Young Entrepreneurs Academy Transforms Students into Confident Entrepreneurs

Last Updated on May 22, 2018 by Bharat Saini

Tech, Product, Social Entrepreneurship Business ideas which are unique were very well presented by large number of kids in the age group of 11-18 years in various investor panels hosted by reputed schoolsacross citiesof Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad during the last few months. Sheer quantity and quality of ideas that range from product to technology to creative social entrepreneurship solutions and most importantly, all ideas emerged from problems identified by students in grades 6-12, problems they feel passionately about. They are the students of Young Entrepreneurs Academy that transforms students ages 11-18 into real, confident entrepreneurs through a great extracurricular activity which teaches in a hands-on and fun manner – through inspiring guest speakers, diverse field trips, mentors and investor panel where students get real funding.

• Young Entrepreneurs Academy (YEA!) was founded by Gayle Jagelwith the support the Kauffman Foundation in 2004 at the University of Rochester – one of the greatest voices and advocates of the importance of entrepreneurship in America.
• YEA!classes are currently available in more than 104 centres across 40 states in the U.S.A., and serves thousands of students in 168 communities across America
• YEA!’s franchise to India has been brought by NamitaThapar, through her organisation Incredible Ventures Ltd., of which she is CEO, in August 2016 with 120 children across 30 schools.Namita believes, “It’s never too early to learn entrepreneurship”.
• Incredible Ventures in India is the first overseas organization to license YEA!
• YEA! India has been set up in six cities: Mumbai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Pune, and Chennai.
• YEA! Is a ground breaking and exciting programme that transforms local middle and high school students into real, confident entrepreneurs.
• YEA! Students in grades 6-12 through the year-long programgenerate business ideas, conduct market research, write business plans, pitch to a panel of investors, and launch their very own companies.
• YEA! Host schools include 8 premier education institutes, American School of Bombay, The Cathedral School – Mumbai, The Shri Ram School – Moulsari, Gurugram, American Embassy School – New Delhi, Bangalore International School – Bengaluru, Glendale Academy – Hyderabad, Symbiosis International School – Pune, American International School – Chennai
• YEA! A wonderful tool to teach students about business is a great way to build confident leaders with values. An excellent instrument to unify the business and educational communities,
• YEA! Students get an opportunity to hear as well as get inspired by several celebrity guest speakers who are entrepreneurs from some of the top industrial houses in India as well as some of the larger e commerce start-ups.
• YEA! India boasts of mentors like KiranMazumdar Shaw, Chairperson, Biocon Ltd., Ronnie Screwvala, Founder UTV Group, Raj Kumar Hirani, Bollywood Producer and Director, Deep Kalra Founder and CEO, MakeMyTrip, MukeshBansal Founder, Myntra, Jayakumar, Bank of Baroda, and Sunil Munjal, Hero Group.
• YEA! Students take behind the scenes, fun, field trips to India’s most successful businesses.
• YEA! Students finally participate in a “Shark Tank” style Investor Panel, where they present their business ideas to a panel of India’s most successful business leaders for the opportunity to secure real funding to launch their businesses.
• YEA! Students numbering more than 4,000 have launched over 3,000 real businesses till date.
• YEA! Students ideas in 2018 included products such as, a walking aid for elderly, gas leak detector, fashionable shoes for teens with flat feet, and natural range of beauty products for kids; tech- apps to report bullying, to book sports facilities, and to teach piano/ etiquette/ technology to senior citizens; and social entrepreneurship: collect hotel soaps and recycle, address pollution, speech solution for kids with autism, collect and sell used sports equipment, charity football matches, and recycling batteries.
• YEA! India looks forward to scale rapidly pan India to fulfil its mission of teaching.