Lieutenant Governor Sabina Matos, Diversity Business Exhibit Open Applications for Educational Youth Entrepreneurship Boot Camp
Published on Friday, June 20, 2025
PROVIDENCE, RI – Lieutenant Governor Sabina Matos and the Diversity Business Exhibit today opened applications for the third annual Lt. Governor’s "Back to School, Back to Business!" Youth Entrepreneurship Boot Camp, a free entrepreneurship education program for Rhode Island high school students.
“Every young person deserves access to opportunities that can shape their future. Through this Boot Camp, we’re breaking down barriers and opening doors for Rhode Island students to discover their potential, build their skills, and become innovators,” said Lieutenant Governor Matos. “Rhode Island’s future depends on developing the next generation of leaders, and the Diversity Business Exhibit will help hundreds of students start on that path.”
“This Boot Camp series was created to spark entrepreneurship early and equip youth with the tools, confidence, and platform to lead. It’s not just about business, it’s about building bold thinkers, problem solvers, and future leaders,” said Doris Adesuyi, Founder of the Diversity Business Exhibit.
The Lt. Governor’s Youth Entrepreneurship Boot Camp series is an experiential learning program designed to introduce high school students to the fundamentals of entrepreneurship, innovation, and leadership through hands-on activities, team challenges, and real-world business development. Grounded in our values of community, collaboration, and excellence, the curriculum for the Boot Camp is developed in partnership with the Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE), a national leader in youth entrepreneurship education that brings high-quality entrepreneurship education to youth in underserved communities. NFTE’s proven curriculum and expert facilitators help students build business skills, develop an entrepreneurial mindset, and turn their ideas into action.
Participating students will learn directly from real Rhode Island entrepreneurs and business coaches, taking part in practical activities while supporting each other’s learning in collaborative workshops. The Boot Camp will be held on Friday, September 12, 2025, from 9 a.m.to 2 p.m.
Interested school administrators, educators, coaches, and youth program directors are encouraged to apply on behalf of youth in their classes or programs. Each applicant may reserve spots for up to 20 of their students. Applications will be approved on a rolling basis until all spots are filled or until applications close on Friday, August 29th, 2025. The application can be found online at https://diversitybusinessexhibit.com/youth-entrepreneurship-boot-camp/.
The Boot Camp is a featured collaborative youth initiative of the Diversity Business Exhibit, a regional effort anchored by its flagship Providence & Newport based conference, trade show, and networking events. The Diversity Business Exhibit supports socially and economically disadvantaged micro-entrepreneurs, small business owners, nonprofit leaders, and creatives across Southern New England. The 2025 Diversity Business Exhibit will be held September 12-13, 2025 at the Rhode Island Convention Center and Newport Mansions.