Background Statement
Before it was established as an entity, Biz Girls was a program developed by Peter Adams, current Executive Director of a non-profit group, Rockies Venture Club, and the Managing Director of Rockies Venture Fund, an investment fund for the startup companies. As an entrepreneur and the father of two daughters, he saw a void in programs to encourage and inspire girls to become a leader.
in 2013, Peter developed a program to teach girls to become the CEO of a startup company. This innovative way to teach leadership skills through entrepreneurship to girls was called Biz Girls.
In 2015, the current Executive Director and the founder of Girls in the Spotlight, Hope Hartman, and co-founder Denichiro "Denny" Otsuga decided to take the program to the next level by making the program a stand-alone non-profit entity, with Peter serving as the Chair of the Board of Directors. With the help of a grant from the City of Fort Collins and the OtterCares Foundation, the inaugural program of Biz Girls delivered in Fort Collins was a huge success. "Demo Day," the final presentation day, attracted over 100 people to hear the girls pitch business ideas.
In 2019, after being away for several years operating several startup companies as an entrepreneur and an executive, both original co-founders returned to manage the organization. After conducting extensive research, the entity was re-branded and re-formulated to Girls in the Spotlight. This transformation brought new programs to the forefront in its inaugural year, with Biz Girls heart and spirit of entrepreneurship ever present.