Building Philly’s Future: Dragon Launch Philly Completes Phase One

The Charles D. Close School of Entrepreneurship recently marked a major milestone in local economic empowerment with the completion of Phase One of Dragon Launch Philly. Designed as a high-impact initiative to equip aspiring local business owners with the foundational tools for long-term self-sufficiency, the program’s intensive bootcamp brought rigorous, practical training directly to neighborhood founders across the Philadelphia area.

The program operates under the umbrella of the Urban Poverty and Business Initiative (UPBI), a national network of leading universities originally founded by Professor Michael Morris at the University of Notre Dame’s McKenna Center for Human Development and Global Business. The expansion of UPBI to Drexel was made possible through a milestone partnership with The Coca-Cola Company in North America. Inspired by the upcoming FIFA World Cup 26™, Coca-Cola extended vital support to UPBI to expand into tournament host cities, allowing Close to elevate Philadelphia’s wider community and support the grassroots leaders driving our local economy.

What Our Entrepreneurs Learned

The bootcamp phase provided participants with an immersive, fast-paced introduction to the fundamentals of launching and scaling a venture. Led by adjunct professor Kahlil Wyche, the sessions covered critical knowledge required to navigate today’s competitive business landscape.

Key curriculum highlights included:

• The Entrepreneurial Mindset and Ideation: Overcoming barriers to entry, recognizing localized market opportunities, and shifting from concept to execution.
• Customer Discovery and Market Validation: Developing structured methodologies to identify target demographics, assess market demand, and refine value propositions.
• Financial Literacy and Bootstrapping: Managing early-stage cash flow, understanding profit margins, and utilizing lean operational strategies to maximize initial resources.
• Marketing and Digital Strategy: Creating low-cost, high-impact campaigns, building brand consistency, and leveraging social media platforms effectively.
• Legal Fundamentals and Operations: Navigating business structures, licensing requirements, and compliance metrics specific to Philadelphia.

Insights from the Field

Several founders shared the shifts in clarity and confidence they experienced during the intensive training:

• “It’s okay to start slow and finish strong.”
• “My vision will come to light due to this program.”
• “Begin with the end in mind.”

Looking Ahead with Mentorship and Growth

The journey for these entrepreneurs is just beginning. Dragon Launch Philly is structured as a comprehensive, year-long experience designed to ensure long-term sustainability rather than just short-term instruction.

Phase Two (Summer 2026)

Over the summer months, the program transitions into an individualized mentorship phase. To support our founders, Close relies on a powerful partner network, pairing each participant one-on-one with an experienced mentor from our local SCORE chapter. A resource partner with the U.S. Small Business Administration, SCORE pairs founders with seasoned executives to navigate real-world operational challenges. Crucially, many of the dedicated SCORE mentors volunteering their time this summer are Drexel alumni returning to campus to invest their hard-earned expertise into the next generation.

Phase Three (Fall 2026)

In the fall, the cohort will enter a specialized consulting class led by Assistant Teaching Professor of Entrepreneurship John Wilson, PhD. During this final phase, entrepreneurs will receive dedicated project consultations, leveraging advanced university resources and student consulting teams to address specific growth and scaling hurdles.

Fostering Local Impact

Close is proud to act as a bridge between university resources, professional partner networks, and regional economic growth.