Starting Businesses.
Fostering Community.
Investing in People.
Atlas is an intense and highly selective entrepreneurship residency program that provides an accelerated course of growth for young Christian entrepreneurs. We want to see you take an idea from zero to one.
Who We Are
The Atlas Institute is an entrepreneurial residency program inside of a rapid growth company with 100% ownership. Atlas exists to train the next generation of aggressive small to midsize business owners preserving the core of the American heartland. We provide mentoring at no cost to the aspiring entrepreneur. We actively recruit talent from 15+ states.
We aim to find the best and brightest committed to building thriving businesses and communities. We are industry open-minded. Technology is not the only way to make money, nor is it necessarily easier. Good ideas are valuable regardless of their curbside appeal. We have partners ranging from hard assets to cyber security.
We uniquely understand the challenges of being an entrepreneur. It takes guts to stomach risk. You will not learn business from a textbook or from an academic. We aim to expose you to as many owners as possible who have persevered and succeeded in traditional and non-traditional industries.
What Happens During the Residency?
From the first day, you'll be immersed in real-world business challenges and experience sales training, company tours, and thought-provoking case studies. The program is designed to stretch your thinking with engaging reading, discussions, debates, and industry insights. You’ll visit startup companies in various stages of maturity to learn from seasoned entrepreneurs, all while refining your own business plan and pitch. Through dedicated mentorship and powerful connections, you'll gain a competitive edge in the marketplace.
Training
In-depth business case studies
Read 25 essential business books
Travel
Travel for owner-led company tours
Hands-on, real-world sales
Accountability
Shark tank-style pitch presentations
Resident-hosted Jeffersonian dinners
What to expect in the Atlas Institute Residency Program:
Intensive learning sessions
Focused, high-impact sessions designed to rapidly build essential entrepreneurial skills and knowledge.
Mentorship and guidance
Daily meetings with a Founder and CEO and personalized support and advice from experienced entrepreneurs to help you navigate your business journey.
Networking opportunities
Exclusive access to connect with business owners and real-life case studies to build valuable relationships.
Community of like-minded entrepreneurs
A supportive group of peers who share your passion for entrepreneurship, fostering collaboration and shared growth.
Do you want help to eliminate the roadblocks and get your business started?
Apply for the Residency – Start your entrepreneurial journey with Atlas.
Engage in Aggressive Learning – Gain hands-on experience.
Launch Your Venture – Graduate with a plan and the skills to succeed.
Our 12 Beliefs
We believe in entrepreneurs
We uniquely recognize the opportunities and challenges facing entrepreneurs seeking to start companies. This respect comes from stomaching risk and starting ventures ourselves. New business prevents stagnation, drives development, increases agency and property ownership, and keeps America exceptional.
We operate on a people-first investment thesis
Owners and founders are unique types of people, and exceptional people build exceptional companies. We spend an outsized amount of time finding exceptionally talented young people interested in launching companies, we rigorously vet them and work alongside them to develop ideas.
We believe in developing entrepreneurial talent
A variety of pressures can keep someone from starting a business. This includes lack of access to coaching, pressure from family and friends to remain in traditional verticles, or unfamiliarity with scaling and operations. We provide the push from zero to one.
We believe in contrarians
The corporate life is a safe life. There is nothing wrong with this. Atlas does not exist for those seeking to climb the corporate ladder. Atlas exists for those with ideas and beliefs that lead to founding good companies.
We believe in America
We are unabashedly pro-America. America is the best place on planet earth to start a company and build a life. We are not, and never will be, ashamed of this fact.
We believe in Middle America and strong communities
This is not flyover country. Middle America represents much of the best of what America has to offer. Middle America still has amazing communities, home ownership, strong work ethic, and embodies the largely values disappearing among urban coastal elites.
We believe in decentralized ownership
Ownership is essential for good citizens, good communities, and good governance. America would be better off if more citizens thought like owners, and not like renters. Additionally, top talent leaving for the coasts contributes to skyrocketing costs of living and increasingly alarming consolidations of capital barring many from the American dream. If private equity hollows out entire communities in middle America, little leagues and civic associations suffer.
We believe in effort and patience
Implementing ideas takes effort and energy. Building ideas to fruition takes patience and time. We look for people who are in the game for the long haul. Real value is not created by pumping and dumping businesses through the vast majority of private equity schemes.
We believe it matters what you build
The type of business you start will determine the contours of the rest of your life. Terrible businesses will suck your energy, time, and will leave you with little real value. We will help you get it right.
We believe in honest criticism
Improvement is made through honest and tight feedback loops. Be open to learn and ready to take correction.
We believe in human flourishing
We want to launch businesses that are good for people, families, and communities. There is no shortage of ways to make money. Sports betting is an incredibly lucrative business, but has overwhelming negative impact to the users and communities most likely to partake in this type of gambling.
We are Christians
We are high conviction and unashamed. We seek recruits who share our beliefs.
How is the Atlas Institute Residency Program different from other entrepreneurship programs?
The residency offers an unmatched, hands-on entrepreneurial experience that goes beyond traditional training. Through exclusive owner-led company tours, real-world sales training, and continuous business plan development, participants gain practical skills and insights from successful entrepreneurs. This is more than just a program—it's a transformative journey to becoming a successful entrepreneur.
This residency is for ambitious young men who are ready to break free from stagnation, gain real-world entrepreneurial skills, and launch their own successful businesses.
Taylor H.
Entrepreneurship. Brotherhood. Impact. Business. Community. Friendship. What an incredible summer!
Traveled to 2 countries & 7 states, read 25+ books on business, entrepreneurship, and personal development, wrote 40 papers, had personal interactions/interviews with 50 business owners… for the last 12 weeks I have been in Ohio for the Atlas Institute entrepreneurship residency program, led by Atlas founder Justin Powell, and I have loved every bit of it!
Wyatt H.
Spending the summer with the Atlas Institute has been an absolutely incredible experience. The residents have learned more than I think any one of us expected. Reading 25 books, writing 40+ papers, meeting with 50+ business owners, attending The Forge Leadership Network and 3 weeks of travel is just the top of the bucket for the amount of work and learning we did.
Pate A.
25 books read, 40 papers written, 10+ business pitches, and many new friends for life during my time at this summer!
From Gordon, Ohio to Cuba to DC and back again to Gordon, this summer was incredibly impactful, challenging, and fun.
Thanks Justin Powell for investing in me and the Atlas program!
Alex D.
This summer entrepreneurial internship was 12 weeks comprised of reading 24 books, writing 40 papers, sitting in on meetings, discussing and debating, learning from other entrepreneurs, and trips across the country. I have learned a great deal from you Justin. Thank you for your investment into me and for an awesome summer. And thank you to my Atlas Bros for being such good friends. I had the time of my life. It was an honor to be part of the first Atlas Institute class.
The Atlas Story
Justin Powell, the founder of Atlas Institute, started his company at 20-years old with just one billboard in rural Ohio. He quickly expanded that single billboard into several thousand across the U.S. Through countless mistakes and relentless effort, he now leads one of the largest and fastest-growing billboard companies in America.
Atlas Institute exists to help you learn from Justin’s hard-earned lessons and tap into his extensive business network. This is an intensive program that is energizing and effective. You’ll emerge with the skills, confidence, and network of business owners and like-minded go-getters, ready to launch your venture. Stop dreaming and start doing.
Have a question?
Who should apply?
Christian men ages 20-30 interested in starting, purchasing, or running a company.
Our selection process seeks to find applicants who are competent, high-output, driven, creative, resourceful, teachable, and systems-oriented. We require a demonstrated track record of academic, athletic, or business achievement. Because the success of this program depends on total trust between mentors, program managers, and residents, applicants must have impeccable personal character.
When is the application due date?
Atlas only accepts 12 residents. Applications for Summer 2025 are accepted at three different intervals. Early applicants have the highest chance of acceptance.
- Early applications are due November 1st 2024.
- Standard applications are due January 10th, 2025
- Late applications are due March 1st, 2025 (acceptance not guaranteed)
What are the residency dates?
May 11th - August 2nd, 2025
Where is this located?
The residency is based in Darke County, Ohio. Expect frequent domestic travel.
What is the compensation?
This is an all-expenses-paid program. We cover housing, travel, and teaching resources for every resident for the duration of the program. Residents are given an additional $1,000 monthly stipend to cover any remaining expenses.
What is the work and living situation?
The residency is a full-time commitment for twelve weeks. Sundays are the only protected day off. Resident housing is provided and located next to the company headquarters. Residents have access to ample office space for work and study.
Is there travel involved?
Yes, and often on short notice. Residents should be prepared for frequent travel. The residency involves numerous day trips, job shadowing, longer trips across the country, and potentially international travel. Accepted applicants must possess a passport by the beginning of the program.
What is the schedule?
Please refer to the previous 2024 schedule below for a general idea of a brief program outline. We are currently editing the 2025 schedule and will release it upon acceptance into the program.
Please note: schedule may change at the discretion of the program director.
Contact us if you are interested in our residency program.
