$14K in scholarships awarded at Lt. Gov.’s Entrepreneurship Challenge

JOHNSTON – Raneem Al Suwaidani, a senior at The Metropolitan Career and Technical Center, or The Met, in Providence, won first place and a $5,000 scholarship at the Lieutenant Governor’s Entrepreneurship Challenge, a business pitch competition for high school students managed by the office of Lt. Gov. Sabina Matos.

The entrepreneurship challenge is presented by Citizens Financial Group Inc., which also hosted the competition on April 16.

The Lieutenant Governor’s Entrepreneurship Challenge is Rhode Island’s first statewide business pitch competition for high school students and is aimed at encouraging entrepreneurship and promoting business ownership in the Ocean State.

Through the initiative, students write and submit business plans, the five strongest of which advance to a live pitch competition. The entrepreneurship challenge was first implemented by then-Lt. Gov. Daniel J. McKee in 2018 and has since become a signature event of the office.

“The five finalists of this year’s Entrepreneurship Challenge represent a bright future for the Rhode Island small business community. The innovation, drive, and savviness shown by these students are the hallmarks of great entrepreneurs,” Matos said in a statement. “These scholarships are more than just hard-earned awards – they are an investment in the future of our state.”

Raneem’s business, Lilypad, is a fully equipped food truck available to potential restauranteurs for rent so that they can market-test their culinary ideas, according to a news release.

Lilypad was selected out of the five finalists by a panel of judges. Four other teams won scholarships of their own, having reached the final round out of dozens of submissions from Rhode Island high school students.

Emma and Kate DiPardo from Providence Country Day School won second place and a $4,000 scholarship for their business, Anchor Cremation; Angel Bonga from The Met won third place and a $2,500 scholarship for her business, Angelic Twist; Jordy Chacon from the Cranston Area Career & Technical Center won fourth place and a $1,500 scholarship for his business, Future Stars Sports Complex; and Matthew Spaziano from Scituate High School won fifth place and a $1,000 scholarship for his business, Gas Ease.

“We were blown away by the ideas and innovation presented by Raneem and our local teens,” Keith Kelly, Citizens Rhode Island president, said in a statement. “At Citizens, we are committed to helping build the workforce of the future and helping ensure access to the opportunities and resources needed to thrive. We’re honored to partner with Lt. Governor Matos to support our future entrepreneurs and provide scholarships to help them reach their potential.”

Funds for the scholarship are provided by charitable donations from Citizens Bank and the credit unions of Rhode Island, as well as the support of other local businesses, including BankNewport, Massey and Associates, Dr. Day Care, and the Rhode Island Association of Realtors, according to the release. The funds are distributed through Millennial RI, a local nonprofit that encourages young professionals to build their careers in Rhode Island.

“As we engage with the next generation of entrepreneurs at the Lieutenant Governor’s Entrepreneurship Challenge, we remain committed to our core values of community, cooperation, and service,” Frederick Reinhardt, CEO of Greenwood Credit Union, said in a statement on behalf of the Rhode Island credit unions. “Together, we can build a stronger, more resilient Rhode Island for generations to come. We extend our deepest gratitude to Lieutenant Governor Sabina Matos for her leadership in spearheading this impactful program.”