Crimson Global Academy and Icehouse Ventures have launched a new year-long fellowship aimed at identifying and supporting the next generation of young entrepreneurs in New Zealand.
The programme, created in partnership with Crimson Global Academy, will select five Year 12 students from across the country to become inaugural Fellows. Each student will receive a fully funded Year 13 education through Crimson Global Academy, alongside structured start-up support, mentorship, and access to New Zealand’s leading founders and investors.
The Fellowship is designed to remove early barriers for young people with strong entrepreneurial potential. In addition to their education, each Fellow will receive $10,000 in funding to support the development of business ideas or early-stage ventures. This brings the total value of the programme to approximately $40,000 per student.
The initiative begins in either September 2026 or January 2027, with applications closing at 5pm on Sunday, June 21. An information evening for prospective applicants was held on Tuesday, June 2, hosted by Icehouse Ventures and Crimson Global Academy.
A key feature of the Fellowship is direct exposure to New Zealand’s startup ecosystem. Students will engage with experienced founders and investors, including leaders from companies such as Sharesies, Halter, Dawn Aerospace and Crimson. Participants will also attend workshops, networking events, and flagship industry gatherings such as Icehouse Ventures’ annual Showcase at Spark Arena.
The programme has been designed not just to teach entrepreneurship, but to embed students in real venture-building environments. Fellows will work closely with mentors from Icehouse Ventures’ investment team and gain insight into how early-stage companies are built and scaled.
Crimson Global Academy founder Jamie Beaton said the programme is focused less on finished business ideas and more on identifying raw entrepreneurial traits. “The Fellowship is not looking for polished pitches or a formed business plan. We are looking for the entrepreneurial qualities that precede both: ambition, grit, and the conviction to build something the world needs before the world knows it yet,” he said.
Icehouse Ventures CEO Robbie Paul said younger founders often bring a different mindset to problem-solving and innovation. “Young founders are often closer to innovation, less risk averse and more disposed to swing for the fences, and more capital efficient,” he said.
The Fellowship builds on a long-standing relationship between Icehouse Ventures and Crimson’s founder, Jamie Beaton, which dates back to the early days of Crimson Education. Beaton previously interned at Icehouse Ventures before studying at Harvard University, an experience he has credited with shaping his entrepreneurial path. Icehouse Ventures later became an early investor in Crimson Education, which has since grown into one of New Zealand’s most valuable education startups.
Each selected Fellow will receive a fully funded Year 13 education through Crimson Global Academy, completing either a US High School Diploma or International A Levels, $10,000 in funding to support entrepreneurial activity, including travel, product development, software, research, or marketing, and a 12-month structured programme with mentorship from investors and experienced founders.
The Fellowship is open to Year 12 students across New Zealand. Applicants will be asked to submit a short profile outlining their interests, achievements, and impact to date, along with a video describing their ideas and ambitions. Organisers say the goal is to identify students who show early signs of entrepreneurial thinking, regardless of whether they already have a fully formed business concept. Applications open on 19 May and close on 21 June.
Both organisations say the Fellowship reflects a broader ambition to strengthen New Zealand’s start-up ecosystem by investing earlier in talent development. Icehouse Ventures has invested in hundreds of companies and has backed some of New Zealand’s best-known start-ups, including Halter, Sharesies, Partly and Dawn Aerospace. Crimson Global Academy, meanwhile, continues to expand its global online schooling model supporting students aiming for top-tier universities worldwide.
