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What do Young Americans Center and University of Denver have in common? Beyond our shared heritage of Bill Daniels leadership, both educational institutions are committed to advancing entrepreneurship in Colorado.
A hub for entrepreneurial thinking and action, the YouthBiz program of Young Americans Center supports youth at all different phases of entrepreneurship. Forexample, students receive an introduction to business in YouthBiz StartUp, where they pitch a business plan to a panel of judges. Young Americans also hosts the twice yearly YouthBiz Marketplace exclusively for young business owners to sell their products. Youth can start on a path to entrepreneurship when they are as young as six years old.
At the University of Denver, the website notes, “Entrepreneurship is in our DNA.” Opportunities for college students range from “Gateway to Business,” a class in which student teams create, develop, and market a smartphone app, to “Wintership,” which provides internship opportunities at venture capital investment firms. In 2016, DU launched a new program called Project X-ITE designed to connect all the resources of the University of Denver together to advance innovation, technology and entrepreneurship across our community, region and world.
Our entrepreneurial goals converge in one inspiring event: the YouthBiz Stars business competition. For the last 14 years, the University of Denver has sponsored this awards ceremony and gala, which recognizes top youth business owners in Colorado. Winners and finalists receive cash prizes, and winners are paired with a successful Denver business person as their mentor. Past mentors include Dan Ritchie, Chancellor Emeritus of the University of Denver.
When young people plan their futures, they might not even consider entrepreneurship as a possibility. But, DU and Young Americans are changing that mindset by making business ownership accessible through their education and support for aspiring young business owners.
About University of Denver
The University of Denver is a long-time partner of Young Americans Center. Established in 1864, just a few years after the city of Denver was founded, DU became one of the first universities in the nation to add an ethics curriculum to its College of Business. In 1994 the business school was named the Daniels College of Business honoring cable pioneer Bill Daniels, who also founded Young Americans. In addition to YouthBiz Stars, the University of Denver sponsors the Young AmeriTowne College in Denver. With an emphasis on ethics, experiential education and social responsibility, DU’s partnership with Young Americans Center is a natural fit!
