The Network of Academic and Scholastic Esports Federations (NASEF) continues to blaze a trail in educational innovation, and the recent Venture Valley Entrepreneurship Beyond the Game™ challenge is a testament to its commitment to nurturing young entrepreneurial minds. 

This innovative challenge harnesses NASEF’s proficiency in scholastic esports and student competitions and combines it with the Venture Valley game, a fast-paced strategic business simulation available on mobile (iOS and Android) and PC (via Steam). Venture Valley is a visionary project of the Singleton Foundation for Financial Literacy and Entrepreneurship, a nonprofit public benefit corporation.

Entrants played the Venture Valley game and worked to create the most profitable companies and overcome business hurdles, with the aim of securing the top scores in Valuation, Revenue, and/or Sales. Upon achieving their objectives, participants created a video or blog showcasing their in-game learning experiences. Entries were evaluated by NASEF based on a combination of players’ scores and submitted videos or written reflections.

The first place team “luvmy24carat,” came from Inglewood, California. As one member of the winning team reflected, "What I learned is that when you want to start a company, you need to buy it–or rather use a loan from the bank. Another thing I learned from Venture Valley is that if you don't rank up your company will start to fail. You will also need to pay your taxes, or you will start losing money and you will lose."

The second place team was a Business Strategy Club from Riverside, CA. Their reflection on the competition highlighted a key takeaway: "There are many moving parts in any business, and all of them need proper attention for a business to flourish." This illustrates how NASEF goes beyond fostering esports skills and also imparts essential knowledge about the multifaceted nature of entrepreneurship.

The third place team hailed from Howard University Middle School of Mathematics and Science in Washington DC. Their quote reflects the impact of the Venture Valley Challenge on their understanding of finance and business: "Yes, it did [help me learn about being a business owner] because it taught me how to save and invest and how to build a business and keep it maintained."

Winners received both a grant to the submitting school/organization and an Amazon card as a scholarship to fund school supplies and school-related costs for the winning team/entrant.  

NASEF’s Fall 2023 Venture Valley Challenge blended games and learning seamlessly, with students having fun and building skills in entrepreneurship. The winning teams showcased their capacity to learn and thrive in the complex world of business. As NASEF continues to pioneer scholastic esports, the impact on students' entrepreneurial spirit remains profound and promising.

The Spring 2024 Entrepreneurship Beyond the Game challenge, hosted in Venture Valley, is open for entries until May 3, 2024. The spring event welcomes a broader range of participants, including students around the world and anyone from middle school to high school to college. Learn more and sign up at NASEF.org/venture-valley.