Rutgers Prep Entrepreneurship Boot Camp & Shark Tank Competition

Camp Overview:

Rutgers Prep will host a 4-day Summer Entrepreneurship Boot Camp tailored for students entering 9th through 12th grades and recent graduates. The camp will combine lecture-based learning and hands-on group work, where students will form teams to create a new business venture and plan. The event will culminate with a Shark Tank-style pitch competition where the top three teams will win real-world prizes to help kick-start their ventures.

Camp Details:

For:	Rutgers Prep students entering 9th-12th Grade & Recent Graduates
Dates:	August 11-14, 2025
Time:	6:00 - 9:00 p.m.
Location:	RPS Campus
Cost:	$450

Format:

• 3 x 20-minute lectures per night (60 minutes total)
• Group work & mentorship time (120 minutes)
• Pitch Night (3-4 hours, to be extended as needed)

Prizes:

1st Place

• Brand Development Package, Website, and Investor or Sales Deck ($15,000 Value Courtesy of Dark Roast Media)
• Premium Start-Up Package from ZenBusiness ($299 Value Courtesy of Ivy Coast)

2nd Place

• Brand Development Package and Investor or Sales Deck ($10,000 Value Courtesy of Dark Roast Media)
• Pro Start-Up Package from ZenBusiness ($199 Value Courtesy of Ivy Coast)

3rd Place

• Brand Development Package ($5,000 Value Courtesy of Dark Roast Media)
• Pro Start-Up Package from ZenBusiness ($199 Value Courtesy of Ivy Coast)

Host:

Joe Ziznewski ’97 - Founder & Chief Strategist, Dark Roast Media (Brand, Design & Marketing Agency)

Judges:

• Joe Ziznewski ’97
• Nicolle Amabile - Founder, Ivy Coast (Fashion Forward UPF Apparel)