2018 BIZNOVATOR Camp Rising Stars: (Part V) Start-Up Entrepreneurs, Social Innovators and Leaders

As I close out this series, I want to share some of my findings from this summer’s BIZNOVATOR Camps. We had a fantastic summer! Each and every BIZNOVATOR demonstrated a lot of promise and potential. Below you’ll read a summary of each camp and results from some of our Gen Z students that participated in our 2018 BIZNOVATOR Summer Camps.

This camp was phenomenal with a broad range of involvement from young people with diverse backgrounds. During our SAP Camp, we had a mix of college and high school students, Latinos, African Americans and both young men and women ranging from ages 14 to 21.  All of our BIZNOVATORS presented a business plan that included a Social Entrepreneurship and Innovation that would help solve a community problem that was aligned with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Each venture also depended on technology for its development. From a medical device to provide secure and encrypted healthcare information to a platform where young people can share and communicate their start-up pitches, our young BIZNOVATORs enlightened the mock venture capital board. The first-place winner at our BIZNOVATOR SAP Camp helped solve a major problem that exists amongst teenagers—limited social development.

Besides innovation and learning how to solve problems in the marketplace this camp challenged students to create their own LinkedIn page and their very own website. In just 5 days, students, ranging from ages 13 to 18, were to complete a full plan, pitch their innovations and create the 60-second commercial that they produced themselves. 75% of the participants were Latino, (all boys, 1 girl). This camp included participants from middle school, high school, and college. The winning business plan presenter came from New Jersey and delivered a fantastic plan that honed-in on the homeschool educational market. This great idea targets homeschooled children and their parents to assist them with tutoring services and to provide entrepreneurship coaching.

Now in our 5th year of partnering with Florida International University (FIU), BIZNOVATOR continues to successfully grow this relationship. This year we developed a new partnership with Start-Up FIU, an on-campus accelerator program. Through our partnership, Start-Up FIU was able to provide coaching and hosting of camp at their amazing facilities. This year, our 2-week signature program, BIZNOVATOR Camp at FIU, received students from 4 countries; next year we plan to accept BIZNOVATORS from more than 10 countries. Once again, the experiences and program benefits for our BIZNOVATOR youth were phenomenal! We witnessed first- hand some amazing business concepts.  From App based businesses to social impact ventures, the students exceeded our expectations. Some of the businesses included a motivational messaging apparel company, an Uber-type service business that connected plumbers and electricians with the end users. Another interesting and meaningful idea was a coffee shop that hosted poets, writers, and lectures while also contributing part of their proceeds local causes for needy children, such as improving reading for low-income youth. Overall the BIZNOVATOR Camp at FIU has once again proven to be a successful program. Our next camp at FIU will take place from June 23 to July 6, 2019.

Centro Cultural Dominico Americano has been one of our biggest partners and supporters in the Dominican Republic since 2014. Since then, we’ve delivered camps each summer and have also delivered a series of seminars and workshops with this fantastic partner. This year’s camp hosted 20 students from diverse backgrounds; ranging from 15 to 21 years-old.  One of our business plan criteria items was for all students to align their ideas with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This camp was graciously co-sponsored by Asociacion Cibao de Prestamos y Ahorros, a national bank in the Dominican Republic. Each year, BIZNOVATOR, in partnership with Casimiro Global Foundation continue to co-sponsor youth in need both in the United States and abroad.

To learn more about what other alumni from previous camps are doing and how much they have accomplished, visit BIZNOVATOR Success Stories at https://www.biznovator.com/success-stories/

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ABOUT BIZNOVATOR:
BIZNOVATOR is a youth empowerment platform that offers a year-round experience for young people interested in entrepreneurship, social innovation and global leadership. Through our seminars, workshops, summer camps and in school Academies, BIZNOVATOR helps young people to DISCOVER their purpose, TRANSFORM their mindset and CONNECT to their future.  We have recently launched our Online Learning Platform, www.mybiznovator.com which enables young people from all over the world to experience our unique BIZNOVATOR programs. We invite you to join us!

Juan Pablo Casimiro is Founder and CEO of BIZNOVATOR. With more than 30 years of empowering youth and adults globally, Casimiro never misses a moment to teach, coach and challenge his clients to live their dreams. Casimiro was born in Dominican Republic and grew up in New York City.