Global Entrepreneurship

Berlin, Germany

Business

Select a Term...

Dates

Jun 12 - Jul 2, 2025

3 weeks

Costs

$6,450

Highlights

Business proposal

Career exploration

Daily activities and excursions

Immersion with a host family

Extended Deadline

February 26, 2025

Request Information

Dates

Jul 10 - 30, 2025

3 weeks

Costs

$6,450

Highlights

Business proposal

Career exploration

Daily activities and excursions

Immersion with a host family

Extended Deadline

February 26, 2025

Request Information

Got a startup spirit? Hone your business ideas in multicultural Berlin.

With a fast-growing startup scene, Berlin’s economy boasts thriving businesses, from high-tech firms to diverse companies in the service sector. Find yourself at the center of it all. Engage directly with local businesses and discover what leads to entrepreneurial success in a competitive environment. Team up with other Global Navigators to develop and pitch a concept for a new business. Learn how to assess opportunities, requirements, and risks as you gain practical business skills for budgeting, pricing, marketing, and selling.

Progressive and historic, Berlin offers an ideal backdrop, full of fascinating experiences. Visit the East Side Gallery—the world’s largest permanent open-air art gallery. Hop on a boat along the Spree River. Meet a local guide for a walking tour of the city center. See the Brandenburg Gate, the Berlin Wall Memorial, and the Reichstag building, home to the German parliament and a beautiful glass dome. Travel outside Berlin to 1000-year-old Potsdam, or to Leipzig – a vibrant city where history, culture, and youthful energy come together, offering a unique blend of tradition and modern charm.

Why Choose This Program?

Explore

Have fun discovering Berlin iconic, multicultural streets where innovative businesses thrive.

Network

Meet new friends and business entrepreneurs. Build your own community.

Get Inspired

Develop practical business skills and collaborate on a concept for a new business.

The Destination

Welcome to Berlin, with eyes on the future and reflections on the past.

Located in northeastern Germany and nestled between two rivers, Spree and Havel, is Berlin. After 80 years of dramatic change, it’s one of Europe’s most dynamic capitals, home to an exciting mix of traditional and tech-forward industries. Today many different cultures and subcultures live side by side peacefully. Constantly focused on a bright present and future—with business right at the heart of it—the city itself can be described as a startup.

��911 one-third of Berlin is parkland or gardens, which contrasts with its urban feel and reputation. The Brandenburg Gate serves as Berlin’s most well-known landmark, along with the more somber culture of remembrance reflected in sites, such as the Holocaust Memorial or remnants of the Berlin Wall, which separated the city in East and West prior to its destruction following the 1989 protests. All around, there are open-air street parties, festivals, galleries, theaters, and movies to enjoy. While exploring, taste traditional German dishes, such as Bouletten (meatballs) and Kohlrouladen (stuffed cabbage), as well as cuisines influenced by people from the many different cultures who have made Berlin their home.

Cultural Awareness

��911wants all our students to feel welcomed, supported, and empowered to succeed while studying abroad. Local ��911staff have provided details about conditions and cultural attitudes that students with specific identities might encounter in Berlin.

Social feed above may feature posts from all ��911Study Abroad programs, including college programs.

Sample Itinerary

Objective

You will settle into Berlin. You will explore the processes and traits of successful entrepreneurs and start collaborating with a group to develop concepts for a business proposal.

Highlights*

Walking tour of the Mitte Neighborhood in Berlin
Visit to the Startup Incubator Berlin, a workshop and experimental space for start-ups
Learning helpful German words and phrases for getting by in everyday life
Create your own chocolate bar at the iconic German chocolate flagship store of Ritter Sport
Day trip to Potsdam to embark on an exciting scavenger hunt through the gardens of Sanssouci Park

*Based on prior year itinerary and subject to change.

Objective

You will conduct surveys and spend time at a local startup interviewing entrepreneurs to help define a target market for your new business. You will build a customer profile, consider your competitive advantage, and test your ideas.

Highlights*

Visit of the special thematic exhibits at the German History Museum
Visit to the Futurium museum, focusing on climate change, industrial society, and human actions
Entrepreneur mixer with local entrepreneurs from diverse backgrounds
Overnight trip to Leipzig, exploring Leipzig’s old city center and history

*Based on prior year itinerary and subject to change.

Objective

Through case studies and simulations, you will consider marketing strategies for your target customers, define your costs, and set your price. You will develop an exciting pitch and present your business proposal to a panel of judges.

Highlights*

Visit to theplenary hall and glass cupola of the Reichstag building
Exploration of Berlin’s famous second-hand clothing store and organization Humana to learn how entrepreneurship can align with environmental responsibility and social good
Experiencing the excitement of the Berlin Sommer Volksfest
Visit to Wannse, Berlin’s largest and most popular lake, to cool off and relax
Present your final projects to a panel of judges

*Based on prior year itinerary and subject to change.

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Each day offers a balance between interactive instruction and cultural activities with time on your own, too. Morning classes and afternoon activities may swap places.

Breakfast at the dorm or out in the community
Experiential learning with expert instructors and business entrepreneurs
Lunch with your fellow Global Navigators
Out and about for a Cultural Activity or visits to local businesses
Dinner at the dorm or out in the community

Weekends

Overnight or day excursions to top sites
Quality time with friends

Housing

Carefully-screened homestay

Top Rated Activities

Startup Incubator Berlin

The creative energy is palpable as you step into Startup Incubator Berlin, a hub where startup ideas are developed into market-ready products. Here, the critical stage of prototyping and refining business models is in full swing. In this busy loft, fresh startup teams test, iterate, and prepare to become thriving enterprises. Today, you’ll witness the process that turns concepts into viable ventures.

As you explore, you see prototypes like AI-powered glasses for the visually impaired and innovative food dispensers designed to revolutionize customer experiences.

Entrepreneurs share their stories of trial and iteration, revealing how they’ve navigated challenges to bring their ideas closer to reality. The highlight of your visit is engaging directly with these startup teams during presentations and Q&A sessions, where you and your fellow Global Navigators exchange ideas and gain inspiration.

This experience immerses you in Berlin’s entrepreneurial ecosystem, connecting you to a community of innovators. You’ll leave with fresh insights, newfound confidence, and a deeper understanding of the steps needed to bring your own bold ideas to life.

Leipzig Excursion

You step off the train in Leipzig, ready to begin your weekend overnight excursion in this historic and vibrant city. The streets are lined with a mix of medieval architecture and modern energy, earning it the nickname “Hypezig.” As you explore, you’ll uncover a city that has evolved over centuries through creativity and resilience—transformations only made possible by visionaries and entrepreneurs.

Your visit includes climbing the towering Völkerschlachtdenkmal, a monument commemorating a decisive Napoleonic battle that shaped Europe’s history. Standing atop, you take in breathtaking views of Leipzig and its surrounding countryside, marveling at the craftsmanship of this century-old structure. Later, you might wander through the sprawling Leipzig Zoo or visit landmarks connected to iconic musicians like Bach and Mendelssohn.

Beyond sightseeing, you build camaraderie over your shared experience of a summer abroad and a mutual passion for business and innovation. Leipzig’s evolution as a city of history, music, and creativity will leave you inspired to imagine how your own entrepreneurial ideas can shape communities in the future.

What Students Are Saying

"I learned how to create my own lean startup and all the work that goes into being an entrepreneur. I loved walking through Potsdam with my new close friends while taking in all that Potsdam has to offer."

Mya B., Global Navigator Alum
"It was a great experience, one that I think should be felt by any student in high school. My favorite part was going to the top of the dome in the Reichstag. It was a lot of fun and that was when I knew I was going to remember this summer and these people forever."

Nina T., Global Navigator Alum
"It was amazing visiting the Berlin Wall and Alexanderplatz. I spent a lot of time learning about the area and engaging with others and the sites around. It let me understand what Berlin is like and what European culture is like."

Carlos P., Global Navigator Alum
"Berlin is very fun and I enjoyed the experience of traveling and learning about a new culture. We had a lot of freedom on our individual projects in class. I loved touring Görlitz and getting to experience that city too."

Michelle Z., Global Navigator Alum

From CIEE

��911Students in Berlin Combine Business with Pleasure: From Falafel to Chocolate Sculptures

By Anthony Sia at CIEE

Berlin's historic streets buzzed with a different kind of energy today as ��911students, having spent weeks immersed in the world of entrepreneurship and German language, enjoyed a well-deserved reward... keep reading

From CIEE

How To Write a Great Scholarship Application Essay

By HS Summer Abroad Program Leaders at CIEE

Earning a ��911Global Navigator Scholarship is a prestigious honor that can help you stand out for years to come, especially on college applications! Plus, these scholarships give hundreds of... keep reading

Tips

Teens with a host family high school summer abroad

From CIEE

7 Things to Know ��911 High School Summer Abroad Housing

By High School Summer Abroad at CIEE

High school summer abroad is not just about teens exploring a topic in an exciting location. It’s also about finding a temporary home away from home. Read the 7 things you should know about our housing options.

Eligibility

Participants must be 14 years old and above.
Program open to all current high school students: Freshmen, Sophomores, Juniors, and Seniors.
For scholarship eligibility requirements, please check our Scholarship page.

For more information, refer to the detailed Program Essential Eligibility Criteria.

Dates & Fees

Application Fee

$25

Program scholarships and tuition include iNext Travel Insurance, but do not cover the cost of flights. Find additional details about what’s included with your tuition.

More questions? Find answers, get application support, sign up for virtual presentations or contact us.

Program	Application Due	Start Date	End Date	Costs
Program Summer Session I 2025 3 weeks	February 26, 2025	Start Date June 12, 2025	End Date July 2, 2025	Costs $6,450
Program Summer Session II 2025 3 weeks	February 26, 2025	Start Date July 10, 2025	End Date July 30, 2025	Costs $6,450

Ready to change your life?

What's Included

Interactive Classes

Housing

3 Meals/Day

(Dietary Needs Accommodated)

All Ground Transportation

(Once In-country)

Optional Flight Chaperone

(Flight Cost Not Included)

Pre-departure Advice and Orientation

Access to WIFI

(No international data plan or SIM card included)

All Cultural Activities and Excursions

Comprehensive Medical and Travel Protection

24/7 Emergency On-site Support

Our Staff

Andrea Adam Moore

Regional Director of Operations for Europe

Andrea holds a Master’s Degree in Business Administration from Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin.

Program Leaders

Program Leaders guide and support our High School Summer Abroad participants through every step of their program.