessee partnership in final discussions
Active Discussions
North Carolina, Georgia, Pennsylvania, West Virginia
Rural Economic Development
Boom gives rural communities a reason for talented youth to stay — by building startups rooted in local problems and local markets. When students see a future in their hometown, they build one.
Urban Economic Competitiveness
Urban centers need homegrown founders who understand their communities. Boom creates pipelines of entrepreneurs who solve problems in the neighborhoods they grew up in — creating jobs, not just jobs seekers.
Student Founders
This is how it starts
Every Boom student starts with a problem worth solving. Here are a few of the founders who took theirs to the stage.
Bourbon City Bins
Founded by Bourbon City Bins Team
The premier student-led junk removal solution for Bullitt County, Kentucky.
StudyBuddy
Founded by Sanvi Patel
The AI-powered peer collaboration platform that connects high school students for smarter, faster learning.
AthletX
Founded by Hunter Hammons, Alexander Price & Skyler Mesa
Connecting student athletes with the tools and opportunities they need to compete at the next level.
QuestCal
Founded by Hayden Videtto
The gamified productivity calendar that turns your daily tasks into epic quests.
Athlete Momentum
Founded by Student Founders
The intelligence behind the strength — data-driven athletic development for student athletes.
Beef FR Jerky
Founded by Student Founders
Locally made, student-run — bringing a premium jerky brand to market from the ground up.
Your startup could be next
If Boom is in your school, you're already on the path.
What People Are Saying
Heard from schools, students, and communities
BOOM KY is providing our students with mentorship and a scaffolded curriculum that allows aspiring entrepreneurs to bring their ideas to life while still in high school. In Bullitt County, we are committed to creating transformational learning experiences, and this partnership feels like one of the most organic and impactful I've seen. Whether students ultimately win funding through competition or not, the learning they gain through this process is unlike anything they've experienced before. We're truly excited about this opportunity.
Lindsey Wegley
Assistant Principal · North Bullitt High School
I have truly enjoyed my experience with Boom Edu. The course breaks the startup process into clear, easy-to-follow steps that make developing a business idea feel both approachable and achievable. The personalized instruction and one-on-one meetings were especially valuable, as they allowed for tailored feedback and practical guidance. Kyle Wilson is incredibly knowledgeable and always willing to help in any way possible, going above and beyond to support entrepreneurs. This is an exceptional program that provides real value, and I hope more students take advantage of the opportunity Boom Edu offers.
Trey Jackson
Student · Boom Edu Participant
Boom Edu was a tremendous help throughout the course and was always very available to students. Their approach gave me a new outlook on learning, business development, realism, and identifying opportunities for success. The class was highly interactive, which made the material more engaging.
Jesse Adams
Student · Boom Edu Participant
Get Boom in your world
Whether you run a school district, you're a student ready to start, or you lead a community looking for an answer — there's a path in.
School Districts
Bring the Boom Launchpad course to your students. We handle curriculum, credentialing, and pitch event access.
Students
Boom is already in schools across America. Find out if it's in yours — or how to ask your school to bring it.
Community Leaders
Economic development starts with young people. Learn how Boom can become part of your community's growth strategy.
Or email us directly at info@boomedu.org