Kit Keating, ‘26, said everyone has ideas, but execution makes an entrepreneur.

At Lehigh, students with entrepreneurial ambitions have access to a program designed to turn ideas into action, offering coaching, funding and real-world experience through every stage of building a venture.

“(Entrepreneurs are) the people who are really willing to put in the work, the people who are not afraid of failing and the people who understand that you have to chase challenges you have,” Keating said. “You’re going to fail multiple times. If you’re afraid of that, I don’t think that entrepreneurship is for you.”

Lehigh’s EUREKA! student venture program helps young entrepreneurs from the Lehigh community transform their ideas into something tangible. What began as a small, annual competition in 2007 has grown into an individualized, year-round coaching and funding program designed for undergraduate and graduate students alike. 

Through a step-by-step framework, the program gives students space to pitch their business ideas. Aspiring entrepreneurs validate their concepts with advisors, learn how to effectively target consumers and develop a strong business plan for an entrepreneurial venture.

Lisa Getzler, the vice provost of entrepreneurship at Lehigh and founder of EUREKA!, said students need regular coaching and resources. 

Today, the program is led by Michelle Julet, the director of the Baker Institute for Entrepreneurship, Creativity and Innovation. 

She emphasized that part of what makes EUREKA! special is its accessibility. Any student with an idea can request to attend a workshop. From that point, Julet helps create a custom game plan for each student’s venture.

“What we have is super easy to get going,” Julet said. “You can start a venture, whether you’re a poet or an engineer. Whatever background you have, you can enter the EUREKA! program.”

After completing an idea bounce, students can attend a customer discovery workshop to ensure they’re ready to pitch their idea for funding. At monthly EUREKA! pitch nights — open to the Lehigh community — students who are pitch-ready can receive expert feedback from judges and seek networking opportunities.

Pitch nights are designed as a space for collaboration, not competition.

“It’s not a competition against the other students pitching,” Getzler said. “It’s a review to help the Baker director identify what resources each student entrepreneur needs to move forward.” 

Students can return to another pitch night to seek further feedback and resources to advance their ventures.

Emily Sigel, ’26, is pictured presenting her entrepreneurial idea to a panel at pitch night (Photo Courtesy of Sara Eleissawy ’26)

Keating said pitching through the program provided her with the real-world experience she needed to progress her own company, RenewBluSurf. The company offers sustainable alternatives to the everyday products used by surfers and beachgoers, with 10% of proceeds donated to ocean conservation foundations. 

“It was just great to learn how pitching works and how you go through the process of presenting,” she said. “That was probably the biggest thing for me.”

In addition to teaching her how to present to investors, EUREKA! helped Keating through the validation and customer discovery phases of entrepreneurship.

Through the program, students learn the specific processes that lead to successful entrepreneurship, helping make starting a venture feel less daunting or unattainable.

“One student came to me and said, ‘Michelle, I now realize there’s a way to start a company, rather than just going and doing it,’” Julet said.

Julet said becoming a successful entrepreneur requires a specific mindset and set of qualities. Through her work with young entrepreneurs, she’s identified key differences between those who possess an entrepreneurial mindset and those who don’t.

“What I hope for myself and for everyone is to have a joyous life, and part of that joy is having a purpose, whether it’s a career, a nonprofit or a mission,” she said. “The people that I have seen that have an entrepreneurial mindset have that because they’re extremely committed to whatever it is they want to do.”

 While the program offers a path for students interested in starting or growing a venture, it’s part of a broader ecosystem of entrepreneurial programs offered by the Baker Institute. 

Getzler said she encourages students to explore entrepreneurial ways of thinking, even if they don’t want to start their own company.

“While (students) might not start a company, they might want to join a startup, or work in the capacity of an innovator within a large company,” Getzler said. “Lehigh has opportunities for them to learn what that means, and the skills and mindsets required to succeed.”