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TAKE YOUR AP BUSINESS CANVAS PROJECT
TO THE NEXT LEVEL
A Ready-Made Capstone Experience for AP Business with Personal Finance
Compete in the Teen Entrepreneurs' Business Plan Competition
Your students are already building real business ideas—now give them a real-world stage. Project ECHO transforms the AP Business Canvas Project into an exciting competition experience where students develop their ideas into business plans, pitch to experienced business professionals, receive meaningful feedback, and compete for cash awards—all while building confidence, communication skills, and a standout experience for college and beyond.
STUDENTS, IF YOUR CLASS ISN'T PARTICIPATING — YOU STILL CAN.
Your school doesn’t need to participate for you to compete! Register independently or with your team, turn your Business Canvas Project into a competition-ready business plan and pitch, and compete for cash awards. Project ECHO provides the guidelines, judging criteria, and preparation resources you need to compete in person or virtually. No teacher or school registration required. Registration: $200 per student
College Board's AP Business course guidance specifically recognizes the opportunity for teachers to extend the Business Canvas Project into student business competitions.
That’s where Project ECHO comes in.
Project ECHO does not replace your AP curriculum or Business Canvas Project. Instead, we provide a structured pathway for students to take the entrepreneurial work they are already doing and prepare it for an authentic external audience.
AP Business → Business Canvas Project → Project ECHO Competition
Students move from learning and applying business concepts in the classroom to explaining, presenting, and defending their ideas before experienced business professionals.
WHAT PROJECT ECHO ADDS TO THE AP EXPERIENCE
AN AUTHENTIC AUDIENCE
Students present their entrepreneurial ideas to experienced business professionals—not just their classmates and teacher.
EXTERNAL EVALUATION
Written business plans and presentations are evaluated by volunteer judges with professional business experience.
REAL-WORLD QUESTIONS
Students must think on their feet, explain their assumptions, and defend the decisions behind their business concepts.
OPTIONAL BUSINESS MENTORS
Student teams may have the opportunity to work virtually with background-screened business professionals as they develop and refine their ideas.
COMPETITION
Students put their work to the test alongside entrepreneurial teams from other schools and programs in a full-day competition experience featuring professional judging, a keynote speaker, student activities, lunch and an awards ceremony.
RECOGNITION & AWARDS
Outstanding teams are recognized, with winners eligible for cash awards that can support their entrepreneurial or educational goals. Students will receive a Certificate of Accomplishment after their participation in the Competition.
A UNIVERSITY EXPERIENCE
Teams have the opportunity to compete on the campus of California State University, Dominguez Hills, or virtually on Zoom.
Professional Support
Teacher Support
Project ECHO staff are available to help teachers understand competition requirements, timelines, submissions, and student preparation.
Optional Mentors
As available, business professionals can meet virtually with teams to provide feedback and help them prepare for competition.
Supporting Teachers Every Step of the Way!
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Teacher onboarding and competition orientation
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Written Business Plan guidelines and judging rubric
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Live Pitch guidelines and judging rubric
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Competition timelines, deadlines, and submission guidance
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Resources to help students prepare for judging and Q&A
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Optional mentors, as available, to help student teams prepare
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Ongoing teacher support leading up to competition day
FROM AP BUSINESS PROJECT TO
REAL-WORLD COMPETITION
Six simple steps take your students from the classroom to competition day.
1
REGISTER YOUR CLASS
Choose the participation option that works best for your school and students. Deadline to register is March 12, 2027.
2
BUILD ON THE AP BUSINESS CANVAS PROJECT
Use students' completed Business Canvas Projects as the foundation for their competition business plans and pitches. After the AP exam, students have additional time to finalize their competition entries.
3
PREPARE FOR COMPETITION
Project ECHO provides business-plan and pitch guidelines, judging rubrics, competition expectations and preparation resources.
4
OPTIONAL MENTOR SUPPORT
As available, virtual business mentors can provide feedback and help student teams prepare for competition.
5
SUBMIT BUSINESS PLANS
Students submit their written plans for evaluation by Sunday, May 9, 2027.
6
COMPETE
Students showcase their work in-person or virtually at the Teen Entrepreneurs’ Business Plan Competition on Sunday, May 16, 2027.
AP BUSINESS + PROJECT ECHO ALIGNMENT
Entrepreneurship: Students develop an entrepreneurial opportunity into a competition-ready venture
Decision Making: Students explain their strategic choices and respond to questions from judges.
Communication: Students transform their work into a persuasive written business plan and live business pitch.
Business Canvas Project: Students extend their AP project into an authentic external competition experience.
THE TEEN ENTREPRENEURS’ BUSINESS PLAN COMPETITION
Sunday, May 16, 2027
California State University, Dominguez Hills | Carson, California
Project ECHO’s annual Teen Entrepreneurs’ Business Plan Competition gives students the opportunity to experience entrepreneurship beyond the classroom. Students are evaluated in two areas: their written business plan and a “Shark Tank-style” pitch, including Q&A with experienced business professionals.
Teams can pitch their business in person at CSU Dominguez Hills in Carson, CA, or virtually on Zoom.
SEE PROJECT ECHO AND THE BUSINESS PLAN COMPETITION IN ACTION
See the competition in action—in just 90 seconds.
Meet the young entrepreneurs, see the pitches and experience the energy of Project ECHO's university-hosted competition.
TWO WAYS FOR YOUR STUDENTS TO PARTICIPATE
SCHOOL-SPONSORED CLASSROOM
$3,100 per classroom
One school-sponsored fee covers participation for up to 30 students
(Often covered by CTE grants, district enrichment funds, department budgets, or family contributions.)
INDIVIDUAL STUDENT ENROLLMENT
$200 per student
Project ECHO provides a dedicated enrollment and payment link for your school so participating students and families can register and pay directly.
Both options include Project ECHO competition preparation resources and participation.
READY TO GIVE YOUR AP BUSINESS STUDENTS A REAL-WORLD STAGE?
Let’s talk about how Project ECHO can complement your AP Business with Personal Finance course and turn your students’ entrepreneurial work into an authentic competition experience.
As AP Business grows nationally, Project ECHO is prepared to scale alongside it, with the capacity to develop a dedicated AP Business Canvas Project Competition specifically for AP Business students.
Learn More About
Project ECHO
Project ECHO (Entrepreneurial Concepts Hands-On!) is a nonprofit entrepreneurship education organization established in 1996. Project ECHO provides experiential entrepreneurship opportunities that help middle and high school students develop business, financial, leadership, communication, and career-ready skills.
AP Business with Personal Finance Alignment
Project ECHO is an independent nonprofit educational organization and is not affiliated with or endorsed by College Board. References to AP Business with Personal Finance are provided to demonstrate alignment between course learning objectives, the Business Canvas Project, and the Project ECHO competition experience. AP® is a trademark registered by College Board.