The Tulane Innovation Institute Celebrates the Inaugural Graduation of the Young Entrepreneurs Academy
May 6, 2025
The first Tulane Innovation Institute Young Entrepreneurship Academy (YEA!) graduation ceremony occurred on Tuesday, May 6, 2025, at the New Orleans BioInnovation Center. Over the past 30 weeks, 30 students representing 15 schools across New Orleans participated in this intensive, tuition-free program designed to cultivate our community's next generation of business leaders.
The YEA! curriculum guided students through every stage of business development—from brainstorming and market analysis to strategy, financing, and product creation. Along the way, students engaged in hands-on experiences, including field visits to the historic Dew Drop Inn, the Chapter IV restaurant, and the Super Bowl opening ceremonies. They also participated in New Orleans Entrepreneur Week programming at Xavier University and learned from visiting guest speakers and mentors.
The program’s most significant event was a pitch competition held-on February 24. Students had just three minutes to persuade a panel of judges that their ideas were viable. Their pitches featured innovations in skincare, wellness, and personalized digital-first business models.
The overall Pitch Competition winner, Hayden Le, raised $1,500 in the pitch competition and secured an additional $2,500 during the Trust Your Crazy Ideas Challenge: The Big Pitch at New Orleans Entrepreneur Week in March. On May 3, she represented the Tulane Innovation Institute YEA! Chapter at the National Semi-Finals.
“At the Tulane Innovation Institute, our mission is simple yet powerful: to help ideas grow,” said Kimberly Gramm, MBA, PhD, David & Marion Mussafer Chief Innovation & Entrepreneurship Officer, at the ceremony. “Young Entrepreneurship Academy is a shining example of what happens when young people can dream boldly and work diligently.” Gramm continued, “Launching a business is never easy. The professionalism and commitment these students brought to the program are truly impressive. We’re proud to have incubated their ideas here at Tulane—and excited to see how they’ll shape the future of New Orleans and beyond.”
Special recognition was also given to Shaylor King and Rylie Lawrence, who pitched their business concepts two months ahead of schedule and earned 1st and 2nd place at the New Growth Economic Development Pitch Competition, winning both Audience Choice Awards.
The graduation ceremony featured Michelle Jackson, President and CEO of PR Solutions LLC and adjunct professor at Tulane’s School of Professional Advancement, as an honorary speaker. She surprised two students, Zahir Guillouete and Cherish Sentmore, with $250 grants through the i.Invest Business Competition to support their ventures further.
The keynote speaker was Norman Barnum, President and CEO of the Barnum Group. Both Jackson and Barnum served as instructors for the program.
The program was made tuition-free thanks to the generous support of Louisiana Blue, Elevance Health, and the Patrick F. Taylor Foundation. The New Orleans BioInnovation Center donated classroom and event space.
The Innovation Institute’s Young Entrepreneurship Academy (YEA!) also received a generous gift from the Miller Family Endowed Fund this past March.
The first class was managed by Jalin Carter, Program Manager at the Tulane Innovation Institute, who provided additional education, mentorship, and support to students and their families throughout the experience.
As the YEA! program concludes its first year, the graduates will step forward with business plans and the confidence, tools, and networks to bring those plans to life. If you are interested in applying to the 2025/2026 YEA! class, click here.
