RowdyLink - Form: StartUp Academy Fall 2026

StartUp Academy
Build your idea. Lead innovation. Create what’s next.

StartUp Academy is an asynchronous interactive experience designed for students who are ready to build, innovate, and turn ideas into action.

Select one of two tracks based on your goals and interests. Each track includes interactive sessions, hands-on activities, and key milestones to help you apply what you learn along the way.

Applications close September 13, 2026.

Entrepreneurial Track

For students who want to build a business or bring their own idea to life.

In this track, you will:

Learn startup and business fundamentals
Build and develop your business idea
Gain practical tools to move from idea to action
Acquire founder frameworks for making strategic decisions
Prepare to communicate and share your business vision

Choose this track if: You have a business, side hustle, startup idea, or simply want to learn how to build something of your own.

Intrapreneurial Track

For students who want to innovate, lead, and create change within an organization.

In this track, you will:

Learn the fundamentals of corporate and organizational innovation
Develop skills to lead and influence from within a company
Identify opportunities and develop solutions to real-world challenges
Acquire change-maker frameworks for navigating and driving change
Learn how to communicate and gain support for new ideas

Choose this track if: You want to lead innovation, solve problems, or create meaningful change within a company or organization.

Demo Day | November 12, 2026

The StartUp Academy experience will culminate with Demo Day on November 12.

Entrepreneurial Track participants will reflect on their journey and share how their business idea or venture has developed.

Intrapreneurial Track participants will share an innovation concept or proposed solution designed to address a challenge or create meaningful change within an organization.

Demo Day is an opportunity to showcase your progress, share what you've built, and celebrate the work completed throughout StartUp Academy.

Najim Media Release Agreement

I hereby grant The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) permission to publish or post information including, but not limited to, my name, picture, audio recording, visual recording, or any other medium, for any purpose UTSA deems appropriate, including, but not limited to, exhibition, education, illustration, and promotion.

Please select one:

I Agree — I grant UTSA permission to use my name, image, audio recording, visual recording, or other media as described in the Najim Media Release Agreement.

I Do Not Agree — I do not grant UTSA permission to use my name, image, audio recording, visual recording, or other media as described in the Najim Media Release Agreement.

Required

StartUp Academy Abandonment and Payment Acknowledgment

Abandonment
You agree to attend the full project experience. You understand that if you do not attend the whole experience, you will incur an abandonment fee of $50 and will not receive payment for services agreed upon.

Payment Information

Participants may be eligible to receive payment for their participation in StartUp Academy. Payment is not guaranteed and is based on the successful completion of program requirements, including required milestones and the final project presentation.

If eligible, the total payment amount will be determined at the conclusion of the program in accordance with the guidelines outlined in the StartUp Academy Handbook.

Please allow up to 45 business days for payment processing after all required payment documentation has been submitted.

Important: All required payment documents must be submitted within 30 days after the conclusion of the semester in which you participated. The Najim team is not responsible for processing payments after this deadline. Participants who do not submit all required documentation within the designated timeframe will forfeit their eligibility to receive payment.