Reports

This longitudinal study tracks the business journeys of young entrepreneurs supported through the Empower and Elevate – Enabling Inclusive Futures programme, a four-country initiative led by Youth Business International (YBI) and funded by Standard Chartered Foundation. The programme provides business development, financial health, and mentorship support to underserved young entrepreneurs in Brazil, Poland, Türkiye, and the UK.

Through three rounds of qualitative case studies, the research examines the personal, market, and programmatic factors shaping whether young entrepreneurs thrive or struggle — moving beyond headline metrics to capture how real businesses evolve over time.

Early findings point to the outsized role of mindset, peer networks, and adaptability: entrepreneurs who succeed tend to be those able to pivot in the face of market shifts and personal setbacks, not simply those with the strongest technical skills. The study also surfaces the value of financial health support at different stages of business development, and the longer-term effects of holistic entrepreneurship programmes on confidence, connections, and growth.