The Youth Business International Bootcamp is taking place online from the week commencing 14 September 2026 for 8 weeks (ending the week of 2 November). This phase of the Bootcamp will be delivered via YBI’s EYE Academy, our learning platform for Excellence in Youth Entrepreneurship.
The in-person phase of the Bootcamp will take place 15 – 19 February 2027 in Nairobi, Kenya.
YBI will cover the EYE Academy access for online participants and the flights, visas, accommodation and catering for in-person Bootcamp participants.
We will ask you to let us know your requirements as part of the application form and aim to accommodate participants where we can. When we release venue details, please check this website and with the Bootcamp team for further accessibility information.
The online phase of the Bootcamp will be delivered via YBI’s EYE Academy, where we are proactively aligning our content, services, and user experience with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 and the POUR principles, including incorporating support for diverse sensory needs. You can read our full accessibility statement to learn more by selecting this text.
The Bootcamp application form should be completed by the young entrepreneur wishing to attend. YBI will then contact the member they have said they are working with to verify their information.
There will be $5k prizes awarded to each of the three category winners, and an additional $5k awarded to the Global Young Entrepreneur of the Year selected from the three, making the grand prize a total of $10k
Entrepreneurs will need a minimum of intermediate English to fully participate.
Applications are open 8 July to 6 September.
The detailed overview will be provided to participants and their supporting members once attendees have been selected. This website is the best source of information for applicants. If you have any questions while applying that are not answered here, please contact us at [email protected].
All founders, and the entire leadership team, are eligible to apply for the online phase of the Bootcamp. However, only one representative per business can attend the in-person bootcamp and be eligible to win the Global Young Entrepreneur of the Year Awards. Please note that the person you would like to be considered for the in-person phase and Awards needs to complete the online phase to qualify, and you cannot do one part each. If you are selected as an award finalist and in-person attendee, the monetary prize is to be spent on the winning business, so it benefits both founders.
When applying for the YBI Bootcamp, all applicants will be asked which of the three award categories their business sits within. Please see the Awards page for more information. Please note that we may move a participant to another category upon eligibility assessment if we believe it to be a better fit for the criteria.
21 participants will be selected for the in-person phase – consisting of seven per award category – from those who complete 100% of the online training and meaningfully participate in the sessions. These participants will all be considered finalists for the Awards. A public vote will then take place between November and February. Finalists will be encouraged to join YBI in promoting their nomination.
Following the public vote, there will be a pitch competition during the in-person Bootcamp where a panel of judges will give their scoring on the finalists’ performance and business plans.
Finally, the YBI team will review the finalists’ performance throughout the Bootcamp, the public votes and judges’ scoring to decide the final winners of the three categories. The overall Global Young Entrepreneur of the Year will be selected from the three category winners.
There will be a celebration on the final night of the in-person that will include a short awards ceremony where the three category winners and the overall Global Young Entrepreneur of the Year winner will be announced.
Yes, we would love to have you on board. We are looking for a range of collaborators and supporters for networking events and training sessions. Please get in touch if you would like to participate: [email protected]. Please note that if you are asked to participate in the in-person Bootcamp, YBI can only cover full expenses for Bootcamp participants.
YBI can accommodate a larger cohort for the online phase of the Bootcamp, so we recommend that you can share this opportunity with anyone in your network who matches the eligibility criteria listed on the about page. Please note that there will be 21 participants selected from the online cohort for the in-person phase of the Bootcamp.
No, you are not expected to accompany the young entrepreneur. YBI are only able to accommodate the 21 participants at the Bootcamp.
YBI will provide a completion certificate at the end of the online phase of the Bootcamp, provided that the participant has completed a minimum of 80% of the course within the time frame, and also at the end of the in-person Bootcamp week.
No, YBI will not be providing translators for either stage of the Bootcamp. As well as being able to follow and complete the coursework, we want all participants to be able to connect with each other, and therefore English will be the official language for the YBI Bootcamp. Participants will need to be proficient in English to attend.
The YBI member that you name on your application form will be contacted and asked to confirm that you are currently or have previously been supported by them. We will also review your other responses to the application form.
We aim to inform all applicants whether they have been accepted to the Bootcamp on or before the week of 7 September.
The online phase cohorts will be provided with the option of a WhatsApp group to stay connected as well as having access to the community spaces in our learning platform, the EYE Academy, during the course.
The in-person cohort will have access to an online community tool via the EYE Academy by YBI (the learning and community platform that will be used for the online phase of the Bootcamp) for 12 months after the Bootcamp so that you can stay connected after returning home.
There will be regular check-in calls facilitated by YBI after the Bootcamp.
YBI will also give participants a task for the months following the Bootcamp to encourage you to put the new skills you have gained into practice.
We will ask you to let us know your requirements as part of the application form and aim to accommodate participants where we can. For more information about accessibility for the online phase, please select this text to view our EYE Academy accessibility statement. When we release the in-person venue details, please check back for further accessibility information or contact the Bootcamp team.
Yes. As a Bootcamp participant, you may be selected for the in-person week taking place 15 – 19 February 2027 in Nairobi, Kenya. You would therefore need to be available for both the online and in-person phases (and have the necessary paperwork to travel by November 2026, usually a passport) so you will be asked to confirm you can attend both Bootcamp phases during application.
No, sorry. The YBI Bootcamp is exclusively available to young entrepreneurs who are currently or have been supported by a YBI member. If you’re unsure if the support you have received is from a YBI member, you will find a full list of our members at the start of the application form, where you will be asked to provide the name of the YBI member who has supported you and your contact at the organisation.
Applications are only available for the full YBI Bootcamp experience. Participants for the in-person phase will be selected from those who complete the online phase, and due to limited spaces, we can’t offer this separately.
Still have questions? Contact us at [email protected].
