Discover your inner startupper!
Eager to enter the startups-verse? Join the Young Entrepreneurs program until April 27, 2023
and take a deep dive into the world of entrepreneurship.
Young Entrepreneurs:
The First Step Of Your Startup Journey
What?
Young Entrepreneurs is an intense program designed to equip you with the necessary tools and skills to understand the startup world. From practical strategies and creative exercises to hands-on learnings during lectures and workshops—all the program activities are aimed at preparing you for future professional challenges in the startup world, or elsewhere.
Where?
Online, May 2nd – June 15
(If selected) Onsite in:
- Bilbao (Spain), July 17 – July 26
- Cluj Napoca (Romania), July 17 – July 26
- Tallinn (Estonia), July 31 – August 9
- Marbella (Spain), July 31 – August 9
How?
Through hands-on lectures and workshops. Office visits. A hackathon. Mentors. All of it delivered by actual startuppers and practitioners in the world of entrepreneurship, an exciting world they want to share with you!
Young Entrepreneurs:
The First Step Of Your Startup Journey
What?
Young Entrepreneurs is an intense program designed to equip you with the necessary tools and skills to understand the startup world. From practical strategies and creative exercises to hands-on learnings during lectures and workshops—all the program activities are aimed at preparing you for future professional challenges in the startup world, or elsewhere.
Where?
Online, April 16th - May 29 Onsite in: Bilbao (Spain), July 17 - July 26 Cluj Napoca (Romania), July 17 - July 26 Tallinn (Estonia), July 31 - August 9 Marbella (Spain), July 31 - August 9
How?
Through hands-on lectures and workshops. Office visits. A hackathon. Mentors. All of it delivered by actual startuppers and practitioners in the world of entrepreneurship, an exciting world they want to share with you!
Do You Have What It Takes to Be a Young Entrepreneur?
Young Entrepreneurs is designed for university students eager to learn more about entrepreneurship and what it takes to build a startup.
Passion for learning & self-development
Every minute of the program is filled with knowledge and experience from seasoned startup founders and serial entrepreneurs.
International & open mind
You’ll get to meet fellow young entrepreneurs and mentors from all over the world, for a truly international experience.
Fluency in English
Prepare to put your English to good use and polish up your business vocabulary— your fellow students and mentors come from diverse backgrounds and places—as all the communication is in English.
Passion for learning & self-development
Every minute of the program is filled with knowledge and experience from seasoned startup founders and serial entrepreneurs.
International & open mind
You’ll get to meet fellow young entrepreneurs and mentors from all over the world, for a truly international experience.
Fluency in English
Prepare to put your English to good use and polish up your business vocabulary — your fellow students and mentors come from diverse backgrounds and places—as all the communication is in English.
The Ins & Outs of the Program
This is a hybrid program that entails both online and onsite presence.
Prepare for 80+ hours’ worth of learning about all things startups and entrepreneurship.
Online Content, Assignments, and the Startup Challenge
Workshops, lectures, and case studies that cover various business, startup founder and team aspects, but not limited to:
- Finding your purpose and values
- The key principles of robust communication in your startup team
- Defining business roles and responsibilities in your startup
- The essentials for effective planning
- Avoiding burnout and how to stay focused and motivated
Once you have gone through all the content, your final assignment in the form of a “Startup Challenge” will be unlocked for you to work on. Complete that, get selected and then pack your bags for Phase 2!
or July 31- August 9 (If selected)
Tallinn Trip For Onsite Coaching & Applied Learning
A 10-day onsite program in Bilbao, Cluj Napoca, Tallinn, or Marbella, filled with workshops, lectures, founder stories, office visits, pitching exercises, and…a hackathon.
Here are just some of the topics you will have to go through:
- Company culture and values
- Business modeling and experimentation
- Sales and pitching
- Creativity and digital marketing
- The basics of legal and financing your startup
In the end, you’ll apply all the learnings in a hackathon event at the end of which your team will prepare a pitch deck and present the final idea. Just like real startups do!
All the educational contents of Phase 2 are Onsite and covered by scholarships for students who have successfully completed Phase 1 (and availability of scholarships); those interested will only have to pay for their own flight and accommodation in one of the cities.
Pre-Accelerator & Alumni Community & Networking
All the participants become a part of the SWG YE alumni community with access to a global network of startups and mentors as well as such perks as quarterly community events, brought by Startup Wise Guys.
The best teams from the Hackathon will also have the opportunity to enter the SWG Pre-Acceleration program if they wish so and continue working on their idea. Or individuals may be interning with SWG’s portfolio startups.
Meet Young Entrepreneurs Mentors & Experts
Nicklas Pavoncelli
Head of Startup Wise Guys Foundation
Davide Coppola
Young Entrepreneurs coordinator
Razvan Suta
Anni Saar
Head of Legal at Startup Wise Guys
Cristobal Alonso
CEO at Startup Wise Guys and co-author of PERFORM: The Unsexy Truth about (Startup) Success
Herty Tammo
Mariia Tintul
Head of Startup Wise Guys Business Development
Stoyan Yankov
Productivity Coach and co-author of PERFORM: The Unsexy Truth about (Startup) Success
Horacio Jose Perez Moreno
Startup Business Development manager
Dan le Man
The fact that we met real founders and could freely ask them any questions we want, was one of the most interesting things of the Program
It was a perfect fit as I got to know more about the startup industry, how everything works. And I met a lot of cool & ambitious people.
This program is a must-attend for starting your entrepreneurial journey. If you want to unleash your growth mindset and be the person you really want to be, then come and join the SWG family.
This program will allow you to learn more about the world of startups and business with amazing people from around the world.
This is the most enjoyable and coolest program I have ever been a part of compared to any other school experience I have had.
Young Entrepreneurs: Powered by Startup Wise Guys & Estonian Business School
Young Entrepreneurs is designed and powered by two of the strongest institutions on all things entrepreneurship within the Nordics region – Startup Wise Guys (SWG) and Estonian Business School (EBS).
Founded in 2012, Start Wise Guys is the leading European B2B startup accelerator and early stage investor with 370+ portfolio startups and 80% success rate. In 2021 the Startup Wise Guys Foundation was founded for aspiring entrepreneurs and world-class mentors to accelerate innovation, business growth, and international expansion for youth
Host partners
Community partners
Founded in 2012, Start Wise Guys is the leading European B2B startup accelerator and early stage investor with 370+ portfolio startups and 80% success rate. In 2021 the Startup Wise Guys Foundation was founded for aspiring entrepreneurs and world-class mentors to accelerate innovation, business growth, and international expansion for youth
Founded in 1988, EBS is one of the oldest business educational institutions in the Baltics. With a particular focus on innovation and sustainability, it’s considered one of the strongest business schools in the region. Students participating in the Young Entrepreneurs program can get an Erasmus Exchange semester in EBS and get ECTS points.
Host partners
Community partners
Still Have Some Questions?
We accept any university students (individuals or teams) regardless of their academic background. There are some region-specific age restrictions, though:
- If you are an Estonian citizen/resident, you have to be at least 16 years old.
- EU/International students should be at least 18 years old (for travel purposes).
- Click the “Apply now” button and then fill out the application form.
We review the form to understand your attitude, motivation to join the program, and unwrap the experiences you’ve had, as well as to receive some basic information about you. It’s not about writing a CV or composing a mile-long motivational letter. So just be sharp and stay in the number of characters required. Your educational background does not matter, as long as you have a curious mind and willingness to learn. If you already have had entrepreneurial experiences, created an app, or owned a summer lemonade stand—great! If you did not, but you’re burning with curiosity and creativity, that’s even better. - Let our project team evaluate your application.
- Wait for a follow-up email that confirms the receipt of your application and stay tuned for the decision.
The program is divided into 2 phases (the third one is optional):
- Phase 1 will be held online throughout May and June. As a student, you will have to allocate around 20 hours to go through all the shared video content, assignments, and the startup challenge.
- Phase 2 will require you to come to Bilbao or Cluj Napoca between July 17 and July 27; and Tallinn, or Marbella between July 31 and August 9.
No. Phase 2 Onsite is up to selection. The most performing students who complete Phase 1 of the program and go through 90% of the curriculum will be eligible to Phase 2 (onsite part of the program). They will need to pay for their own travel and accommodation expenses in one the YE cities.
Young Entrepreneurs is a 2 phase program: Phase 1 (Spring 2023) is online and free of charge; Phase 2 (Summer 2023) onsite is free of charge for students eligible for one of the donor-provided scholarships, but requires the eligible students to pay for their own travel. By filling out the application you are applying to participate in Phase 1. If selected to join Phase 2 you will be asked to either:
a) Apply for one of the scholarships available (limited number available);
b) pay in full for the participation on-site (1.000€+VAT)
The limited amount of scholarships are funded by the Startup Wise Guys Foundation and the Sponsors of YE 2023. The scholarship includes in-person educational content, and accommodation for 10 days. The number of scholarships is limited and under no circumstances can cover all available spots for Phase 2. Awarding of scholarships is based on: active participation of applicants during Phase 1 Online, specific requests from YE Sponsors, student motivation.
Program participants will need to travel to the onsite locations and cover their transportation costs. However, the Startup Wise Guys Foundation will take full care of your accommodation and offer a spot at a hotel/hostel.
The Startup Wise Guys Foundation will NOT cover meals across Phase 2 of the program. Thus, each participating student from inside or outside of Estonia will need to cover their own meals while in the onsite locations.