Nalukai Academy Trains Hawaii Students in Entrepreneurship

The nonprofit program teaches high schoolers to build business prototypes to combat brain drain in the islands.

Updated on Oct. 16, 2026 in Internships

Bold vector editorial illustration showing a scale model of a building on a workbench, evoking youth entrepreneurial training in Hawaii. — Nalukai Academy in Hilo is teaching Hawaii high school students entrepreneurial skills to help curb brain drain and encourage local career opportunities. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Nalukai Academy recently hosted 20 high school students in Hilo for an intensive entrepreneurial training program. The nonprofit aims to provide local students with the skills and resources to pursue careers within Hawaii.

Why it matters

The program seeks to address state brain drain by connecting youth with local opportunities and demonstrating that professional success is possible without moving to the mainland.

Nalukai Academy has served more than 400 students from approximately 60 schools across Hawaii over its 10-year history. Every student who completes the program receives a free laptop to support their entrepreneurial work.

The players

Nalukai Academy

This nonprofit organization provides entrepreneurial training and resources to high school students across Hawaii.

Koloikeao Anthony

He is a former participant who completed the Nalukai Academy program in 2018.

Micah Tajiri

He is a former participant who completed the Nalukai Academy program in 2024.

The details

Students work during school breaks to research local economic challenges and develop prototypes for apps or websites. Participants interact with community members throughout the process to test their designs and gather practical feedback.

2018: Koloikeao Anthony completed the program.
2019-2023: Residents migrated from Hawaii to the mainland.
2024: Micah Tajiri completed the program.
October 2026: The most recent Nalukai Academy program occurred.
By 2030: Estimated workforce entry period for young adults.

Market Landscape

The initiative counters the documented trend of Hawaii-born residents moving to the mainland, which saw approximately 20% of Hawaii residents depart between 2019 and 2023. By fostering local innovation, the nonprofit aims to bridge the gap between young talent and the state's projected 120,000 living-wage job openings by 2030.

Students participating in the program gain professional business experience and receive hardware to assist with their future academic or entrepreneurial endeavors. Families in low-income schools may benefit from the resource-heavy nature of the training, which is provided at no cost to the students.

The takeaway

Nalukai Academy shows that teaching entrepreneurial skills locally can empower students to envision long-term professional futures within their home state. Providing both technical training and hardware helps remove immediate barriers for youth from low-income schools.