Five Futuremakers by Standard Chartered alumni selected to participate in YBI Bootcamp

Youth Business International (YBI) and our partner Standard Chartered Foundation share a joint mission to empower disadvantaged young people to become economically independent through entrepreneurship. Since 2021, we have supported tens of thousands of young entrepreneurs around the world as part of Futuremakers by Standard Chartered, the Bank’s global youth economic empowerment initiative, funded by Standard Chartered Foundation.

Over the last three years, YBI’s Futuremakers projects ranged from emergency support in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, to a Revolving Loan Fund for female entrepreneurs in Kenya, and empowering displaced young Ukrainians to start a business in Poland. Our focus is on supporting young people who are typically marginalized from entrepreneurship, including women, people with disabilities, refugees and migrants, young people belonging to minority communities, and those from rural or low-income backgrounds. Many inspiring success stories have come out of our Futuremakers projects, proving that, with the right support, all young people have the potential to start and scale a successful business, create jobs and contribute to economic growth.

Five of our young Futuremakers alumni have been selected to participate in YBI’s first-ever Bootcamp, taking place in London from 17 – 21 June 2024, along with 25 other young green and social entrepreneurs from around the world, to learn from impact entrepreneurship experts, collaborate with peers, and have the chance to become a finalist in YBI’s Global Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award. All five Futuremakers alumni are shortlisted for one of our three award categories: Climate Entrepreneurship Award, Sustainable Entrepreneurship Award, and Social Entrepreneurship Award.

Find out more about them and their businesses below:

Rosaly Akinyi, Roak Swahili Wear, Kenya

Rosaly’s business Roak Swahili Wear is a social enterprise dedicated to sustainable fashion and community impact. Through training programmes, Roak empowers women and youth in vulnerable communities, providing not just jobs but valuable skills. Rosaly is shortlisted for our Sustainable Entrepreneurship Award and was supported by our member Somo. She looks forward to gaining specific insights and skills tailored to the unique challenges and opportunities faced by social entrepreneurs at the Bootcamp.

Mehmet Selman Canlı, Crop Genius, Türkiye

Selman’s business produces long-lasting, sustainable biotechnological products as an alternative to agricultural chemicals. He is coming to the Bootcamp with the ambition to accelerate his impact-oriented business growth by having the opportunity to cooperate with other initiatives in the same environment. He I shortlisted for our Climate Entrepreneurship Award and was supported by our member Habitat.

Jennifer Assmann, Soulsa Gmbh, Germany

Jennifer’s business Soulsa creates traditional pasta sauces with dried vegetables, herbs and spices, balancing enjoyment with efficiency. Their products include sustainable packaging solutions and organic ingredients. At the Bootcamp, Jennifer is keen to learn from other founders’ successes and challenges while expanding her network. She is shortlisted for our Sustainable Entrepreneurship Award and was supported by our member KIZ Sinnova.

Obong Haron, Lira Seedlings Center, Uganda

Obong’s businessLira Seedlings is a community focused, affordable seedling and floraculture business that focuses on carbon-capturing trees and solutions for battling climate change, while training and employing local young people.Obong is looking forward to networking with his peers and learning more about access to finance at the Bootcamp. He is shortlisted for our Climate Entrepreneurship Award and was supported by our member Cordaid Uganda.

Mustafa Haluk Yilmaz, Areylight Ai, Türkiye

Mustafa’s business Areylight AI specialises in developing and implementing smart lighting solutions powered by artificial intelligence (AI) to optimise energy usage, enhance efficiency, and improve overall lighting control in urban environments. At the Bootcamp, Mustafa is eager to immerse himself in a dynamic learning environment where he can acquire new skills, expand his knowledge, and gain invaluable insights into entrepreneurship and climate innovation. He is shortlisted for our Climate Entrepreneurship Award and was supported by our member Habitat.

Emilia McElvenney, Director of Programmes and Partnerships (Entrepreneurship), Standard Chartered Bank, says about the Bootcamp:

“Reading the stories of the 30 finalists who are making their way to London to participate in Youth Business International’s Bootcamp, I am in awe of these young people. In an unpredictable world, they are not only running successful businesses but running businesses that support their communities and realise social and green values. Opportunities like YBI’s Bootcamp do not come around often or easily for many young entrepreneurs across the world. The Standard Chartered Foundation is committed to supporting young entrepreneurs through Futuremakers by Standard Chartered – our global youth economic empowerment initiative – and I’m so proud of the five Futuremakers alumni who have been selected to take part in the bootcamp.”

Meet all YBI Bootcamp participants here.