What Young Scot does

Young Scot (legally Young Scot Enterprise, Scottish registered charity SC029757 and company limited by guarantee SC202687) is the national information and citizenship organisation for young people aged 11-26 in Scotland, established in 1981 and headquartered in Edinburgh. Its core product is the Young Scot National Entitlement Card (NEC), a free physical and digital smart card that combines proof-of-age credentials (PASS hologram), free bus travel for under-22s, discounts at hundreds of retailers, library and leisure centre access, and cashless school catering. Supporting services include the Young Scot mobile app (iOS/Android powered by TCS DigiGOV), an online membership portal with a points-based rewards system, and sub-brands covering mental health (AyeFeel), cyber and AI literacy (DigiKnow), media literacy (InfoWise), volunteering (YSHive), and the European Youth Card for international discounts.

The underlying technology stack consists of a web platform (young.scot), native mobile applications, a smart card distribution system, Microsoft Office 365 and Access for backend data, Google Analytics for traffic analysis, and the Recite Me accessibility toolbar. The organisation holds the European Youth Information Quality Label from ERYICA and operates in partnership with all 32 Scottish local authorities for nationwide service delivery. The Young Scot name is a registered trademark, and the platform distributes content via Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, X/Twitter, email newsletters, podcast channels (Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music), and a Creator Collective of young content producers.

Young Scot operates as a non-profit with a freemium model — all services are free for eligible young people. Funding is provided primarily by the Scottish Government and public sector sources, with no disclosed revenue figures, no parent company, no funding rounds, and no equity investors. The organisation has 11-50 employees and no subsidiaries, with partnerships serving as the primary mechanism for service delivery and discount aggregation rather than direct monetisation.

Name

Young Scot

Legal name

Young Scot Enterprise

Website

http://young.scot

Company type

Private

Founded year

1981

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Young Scot Enterprise is a Scottish Government-backed charity operating the national youth information platform and National Entitlement Card for young people aged 11-26 across Scotland, providing free discounts, bus travel, and services via partnerships with all 32 local authorities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Information Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), Child and Youth Services (62411)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Personal Finance & Financial Literacy for Students (EDAMAIAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Transcript, Score Reporting & Verification/Credential Wallet Platforms (EDAFADAO)

Keywords

• Youth information services
• National entitlement card
• Youth discount program
• Free bus travel scheme
• Youth mental health resources

Headquarters

HQ city

Edinburgh

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Government Funding: Young Scot is a Scottish registered charity (SC029757) operated by Young Scot Enterprise, primarily funded by the Scottish Government and public sector sources to provide youth services across Scotland.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Young Scot is the national information and citizenship organisation for young people in Scotland, funded by the Scottish Government. It operates the Young Scot National Entitlement Card (NEC), a free smart card for ages 11–26 providing proof of age, free bus travel for under-22s, access to discounts, library and leisure services, and links to a digital membership platform with rewards, entitlement packages, and educational campaigns on mental health, cyber safety, and media literacy.

Product overview

Young Scot operates as a multi-platform youth services organization offering a unified ecosystem of services for 11 to 26-year-olds in Scotland. The core product is the Young Scot National Entitlement Card (Young Scot NEC), a free physical and digital card that serves as the gateway to all services. The Young Scot App provides mobile access to discounts and rewards. Young Scot Membership is an online portal unlocking exclusive online discounts and the Young Scot Rewards points system. Supporting programs include YSHive (volunteering and co-design), Creator Collective (content creation), and entitlement packages like the Young Carers Package. Thematic campaigns including AyeFeel (mental health), DigiKnow (cyber skills and AI literacy), and InfoWise (media literacy) provide educational resources alongside the This is How AyeFeel podcast series and YS Magazine publication. The European Youth Card extends discount benefits internationally.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Young Scot NEC: Young Scot National Entitlement Card - a free card for 11 to 26-year-olds in Scotland providing access to discounts, rewards, free bus travel, and proof of age identification.
• Young Scot Rewards
• Young Scot Membership
• AyeFeel
• DigiKnow
• InfoWise
• YSHive
• Young Scot Hive
• This is How AyeFeel
• YS Magazine
• Young Carers Package

Products and services

• Young Scot National Entitlement Card (Young Scot NEC) A free physical and digital smart card for 11-26 year olds living in Scotland providing proof of age (PASS hologram), access to discounts, free bus travel for under-22s, library membership, leisure centre access, and cashless catering in schools.
• Young Scot App
• Young Scot Membership Online membership portal offering access to exclusive online discounts, Young Scot Rewards points, and entitlement packages including Young Carers Package and Young Scot Next. Requires MyGovScot MyAccount to sign up.
• Young Scot Rewards Points-based rewards system where members earn points for completing activities and can redeem them against opportunities and prizes.
• Young Scot Discounts Discount program offering money off at various retailers, restaurants, travel services, and experiences for Young Scot card holders and members.
• YSHive (Young Scot Hive) Young Scot's co-design and volunteering service that enables young people to participate in workshops, consultations, events, and surveys to shape services across Scotland.
• AyeFeel Mental health and emotional wellbeing campaign providing information, support resources, and the This is How AyeFeel podcast series featuring guests sharing personal stories.
• DigiKnow Cyber skills and AI education campaign covering topics like staying safe online, misinformation, gaming safety, and understanding artificial intelligence.
• InfoWise Media literacy campaign providing resources on fact checking, spotting misinformation, understanding AI-generated content, and navigating the digital information landscape.
• Young Carers Package Special bundle of rewards designed by young carers for young carers aged 12-18, including digital vouchers, wellbeing boxes, and opportunities to have their voice heard.
• Young Scot Next Entitlement package available through Young Scot Membership offering additional benefits for young people.
• This is How AyeFeel Podcast Podcast series featuring interviews with guests discussing mental health, identity, and personal experiences. Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Amazon Music.
• YS Magazine Digital magazine by Young Scot for 11 to 12-year-olds, featuring information about rights and stories from other young people.
• European Youth Card International discount scheme allowing Young Scot NEC holders to access discounts throughout Europe via EYCA partner brands.
• Creator Collective Group of young content creators who produce videos and content for Young Scot, covering topics like gaming, esports, and youth interests.

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration12 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• European Youth Card Association (EYCA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerYoung Scot NEC serves as a European Youth Card, allowing young Scots to access discounts throughout Europe. The partnership enables international discount offers from EYCA partner brands including Preply (50% off first lesson), Sixt (10% off car rental), and other European-wide offers.
• Scottish Local Authorities (32 councils)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAll 32 Scottish local authority areas partner with Young Scot to issue National Entitlement Cards, manage local discount partnerships, provide cashless catering in schools, and deliver in-person services. Each council area has dedicated contact points and local discount offerings.
• Transport ScotlandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerYoung Scot NEC integrates with Transport Scotland's Under-22s Free Bus Travel scheme. Young Scot cards can download free bus travel passes via the Transport Scotland Pass Collect App. Also manages ferry travel vouchers for Scottish Islands residents aged 16-18.
• 5Rights FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerYoung Scot supports 5Rights, which articulates digital rights for children and young people including the right to remove content, know who profits from their data, safety and support, informed choices, and digital literacy.
• TCS (Tata Consultancy Services) DigiGOVcoreTechnology or IntegrationTCS DigiGOV powers the Young Scot membership portal (membership.young.scot), providing the digital infrastructure for online discounts, rewards, activities, and membership management.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• ISIC (International Student Identity Card): Global student discount and identity card issued across 130+ countries. Highly comparable to Young Scot NEC as a credential-style youth/student card combining proof-of-status, discounts, and partner offers, but globally focused rather than Scotland-only.
• TOTUM: UK student discount card (formerly NUS Extra) providing verified student status and discounts across retail, travel, and food. Direct competitor to Young Scot's discount and identity functionality within the UK student/youth market.
• Student Beans: UK-founded digital student discount platform offering student-verified offers via app and web. Comparable to Young Scot on discount aggregation and youth digital engagement, with stronger commercial monetisation of student traffic.
• UNiDAYS: Global student verification and discount platform, with a strong UK presence. Overlaps with Young Scot on student verification, discount delivery, and youth-targeted brand partnerships, though focused on higher-education students rather than 11–26 cohort.
• European Youth Card Association (EYCA): European network coordinating youth discount cards across 40+ member countries. Young Scot is a member/partner via the NEC acting as a European Youth Card; EYCA is a coordinating peer rather than a single-market competitor.

Broad incumbents

• National Citizen Service (NCS): UK government-backed youth development programme for 15–17 year olds offering experiences, skills, and social action. Broad incumbent in UK youth services space, addressing an overlapping but narrower age cohort than Young Scot.
• Prince's Trust: Major UK youth charity supporting 11–30 year olds through education, training, and employment programmes. Broad incumbent in UK youth services with overlapping beneficiary age range and government/charity funding base.
• UK Youth: UK-wide membership organisation supporting youth organisations and young people across the UK. Broad incumbent focused on the youth-sector infrastructure rather than direct-to-youth delivery, but overlapping on youth voice and participation agendas.

Emerging players

• MyBnk: UK charity delivering financial education programmes for 11–25 year olds. Comparable niche focus on financial literacy and life skills for the same age cohort Young Scot serves, but delivered through educator-led programmes rather than a card/platform model.

Others

• ScotGov MyAccount: Scottish Government single sign-on service required to access Young Scot membership. Ecosystem enabler rather than a competitor, but critical infrastructure partner whose policy or product changes directly affect Young Scot's onboarding flow.

Market position

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/youngscot
• YouTubeyoutube.com/ysthefeed
• Facebookfacebook.com/youngscot
• Instagraminstagram.com/youngscot
• TikToktiktok.com/@young.scot
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/young-scot

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 Young Scot