NEW YORK, NY (May 14, 2026) — Today the Coalition of Entrepreneurship Education Organizations, pioneered by the Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE), unveiled its updated name and mission, reflecting a renewed commitment to equipping learners of all ages with the skills and mindset to thrive in an innovation-driven world. The coalition will now be known as Connecting Career and Entrepreneurship Opportunities (C2EO Coalition) signaling its refined vision and collaborative approach to advancing entrepreneurship education across K-12, higher education, and community-based programs.
“When we formed our coalition in 2023, we did so to show why entrepreneurship education is a critical pathway for developing problem-solvers, creators, and leaders,” said Dr. J.D. LaRock, president and CEO of NFTE. “Our updated name and mission reflect our original intent and continues to bring together the top entrepreneurship and work-based learning organizations from across the country. Our member organizations continue to work hard to ensure every learner has access to experiential opportunities that foster creativity, resilience, and real-world skills.”
NFTE launched the coalition with founding members NAF, BUILD.org and Virtual Enterprises. Today, the coalition includes Project Lead the Way, The CAPS Network, The Possible Zone and Uncharted Learning. Members serve more than 2.8 million students across their networks worldwide.
“Entrepreneurship education and career-connected learning go hand in hand, and the C2EO Coalition represents an important step forward in expanding access to both,” said Lisa Dughi, CEO of NAF, also a coalition member. “By uniting leading organizations that share a commitment to real-world, experiential learning, we are ensuring that all young people can gain the skills, confidence, and professional networks they need to succeed in an ever-changing world. As a coordinated force, we can work together to advance pathways that help students build durable skills that empower them not just to navigate the future, but to shape it.”
Informed by research, coalition-building, and strategic advocacy both federally and at a state level to drive systems change, The C2EO Coalition seeks to ensure that all students are prepared for the evolving demands of the modern workforce.
In the past two-plus years, the coalition gained traction on Capitol Hill, advocating and educating lawmakers about the important connection points between entrepreneurship education and work-based learning. Accomplishments include more than two dozen meetings with Congress members’ offices, providing public comment on the 2024 WIOA Reauthorization with subsequent language changes in the final draft legislation, and a 2025 briefing in Washington, D.C. to educate staff on Capitol Hill about the importance of creating systems change for all learners in US education.
The coalition’s renewed mission emphasizes:
Elevating national leaders in youth career-connected learning to inform, advocate for, and advance systemic policies that expand real-world learning opportunities, cultivate workforce-ready talent, and ensure access to opportunities for all students.
Additional nonprofits in this space are invited to join the C2EO Coalition: Connecting Career and Entrepreneurship Opportunities in advancing entrepreneurship education. Contact Jennie Fay (jenniferf@nfte.com) to explore benefits, resources, and community events.
For media inquiries, please contact Denise Berkhalter Miller, APR, 917-281-4362, or mediainquiries@nfte.com.
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About C2EO Coalition: Connecting Career and Entrepreneurship
Connecting Career and Entrepreneurship Opportunities (The C2EO Coalition), is a collaborative of eight nonprofits with the shared mission of elevating national leaders in youth career-connected learning to inform, advocate for, and advance systemic policies that expand real-world learning opportunities, cultivate workforce-ready talent, and ensure access to opportunities for all students. C2EO Coalition is dedicated to making entrepreneurship education and work-based learning programs accessible and impactful for all learners, and it advocates for the policies that best prepare students for the future of work. To join or learn more, contact jenniferf@nfte.com.