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The NextGen Founders (Competition Team) represents the advanced level of business students within the program—those who choose to compete, elevate their skills, and perform at the highest standard in entrepreneurship and competitive business events. This selective team is limited to a maximum of 50 students, creating a focused, high-performance cohort committed to growth, professionalism, and representing the program at a competitive level. In addition to meeting the required academic and participation benchmarks, students must complete a competitive application process, as eligibility alone does not guarantee placement. It is strongly recommended that students complete at least one year in Honors Entrepreneurship and participate in NextGen Prospects prior to applying, as these experiences build the foundational skills and preparation expected at the competition level. Final selection is based on overall readiness, performance, commitment, and alignment with the expectations of the team.
Eligibility Requirements
Eligibility Requirements
🔹 Be an Honors Entrepreneurship pathway student/completer
🔹 Have a cumulative GPA of 3.7
🔹 Score 85% or higher on the qualifying exam
🔹 Attend MLK DECA Mini Conference (November)
🔹 Attend District Conference (January)
🔹 Attend State Conference
🔹 Attend ICDC (Invite only; must place in the state conference)
🔹 Attend strategy meetings (Sept, Oct. Dec, Jan)
Meeting Schedule
Meeting Schedule
Friday, September 25th
Friday, October TBA
Friday, November 6th
Friday, December 4th
Friday, January 29th
Friday, February 19th
Friday, March 12th
2026/2027 Calendar
2026/2027 Calendar
Virtual Business Challenge - Round 1
Virtual Business Challenge - Round 1
October 13, 2026 - October 23, 2026
Participants explore business opportunities, conduct market research, and begin building their venture by making key decisions on pricing, resources, and strategy. Throughout the month, teams analyze data and refine their approach based on performance, leading up to a final submission and evaluation.
Adobe Personal Branding Corporate Challenge
Adobe Personal Branding Corporate Challenge
October 27, 2026 - December 19, 2026
Students will develop a comprehensive personal brand that includes a logo, résumé and personal vision statement. Create your concept using Adobe Express tools and submit your project components on the template.
Virtual Business Challenge - Round 2
Virtual Business Challenge - Round 2
January 12, 2027 - January 22, 2027
Participants refine and improve their strategies using data and prior results, focusing on stronger financial, marketing, and operational decisions. The round concludes with a final submission that determines advancement and recognition.
District Career Development Conference
District Career Development Conference
January 9, 2027 - January 11, 2027
The Southern California district conference provides competitors a chance to practice their role-plays and writtens as well as attend workshops and additional career and leadership development programs.
State Career Development Conference
State Career Development Conference
February 25, 2027 - February 28, 2027
The State Career Development Conference (SCDC) is the biggest and most exciting California DECA event of the year. Members from across California gather each year for competitions, workshops, state officer campaigns, networking, and countless other opportunities. The best competitors at SCDC qualify to attend ICDC.
International Career Development Conference
International Career Development Conference
April 17, 2027 - April 20, 2027
Deca ICDC is the highest and most prestigious level of competition. Students from all around the world come to compete in their events as well as attend workshops, leaderships seminars and networking events. ICDC is invite only, you must place at state conference (Top 4 for Writtens, Top 5 for Role-plays)
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