A 25 week programme that creates invaluable real-world learning opportunities for school leavers.
Hear from some of our START Partners and Schools who attended our 2025 Design Day:
START is a funded SCQF Level 6 accredited school entrepreneurship programme for S6 pupils in Scotland.
The interdisciplinary programme has been designed to replicate the experience of participating in a startup incubator, providing precisely the kind of project-based learning experience recommended by the recent ‘Hayward Review’, and fostering the skills the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and World Economic Forum have identified as essential for the modern economy.
Startup incubator programmes help early-stage entrepreneurs to found innovative businesses and develop new products.
Some of the most successful businesses in the world began in startup incubators, including Airbnb, Reddit, and Dropbox.
Incubators are often attached to universities to help students commercialise their ideas. START is on a mission to bring this experience to every school in Scotland.
By teaching the principles of design thinking and entrepreneurship and offering inspirational mentoring in a structured and accredited programme, we build student confidence, open new career pathways, and prepare a generation of leaders for the workplace of the future.
Five essential mindsets they need to thrive in the future economy.
Five essential mindsets they need to thrive in the future economy.
START runs each year from August to March, and requires at least 1-2 hours per week of pupil time, which can be split between timetabled classes and independent work.
We recommend timetabling START into your curriculum for a minimum of one hour per week.
Beyond this, START’s problem-based approach encourages participants to take the initiative to develop their product or service outside of the core tasks. The programme provides a platform, not a ceiling for their ambitions.
The size of each team can be determined by your school. Typically, pupils work in groups of five.
Upon registration, the START Lead Teacher in each partner school receives free training at a Partner Schools event in May, access to all resources and lesson plans, and regular check-ins to assist with the running and assessment of the programme.
START encompasses five iterative learning loops that allow participants to have the ‘real world’ experience of developing a new startup business.
Across 25 weeks, participants engage in essential entrepreneurial activities, including:
These classes are punctuated by events and visits from mentors to motivate pupils to engage fully with the programme and inspire continued action.
The START programme follows the following timeline:
Our goal is to make this innovative interdisciplinary course available – fully funded – to all school leavers across Scotland.
We want to partner with enthusiastic educators who are passionate about entrepreneurship to make this happen.
Discover the impact START is having on school leavers.
