Veteran Entrepreneurship Training Program

The Center for Entrepreneurial Studies at Rider University offers a free, six-week entrepreneurship training program each summer. Designed to support veterans, their spouses, and dependents, this program helps participants develop the skills needed to start a new business or expand an existing one. 

Held on our Lawrenceville, NJ campus, the program begins with students developing a business concept and assessing its feasibility through guided instruction and hands-on activities. 

Personalized Learning Experience: To ensure high-quality learning and individual attention, class sizes are capped at 20 students. This allows for tailored feedback and support from instructors, particularly during the critical stages of business concept development and feasibility analysis. 

Exclusive Resources: Gain access to Rider University’s resources, comprehensive course materials and ongoing feedback throughout the program.

Interested in pursuing a bachelor's degree?

This program is also available for credit by completing additional coursework. Rider's Veterans and Military Affairs office will work with applicants to determine eligibility for veterans benefits.

How to apply

The 2025 summer program has finished. We are now accepting applications for the 2026 summer program. You can apply now using the below button. You will be in our system and a space reserved for you. You must be a veteran, veteran spouse or a dependent of a veteran and have a business concept to pursue to be eligible to participate. Please see the next paragraph for a tentative program schedule.

Please note: The program is supported by a grant and the status of that grant will not be known until early 2026. However, as this is the 13th year of running this program, we are optimistic that we will be able to offer it next summer.

Program schedule

The tentative summer 2026 program will run from mid-May 21 – the end of June 2026. All classes will meet on evenings on our Lawrenceville, NJ campus from 6 - 9 p.m. All sessions will include some hands-on time to work on your idea. Online research work will also be completed each week. 

A tentative schedule is as follows: 

• Week 1: Welcome, Business Concept Development and Understanding your Industry
• Week 2: Industry Structure, Industry Trends, Business Research Skills using Databases
• Week 3: Understand Your Customers and Competition: Competitive Analysis, Demographics, Competitive Advantage
• Week 4: How to Gain Customers: Promotions, Pricing, Sales Assumptions and Sales Forecast
• Week 5: What Does It Cost To Fulfill Sales: Supplies, Personnel, Inventory, and All Costs
• Week 6: Can You Make $?: Financials, Cash Flow and Wrap-up

Our sponsor

This program is made possible through our partnership with New Jersey Bankers Charitable Foundation, who shares our vision of helping foster veterans’ personal and professional growth through entrepreneurial training.