Young European Entrepreneur Award (YEEA): Receive up to €20,000 worth of pre-incubation and acceleration training

The Young European Entrepreneur Award (YEEA) is a prestigious initiative that acknowledges and helps Europe’s most promising younger entrepreneurs. Organized by the Directorate-General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship, and SMEs (DG GROW), this award goals to foster innovation, improve competitiveness, and present rising companies with the assets they want to thrive.

About YEEA

Launched in 2023 as a European Parliament pilot mission, YEEA is a enterprise pitching competitors open to younger entrepreneurs throughout numerous industries. The initiative highlights groundbreaking enterprise concepts and provides tailor-made assist to assist finalists scale their ventures efficiently.

Prizes

Tailored Support for Finalists

The prime 10 finalists will obtain personalized steerage and assets via a pre-incubation/acceleration programme valued at up to €20,000. This complete assist will equip them with the instruments and experience wanted to elevate their companies to the following stage.

Exclusive Opportunities for the Top Three Applicants

After the pitching occasion and award ceremony, the prime three candidates will profit from:

• Extensive media protection and promotional assist, showcasing their achievements to a large viewers.
• An all-expenses-paid journey to the SME Assembly in November 2025 in Denmark, the place they’ll join with trade leaders and develop their networks.

Prestigious Recognition for the Winner

The grand prize winner will obtain a trophy, symbolizing their distinctive innovation and entrepreneurial excellence.

Why Participate?

Exclusive Media Exposure

Finalists acquire unparalleled visibility via devoted media protection, connecting them with a world viewers.

High-Impact Networking

Engage with trade leaders and policymakers at EU Industry Days and the SME Assembly, fostering beneficial connections for enterprise progress.

Comprehensive Training & Incubation

Receive up to €20,000 worth of pre-incubation and acceleration training, together with skilled teaching on pitching and enterprise technique.

Fully Sponsored Travel

The occasion organizers will cowl all journey preparations for the prime 5 finalists, guaranteeing they’ll focus fully on their shows.

Who Should Apply?

Any citizen of an EU nation who’s:

• An EU-based proprietor or founder of an SME
• Between the ages of 18 and 40

Eligibility Criteria

✔ Individual Applications Only – No staff functions allowed.
✔ EU-Based SMEs – Applicant have to be an EU citizen and personal a registered SME within the EU.
✔ Age Requirement – Must be between 18 and 40 years previous as of March 14, 2025.
✔ Business Stage – Open to SMEs within the early levels (pre-seed, seed, or early progress), with lower than 5 years in operation.
✔ Entrepreneurial Experience – Less than 5 years of whole entrepreneurial expertise.
✔ Ownership Requirement – Applicant should personal at the very least 51% of the corporate.
✔ Participation Rules – Only the proprietor/co-owner can take part within the last pitch (staff can not pitch).
✔ Focus Areas – Businesses should tackle societal, environmental, or financial challenges (e.g., UN Sustainable Development Goals).
✔ Industry – Open to all industries, however concepts should display innovation and scalability.

Competition Timeline

• January 20, 2025 – Application course of begins
• March 14, 2025 – Application deadline
• March 15 – April 27, 2025 – Application screening
• April 28, 2025 – Announcement of the prime 10 finalists
• May 5 – 9, 2025 – Coaching classes for finalists
• May 14, 2025 – Online pitch occasion & choice of the prime 5 finalists
• June 5, 2025 – Final pitching occasion at EU Industry Days in Rzeszów, Poland

Rules and Regulations

Before making use of, evaluation the total YEEA Rules and Regulations doc, obtainable for obtain:

📄 [YEEA Rules and Regulations (English, 98.33 KB – PDF)]

Applications are open till March 14, 2025!

📢 Apply Now – Don’t miss this chance to elevate your online business and acquire worldwide recognition!

For extra info or inquiries, contact YEEA@netcompany.com.

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