"Culture is Currency"

National HSI STEAM Innovation Challenge

Turn Culture Into Creativity. Stories Into Innovation. Ideas Into Impact.

Join the Culture is Currency National HSI STEAM Innovation Challenge, a dynamic opportunity for students at Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) to explore the intersection of culture, entrepreneurship, technology, and storytelling while highlighting the journeys of real entrepreneurs in the Houston community.

Powered by California State University and a national network of HSI Innovation Hubs, including Houston City College, this grant-funded experience provides students with mentorship, hands-on learning, and the opportunity to develop an entrepreneurial mindset while creating something meaningful.

What Will You Do?

Working in interdisciplinary teams of 2–5 HCC students, you’ll identify and interview a Houston-area entrepreneur to uncover the story behind their business—from the inspiration that sparked their idea to the challenges, financial decisions, innovations, and community connections that shaped their journey.

In partnership with Apple, students will participate in a creative bootcamp and gain hands-on experience using iPads, iPhones, and Apple creative applications to transform their interviews into compelling podcasts and digital videos that bring these entrepreneurial stories to life.

Along the way, you’ll build real-world skills in:

• Storytelling & Interviewing – Learn how to ask meaningful questions and turn conversations into compelling narratives.
•  Digital Media & Technology – Create professional digital content using Apple technology and creative tools.
• Entrepreneurship & Design Thinking – Discover how entrepreneurs identify opportunities, solve problems, and turn ideas into action.
• Financial Literacy – Explore how entrepreneurs make decisions about money, resources, growth, and sustainability.
• Research & Business Development – Investigate markets, communities, and the strategies behind successful ventures.
• Communication & Pitching – Strengthen your ability to present ideas and share stories with confidence.

Most importantly, you’ll discover that entrepreneurship isn’t just something you study—it’s happening all around you. By amplifying the voices and lived experiences of Houston entrepreneurs, you’ll help preserve stories that often go untold while exploring entrepreneurship as a pathway for your own future.

Whether your passion is technology, business, design, journalism, communications, education, STEAM, or the arts, there’s a place for you in this challenge.

Apply now to bring Houston’s entrepreneurial stories to life, and join a national movement where culture fuels innovation.

Project Timeline:

• Tuesday, September 29^th - National Launch/ Welcome & Info Session at HCC

• Saturday, October 10th - All day Bootcamp

• Mentoring sessions:

  • Week of October 12th, 19th, 26^th ( these are the times where the students connect with their mentors, and work on their interviews and projects with the entrepreneurs, as well as come to the lab to edit their projects)

• Friday, October 30th - Submission of projects

• First week of November - Review of submissions to select 10 projects out of the 20-team submissions expected.

• Friday, November 13^th - Festival & showcase/ with a panel of Judges-

  • Select the Top 3, with honorable mentions