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A team of student founders reviews sales numbers beside their bottled lemonade and snack line.

Student Companies

The school becomes an incubator.

Every year, students form teams, create real products and services, and build their own companies — from idea to market. The strongest projects can become real commercial opportunities.

Company categories

Whatever the island needs.

  • Food products
  • Agricultural products
  • Consumer products
  • Technology
  • Hospitality concepts
  • Retail concepts
  • Services
  • Social enterprises
Student founders sell bottled lemonade and snacks at a farmers market booth.
Selling at the Saturday market.
A student team packs online orders into kraft boxes.
Packing the week’s online orders.
An after-school club reviews prototypes and packaging.
Product reviews in the after-school club.

Every company page tells

Six things a founder must be able to answer.

  1. The idea

    What problem are you solving?

  2. The team

    Who are the founders and what do they own?

  3. The product

    What are you creating?

  4. The story

    Why it matters — the Hawaiʻi connection.

  5. The market

    Who will buy it, and how many of them are there?

  6. The progress

    Milestones, traction and next steps.

What a company could look like

Made in Hawaiʻi, by student innovators.

Illustrative concepts from the program design — not yet enrolled companies.

Illustrative product concept for Mauka Granola.
Mauka GranolaHawaiʻi-grown snacks
Illustrative product concept for Lilikoʻi Lemonade.
Lilikoʻi LemonadeTropical beverages
Illustrative product concept for Hāmākua Coffee.
Hāmākua CoffeeFarm to cup
Illustrative product concept for Ocean Guard.
Ocean GuardSustainable products
Illustrative product concept for Aloha Care.
Aloha CareNatural personal care
Illustrative product concept for Island Bites.
Island BitesSpecialty foods
Illustrative product concept for Hawaiʻi Tours.
Hawaiʻi ToursStudent-led experiences
Illustrative product concept for Aloha Market.
Aloha MarketCampus and online store

More programs

The Entrepreneur LabExplore Entrepreneur ChallengesExplore Annual Entrepreneur Hawaiʻi ExpoExplore

Get involved

Bring real-world entrepreneurship to your students.

Schools, industry partners, mentors and families: there is a place for you in the program. Tell us how you’d like to take part.

For schools Become a partner