Young entrepreneurs: from talent to successful businesses

Youth entrepreneurship is one of the key responses to youth employment and a stimulator for innovation and competitiveness of European economy. EU countries propose different initiatives and programmes to help young people create businesses, starting from entrepreneurship education and training; information, advice, coaching; financial support; and infrastructure including incubators and young entrepreneurs networks. What seems to be a very promising way forward is to support young people develop entrepreneurial skills since an early age.

Advocating for entrepreneurship development is at the heart of SMEunited spirit, mission and work. With this debate we want to contribute to showcasing best practices around Europe. We want to better understand what our members, SME organisations at national level, are initiating in cooperation with education institutions to discover and promote talented entrepreneurs and support them in their journey to create successful businesses. We will bring these experiences to European decision-makers and to education professionals to ensure that together, we create the right environment and pathways to encourage our young people to become successful entrepreneurs.

SMEunited is organising this debate in the context of the European Year of Youth and its Annual Theme ‘Youth and skilled workforce’.