When Business Leaders Show Up in the Classroom

National Volunteer Month is often a time to recognize the ways people give back to their communities.

In INCubatoredu, local business leaders mentor student teams as they build and pitch real ventures. Students refine ideas, respond to direct feedback, and take ownership of decisions that shape their work.

White Plains is a powerful example of what entrepreneurship education grounded in authentic local connections can look like in practice.

It Doesn’t Feel Like Volunteering

For Todd Ilberg, a Senior Customer Success Manager at Adobe, involvement in INCubatoredu grew naturally from his connection to White Plains High School.

His son, Ethan, was enrolled in the program, and when the opportunity came to get involved, Todd stepped in. What started as a way to support Ethan's experience quickly became something more sustained. Over time, he has taken on a consistent role mentoring student teams, serving as a judge, and contributing in the classroom.

He describes it as “a passion project… [he] wouldn’t dream of not supporting,” a reflection of how personally invested he has become.

Each year brings new teams, new ideas, and new opportunities to engage, which is why it continues to be, in his words, “a highlight of the year.”

What It Looks Like When Business Leaders Show Up to Mentor

Mentors are invited into the classroom by the teacher and support the learning process as part of the teaching team. They ask questions, offer perspective, and help students think through next steps without stepping in to solve the problem for them. The goal is not to provide answers, but to help students move forward with more clarity and confidence in their decisions.

Todd describes that balance as offering “critical feedback” while making sure it lands in “an inspiring kind of trusted circle.”

Students respond to that quickly. They recognize they are doing something unfamiliar and begin to lean into the experience. As Todd puts it, they are “hungry and sponging as much as they can,” taking in feedback and applying it in real time.

Sometimes the support is practical. In one case, it meant helping a team source a sewing machine they needed to build their prototype.

Students Don’t Just Learn About Business. They Experience It

For many students, INCubatoredu is their first time stepping into situations that require them to speak, present, and defend their ideas.

As Todd points out, “a lot of them have never had any public speaking experience at all,” which makes those early moments a real stretch.

But that’s where the shift begins.

With practice and feedback, students start to find their footing. They become more comfortable sharing their ideas, more confident in how they communicate, and more intentional in how they approach their work. By the end of the experience, they are, in Todd’s words, “one experience ahead from never having done it before.”

The guidance from our coaches and mentors was instrumental in assisting my group and me to refine our pitch. They taught us how to enhance the impact of certain slides, improve the overall layout, and develop an effective prototype.

 ~ Ethan Ilberg, INCubatoredu student alum, White Plains HS 

That change goes beyond skill-building. Students begin to think differently about what they are creating, moving from simply completing a project to building something more intentional. As Todd puts it, it becomes less about creating something “for the sake of… mak[ing] a lot of money” and more about developing ideas grounded in “a mission and a purpose.”

How Real-World Learning Comes to Life

Students don’t just hear one perspective. In many cases, they receive feedback from multiple business leaders, each bringing a different lens to the same idea.

As Todd explains, it “exposes the kids to what the real world really looks like,” helping them understand how their ideas hold up beyond the classroom. Over time, that can build into what he describes as a “full flavor” of perspectives shaped by different experiences and industries.

My mentor significantly contributed to our understanding of the market dynamics. Matus, with his background in the health sector, provided invaluable insights into appropriate pricing strategies and identified the essential elements required for a successful pitch.

~ Ethan Ilberg, INCubatoredu student alum, White Plains HS

That level of engagement often reflects the strength of the connection between a school and its local community. In Todd’s experience, “the community responds as much as the school puts themselves out there.”

Win-win for Students and Volunteers

The impact of INCubatoredu extends beyond the students.

For mentors, the experience is both practical and personal. It’s a chance to build real connections with students while contributing in a meaningful way. As Todd describes it, it’s “the humble feeling of giving back… and making a difference in the way that they get to the finish line.”

That connection often continues beyond the classroom. Mentors share perspective, make introductions, and open doors when it makes sense. Todd describes himself as “unshameful about sharing [his] network… pushing forward on the idea of paying it forward.”

For students, that means access to relationships and opportunities they wouldn’t otherwise have. And for mentors, it’s what makes the experience worth returning to.

Explore INCubatoredu

When local business leaders show up in the classroom to support an entrepreneurial journey in INCubatoredu, students gain confidence, perspective, and a clearer sense of what is possible, while schools become more connected to the communities around them. [VIDEO] Get a glimpse of INCubatoredu in White Plains. Explore what this could look like for your district!