start it up

Georgia Public Broadcasting (GPB) has teamed up with the Georgia Council on Economic Education (GCEE) and FableVision Studios to launch Start It Up, a new online game aligned to Georgia high school economic standards. This interactive simulation helps students and young adults understand the complexities of opening a business, including the risks and rewards of entrepreneurship, how to get funding for an idea, why small businesses sometimes fail after a few years, and what decisions help businesses succeed. 

In Start It Up, players begin by selecting the type of business they want to open from a variety of options, including manufacturing, professional services, store fronts, and others. With the help of a mentor, students make choices about funding, hiring, advertising, producing, and other day-to-day decisions faced by real businesses. Over a simulated four quarters, players experience the many ebbs and flows associated with opening and running a business. 

"We are proud to add Start It Up to our collection of innovative, free resources for teachers and students," said Laura Evans, Director of Education at Georgia Public Broadcasting. "Gamifying complex topics such as starting a new business from scratch has shown to increase student engagement and comprehension."

"GCEE is excited to once again partner with GPB to bring teachers another high-quality teaching resource," said Chris Cannon, the Associate Director and Chief Program Officer of GCEE. "Entrepreneurship has the potential to change lives, but it is not easy. This online experience will help teachers prepare students interested in starting a business for the real world challenges."

Start It Up is available now at gpb.org/start-it-up and includes teaching materials designed to help high school teachers teach entrepreneurship effectively. This project was made possible with generous support from Truist Foundation.