About this Journey to Nationals
#RoadtoNationals
In 2006, Abigail Lewis of Derby, Kansas, became NFTE’s first National Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge champion. Hundreds of thousands of dollars in prizes have been awarded to diverse young entrepreneurs, many from under-resourced communities, since then.
Each year, our Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge Series starts with pitch competitions at the local classroom or camp level, which begins the student journey on the #RoadtoNationals.
#NFTEChampion
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Each competition round is judged by expert panels that include business leaders and successful entrepreneurs who volunteer their time to support NFTE entrepreneurs.
It’s a natural start to developing a professional network and connecting with mentors. NFTE’s continuum of services for students who become NFTE alumni includes an annual Founders Forum to support alumni with launch-ready or operational businesses.
Mark Your Calendar
NFTE programs give young people a chance to compete in three flagship competitions, the National Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge, the World Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge and the World Series of Innovation, as well as a variety of brainstorming and design-thinking challenges and showcases offered throughout the year. Even our teacher corps learns how to pitch.
Competitions & Pitches
Every year, learners compete for cash prizes — in program-driven design thinking challenges, innovation challenges, and NFTE business plan and pitch competitions at the local, regional and national level. Through the process of creating their own business idea, NFTE students build entrepreneurial skills and are introduced to new career paths.
National Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge
Our Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge series is eight months of local, regional and national business plan and pitch competitions. Thousands of students go on to compete in a high-stakes national championship in New York City. Each round is judged by a panel of experts that includes business leaders and successful entrepreneurs who volunteer their time. Since NFTE’s National Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge launched in 2006, millions of dollars in seed capital have been awarded.
World Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge
Every year, learners compete for cash prizes — in program-driven design thinking challenges, innovation challenges, and NFTE business plan and pitch competitions at the local, regional and national level. Through the process of creating their own business idea, NFTE students build entrepreneurial skills and are introduced to new career paths.
National Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge
Our Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge series is eight months of local, regional and national business plan and pitch competitions. Thousands of students go on to compete in a high-stakes national championship in New York City. Each round is judged by a panel of experts that includes business leaders and successful entrepreneurs who volunteer their time. Since NFTE’s National Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge launched in 2006, millions of dollars in seed capital have been awarded.
World Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge
In 2022, NFTE hosted its inaugural World Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge to give distinguished young entrepreneurs from all over the world an opportunity to meet and exchange ideas. Student teams representing NFTE global partner organizations join the winner of the U.S. National Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge in a pitch-off that includes semifinal and final rounds of competition. Winners are determined by a panel of judges and recognized at a gala celebration.
Upcoming Competitions
The NFTE World Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge (WYEC) is a signature…
Student business winners from around the country will compete in…
Unlock your entrepreneurial mindset and learn how to start your…
