Prodigy Academy

04/27/2014

Sunday may be almost over, but there's still time to unleash your inner creativity!

Zac Posen, a new judge on “Project Runway,” uses the time to experiment with fabric and get inspired by his playlist.

04/25/2014

Here's something for the creative minds. Check out some of the best brand campaigns done in 2013!

http://www.creativebloq.com/branding/top-brand-campaigns-2013-9134515

Whether they're built on an innovative idea or are just great pieces of design in their own right, these campaigns have caught our eye this year.

04/25/2014

04/24/2014

What fuels your passion? What makes you innovate? Read about why this young innovator decided to invent his app!

http://www.elle.com/news/lifestyle/kitestring-founder-stephan-boyer

Stephan Boyer, a 23-year-old MIT grad student, is one of my heroes.

04/19/2014

Good afternoon! We hope that your Easter weekend is going well.

While you take a break from your busy preparations, check out www.prodigyacademy.org!

We wish everyone a wonderful Easter weekend!

As a young child, Aaron became fascinated by innovation and quickly developed a passion for studying the greatest companies and business leaders of our time. As an investor at heart and an entrepreneur in spirit, he strives to make the most of each day. He believes sharing his passion with others is…

04/18/2014

Prodigy Academy hosts a seminar at westwood HS! We really appreciate you for having us there!

04/18/2014

Q1: Tell us a little bit about yourself!

A1: Since first grade, I had always known that I would be in business. During that time, I gathered Pokémon cards that were no longer wanted at my day care and sold them to people at my school for quarters and dimes. Honestly, today I don’t recall if there was some deep reason for me to do that, but I do remember that stuffing the money I earned into a little box that I had gave me one of the most satisfying feelings ever. The process was fun. Twelve years later, most people would describe me as ambitious. I’m not afraid to dream big and face failure if I can learn at the same time. Ambition is something that has always been with me. If I’m not busy improving myself mentally or physically, an alarm goes off in my head, and I feel anxious. The way things are going right now. I’m quite sure I can complete my degree and get a decent job. Build a career. Etc. etc. However, I’m striving for something more than that. [I’m striving for a] purpose to dedicate my life to and a way to change the world.

[However, I believe] whether I accomplish that or not oddly have been decided by the effects of chain reactions that began many years ago due to the big bang.

Q2: What inspired you to start Prodigy Academy?

A2: Seeing the entrepreneurial community grow so rapidly in the Austin area and experiencing the impact that the community had on the students at the university, I realized that entrepreneurship was most beneficial to students of a younger age. The educational system provides a lot of book learning for students; however, I feel that experiential learning is just as important if not more important because by trying things out you test your understandings and assumptions of the world. Such experiments clarify your framework of understanding. As you grow older, it becomes harder to build a venture from scratch as one starts a family and builds a career, so it makes sense to expose younger people to the notion of entrepreneurship while they are young and able rather than old and constrained.

Q3: What would you say is the most rewarding part about what you do?

A3: Knowing that I am striving for a worthy purpose and learning at the same time whether life brings me ups or downs.

Q4: What is your favorite part about Prodigy Academy?

A: [I believe it is] the chance to work with a team to execute a vision.

Q5: What would be your choice of book if you could only save one book from burning? and why?

A: Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson. Out of all the books I have read, it has been hands down the most powerful one. It inspires you to really challenge the conventions and norms that society follows and break them down to do things more efficiently. After finishing the book, I looked at life through a different lens, a lens of endless possibilities and paths.

04/15/2014

A very creative solution to the global energy crisis. And the I'm-out-of-battery crisis, too.

Thanks to a group of students on campus, charging your phone may be as easy as taking off your shoe.

04/08/2014

The most exciting acts in the music industry are embracing the best of what technology has to offer and some fresh new takes on traditional marketing.

04/07/2014

5 Questions with Co-Founder Aaron Bush!

1. Tell us a little bit about yourself!

Ever since elementary school I have been obsessed with understanding what makes great businesses great. This obsession transformed into a passion for investing, which, for the past several years, has motivated me to learn all I can about how innovative companies at any stage can continue to thrive and outperform their peers (special shout-out to The Motley Fool for giving me real world opportunities to sharpen my skills). I have never been fond of the status quo and am always on the edge of my seat waiting to make a difference in the world when opportunity presents itself.

2. What inspired you to start Prodigy Academy?

There is no doubt in my mind that the current education system in place today is suboptimal. Everyone has said, "Yeah, that's just the way it is." I don't like that. In too many instances students are held back or distracted from achieving what makes them thrive and what most definitely can push the world forward. I have felt that pressure my entire life, and it only makes sense to try and do something about it. Peter and I decided that Prodigy Academy would be set in place to serve students who want something more than what they are offered in school -- whatever that may be. Time is most definitely one's most valuable asset, and by better pursuing one's passion even a few years earlier the ending effects can be exponentially greater than they would be otherwise. If one really want to change the world, I believe the fastest way to do so is through empowering as many individuals as one can at younger and younger ages -- hence, Prodigy Academy.

3. What would you say is the most rewarding part about what you do?

Project Startup is going to be incredible, and my favorite part of all of this will definitely be the understanding that once these students leave our 4 day program they will be one step closer to changing the world than they were when they first arrived. Going back to the concept of time value, even little differences today will likely have enormous implications down the road -- especially if the students spend more time with us afterward! The idea that we all can mold the future into our own unique visions is simply extraordinary, and seeing visions unfold will be beyond rewarding.

4. What is your favorite part about Prodigy Academy?

Easy: the community. We are all smarter as a collective community, and 10 out of 10 times a functional team will outperform even the brightest of individuals. By bringing together the most talented and motivated students from around Austin, you would be hard pressed to find a better student community anywhere else. Now on top of that, add in several leading local entrepreneurs and thought leaders serving as mentors and we have created a winning formula for taking students to the next level. 100% progress, 100% of the time. Spend time with us, and once you get to college you'll be leagues ahead of your peers.

5. What would you say is the next big thing in the tech world? and why?

Innovation is accelerating, so there is no single next big thing; however, if I had to choose one I would pick the Internet of Things. Think sensors built into everything and then have those sensors wirelessly communicate with each other. The technology has been around for a while, but the adoption is accelerating on nearly all fronts. Self-driving cars, wearable technologies, and most any form of wireless monitoring will emerge from the boom of the Internet of Things. It's going to be crazy.

04/04/2014

What’s on your nightstand when you’re at the helm of a fast-growing startup?

04/02/2014

Watch how New Sky Energy is making clean chemistry and water treatment profitable, at last year's SXSW Eco. And happy Earth Month!

SXSW Eco's Startup Showcase 2013 was presented by Dell and powered by Prezi. To see New Sky Energy's prezi, head here: http://bit.ly/HdzeiS. This video is of...