Growing Up CEO Program Components

The Growing Up CEO program not only provides opportunities that will help young CEOs grow their businesses – it provides opportunities for fun too!

The following are key components of the Growing Up CEO program:

Inner City 100 Summit

Growing Up CEO winners and their chaperones will be invited to attend the annual Inner City 100 Summit in Boston, MA.  The two day Inner City 100 Summit brings together the fastest growing inner city companies in the United States. The Summit, which is held in Boston each year, celebrates the accomplishments of these businesses and includes educational and networking components. Summit travel and accommodation costs for Growing Up CEOs and their chaperones are covered by ICIC. 

During the Summit, Growing Up CEO winners have the opportunity to interact with Inner City 100 CEOs and Growing Up CEO alumni, participate in case study discussions led by Harvard Business School professors, and attend other educational sessions about business ownership and best practices. There is time for fun during the Summit too! During the 2008 Inner City 100 Summit, Growing Up CEOs got a tour the Dancing Deer Baking Company (an Inner City 100 winner), attended a Red Sox game and got to pose with the Red Sox World Series Trophy. The Growing Up CEOs had a great time getting to know one another at these events. (Check out the Growing Up CEO agenda from the 2008 Inner City 100.)

Mentors

During the Summit, Growing Up CEOs will have a chance to meet with Inner City 100 CEOs at a mentorship matchmaking event. Growing Up CEOs are rotated through conversations with as many Inner City 100 CEOs as possible in a format that resembles speed dating. Throughout the next two days, they will be encouraged to cultivate these relationships at various receptions and seminars. These highly successful CEOs are a great source of inspiration and support to young entrepreneurs.

ICIC Resources

Growing Up CEOs have access to ICIC’s resources throughout the year. These resources include assistance with press releases and other communication strategies to promote the  Growing Up CEO award, continued opportunities to network with other participants in the Inner City 100 Summit, and research on youth entrepreneurship.

Business Education and Networking

Already in its fifth year, the Growing Up CEO program continues to grow! Winners become part of an extensive alumni network and can continue their relationship with the program through local and regional events throughout the year. ICIC and Merrill Lynch organize monthly conference calls for Growing Up CEOs on special topics and issues relevant to the challenges faced by young entrepreneurs. In addition, ICIC is developing an online community dedicated to helping Growing Up CEOs keep in touch with mentors and other young entrepreneurs, as well as get relevant information about improving and expanding their businesses. These opportunities to share ideas and get support from other entrepreneurs will continue the impact of the Growing Up CEO award throughout the entrepreneurs’ early career.

Global Opportunities

The Growing Up CEO program is an international program, so participants will be able to meet young CEOs from around the globe. The chance to discuss the different challenges that entrepreneurs face on different continents is an invaluable opportunity to increase and improve business savvy. This experiential learning is reinforced at the Inner City 100 Summit through a session where participants explore the questions they would face in launching their products globally, and draw on one another’s expertise to develop solutions.

For more information about applying for the program, see the Nominations and Applications tab.