Did you know, according to 2024 data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 20.4% of businesses fail within their first year, 49.4% fail within the first five years, and 65.3% fail within the first ten years!
In this episode of the SparkBuddies Podcast, host Esther sits down with Ethan Yip, a 16-year-old high school founder who created Nova: a startup accelerator designed specifically for high school and college entrepreneurs.
Unlike traditional programs, Nova focuses on execution over ideas, long-term founder growth, and building real products, not just pitch decks. Ethan shares how he built Nova from scratch, how young founders can gain credibility, avoid burnout, find co-founders, and balance school with entrepreneurship.
This episode is packed with real, tactical advice for students interested in startups, AI, research, venture capital, and building companies early.
In this inspiring conversation, Ethan shares:
What a startup accelerator is and how Nova helps high school founders turn ideas, research, and projects into real companies
Why execution matters more than ideas, and how young founders can move from thinking to building
How teenagers can build credibility despite their age, including mentorship, proof of work, and strategic positioning
The Nova Roadmap: a flexible 6-month framework that supports student startups at every stage
How young founders raise money through VCs, angel investors, and pre-orders
Practical advice for student entrepreneurs: avoiding burnout, balancing school and startups, and starting now even imperfectly
Watch the interview below:
Links and resources mentioned:
Ethan’s latest project that raised $100,000+: https://www.celestify.ai/
Sparkbuddies: sparkbuddies.ai
React: https://react.dev/
Figma: https://www.figma.com/
Notion: https://www.notion.com/
Airtable: https://www.airtable.com/
Canva: https://www.canva.com/