THE YE! Youth Ecoprenuer Program(YECO) 2025 For Young Green Entrepreneurs ($100,000 Prize & All-Expenses-Paid Trip To International Conference)

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Applications are open for THE YE! Youth Ecoprenuer Program(YECO) 2025. The Youth Ecopreneur Programme (YECO) is a global accelerator that powers the green and just transition by investing in young entrepreneurs as catalysts for sustainable development, environmental justice, and climate action advocacy. The project seeks to enhance the competitiveness and scale of youth-led green businesses, with a strong focus on land restoration.

Through a Global Bootcamp, Accelerator, and Youth Ecopreneur Awards, it provides comprehensive support, including training, mentorship, and financial support, to youth-led green businesses.

The programme is powered by the ITC and the G20 Global Land Initiative/UNCCD in partnership with WIPO, Sidley Austin LLP, and Google Startup for Sustainable Development. The five-year programme is designed as a multi-stakeholder initiative that allows ITC projects and partners to opt-in, leveraging and scaling within the existing structure. The acceleration program onboards new participants every year.

The YECO Programme is built for youth entrepreneurs under the age of 35 who are founders, co-founders, or CEOs. They are looking for passionate innovators with a clear understanding of the environmental challenges they tackle and scalable solutions ready for acceleration.

Youth Ecoprenuer Program(YECO) Details

The programme consists of a:

Global Bootcamp to kickstart your journey with dynamic training and e-learning.
Global Accelerator to get personalized coaching, mentorship, and masterclasses to take your sustainable solutions to the next level.
Youth Ecopreneur Awards to showcase your solutions on a global stage.

Youth Ecoprenuer Program(YECO) Benefits

Capacity-building for scaling your venture
Seed Funding ($100,000 USD for the land-restoration cohort, equity free)
Access to a Global Network & Exposure
Mentorship & Coaching
Legal and IP Guidance
Preferential access to Pro-Bono Legal Services from Sidley Austin
Preferential access to the Google StartUp for Sustainable Development Programme
All-Expenses-Paid Trip to International Conference for Award Finalists
Win the Youth Ecopreneur Award and get 10,000 USD prize money (1 Award per category)

Eligibility Criteria

Applicant must be:

Must be under the age of 35 (by the application deadline)
Must be Founder, Co-Founder or CEO

Eligible businesses must be:

Legally registered and majority-run by a young person
The bootcamp is open globally, the accelerator is reserved for eligible countries – see the list here
Legally registered and fall under one of two tracks:
- Land Restoration (e.g. reforestation, soil rehabilitation)
- Green & Circular Economy (e.g. renewable energy, waste innovation)