What is INCubatoredu?
This yearlong course takes students on a comprehensive entrepreneurial journey – from ideation to execution. Participants develop a business plan, receive mentorship from community leaders, and pitch their ideas to a panel of judges for a chance to win $5,000 in seed funding. Offered by Glenbard High School District 87, this course is available for dual credit through an articulation agreement with the College of DuPage as Entrepreneurship 1161.
- Students are organized into teams of 4-5.
- Each team is mentored by a business leader from the community to develop their business plan over the course of the school year.
- Each school holds a semifinal pitch competition to determine one team that will represent their school at Final Pitch Night.
- The winning team receives $5,000 in seed funding to be used toward growing their business.
Community partnership is the heartbeat of Glenbard’s INCubatoredu program. Our students benefit directly from local professionals who mentor teams, serve as judges, share their expertise, and help connect classroom learning to the real world. We are always looking for business and community partners who can support students through mentorship, feedback, networking, sponsorship, and advocacy. Together, we can help students build the skills, confidence, and experiences they need to thrive.
Coach
Classroom coaches are experts in their respective business fields who teach a lesson to the class on a particular subject matter. Coaches are provided a lesson plan, presentation and other materials, which the teacher will prepare before the lesson delivery.
Commitment: Volunteer 1-5 times over the course of the school year.
Mentor
Each student team is assigned a business leader who serves as their mentor throughout the year. The mentor helps the team apply what is taught in the classroom to the development of their business. The team meets with the mentor about 10 times throughout the school year.
Commitment: 1-2 times per month over the course of the school year
*Interested in working with us?
Visit: https://tinyurl.com/D87volunteer
Funding Partner
Glenbard entrepreneurship students compete for seed funding for their student-run businesses at the Final Pitch event each May. All seed funding is provided through the Glenbard PEP Education Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
If you are unable to volunteer your time but would still like to support our students, please consider making a donation. Visit: https://www.pepglenbard.org/d87-incubator/#fund-incu
How has student interest in the course grown?
| Glenbard East | Glenbard North | Glenbard South | Glenbard West | Total | |
| 2023-24 | 19 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 19 |
| 2024-25 | 43 | 20 | 31 | 48 | 142 |
| 2025-26 | 63 | 18 | 31 | 94 | 206 |
Additional Resources
