PICK YOUR PATH.
GET PAID TO BUILD IT.
A six-week paid summer program for students ready to lead inside a business or grow one of their own.
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6 weeks
Monday - Thursday
June 21 -
July 30th
2027
$17 an hour
April 26
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™
ACCELERATE is for students who have already practiced entrepreneurial thinking with Gray Matter and are ready to choose a path.
Over six weeks, students earn $17 an hour while they build professional skills, a new network, and a plan for what comes next.
Whether they lead inside a Chicago small business or build a business of their own, students leave with real work experience and a professional brand they can take anywhere.
Choose Your Path:
The Intraprenuership Track places students in small businesses across Chicago, where they bring an entrepreneurial mindset to real work, build leadership skills, and prepare for their professional future.
The Entrepreneurship Track places students in an accelerator with subject matter experts. Students build a business plan covering legal basics, pricing, accounting, marketing, and fundraising, and prepare to compete for seed funding at Pitch Black.
PROGRAM DETAILS
ACCELERATE runs Monday through Thursday, June 21 to July 30, 2027. In the first and last weeks, both tracks meet in person, 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. each day. In weeks two through five, students are in person every Monday, 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
The Intrapreneurship Track then moves to their internship placement Tuesday through Thursday, 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. (in person or virtual, depending on the host business), and the Entrepreneurship Track meets virtually those same days, 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
The program runs hybrid, combining in-person and virtual days across both tracks.
Program Highlights:
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Six weeks: June 21 – July 30, 2027
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Earn $17 an hour
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Build your professional brand: headshot, resume, and LinkedIn
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Practice interviewing and networking
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Entrepreneurship Track: build a full business plan and pitch
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Access to our mentor and alumni network
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Priority consideration for Hustle Hacks
Every ACCELERATE student can apply to compete at Pitch Black, our signature pitch competition, on August 5, 2027.
Who Can Apply:
ACCELERATE is open to students who have taken part in Gray Matter programming, including The Gray Matter Experience and our partner programs. A small number of seats open to new applicants each year, based on availability. Applications for summer 2027 open April 26 and close May 28.
The way into ACCELERATE starts now.
Fellows in The Gray Matter Experience get priority access.
Entrepreneurship Track students finish ACCELERATE with a polished business plan, backed by financials and market research, and a pitch ready for Pitch Black.
Intrapreneurship Track students finish with real workplace experience and a professional brand they can take into any interview.
