The Crimson Entrepreneurship Academy (CEA) is a 9-week summer program designed to help participants refine their business ideas through hands-on development, mentorship, and networking. With a focus on building confidence, business skills, and connections, CEA offers a structured environment for aspiring entrepreneurs to launch and grow their ventures.
Eligibility and acceptance into CEA are based on previous participation in AEI/EDGE or UA entrepreneurship-focused events or similar programs that provide opportunities to learn the fundamentals of starting a new venture.
Students will work on their own ideas during the summer, or they can join other start-up teams. Participants that show strong potential (based on their pitch talent, the strength of the business idea, etc.) are most likely to be accepted into the program. Those accepted into CEA are provided with a stipend (up to $4,000) to help support their efforts so that they are able to spend their summer developing their entrepreneurial skills and working on their businesses.
This is an in-person program with everyone meeting on site at The EDGE from Tuesdays – Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The commitment is 40 hours per week working on their businesses, and beyond time at The EDGE and together as a group, the rest of the participant time is spent working on their own and doing things like customer discovery work, developing prototypes and meeting with potential customers and mentors.
Participants will also:
The CEA program runs from June 11, 2024, to August 6, 2024. The application portal has closed for this round.
The Crimson Entrepreneurship Academy is supported by a generous sponsorship provided by the Medical Properties Trust organization and its CEO and founder, Edward K. Aldag, Jr., who is an alum and long-time supporter of the Alabama Entrepreneurship Institute.