Good grades aren’t enough...
Achieve real-world wins before college that nobody can deny.
Top colleges and companies want the resilience schools don’t teach. Leangap bridges that gap.
Your launchpad to elite success
Their launchpad to elite success
Intern at major tech companies
Get admitted into top-rated colleges
Take on a transformative challenge Online, or On-Campus.
- Intensive and immersive
A full-time 4-week program - Learn then implement
Classes in the morning set up team project work throughout the day - Genuinely experienced mentors
Curriculum taught by established entrepreneurs - Immerse yourself in vibrant culture
Housing in San Francisco, with all meals (incl. vegetarian options) covered - Focus on the interesting challenges
We take care of logistics, incl. airport pick-up + drop-off
- Intensive and immersive
A full-time 4-week program (plus 1 week of prep) - Learn then implement
Classes in the morning set up team project work throughout the day - Genuinely experienced mentors
Curriculum taught by established entrepreneurs - Forge lifelong bonds
Group recreational activities online - Global opportunity
Join from anywhere, with a flexible schedule
- Intensive and immersive
A full-time 4-week program (plus 1 week of prep) - Learn then implement
Classes in the morning set up team project work throughout the day - Genuinely experienced mentors
Curriculum taught by established entrepreneurs - Forge lifelong bonds
Group recreational activities online - Global opportunity
Join from anywhere, with a flexible schedule
- Intensive and immersive
A full-time 4-week program - Learn then implement
Classes in the morning set up team project work throughout the day - Genuinely experienced mentors
Curriculum taught by established entrepreneurs - Immerse yourself in vibrant culture
Housing in San Francisco, with all meals (incl. vegetarian options) covered - Focus on the interesting challenges
We take care of logistics, incl. airport pick-up + drop-off
Learn from mentors forged in fire
At Leangap, you’ll face real-world challenges—but you won’t do it alone. You’ll be mentored by entrepreneurs and technologists who have launched startups themselves—and had to make fast-but-impactful pitches to powerful investors, fix broken platforms as customers complain, or change the direction of their startups on the fly.
Oliy started his first company as a teenager, which grew to over 6 million monthly users. He is the Co-Founder of Rythm, a social music listening platform with over 30 million users.
MJ is a licensed psychotherapist with 10+ years of experience in trauma, anxiety, and mood disorders. She holds dual Master's degrees and has developed mental health programs globally.
Eddy is the Co-Founder of ebitda.mx and built his career in banks and fintechs, helping launch Openbank US. He runs Digital Porters, an AI software studio, and mentors founders from idea to launch.
While in college, Kaeya got a deal on ABC’s “Shark Tank” with a prototype for her first product, BZbox. She is now the founder of a venture-backed startup disrupting e-commerce.
Sadok is a TEDx speaker and one of FastCompany Magazine's "Most Innovative People". He also received the Best Mobile Innovation award at the Mobile World Congress.
Examples of Leangap’s success
Hear from our students
"I was concerned about a ‘virtual’ summer program, but Leangap Online was extremely rigorous and real. It transformed me into a resilient leader. I was super productive at home, working with teammates from three countries."
"I was between Leangap and Babson Summer Study. I went with Leangap because they promised me real-world results. On the day we made our first sale, Leangap delivered on its promise."
The program top college counselors recommend
Trusted by leading college advisory firms and hundreds of independent counselors across the US.
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"More and more students struggle to stand out in a sea of overachievers. Leangap shows them how much they're capable of, and that's something that sticks with them well beyond college admissions."
Convince the "board of directors" (aka your parents)
We know the talk. Your parents want you to have a secure future, and you want to do something that actually matters. At Leangap, those aren't two different things.
We’ve designed our incubator to be as rigorous as it is transformative. Whether it’s university admissions or future career leads, we provide the "real-world proof" parents look for — like leadership credentials, technical mastery, and a launched venture. We’ll help you show them that building a startup isn't just a hobby; it’s the ultimate competitive advantage.
Build a business and connections that last a lifetime.
Making connections in the business world is tough when you’re starting from scratch.
But joining Leangap gives you a jumpstart — because building a real business with peers will bond you together like nothing else, and your respected Leangap mentors, with industry know-how, become your connection to the wider business community.
The stakes are high. But so is the support.
Big swings require a solid foundation. We provide the mentorship, mental health support, and peer network you need to stay grounded while your ideas take flight.
Mentorship
4:1 student-to-staff ratio with seasoned entrepreneur mentors.
Psychotherapy
Weekly, judgment-free 1:1 sessions to build resilience.
Peer Support
A community of future co-founders, not competitors.
The stakes are high. But so is the support.
Mentorship
4:1 student-to-staff ratio with seasoned entrepreneur mentors.
Psychotherapy
Weekly, judgment-free 1:1 sessions to build resilience.
Peer Support
A community of future co-founders, not competitors.
10 years of real-world achievement.
Other programs rely on canned lectures to accommodate large numbers of students — but at Leangap, we’ve spent the past decade demonstrating that there’s another, better way.
Here’s what the startups created by our students have collectively achieved across our programs:
FAQs
Everything you need to know about the program and how it works.
Leangap® is the most execution-based entrepreneurship program for high school students. No other program offers a real-world experience into entrepreneurship.
Leangap’s unique approach doesn't rely on mock companies or simulations; you will experience entrepreneurship in the real world, not through PowerPoint slides, allowing you to cultivate the crucial skills of successful founders: leadership, creativity, public speaking, and more.
Our schedule and curriculum are flexible to accommodate the challenges that each team will face throughout their journey, unlike similar programs that give canned lectures to accommodate overcrowded classes. In contrast, our classes are small in size, which results in tailored attention to each carefully selected student, and a unique program modeled after a startup incubator.
Spend this summer with your future co-founders and customers, and build your first of many companies!
Our summer program is intensive and requires a full-time commitment.
Here's what your schedule will look like (all times expressed in PST/San Francisco time):
- Early Morning Classes: 4 hours of interactive classes and workshops.
- Afternoon/Evening: You'll work on your startup, collaborate with your team, and meet with mentors. This work is flexible; however, expect to dedicate significant time to it.
We ask for a full-time commitment because our program doesn't just teach entrepreneurship; it immerses you in the real process of creating actual companies. Entrepreneurship is complex and ever-changing, requiring you to adapt quickly and focus deeply. To successfully build a company, you need to be fully engaged and dedicated to your team and the work.
Please plan to focus solely on the program to get the most out of it. Balancing other activities is possible; however, it may affect your ability to fully engage and complete the work.
The initial $700 USD deposit is non-refundable; however, it counts towards the overall tuition.
The remainder of the tuition is refundable if the program start date is more than 60 days away. If the start date is less than 60 days away, no refund will be issued as all costs have been paid upfront by that point. Any and all refunds are subject to a 3% processing fee to cover payment processor charges. This is a standard fee set by our payment platform, Stripe, and not a fee imposed by us.
By requesting a refund, you acknowledge and agree that 3% will be deducted from the refunded amount.
Yes! Financial aid is available and is completely need-based, meaning we will provide a scholarship if you are admitted and you demonstrate you can't pay in full due to your financial situation. If you're driven, passionate, and accomplished, we will make it possible for you to attend.
You can receive anywhere from 10% to 80% off the tuition cost for the Online program, and anywhere from 10% to 50% off for the San Francisco program. We do not offer full-ride scholarships at this time. During the application process, you will need to upload a document with your parents' income statements for the last 12 months. We will review your case then.
No, there are no prerequisites to attend our programs in terms of prior knowledge. While previous experience with business or coding is helpful, so too is experience in marketing, design, sales, and other areas. Our application is designed to showcase students' interests, passions, and drive, which are what we are ultimately looking for. The only prerequisite is a great attitude!
Leangap started in 2015 with its first summer program. 40 students from 10+ countries participated in a 4-week journey that transformed them into marketers, business professionals, developers, designers, leaders, and founders. Since then, Leangap has provided a transformative experience for teenagers and continues to be the best choice for both personal and professional growth.
Tuition for Leangap® Online is $6,450 USD.
Your tuition covers curriculum, classes, remote group activities, mentorship by entrepreneurs in all timezones, access to the platforms necessary to attend the program, special startup resources, and remote recreational activities.
Tuition for Leangap® San Francisco is $14,950 USD.
Your tuition covers accommodations in San Francisco for the duration of the program, curriculum, classes in a college campus, group recreational activities in San Francisco and the associated transportation, special startup resources, and all transportation associated with the Leangap core program and group activities. Meals are included in the program tuition. Vegetarian options will be included. Please let us know ahead of time of any dietary restrictions or allergies. Students are free to plan their own activities during the weekends, however, transportation and activity costs related to these activities are not included in the tuition.
Leangap has been running for 10 years, and since then, hundreds of alumni have grown into successful startup founders, venture capitalists, prominent community leaders, outstanding businessmen and businesswomen, brilliant students at Ivy League colleges, remarkable interns at top tech companies, and more.
Yes, you are free to choose which program you want to attend.
If you have already paid your tuition for the in-person program and you wish to switch to the online program, we will issue a refund for the difference.
Similarly, if you have paid your tuition for the online program but wish to attend the in-person program, we will issue an adjusted invoice for you to make the remaining payment.
Everyone has an opinion. Few have the experience. Leangap is the only program that cuts through the noise with real-world experience to guide your next move.
Ready to build something real
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