YoungLeaders.World

What YoungLeaders.World does

YoungLeaders.World is a Canadian non-profit foundation, registered in Alberta and headquartered in Edmonton, founded in late 2014 by Carla Cuglietta, Sheldon Smart, and Tyler Waye (originally operating as WE Stand). The organization's stated mission is to help young people understand that leadership is a mindset rather than a status, and to create a generation of young people leading for personal growth and collective good.

The core product portfolio consists of three lines: (1) hands-on Student Workshops (e.g., the Leadership and Action workshop) delivered at schools for student leadership teams, focusing on vision-setting, team organization, and accountability agreements; (2) Staff Professional Development sessions for administrators and teachers, with named modules including Leadership & Change, The Future of Work and Education (built from an 18-month, 15-country study by co-founder Carla Cuglietta), and Leadership & Teamwork; and (3) Keynote Speaking Services featuring a roster of speakers covering leadership, mental health, and personal growth. A freemium layer — a free video series on Motivation, Mental Health, and Courage sponsored by RBC, plus a gated resource library — functions as top-of-funnel lead generation for paid workshop engagements.

The business and operating model is hybrid: paid professional services (workshop and PD fees charged to educational institutions, paid keynotes) generate revenue, while a volunteer- and intern-driven delivery backbone (1–10 employees supported by high school and university interns and an advisory board of industry professionals) keeps unit costs low. Go-to-market is direct sales to schools and event organizers via email inquiry, supported by content marketing through the website, organic social, and referral networks in the education sector. The organization has claimed operations across multiple countries, including a first international summit in China in 2015, and now offers virtual delivery alongside in-person workshops, with a stated vision of reaching 10 million youth by 2025. No financial figures, revenue, ARR, funding rounds, or institutional capital are publicly disclosed.

Name

YoungLeaders.World

Legal name

YoungLeaders.World Foundation

Website

https://youngleaders.world

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

YoungLeaders.World is a Canadian non-profit foundation that delivers youth leadership workshops, staff professional development, and keynote speaking to schools and educational institutions globally, supported by a free RBC-sponsored video series and a volunteer-driven intern model.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Leadership Development Services

NAICS

Professional and Management Development Training (611430), Professional and Management Development Training (61143), Business Schools and Computer and Management Training (6114)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Student Government & Leadership Programs (EDAJAJAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Leadership, Character Education & Values Development (EDAMAIAG), Team & Group Executive Coaching (Leadership Teams) (EDABANAF), Student Government & Leadership Programs (EDALAHAA)

Keywords

• Youth leadership development
• Student leadership workshops
• Professional development training
• Motivational keynote speaking
• Leadership curriculum programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Edmonton

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Student Leadership Workshops: Hands-on workshops for student leadership teams conducted at schools, focusing on vision-setting, team organization, and annual planning. Revenue generated through workshop fees paid by educational institutions.
2. Staff Professional Development: Professional development sessions for school administrators and staff including Leadership & Change, Future of Work & Education, and Leadership & Teamwork workshops. Revenue generated through workshop fees for educational institutions.
3. Free Educational Resources: Free leadership video series and resource library distributed via email signup. These free resources serve as top-of-funnel awareness and lead generation for paid workshop services.
4. Keynote Speaking Services: Inspirational speakers available for keynote presentations at events, covering topics such as leadership, mental health, overcoming barriers, and personal growth.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

YoungLeaders.World delivers in-person and virtual leadership workshops for student leadership teams at schools, three staff professional development tracks (Leadership & Change; The Future of Work and Education; Leadership and Teamwork), keynote speaker services for events, and a free RBC-sponsored video series on Motivation, Mental Health, and Courage. The organization, operating as a non-profit foundation, uses motivational talks, live music, and interactive workshops to teach that leadership is a mindset rather than a status.

Product overview

YoungLeaders.World is a youth leadership development organization offering a portfolio of in-person and virtual programs. The core offerings include hands-on Student Workshops focused on leadership and action, three Staff Professional Development options (Leadership & Change, The Future of Work and Education, and Leadership and Teamwork), a free RBC-sponsored video series on Motivation, Mental Health, and Courage, a Leadership Video and Resource Library, and keynote Speaker Services featuring various professional speakers. The company was founded in 2014 (originally as WE Stand) and has grown from in-person summits in Canada to international workshops spanning multiple countries, now offering both in-person and virtual delivery formats.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Student Workshop - Leadership and Action A fully hands-on workshop where the YLW team guides student leadership teams to set a clear vision for the year, align activities to that vision, and organize into specialized teams highlighting individual strengths. Deliverables include a clear team vision, school events breakdown, workflow for the year, and a student-leadership team accountability agreement.
• Staff Professional Development - Leadership & Change A professional development session where administrators and staff work through understanding leadership as both a mindset and framework, set a new vision for classrooms and schools, articulate core values, and create actionable plans.
• Staff Professional Development - The Future of Work and Education

Quantifiable outcome

• 1400+ youth registered for first summit, validating market demand
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• RBC (Royal Bank of Canada)coreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2023RBC sponsored the release of three inspiring videos for teachers covering Motivation, Mental Health, and Courage topics. Each video includes suggested teacher-led discussion questions for further learning. RBC's sponsorship enables free distribution of leadership content to students.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Points of Light Foundation: Large volunteer and civic engagement non-profit with youth service and leadership programming alongside broader community-service offerings. Comparable as a non-profit that mobilizes youth around leadership and service through school and community channels.
• Ashoka Youth Venture / Ashoka U: Global social-entrepreneurship network with significant school and university-based programming on changemaker and leadership development. Comparable in delivering leadership curriculum and training to students in K-12 and higher education contexts.

Emerging players

• DoSomething.org: U.S. youth engagement non-profit activating young people in social change campaigns with school-based outreach. Comparable as a youth-mission non-profit leveraging free digital content and school channels, though its focus is social action rather than leadership training.

Direct peers

• DECA (Distributive Education Clubs of America): Large U.S.-based student leadership organization serving high school and college students through leadership conferences, workshops, and competitions. Highly comparable as a school-affiliated leadership development program targeting student councils and leadership classes.
• AIESEC: Global youth leadership development organization present in universities across 100+ countries, focused on developing leadership through cross-cultural experiences and projects. Comparable in mission, target audience (university-age youth), and global delivery model.
• WE Charity: Formerly a major Canadian youth-focused leadership and service non-profit running student leadership programs, summits, and school-based campaigns. Highly comparable as a Canadian youth-leadership non-profit competing for the same school district attention, though significantly larger historically.
• Enactus: Global student leadership non-profit operating university and college-based teams that develop leadership through social-entrepreneurship projects. Directly comparable as a student-leadership development organization with international reach and a curriculum-driven workshop model.
• Student Leadership Network: Non-profit running leadership development programs for high school students, including specialized school models. Comparable as a non-profit that partners with schools to deliver student leadership curricula and workshops.
• The Leader in Me: FranklinCovey-affiliated whole-school leadership development program implemented in K-12 schools globally, with student leadership framework, staff PD, and teacher resources. Highly comparable as a school-based student leadership curriculum and staff PD provider.
• National Association of Student Councils (NASC): U.S. organization providing student council leadership training, curriculum, and resources to middle and high schools. Directly comparable as a provider of student-government leadership workshops and resources for K-12 schools.

Market position

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ylworld
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/youngleaders.world

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about YoungLeaders.World