The Internet is one of the fastest-growing segments of youth entrepreneurship. To them the digital technology is no more intimidating than a VCR or toaster. D.C. Kindergartners are picking up business skills trading baseball cards and Beanie Babies. Teens are going away to business boot camps instead of summer camps. But the Internet is the great equalizer.
Kids can just log on and hatch business plans.
In the next five years, 1.2 million, or 6 percent, of teens will have started an Internet business by the time they graduate from high school, according to Computer Economics Inc., a research firm in Carlsbad. And, based on his conversations with teen entrepreneurs, vice president of research Michael Erbschloe estimates as much as 1 percent of elementary school kids has contemplated starting an Internet business. In the end, it really doesn't matter if kids end up starting a viable business. It's just important that they see they can do this. YEAH reaches out to disadvantaged youth in Richmond, Berkeley, Oakland and Emeryville.