Residents from Curacao, Aruba, and Sint Maarten are eligible to participate in the Young Leaders of the Americas Initiative (YLAI) and are encouraged to apply. Last year two young entrepreneurs from Curacao and two from Aruba participated in the YLAI, which empowers entrepreneurs and innovative civil society leaders to strengthen their capacity to launch and advance entrepreneurial ideas and effectively contribute to social and economic development.
In fall 2017, 250 YLAI Professional Fellows from Latin America and the Caribbean will expand their leadership and entrepreneurial experience through fellowships at businesses and civil society organizations across the U.S. The selected fellows will also participate in a Program Opening in Atlanta, Georgia; an Entrepreneurship Institute; and a Closing Summit in Washington, D.C. Following the Program, the Fellows can participate in extended alumni activities such as local and regional conferences, travel and innovation grants, and extended entrepreneurial education.
Participants must be between the ages of 21-35 and cannot have American or Canadian citizenship, U.S. permanent residency, or a U.S. government employee. Applicants must have at least two (2) years of entrepreneurial/leadership experience, preferably with a startup business or social venture and are proficient in reading, writing and speaking English. The future leaders need to apply on the YLAI website (https://ylai.state.gov/fellowship/). Applications are due April 19.
The five week professional fellowship will take place at universities, incubators, and nongovernmental organizations across the United States, while follow-on exchanges will send Americans to Latin America and the Caribbean to continue the collaboration.