Ready to Change the World? Meet YouthStart and the European Entrepreneurship Award!
YouthStart is a network of thought leaders that inspires young people through entrepreneurship. This initiative operates as a European nonprofit composed of currently 16 partnering organizations across the continent, united by the mission to provide programs that inspire the next generation to think and act in an entrepreneurial manner. Our core objective is enabling youth to recognize opportunities, plan successful futures, and ultimately create a positive impact in their communities.
The Venue: Shkodra 2025
The climax of our year is the annual YouthStart European Entrepreneurship Award competition. For 2025, the award is heading to Shkodra, Albania, running from October 25th to October 28th. This celebration of creativity and innovative capacity will feature teams from over 20 participating countries. The event is proudly HOSTED BY: YEA! Young Entrepreneurs Albania. Shkodra follows previous host cities including Olten (Switzerland), Kitzbühel (Austria), and Berlin (Germany).
The Three Challenges: Idea, Market, and We Grow Together
The competition is structured around three primary categories designed to challenge young entrepreneurs and changemakers aged 14–21:
- Idea Challenge: This category focuses on the innovativeness of the idea itself. It is designed for young entrepreneurs, typically aged 14–18, whose projects are at the beginning of implementation.
- Real Market Challenge: This challenge focuses on market potential and feasibility. It includes more mature ideas which have already taken the first steps towards implementation or are planned for the near future, typically involving young people aged 16–21.
- We Grow Together Challenge: This category is aimed at creating a positive change in the world. Projects here focus heavily on social, ecological, and economic impact, often designed for NGOs, movements, or communities, and specifically emphasizing a cooperative implementation approach toward Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Recognizing Excellence: Our Partners and Past Winners
We are thrilled to acknowledge the partners who support these categories, helping to provide the stage for these young innovators:
- Idea Challenge: Partnered by Stuber Media.
- Real Market Challenge: Supported by the Wilhelm Exner Foundation and Global Peter Drucker Forum.
- We Grow Together Challenge: Supported by Rotary District 1910 and the Rotary Club Klosterneuburg.
- Special Prize: The European Climate Impact Award (for concepts contributing to a sustainable society) is sponsored by the Vienna Business Agency.
Past competitions have highlighted amazing projects that received gold and silver medals. Cited prize-winning projects include:
- Idea Challenge: First Price: Flood Detector; Second Price: Fortify.
- Real Market Challenge: First Price: Fradomos; Second Price: LeftLovers.
- We Grow Together Challenge: First Price: Curiosity Crates; Second Price: PerFacto.
