Highlights from the Global Youth Entrepreneurship Summit 2024

This October, Youth Business International (YBI) held our flagship biannual Global Youth Entrepreneurship Summit in Nairobi, Kenya. Over three days, the YBI network heard from expert speakers and workshopped solutions to some of the biggest problems facing youth businesses and the societies they operate in. Attendees deepened interconnections, met inspiring young entrepreneurs and got to experience some of the vibrant local culture with the help of our member co-hosts CAP Youth Empowerment Institute (CAP YEI) and Somo Africa.

Youth entrepreneurship as a force for good and celebrating the Generation for Change

The first two days of the Summit began with inspiring keynote talks. Sara Elder, Head of the Employment Analysis and Economic Policies Unit at the International Labour Organization (ILO) kicked off day one with her talk on the generation for change and focused on big-picture problems which need big-idea solutions.

On day two, Hendrina Chalwe Doroba, Manager of the Education and Skills Development Division at the African Development Bank, gave an in-depth talk on youth entrepreneurship as a force for good and the vital role it plays in reducing unemployment in Africa.

Global Young Entrepreneur of the Year Awards

Day one ended on a high with an awards ceremony celebrating inspiring youth businesses making a positive impact on their communities and the environment both locally and internationally. The three winners of the Climate, Sustainable and Social Entrepreneurship Awards were announced after months of suspense following on from the YBI Bootcamp in June and a public vote over the summer. The Global Young Entrepreneur of the Year was also presented their award by YBI’s CEO, Anita Tiessen. The winners were given a standing ovation and there were tears of happiness in the room for these inspiring young individuals. Read all about the winners here.

Subject deep dives

On day two of the Summit, attendees spent most of the day in breakout sessions focusing on specific topics ranging from artificial intelligence to financial inclusion, supporting newcomer migrants and refugees, diversity and inclusion, and sustainability. These subject deep dives provided the network with an opportunity to hear successful case studies and explore solutions for their own settings to increase the support they offer to young entrepreneurs.

Youth Entrepreneurship Trends and Policy Framework

YBI and the Global Entrepreneurship Network (GEN) were please to launch the Youth Entrepreneurship Framework on day three of the Summit. The framework will equip policymakers and entrepreneur support organizations with fresh perspectives and actionable steps to empower a new generation of founders. Learn more about the report and get your copy here.

Celebrating Kenyan culture

We want to thank our co-hosts and our event sponsor Magical Kenya of the Kenya Tourism Board for helping us to offer attendees a taste of the local culture during the Summit. Each morning began with an opening performance from a young entrepreneur’s business, supported by either Somo or CAP YEI, and attendees also enjoyed a performance from the famous Bomas of Kenya at the poolside drinks reception ahead of the awards ceremony on day one.

There were also over 25 youth businesses at our marketplace on day two, showcasing a range of products and services from clothing and jewellery to vegan food and music education. Coffee breaks took place at the marketplace, offering everyone the opportunity to interact with the young people running their businesses.

Lastly, on day three, members had the opportunity to join Ufahamu visits (the Swahili word for understanding, consciousness or insight) to youth businesses around Nairobi supported by Somo and CAP YEI. They got to see how our members are helping young people to produce their products in high-quality facilities, providing the support they need to start and scale their businesses.

The power of the network

Lastly, we heard from members and the YBI Member Services team about the impact of this year’s Member Learning Exchange Scheme. We announced that we will be opening applications for the second round of these international exchanges very soon. If you are a YBI member, keep an eye on your inbox.

Thank you once again to our event sponsors, co-hosts speakers, and the young entrepreneurs who made this Summit possible, and to the attendees who helped us bring this to life. We can’t wait to see you all at the next one.