7 Business Competitions for Middle School Students
- Stephen Turban
- Aug 2
- 6 min read
Updated: Sep 25
If you’re a middle schooler eager to challenge yourself beyond the classroom, summer enrichment programs for middle school students can be an excellent way to start. These programs are designed to give you a taste of college-level academics and campus life while helping you build practical skills, gain industry exposure, and form valuable connections early on. Many of them offer rigorous coursework and hands-on projects, often at a fraction of the cost of traditional pre-college programs, making them a smart and accessible option to explore.
For students interested in accelerated learning, an online summer program can be especially appealing. These programs allow you to dive deep into advanced subjects, learn directly from expert instructors, and connect with peers from around the world, all from home. We’ve narrowed down our list of the top summer enrichment programs for middle school students based on key factors like academic rigor, strong networking opportunities, full funding availability, low acceptance rates, and the prestige of the hosting organization.
Here’s a curated list of the best options to help you get a head start on your academic and professional journey.
7 Business Competitions for Middle School Students
Submission deadline: December 14
Eligibility: Middle school students in grades 6 - 8
Cost: Free
Prize: More than $11,000 in cash prizes and scholarships
The Junior Scholars Essay Contest invites students in grades 6 to 8 to wrestle with big questions, challenge common assumptions, and make their case with creativity and evidence.
As a participant, you will choose one of the five prompts and submit an argumentative essay on the chosen question. Submissions should be formal academic essays, in English, featuring a clear central argument, well-organized reasoning, use of relevant sources, and thoughtful analysis of opposing perspectives. Entries are judged on five criteria: originality, analysis, evidence, structure, and presentation.
Essays are reviewed by a panel of distinguished professors and researchers from Cambridge, Oxford, Columbia, Brown, and Dartmouth. 6 winners (1 Gold, 2 Silver, and 3 Bronze) will share a total of more than $11,000 in cash prizes and scholarships, besides many scholarships for top submissions.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: The program is moderately selective. Exact application pool and cohort size are not publicly available.
Location: Nationwide (online and campaign-based), India.
Cost: Free
Dates: March 18–24 (Round 1), with subsequent rounds running into April.
Application Deadline: March 10
Eligibility: Open to all students in Classes 4–12. Middle School Category covers Classes 7–9; Junior Category includes Classes 4–6. Teams must consist of two members.
Young Money Masters is a national-level competition designed to test and build financial literacy skills in students. Through three progressive rounds, you’ll explore concepts like budgeting, saving, investing, and responsible money management. The first round is an online quiz, followed by a real-world campaign—Protect Money, Save Future—where you’ll design a financial awareness drive. Top teams then advance to a simulation-based Grow Your Money challenge, applying strategic decision-making to maximize virtual investments. The competition emphasizes teamwork, creative problem-solving, and practical application of financial concepts. It’s an accessible yet challenging platform for developing early business and money management skills while competing at a national level.
Location: Remote
Cost: Varies, financial aid available
Program dates: 25 hours over 10 weeks (on weekends) during the spring cohort and 25 hours over 2 weeks (on weekdays) during the summer cohort.
Application deadline: Rolling deadlines
Financial assistance: Need-based financial aid is available
Eligibility: Students in grades 6-8
The AI Trailblazers program by Veritas AI is a virtual program that teaches middle school students the fundamentals of artificial intelligence and machine learning. Over 25 hours, you will learn the basics of Python as well as topics like data analysis, regression, image classification, neural networks, and AI ethics. Students learn through lectures and group sessions with a 5:1 student-to-mentor ratio. Previous projects done by students have included building a machine-learning model to classify music genres and creating a machine-learning algorithm to provide a custom list of educational resources based on selected specifications.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: The program is highly selective. Information on the size of the application pool and exact cohort size is not publicly available.
Location: Space Center Houston and NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX (Global teams participate online; finalists present on-site).
Cost: $499 per team for the Innovation Stage; discounts available for teams with financial constraints.
Dates: August–April (Innovation Summit April 22–25)
Application Deadline: November 15
Eligibility: Open to students ages 13–18; typically includes upper middle schoolers (8th grade) through high school. Teams of 2–5 students with a coach are required.
The Conrad Challenge is a year-long entrepreneurial innovation competition where you’ll develop solutions to real-world problems in categories such as aerospace, energy and environment, cyber-technology, and health. Working in teams, you’ll go through stages from ideation to business modeling, creating a Lean Canvas, an Innovation Brief, a 3–5 minute prototype video, and a public website. Finalist teams are invited to present their ideas at Space Center Houston during the Innovation Summit, pitching to industry experts and competing for scholarships and the title of Pete Conrad Scholar. It’s a rigorous platform to explore innovation and entrepreneurship early while gaining mentorship and exposure on an international stage.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: The program is moderately selective. Exact application pool and cohort size are not publicly available.
Location: Nationwide, with national finals held at the FBLA National Leadership Conference (U.S.)
Cost: Varies by local chapter and state association; membership fees and conference registration apply.
Dates: Competitions run throughout the school year with national finals in late June/early July.
Application Deadline: Varies by local and state chapter timelines.
Eligibility: Open to middle school students in grades 5–9 who are FBLA members through their school chapter.
FBLA (Future Business Leaders of America) Middle School Competitive Events provide a structured way to explore business, entrepreneurship, finance, marketing, and leadership through a mix of objective tests, role-plays, and presentation events. Categories range from Financial Literacy and Marketing Mix Challenge to Exploring Business Ethics and Video Game Challenge, aligning with real-world business and technology applications. You’ll build practical skills in teamwork, communication, and critical thinking while competing at local, state, and national levels. Top performers advance to the National Leadership Conference, gaining exposure to peers and professionals in a business-focused environment.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: The program is moderately selective. Exact application pool and cohort size are not publicly available.
Location: Online, with a global participant base.
Cost: Free
Dates: May 12–August 12
Application Deadline: May 12
Eligibility: Open to participants ages 13 and above worldwide; typically includes upper middle schoolers (8th grade) through young adults.
The Citizen Entrepreneurship Competition empowers you to design and pitch innovative business ideas that address real-world challenges aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals. The program runs in three phases: idea submission, development through the Entrepreneurial Design Canvas, and public voting before a jury evaluates the top projects. You’ll gain access to free online training in entrepreneurial thinking and sustainable business practices while collaborating with peers across 140+ countries. Finalists present their concepts during an online award ceremony, with the chance to gain global recognition and feedback from experts. The competition emphasizes creative problem-solving, business modeling, and global networking, offering a practical path into social entrepreneurship at an early age.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Open participation; exact application pool and cohort size are not publicly available.
Location: Nationwide (implemented by schools and educators; virtual resources available).
Cost: Free curriculum and toolkit; optional educator professional development training is also free.
Dates: Available year-round; schools can implement it in as little as 10 hours or over a semester.
Application Deadline: Rolling; educators register to launch the program in their classroom.
Eligibility: Open to students in grades 7–12 through participating schools or organizations.
The BUILD Design Challenge introduces you to human-centered design and entrepreneurship through a dynamic, project-based experience. Working in teams, you’ll learn to empathize with real-world clients, define problems, ideate solutions, build prototypes, and pitch your ideas. The challenge is educator-led, with free curriculum and resources developed specifically for students to gain entrepreneurial skills early. The program emphasizes empathy-driven innovation, teamwork, and practical business problem-solving, culminating in a final pitch presentation. Whether run over a short 10-hour sprint or as part of a longer class, it’s an accessible way for middle schoolers to develop core enterprise and design thinking skills in a competitive format.
Stephen is one of the founders of Lumiere and a Harvard College graduate. He founded Lumiere as a Ph.D. student at Harvard Business School. Lumiere is a selective research program where students work 1-1 with a research mentor to develop an independent research paper.
Image Source - Conrad Challenge logo