Youth Business International

What Youth Business International does

Youth Business International (YBI) is a UK-registered charity (no. 1123946) headquartered in London that supports underserved young entrepreneurs aged 18-35 to start, grow, and sustain businesses across more than 78 countries. Founded in 2000 and approaching its 25th anniversary in 2025, YBI operates as a federated network of 75 independent, locally-led member organizations (Entrepreneurship Support Organizations, or ESOs) that deliver culturally-adapted versions of YBI's programmes in local contexts. The organization reports having supported the creation of over one million jobs through more than 230,000 youth-led businesses during its 2022-2025 strategic period and, in 2025 alone, developing entrepreneurship skills for 277,879 young people and supporting 24,173 business starts.

YBI's core technology asset is the EYE Academy (Excellence in Youth Entrepreneurship), a scalable, AI-marketed online learning and community platform that replaced the YBI Learning Portal in January 2025 and consolidates training modules, toolkits, webinars, virtual classrooms, and member collaboration. Around this platform, YBI delivers a modular curriculum including the GPS Training (Growth & Performance Skills), Digital Accelerator, Mentoring Programme, AI Accelerator (a 6-week ChatGPT-powered programme launched October 2025), Hello Design Thinking, and Decent Work Training, plus a set of published toolkits covering gender, disability, social & green, and refugee & migrant (SEER) inclusion. The technology stack is built primarily for content delivery and community collaboration rather than proprietary AI research, and AI features leverage consumer-grade third-party models.

YBI is funded through grants and partnerships rather than commercial revenue. Major funders and programme sponsors include Standard Chartered Foundation, IKEA Foundation, Accenture (which provided disclosed $6,000,000 in funding in October 2018 under the Skills to Succeed initiative), Visa (FINNESE financial literacy programme), J.P. Morgan Chase and Argidius Foundation (High Flyers), IDB Lab (Latin America & Caribbean YEP), and Hogan Lovells (pro bono). All programmes and resources are provided free of charge to member organizations and young entrepreneurs. The customer base spans two layers: (i) underserved young entrepreneurs as ultimate beneficiaries, served free of charge, and (ii) Entrepreneurship Support Organizations as institutional members that receive training, toolkits, and network access in exchange for delivering YBI-aligned programmes locally.

Name

Youth Business International

Legal name

Youth Business International

Website

https://youthbusiness.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Youth Business International is a UK-registered charity and global network of 75 member organizations supporting underserved young entrepreneurs aged 18-35 to start, grow, and sustain businesses across 78 countries, delivering free training, toolkits, and programmes through its EYE Academy platform.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Entrepreneurship Support

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), Professional and Management Development Training (61143)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Youth Business Incubators & Accelerators (EDAMAHAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Social Entrepreneurship & Impact Business (EDAMAHAK), Entrepreneurship & Small Business Workforce Programs (EDAAAOAM), Business Planning, Pitching & Competitions (Pitch Decks, Demo Days) (EDAMAHAB)

Keywords

• Youth entrepreneurship support
• Nonprofit capacity building
• Entrepreneurship training programs
• Online learning platform
• Mentoring programmes

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Charitable Donations and Grants: YBI operates as a registered charity in the UK (charity no: 1123946) and is funded through partnerships with foundations, corporations, and government agencies. Major funders include Standard Chartered Foundation, IKEA Foundation, Accenture, Visa, J.P. Morgan Chase, IDB Lab, and Argidius Foundation. Revenue comes primarily as charitable contributions rather than commercial revenue streams.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Youth Business International is a global nonprofit network that develops and delivers entrepreneurship training programmes, mentoring, and support frameworks through its AI-powered EYE Academy online learning platform. It supports underserved young entrepreneurs aged 18-35 to start, grow, and sustain businesses by working through 75 member organizations across 78 countries, providing free access to curricula, toolkits, and capacity-building resources. The organization is funded by charitable donations and grants from foundations, corporations, and government partners.

Product overview

Youth Business International offers a platform-plus-modules architecture centered around the EYE Academy and YBI Learning Portal as the core digital infrastructure. The EYE Academy (Excellence in Youth Entrepreneurship) is the primary AI-powered learning and community platform launched in January 2025, replacing the earlier YBI Learning Portal. Around this core platform, YBI delivers specialized training programmes including the AI Accelerator, GPS Training (Growth & Performance Skills), Digital Accelerator, Mentoring Programme, Decent Work Training, and Hello Design Thinking. The organization also provides multiple toolkits including the Inclusivity Toolkit, Gender Inclusivity Toolkit, Social & Green Toolkit, Disability Inclusivity Toolkit, and SEER Toolkit for refugee and migrant entrepreneurship support. These modules serve both as standalone offerings and as integrated components within the EYE Academy ecosystem.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• EYE Academy: Excellence in Youth Entrepreneurship Academy - a scalable, inclusive, automated and AI-powered platform that delivers services to members for more impact for young entrepreneurs.

Products and services

• EYE Academy (Excellence in Youth Entrepreneurship) A scalable, inclusive, automated and AI-powered online learning and community platform for enterprise support organizations (ESOs) and young entrepreneurs, delivering relevant and best-in-class services to members through multimedia resources, virtual classrooms, and collaborative learning spaces.
• YBI Learning Portal Online platform hosting self-paced learning materials including interactive presentations, videos, quizzes, virtual classrooms, and webinars, providing collaborative learning spaces for YBI members to access training programs and resources.
• AI Accelerator Self-paced 6-week AI-powered business accelerator program designed for real-world entrepreneurs to build predictable sales engines in 45 days, focusing on crafting compelling offers, establishing lead generation systems, and developing funding-ready pitches using ChatGPT.
• GPS Training (Growth & Performance Skills) Free online training program promoting and improving entrepreneurial soft skills through 7 modules and 4 live sessions over 4 weeks, covering VUCA skills, grit, agility, ideation, decision-making, negotiation, and action focus. Delivered in multiple languages (English, Spanish, Russian, Armenian).
• AI Series Three-part webinar series exploring AI tools for entrepreneurship support, covering generative AI introduction, applying AI within organizations, and supporting entrepreneurs in applying AI to their businesses.
• SEER Programme (Refugee & Migrant Entrepreneurship) Programme supporting young migrants and refugees with entrepreneurship training, mentorship and resources across Germany, Ireland, Italy, and Sweden, developed with The Entrepreneurial Refugee Network (TERN).
• Mentoring Programme Comprehensive mentoring support for young entrepreneurs with standards, diagnostic templates, and programme manager training series covering ten steps toward mentoring excellence.
• Digital Accelerator Programme for members to explore organizational challenges covering business models (operations, products, economic model, entrepreneur engagement) and address needs through strategic digital transformation.
• Decent Work Training Training programme on decent work principles for MSMEs covering safe workspaces, competitive wages, working hours, social security, and inclusive work environments, developed with the IKEA Foundation and Catalystas Consulting.
• Hello Design Thinking Foundation course on design thinking methodology covering empathy, definition, ideation, prototyping and testing through 5 modules for innovation in entrepreneurship support, based on IDEO founder David Kelley's methodology.
• Global Youth Entrepreneurship Summit Annual flagship event bringing together young entrepreneurs, business leaders, and practitioners for connection, inspiration, and celebration. The 2024 Summit was held in Nairobi, Kenya.
• YBI Bootcamp Five-day in-person intensive bootcamp for high-performing entrepreneurs focused on green and social businesses with high growth potential, selecting 30 individuals from over 400 applicants.

Quantifiable outcome

• 277,879 young people developed entrepreneurship skills in 2025
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability2 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Hogan LovellsminorOthersHogan Lovells, a global law firm, provides legal support and expertise to YBI as part of their pro bono or corporate social responsibility initiatives.
• AccenturecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAccenture supports YBI through the Skills to Succeed initiative, providing funding, digital expertise, and volunteer support. They have facilitated Digital Accelerator programmes for YBI members and supported the SEER refugee programme.
• VisacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVisa is a major partner sponsoring the FINNESE (Financial Skills for Scaling Entrepreneurs in Europe) programme. This financial literacy programme helps young entrepreneurs build financial confidence.
• Futurpreneur CanadacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerYBI works closely with its member Futurpreneur in Canada to deliver the Ohpikiwin Series programme supporting Indigenous entrepreneurs. Futurpreneur provides financing, resources, workshops, and mentorship matching for Indigenous entrepreneurs.
• The Entrepreneurial Refugee Network (TERN)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerYBI collaborated with TERN to develop the SEER (Seeking Economic Empowerment and Resilience for Refugees and Migrants) eight-module toolkit for supporting refugee and migrant entrepreneurs.
• SightsaversminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSightsavers collaborated with YBI to develop the Disability Inclusivity Toolkit designed to remove barriers faced by entrepreneurs with disabilities.
• Catalystas ConsultingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCatalystas Consulting, founded by Beatrice Maneshi, has collaborated with YBI on multiple initiatives including the Gender Inclusivity Toolkit and Decent Work training programme.
• Indigenuity Consulting GroupminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndigenuity Consulting, an Indigenous-owned consulting firm, supports YBI and Futurpreneur in community engagement with First Nations, Métis, and Inuit organizations in Canada.
• Global Entrepreneurship Network (GEN)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerYBI partnered with GEN to develop the Youth Entrepreneurship Policy Framework, equipping policymakers and entrepreneur support organizations with perspectives and actionable steps for youth entrepreneurship.
• Creative CommonsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerYBI partnered with Creative Commons to host a Copyright Essentials training series focusing on Creative Commons Licenses and the global copyright system.
• IDEO (David Kelley)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerYBI developed the Hello Design Thinking training based on IDEO founder David Kelley's design thinking methodology, a human-centered approach to innovation.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Junior Achievement Worldwide: Global nonprofit delivering youth entrepreneurship, work readiness, and financial literacy education through in-country member organisations. Closest comparable in mission, network model, and youth-age target audience.
• INJAZ Al-Arab: Regional nonprofit network delivering work readiness, entrepreneurship, and financial literacy programmes to youth across the MENA region. Comparable youth-targeted, member-based delivery model focused on underserved populations.
• Ashoka: Global network supporting social entrepreneurs with fellowships, capacity building, and ecosystem influence. Comparable network-based, impact-driven entrepreneurship support with strong global brand.
• Endeavor: Global nonprofit supporting high-impact entrepreneurs through mentorship, networks, and access to capital. Comparable entrepreneur-support mission with selective, multi-country delivery model.
• Acumen: Global nonprofit investing in early-stage social enterprises and providing capacity-building support to entrepreneurs in developing economies. Comparable mission around underserved entrepreneurs and blended capital.
• Kiva: Global nonprofit enabling crowdfunded microloans to underserved entrepreneurs worldwide. Comparable focus on financial inclusion for unbanked/underserved entrepreneurs, though Kiva emphasises lending over training.
• TechnoServe: International nonprofit working with enterprising people in developing countries to build competitive farms, businesses, and industries. Comparable enterprise-development mission and emerging-market geographic focus.
• Unreasonable Group: Operates entrepreneur accelerator programmes and impact networks connecting social entrepreneurs with capital and mentors. Comparable accelerator-style delivery for impact-focused entrepreneurs, though operating commercially.

Broad incumbents

• Babson College (Lewis Institute for Social Innovation): Leading US institution in entrepreneurship education with research and programmes in social entrepreneurship. Comparable authority in entrepreneurship pedagogy but operates primarily as a degree-granting higher education institution.

Regional players

• Social Enterprise UK: UK-based membership body representing social enterprises, providing advocacy, research, and capacity-building resources. Comparable UK-based social enterprise support ecosystem but focused on policy and advocacy rather than direct youth training.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/YouthBizInt
• Facebookfacebook.com/youthbusiness
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/youth-business-international-ybi-

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments1 record

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Youth Business International