Grand Junction Young Entrepreneur Academy

Grand Junction Young Entrepreneur Academy Learn more by visiting www.gjchamber.org.

This is a Grand Junction Area Chamber of Commerce program for middle school and high school students who are interested in starting and running their very own businesses.

Tune in this morning to watch our very own local middle school student entrepreneur, Roan Baldwin, as he competes in the...
06/12/2026

Tune in this morning to watch our very own local middle school student entrepreneur, Roan Baldwin, as he competes in the Young Entrepreneurs Academy National Competition!

Join us in cheering him on as he competes alongside some of the nation's top young entrepreneurs.

Semi-Finals begin at 7:30 AM MT.

Watch Live: https://www.youtube.com/live/W0sPhWm0p-I

A program of the Grand Junction Area Chamber of Commerce

This Friday, June 12th, local student entrepreneur Roan Baldwin will represent the Colorado at the Young Entrepreneurs A...
06/09/2026

This Friday, June 12th, local student entrepreneur Roan Baldwin will represent the Colorado at the Young Entrepreneurs Academy National Competition.

You don't have to be in Texas to cheer him on. The Semi-Finals will be streamed live beginning at 7:30 AM Mountain Time.

Watch Live:
https://www.youtube.com/live/W0sPhWm0p-I

Join us as Roan competes alongside some of the nation's top young entrepreneurs and represents Mesa County, the Grand Valley, and Colorado on the national stage!

Should Roan advance to the Final competition, community members will be able to support him by casting a vote for People's Choice Award! Updates and voting instructions will be shared through our social media channels.

A program of the Grand Junction Area Chamber of Commerce

Congratulations to Roan, this year's Saunders Scholar and national qualifier from the Grand Junction Area Chamber of Com...
06/04/2026

Congratulations to Roan, this year's Saunders Scholar and national qualifier from the Grand Junction Area Chamber of Commerce's Young Entrepreneurs Academy.

Next week, Roan will represent Colorado at the Young Entrepreneurs Academy National Competition in Frisco, Texas, competing alongside some of the nation's top young entrepreneurs.

Over the past 6 months, Roan has developed Munch Mode Machines, an innovative business concept focused on modern, AI-powered vending solutions. His hard work, creativity, and entrepreneurial spirit earned him the opportunity to advance to the national stage.

Join us over the next week as we cheer on Roan and follow along with his journey at Nationals!

The livestream will be available at: https://www.youtube.com/live/W0sPhWm0p-I



The 2026 Grand Junction Young Entrepreneurs Academy is presented by the City of Grand Junction

A huge round of applause for the YEA! Class of 2026! đź‘ŹThis remarkable class of 8 students spent the semester dreaming bi...
06/03/2026

A huge round of applause for the YEA! Class of 2026! đź‘Ź

This remarkable class of 8 students spent the semester dreaming big, working hard, and launching real businesses that reflect their passions and talents. Their dedication from concept to company has been nothing short of inspiring. Congratulations to these graduating students:

Everett K. - Norve Clothing, LLC
Hunter A. - Appel Tackle
Iyer B. - Beckner Games
Lainey S. - The Crepe Conundrum
Larry K. - LK Design and Prototyping
Lo S. - Raven Cafe
Parker D. - Layer by Layer, LLC
Roan B. - Munch Mode Machines

We were especially honored to welcome Dean VanWinkle, VanWinkle Ranch, as our commencement speaker! He is a former YEA! student whose journey from classroom entrepreneur to successful business owner embodies exactly what this program is all about. His continued support of YEA! is a testament to the impact this experience creates.

Our heartfelt thanks go to the instructors, volunteers, and sponsors who make this program possible and who believe in the power of young entrepreneurs.

2026 Program Sponsors:
Presenting Sponsor: City of Grand Junction
Premier Sponsors: Rocky Mountain West Insurance, Home Loan Insurance
Scholarship Sponsors: Alpine Bank , Canvas Credit Union, FirstLight Home Care of the Western Slope, The UPS Store 1349, Tropical Smoothie Cafe
Investor Sponsors: VanWinkle Ranch, Nightingales Care at Home, Bank of Colorado, Entrada Consulting Group, Mesa County Business Education Foundation, Kayenta Properties LLC
Transportation Sponsor: Absolute Prestige Limousine Service Ltd.
Supporting Partners: Mesa County Valley School District 51, CMU Tech, Mesa Mall, Courtyard by Marriott

The Young Entrepreneurs Academy is proudly offered through the Grand Junction Area Chamber of Commerce.

Our Young Entrepreneurs absolutely shined at the YEA! Trade Show. Their creativity, confidence, and business savvy were ...
06/02/2026

Our Young Entrepreneurs absolutely shined at the YEA! Trade Show. Their creativity, confidence, and business savvy were on full display as they introduced their ventures — and many walked away with real sales.

A huge thank‑you to everyone who came out to cheer on the next generation of leaders and innovators.

We’re excited to celebrate them once more: graduation is today at 6pm at the Courtyard by Marriott.

The Young Entrepreneurs Academy is a program of the Grand Junction Area Chamber of Commerce.

Presenting Sponsor: City of Grand Junction

Premier Sponsors: Rocky Mountain West Insurance, Home Loan Insurance

Scholarship Sponsors: Alpine Bank , Canvas Credit Union, FirstLight Home Care of the Western Slope, The UPS Store 1349, Tropical Smoothie Cafe

Investor Sponsors: VanWinkle Ranch, Nightingales Care at Home, Bank of Colorado, Entrada Consulting Group, Mesa County Business Education Foundation, Kayenta Properties LLC

Transportation Sponsor: Absolute Prestige Limousine Service Ltd.

Supporting Partners: Mesa County Valley School District 51, CMU Tech , Mesa Mall, Courtyard by Marriott

Looking for Saturday plans? Come out to the YEA! Trade Show at the Mesa Mall and support our next generation of entrepre...
05/26/2026

Looking for Saturday plans? Come out to the YEA! Trade Show at the Mesa Mall and support our next generation of entrepreneurs in Mesa County. 🚀

This is your chance to meet the students behind the businesses, hear the ideas they’ve spent the year developing, and shop products from these businesses built completely through the Young Entrepreneurs Academy program. From brainstorming and branding to presentations and sales, these students have been working hard all year to bring their ideas to life, and now it’s time for the community to see it all on display. ✨

Join us in Claire’s Court this Saturday and meet these incredible young entrepreneurs!

📍 Mesa Mall – Claire’s Court Area
đź—“ Saturday, May 30th
⏰ 12:00 - 2:00 pm

The Young Entrepreneurs Academy is a program of the Grand Junction Area Chamber of Commerce

Join us for the Young Entrepreneurs Academy (YEA!) Trade Show on Saturday, May 30 from 12–2 PM at Mesa Mall in the Clair...
05/14/2026

Join us for the Young Entrepreneurs Academy (YEA!) Trade Show on Saturday, May 30 from 12–2 PM at Mesa Mall in the Claire’s Court area!

This is your chance to meet these local middle and high school student entrepreneurs from across the valley, hear the stories behind the businesses they’ve built, and support them as they officially launch and begin making sales.

From fresh crepes to fishing tackle and everything in between, students will be showcasing a wide variety of creative products and business ideas they’ve developed throughout the program.

Come shop, connect, and support the next generation of entrepreneurs in Mesa County! Register now at gjchamber.org/events!

The Young Entrepreneurs Academy is a program of the Grand Junction Area Chamber of Commerce

This week, our YEA! students heard from Ian Skrine with the The Christi Reece Group - A Refreshing Real Estate Company a...
05/13/2026

This week, our YEA! students heard from Ian Skrine with the The Christi Reece Group - A Refreshing Real Estate Company about social entrepreneurship and the power businesses have to create meaningful community impact.

Ian shared the story behind The Circle Fund, their charitable giving program that dedicates a portion of every real estate transaction to supporting local nonprofits through quarterly donations.

Students learned that it doesn’t require being a large company or waiting years to get started. With intentional structure and consistency, businesses of any size can build community impact directly into the way they operate.

Thank you to Ian for sharing your insight and encouragement with our students!

Make sure to come meet the class at their upcoming Trade Show on Saturday, May 30th from 12–2 PM at the Mesa Mall. RSVP at gjchamber.org/events

The Young Entrepreneurs Academy is a program of the Grand Junction Area Chamber of Commerce

Yesterday, our YEA! students visited KKCO 11 News for a behind-the-scenes look at how media and messaging come together ...
05/06/2026

Yesterday, our YEA! students visited KKCO 11 News for a behind-the-scenes look at how media and messaging come together in real time.

A huge thank you to their team for hosting us and creating such an engaging experience. Students saw a live news broadcast, explored the green screen, connected with different departments, and stepped inside the operations room to see how everything works together behind the scenes. They also heard directly from industry professionals on the key elements of advertising, insight they’ll take with them as they continue building their businesses.

We are so grateful for partners who open their doors and invest in the next generation. Our students are soaking it all in as they prepare for their upcoming Trade Show! 🔜 Join us on May 30th to support these young entrepreneurs and see their businesses in action. Register now at gjchamber.org!

The Young Entrepreneurs Academy is a program of the Grand Junction Area Chamber of Commerce

A full room. Eight bold ideas. Months of work on display.Last week, our Grand Junction Area Chamber of Commerce Young En...
04/22/2026

A full room. Eight bold ideas. Months of work on display.

Last week, our Grand Junction Area Chamber of Commerce Young Entrepreneurs Academy students took the stage for the Investor Panel, presenting businesses they’ve spent months building from concept to ex*****on. Surrounded by family, mentors, and local business leaders, these young CEOs delivered thoughtful pitches backed by market research, financial projections, and even prototypes.

From a specialty tea café to 3D print design services, crepes designed for the celiac community, and curated lake-day emergency supplies, the range of ideas was matched only by the level of preparation.

Nearly $6,000 in startup funding was awarded, helping move these businesses from plan to reality.

Next up: see them launch at their public tradeshow on Saturday, May 30 at Mesa Mall.

This is what investing in the next generation of business leaders looks like.

Thank you to our program sponsors!
Presenting Sponsor: City of Grand Junction

Premiere Sponsors: Home Loan Insurance & Rocky Mountain West Insurance

Scholarship Sponsors: Alpine Bank, Canvas Credit Union, The UPS Store 1349, FirstLight Home Care of the Western Slope, Tropical Smoothie Cafe

Investor Sponsors: Bank of Colorado, VanWinkle Ranch, Nightingales Care at Home, Entrada Consulting, and Kayenta Properties

Supporting Sponsors: CMU Tech, Mesa County Valley School District 51, Mesa Mall, and Courtyard by Marriott Grand Junction, Tropical Smoothie Cafe

Transportation Sponsor: Absolute Prestige Limousine Service Ltd.

Address

360 Grand Avenue
Grand Junction, CO
81501

Opening Hours

Monday 8:30am - 5pm
Tuesday 8:30am - 5pm
Wednesday 8:30am - 5pm
Thursday 8:30am - 5pm
Friday 8:30am - 5pm

Telephone

+19702423214

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Grand Junction Young Entrepreneur Academy posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

Share

Category