Franklin CREATE! Students

Students enrolled in LEARN courses gain knowledge of problem-based customer discovery, early-stage startup processes, and the methodology of evidence-based entrepreneurial thinking within the context of their Franklin educational pathways, from the fine and performing arts to humanities, life sciences, social and behavioral sciences, computing, and the physical and mathematical sciences. Leveraging their formal academic journey as a zero-risk opportunity, students can test their startup ideas to identify customer interest and market viability using evidence-based entrepreneurship principles to prospect product to market fit.

Components of the LEARN phase also include additional experiential learning opportunities during the academic year, such as treks, study away, engagement with startup mentors, and support to participate in competitions and pitches. The first LEARN class is expected to start in fall of 2026 and will run annually every fall semester. 

LEARN courses are expected to count as electives for the UGA Entrepreneurship Certificate. Startups launched or further developed through LEARN will be invited to participate in the campus-wide Student Startup Showcase held in early fall semester. 

The MAKE program consists of research and prototyping through applied, active learning opportunities that enable students to overcome technology or product design barriers that might lie in the way of them identifying customer fit and launching a successful startup. It provides students with support, mentorship, and curricular credit as they create intellectual property, design hands-on solutions, and build prototypes toward their venture idea. The first MAKE class is expected to start in spring of 2027 and will run annually every spring semester. Capstone courses, internships, and applied research projects are open to consideration for completion of the MAKE component. 

MAKE courses are expected to count as electives for the UGA Entrepreneurship Certificate. Startups launched or further developed through MAKE will be invited to participate in the campus-wide Student Startup Showcase held in early fall semester. 

The Franklin CREATE! Summer Startup Academy (LAUNCH) is an accelerated, intensive, full-time, hands-on and transformational month-long experience for student-led teams who want to launch their projects from idea stage (or beyond) into operational and viable startups. Upon completion of the Franklin CREATE! Summer Startup Academy (mid-May through mid-June), teams will join the UGA Entrepreneurship Program's Summer Launch Program (June 23-August 4, 2026) to complete their 12-week training. 

LAUNCH provides teams with seed funding (up to $7,500 per team) and other in-kind services, with the expectation that all teams will incorporate as part of the program. Startups selected for the Summer Startup Academy will have a connection to a Franklin area of study and must have at least one Franklin student-founder per team, while additional founders can include other Franklin students, UGA students enrolled in other colleges, students from another institution, and/or recent UGA graduates. 

Summer Startup Academy (LAUNCH) provides training in early stage problem-based entrepreneurial inquiry and customer discovery, while providing access to legal and accounting assistance, coaching, space, marketing consulting, mentorship, and guidance on IP protection. No previous entrepreneurship experience is required; student founders from first-year to final year PhD are encouraged to apply.