Small Business Innovation Challenge

Organization: Kō Education Center

The Small Business Innovation Challenge is a paid internship program that is explicitly designed to support economic recovery in a rural region of Hawai’i. Led by the Kō Education Center, the program centers on an innovative and extremely promising internship model for youth between the ages of 16 and 21. Youth in the program work remotely with a team that includes a business seeking to innovate and an innovation coach; projects focus on supporting small business response to the COVID-19 crisis through activities such as establishing an online presence or developing social media and marketing campaigns. Businesses have the option of either engaging directly with interns or providing a project that an intern and innovation coach can work on together, which minimizes the time commitment required from the business. Applications will remain open for the Fall 2020 cohort. Please call or email for more information.

Who Can Apply: Interns must be 16–21 years old and a currently enrolled student or a recent alumni of Laupāhoehohe CPCS, Honokaʻa High School, Kanu o ka ʻĀina Charter School or, Kohala High School (Classes of 2018–2020).