Announcing the Youth Business International Bootcamp 2026

Generation Growth: where young entrepreneurs power growth with purpose

Save the date: applications for the YBI Bootcamp 2026 open 8 July 2026.

The Youth Business International Bootcamp is a two-phase accelerator for high-growth, youth-led businesses from across YBI’s global network. When youth-led businesses scale, they create jobs and shape the markets of the future, and the Bootcamp is built to help our most ambitious entrepreneurs get there: with new skills, expert guidance, and a global network of peers.

About the Bootcamp

It starts with an eight-week digital course on YBI’s EYE Academy taking place from September to November this year, free to join. Participants will sharpen their growth strategy, refine their pitch, strengthen their leadership, and build the financing and partnership skills to scale with confidence.

21 graduates will then head to Nairobi, Kenya, for an in-person Bootcamp in February 2027: five days of expert coaching, pitch practice, and the kind of connections that outlast the week itself. It’s free to attend, with all expenses covered.

Global Young Entrepreneur of the Year Awards

Every in-person participant becomes a finalist for YBI’s Global Young Entrepreneur of the Year Awards, competing across three categories: AI-driven Entrepreneurship, Social and Green Entrepreneurship, and Smart Growth & Innovation. YBI’s Global Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award celebrates innovative and inspiring young entrepreneurs who are leading the way in impact business, with one winner per category awarded with seed funding and an additional prize for the Global Young Entrepreneur of the Year selected from the category winners.

Winners are announced at the Bootcamp’s closing ceremony.

Who it’s for and how to apply

The Bootcamp is open to entrepreneurs born between 1 January 1992 and 1 January 2006, supported by a YBI member, running a business at least three years old with high growth potential. More information about eligibility and award categories will be available when applications open.

It’s free to apply. Applications open 8 July 2026. More info coming soon.

If you would like to be notified when applications open, please select this text to join the mailing list.